Help me identify please

[thereal._yani]

I found her 3 years ago by a lake. The reason I rescued her was one mostly because she was by the lake with no chance of survival if she fell in and two because the lake was by a very busy intersection. Constant back and forth cars. I knew she was a tortoise and had no business being there. I still have yet to figure out what specific species she is to be able to fully care for her. It has been three years and she’s alive and well I need your help. Thank you

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hi, I’m new to the community. I’ve had this tortoise for 3 years now. I found her by a lake with little to no chance of survival if she were to fall in she would obviously die and also the lake was by a very busy intersection constant cars back and forth. I assume it’s a girl not really sure. I’ve been trying my hardest ever since I found her to actually find out what species of tortoise it is. I’m still not to sure. I just want to be able to give her the best life possible. She’s alive and well. Very active but she loves to sleep. I’ll attach some images. Thank you. I found her in Pompano Beach,FL btw.

Hello! Welcome to the forum!!

Could you possibly make a new thread answering these questions🙂

What size enclosure is that you’re keeping him in?
What are you using for substrate?
What are you using for lighting specifically? Packaging photos are good!
What is your UV situation?
What are you overall temperatures? A good way to check those is both monitors and a temp gun.
What’s their diet been like?
Lastly, what are your humidity levels? A hatching like this needs 80% 24/7, which you will only be able to achieve in a closed chamber set up, we can discuss this further in your thread.

Please make a new thread answering all those questions if you can, and include as many photos of your current set up as possible, as well as these photos of the tortoise for members to help identify them for you! if you don’t know how to make a new thread, tell me here and I can explain how🙂

 

[Ink]

@Yvonne G should be able to help you. I believe it's a gopher tortoise or a sulcata. How big was it when you found it?

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hi, I’m new to the community. I’ve had this tortoise for 3 years now. I found her by a lake with little to no chance of survival if she were to fall in she would obviously die and also the lake was by a very busy intersection constant cars back and forth. I assume it’s a girl not really sure. I’ve been trying my hardest ever since I found her to actually find out what species of tortoise it is. I’m still not to sure. I just want to be able to give her the best life possible. She’s alive and well. Very active but she loves to sleep. I’ll attach some images. Thank you. I found her in Pompano Beach,FL btw.

Refer back to your other new thread for all further advice if you can to keep it simpler, not sure if maybe you posted this one by mistake, it’s ok though you’re new lol perhaps someone can ID on this thread though🙂

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

@Yvonne G should be able to help you. I believe it's a gopher tortoise or a sulcata. How big was it when you found it?

I thought possibly a sulcata too! But ID’ing definitely isn’t my strong point haha

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Nuchal scute hints it's not a sulcata. So it could be a Gopher tortoise. But let's wait for the members who have seen them not only on photos

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Nuchal scute hints it's not a sulcata. So it could be a Gopher tortoise. But let's wait for the members who have seen them not only on photos

Tbf it would be far too small to be a three year old sulcata thinking about it, so you’re probably right lol

 

[thereal._yani]

I’m currently keeping her in a 20 gallon tank. I do plan to make her an enclosure for outside but since I do live in an apartment I’ve placed that on hold. I do take her outside to get daily amounts of sun as well as be able to free roam and eat the grass. I was using top soil as her substrate for the first year I got her but I’m currently using Repti bark as well as Eco Earth coconut fiber substrate. I use a 10.0 UVB reprising bulb as well as a Fluker’s heat lamp bulb 75 watts I believe. Still not sure on what her overall temperature or humidity should be because I still don’t know what tortoise she is. I did recently order her some plants for inside as well as a few enrichment things. So her tank will be rearranged tomorrow. Bought new lighting as well

 

[thereal._yani]

10.0 UVB Repti sun bulb*

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

I’m currently keeping her in a 20 gallon tank. I do plan to make her an enclosure for outside but since I do live in an apartment I’ve placed that on hold. I do take her outside to get daily amounts of sun as well as be able to free roam and eat the grass. I was using top soil as her substrate for the first year I got her but I’m currently using Repti bark as well as Eco Earth coconut fiber substrate. I use a 10.0 UVB reprising bulb as well as a Fluker’s heat lamp bulb 75 watts I believe. Still not sure on what her overall temperature or humidity should be because I still don’t know what tortoise she is. I did recently order her some plants for inside as well as a few enrichment things. So her tank will be rearranged tomorrow. Bought new lighting as well

For a hatchling like this I wouldn’t be letting them free roam outdoors just yet, it’s not entirely safe, up to an hour of sun is ok though, but I’d secure a small area for her to have that if you can, even if it’s just a small rabbit run for now and always be there with her outdoors🙂
I’m glad you switched to the reptibark, that’s fine as substrate but don’t use the top soil👍the Coco coir is perfect too! Just make sure it’s damp and firmly packed down with your hands, bare with me on their temps until you have an ID, but no matter their species, because they’re a hatchling, they need 80% humidity 24/7 currently, whilst the tank you have will be ok for now, I think it’ll be worth talking you through a cost effective way to upgrade so you can put them in a set up that will hold the humidity you need and give more vital room to roam🙂

What lighting is it you’re switching to? Just want to make sure it’s appropriate, shops will sell you the wrong stuff!

Indoor uv needs to be provided in the form of a t5 fluorescent tube light, I’ve attached a pic, could you confirm if this is the uv you’re using?
And do you have a photo of the packaging of your basking bulb? It needs to be an incandescent floodlight on a 12 hour timer, again I’ll attach a pic of the type🙂

If the plants have been ordered from a generic plant site, you can’t be sure they’ve not been grown with fertiliser, therefore it’s always recommended to wash roots and re pot in safe organic soil, then wait a few months to add them👍

 

[thereal._yani]

@Yvonne G should be able to help you. I believe it's a gopher tortoise or a sulcata. How big was it when you found it?

She fit in the size of my palm

 

[DoubleD1996!]

Thought this was a redfoot, but it looks like a baby gopher tortoise. They are native to florida.

 

[DoubleD1996!]

Looks like a gopher tort. They're native to Florida.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Thought this was a redfoot, but it looks like a baby gopher tortoise. They are native to florida.

lol the shell had be thinking that too until I saw their face😂

 

[thereal._yani]

She fit in the size of my palm

Well a little smaller then the size of my palm I’ll try and find a picture of when I first got her

 

[thereal._yani]

Looks like a gopher tort. They're native to Florida.

Oh geez if she is in fact a gopher I can get in trouble for even touching her. It’s illegal🤦🏽‍♀️

 

[Ink]

Oh geez if she is in fact a gopher I can get in trouble for even touching her. It’s illegal🤦🏽‍♀️

You didn't know. Do Not release it because the tortoise wouldn't be able to survive. Wait for @Yvonne G or an expert to help you. Please

 

[thereal._yani]

You didn't know. Do Not release it because the tortoise wouldn't be able to survive. Wait for @Yvonne G or an expert to help you. Please

I would literally never release her. The first two images are from when I first got her and the last two are now she has most definitely gotten bigger.

 

[wellington]

I believe that is a Florida gopher tortoise. There are laws about owning them and taking them from the wild.
I believe you have to call a wildlife rescue. However, left me see if a few others know for sure.
@ZEROPILOT
@Yvonne G

 

[DoubleD1996!]

Oh geez if she is in fact a gopher I can get in trouble for even touching her. It’s illegal🤦🏽‍♀️

You've done a good job raising her up though.