Help Identifying Tortoise

[bjfrank]

Hi everyone, I need some help identifying a tortoise. Here is the story. I was asked to adopt a tortoise because of my experience with turtles and tortoises. He was found by a parks and recreation employee. The poor little guy was abandoned at one of our city parks. From my research it looks to be an indian star tortoise, but I can't tell for sure. I just want to be sure I am providing the right conditions and diet. Included is a couple pictures of the top and bottom. I can include more if needed. Thanks for your help.

 

[dmmj]

I am pretty sure it is an ornate box turtle.

 

[Meg90]

Its a box turtle. I'd say eastern. I was just going to congratulate you on being so lucky to find a star! Can you post a few more clearer pictures of it? That will help to see if its crossed with any thing, and maybe help tell the sex if you can get a picture of its face/eyes.

 

[nearpass]

Looks like an ornate box to me, too. Where are you located?

 

[Yvonne G]

It's a Terrapene ornata ornata, or an ornate box turtle. If they're not native to your state then it is someone's lost or discarded pet, and probably illegal to let him go in the park.

Here's a good site to get you going on care for the turtle:

http://www.turtlepuddle.org/american/boxcare.html

For those of you who care, the visual difference in the pattern on the carapace between the ornate and the eastern is the ornate has a star pattern with only around 5 or 6 lines radiating from a mid point, while the eastern has a sort of backward "E" pattern. Sometimes its a stretch to see the "E" but if you look hard you can see it.

 

[dmmj]

woohoo I win. LOL where is my prize?

 

[Meg90]

lol, I was looking at Egg for comparison! She's doesn't have the E, hers are kinda all over the place.

 

[bjfrank]

Thanks everybody for the great response! I didn't even think about checking box turtles. I am located in Sioux Falls, SD. It looks like they are found here, but not many and not in this part of the state. This is explains why parks and rec didn't know what it was and thought it didn't belong. Unfortunately, this means he is most likely a wild and has no place being in captivity. Another concern is SD law on this type of turtle. I am close to Iowa which looks to be illegal to take from the wild. Couldn't really find any info about South Dakota. Another issue is the weather since it is about 20 degrees out and full of snow. I now need to decide what is the best option for him.

 

[Meg90]

You cannot put him back outside.

He hasn't had a chance to bury down and hibernate before the snow, and the temperature will kill him if you put him outside now.

Look up a care sheet, set up a temporary setup for him, and care for him throughout the winter.

Then you need to make ABSOLUTELY sure that he is a native species. If he is not native to your area, you will be doing a great disservice by releasing him there.

 

[bjfrank]

Sorry, I should have explained more clearly. I have no itent of letting him go. I completely understand he wouldn't survive in the winter and should be burrowed down hibernating. That is why I mentioned it. I have no problem keeping him for the winter (or longer in fact.) I wouldn't have agreed to take him in if I wasn't. My concern is mainly state law and no issues are being caused. He is definitely a native to the south central part of this state. I am though in the south eastern part of the state. It is hard to say if he is a wild turtle or was someone's pet. I just want what is best for him.

 

[dreadyA]

What's the name?