I found a baby tortoise in my garage, what kind is he?

[Teresatort]

Hello, I found little Nugget in my garage a month ago. He is a baby I think, and maybe a desert tortoise. He is 2 inches long and a little over inch wide> He or she is adorable. I live in southern Calif, by the beach.
Can anyone tell me if he is a desert tortoise?
Thank you I want to make sure I taking proper care of Nugs

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. It does look like a DT but see what others say. It may be someone's pet, as I wouldn't think they would be normally found by the beach.

 

[EchoTheLeoTort]

I havent heard of a wild one having a split scute either. Though i may be wrong. Either way good luck cutie for sure

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

Do your neighbors have desert tortoises? So little. Wonder if there were eggs at a neighbors and this one found its way to your property. Darling little thing.

 

[cemmons12]

Hello and welcome! Very happy you found this little gem and that you joined us here to learn how to care for him/her! Best of luck to you both!

 

[Teresatort]

Thank you for the quick replies! I love the little guy already. I take him to the back yard for sun or shade what ever he prefers for an hour or more in the morning. I have the nice shelter for him in my home. He has the light for heat, and the uvb. I do the soak, every other day since he is so small. I just want to make sure these are the right things to do.
Thanks again

 

[thatrebecca]

Well Nugget is pretty darn cute, and looks like a baby California desert tort. Obviously they're not native to coastal CA, so presumably he hatched from a neighbor's adult. Any idea if any of your neighbors keeps torts? Be aware that damp ocean air isn't what these guys are built for. What kind of setup does Nugget have? Even inland in the San Fernando Valley, I keep my juvenile DTs inside at night until the fog burns off in the morning.

 

[ascott]

Yup...little Nug appears CDT to me as well....possible he was part of a clutch maybe no one new of? What is your enclosure set up like at present?

 

[bigred]

Yup...little Nug appears CDT to me as well....possible he was part of a clutch maybe no one new of? What is your enclosure set up like at present?

Good looking tort

---

Yup...little Nug appears CDT to me as well....possible he was part of a clutch maybe no one new of? What is your enclosure set up like at present?

Good looking tort

 

[nate.mann]

good-looking dude youve got there


0.1.0 Russian tortoise
0.1.0 Sonoran Desert Tortoise
1.0.0 Bluenose Pit/American Bulldog

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the Forum!

 

[sibi]

Hi and welcome. I think you're doing great with this baby. Please take pics of his enclosure, the substrate, and lighting/heat. We love pics of your baby. Keep us posted.

 

[Teresatort]

First of all thank you all for your quick responses. I have nugget in large storage tub 3x2. He has 2 ablone shells that he uses as his hiding spot. I keep a temp gage in his tub with a humidifier gage. I have the uvb light and a heat lamp for him too. I take him out almost everyday to the back yard in a dog crate. To get sunshine.. if it is sunny. He has water and fresh food everyday. I do the soaks.
I would appreciate any suggestions for the Nugget. Sweetest little guy. I feed him dandelion greens, romaine, kale, zuccinhini, organic spring mix. He loves romaine.
What should I use for his home for dirt etc. I have read so many different things about what to use.
I do not know of any neigbors who were raising the little guys. It is a mystery. Thank God I did not park in my garage. which I always do.
thanks again, I will take any help to keep nug happy and healthy.

 

[Teresatort]

Here is Nuggets home.

 

[ascott]

I would use peat moss or good ole fashion clean dirt....the pellets will wick the moisture from him as well as they will mold relatively easy and walking is likely difficult....and be sure to press the substrate down with your hand to firmly pack it for easy walking....

 

[Teresatort]

Here is Nuggets home.

Again thank you for all the responses and the warm welcome!

 

[Tom]

He needs a basking lamp over one end. Adjust the height of the bulb to get a basking spot of about 100. I like to put a flat rock or piece of slate directly under the bulb. The rest of the enclosure can gradually cool to room temp. I run the basking lamp on a timer for about 12-13 hours a day. I like regular 65 watt incandescent flood bulbs for this. I don't like colored bulbs for indoor daytime use. You need a remote probed thermometer and/or an infrared temp gun to check your temps. Those dial types are not accurate or reliable at all. Unless your house gets very cold, you shouldn't need night heat. Night temps in the 70s are fine for DTs.

The coil type UV bulbs can damage their eyes. Indoors I would use either a long florescent tube type UV bulb or mercury vapor bulb that will give you heat light and UV all in one. With daily sunning excursions, you should not need any indoor UV bubls at all, although they won't hurt anything either.

The best water bowl is a $2 terra cotta plant saucer sunk into the substrate.

He would definitely benefit from a better substrate. My preference is for coco coir or orchid bark. Both can be bought at garden store pretty cheaply.

Here is a thread with outdoor enclosure ideas:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-30683.html

Here is a diet thread. Its for sulcatas, but the same info applies. Just less emphasis on the grass: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-76744.html

Here is a general thread that might help you:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-45180.html

Be aware that your climate is not the best for them. With supplemental heat and warm dry retreat areas, it should be fine, but I had to rehab MANY desert tortoises in years past because cause they got sick living in coastal "beachy" weather.

Hello, welcome and good luck!

 

[Teresatort]

He needs a basking lamp over one end. Adjust the height of the bulb to get a basking spot of about 100. I like to put a flat rock or piece of slate directly under the bulb. The rest of the enclosure can gradually cool to room temp. I run the basking lamp on a timer for about 12-13 hours a day. I like regular 65 watt incandescent flood bulbs for this. I don't like colored bulbs for indoor daytime use. You need a remote probed thermometer and/or an infrared temp gun to check your temps. Those dial types are not accurate or reliable at all. Unless your house gets very cold, you shouldn't need night heat. Night temps in the 70s are fine for DTs.

The coil type UV bulbs can damage their eyes. Indoors I would use either a long florescent tube type UV bulb or mercury vapor bulb that will give you heat light and UV all in one. With daily sunning excursions, you should not need any indoor UV bubls at all, although they won't hurt anything either.

The best water bowl is a $2 terra cotta plant saucer sunk into the substrate.

He would definitely benefit from a better substrate. My preference is for coco coir or orchid bark. Both can be bought at garden store pretty cheaply.

Here is a thread with outdoor enclosure ideas:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-30683.html

Here is a diet thread. Its for sulcatas, but the same info applies. Just less emphasis on the grass: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-76744.html

Here is a general thread that might help you:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-45180.html

Be aware that your climate is not the best for them. With supplemental heat and warm dry retreat areas, it should be fine, but I had to rehab MANY desert tortoises in years past because cause they got sick living in coastal "beachy" weather.

Hello, welcome and good luck!

Thank you very much! I appreciate the help.

 

[ILoveTortoises2]

You can use coconut soil or use regular soil. I use regular soil NO pesticides or anything bad in it. Just regular soil and it works GREAT I would deff get him off the stuff you have down now. I have heard nothing but bad about that. So maybe that should be 1 of the first few things to do on your list
By The Way........
He is cute. Good you got him and he wasn't wondering around out there. That wouldn't of been good at all.

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

Coconut soil is a good description but it's called coco coir or coconut coir or coconut fiber on the labels And in the spring, mad dash to Target near the seed packets in the garden section. The bricks were 2.57 each this last spring. Deal. Stock up then, tortoise people. You have been tipped off in advance, so mark those calendars! : )