LONGSHOT LOST RUSSIAN TORTOISE PA

[HAMPS77]

A buddy of mine lost his Russian tortoise “Brian” awhile back, I figured I’d post something to try and see if he’s still out there. It was lost near Loganville PA about 3 years ago. I have no pictures, but he was last seen roaming a neighborhood. Anyone found a Russian in PA the last couple years? I know it’s a longshot, but this is my last effort to try and bring ‘em home.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Good luck!

 

[Friarfr3d]

Heyo, found a Russian Box Tortoise in our yard today and then this post when we were looking for where he came from. He's definitely someone's escaped pet and he has one heck of a passionate energy to him so if he traveled all the way to waynesboro pa that'd be pretty funny. Did you have any old photos or descriptors of him. He was a male right? About 5 inch shell

 

[wellington]

Heyo, found a Russian Box Tortoise in our yard today and then this post when we were looking for where he came from. He's definitely someone's escaped pet and he has one heck of a passionate energy to him so if he traveled all the way to waynesboro pa that'd be pretty funny. Did you have any old photos or descriptors of him. He was a male right? About 5 inch shell

There are no Russian box turtle. It's either a Russian tortoise or a box turtle.

 

[Friarfr3d]

There are no Russian box turtle. It's either a Russian tortoise or a box turtle.

It's a tortoise not a turtle. I'm a rep-noob.

 

[Friarfr3d]

Am i wrong on the ID? Is this a native species? I didnt think there were any native tortoise in PA.

 

[wellington]

Am i wrong on the ID? Is this a native species? I didnt think there were any native tortoise in PA.View attachment 357572

It is a Russian and there are no native tortoises in PA. There are native turtles, but this isn't one of them.

 

[SinLA]

Please don’t release it. Hopefully there is a reptile rescue near you or a shelter. If you do advertise it on craigslist or next-door for lost and found, don’t post a picture of it. Ask the respondents to send you a photo that they have of their missing Tortoise and then you can compare to see if it is the same one by looking at the markings. Otherwise someone might claim it as their own just to resell it or worse…

 

[TammyJ]

It looks good. Probably not been missing from the owner very long.

 

[HAMPS77]

Heyo, found a Russian Box Tortoise in our yard today and then this post when we were looking for where he came from. He's definitely someone's escaped pet and he has one heck of a passionate energy to him so if he traveled all the way to waynesboro pa that'd be pretty funny. Did you have any old photos or descriptors of him. He was a male right? About 5 inch shell

OMG!! Let me send the picture to my buddy and see if it’s him.

 

[HAMPS77]

Am i wrong on the ID? Is this a native species? I didnt think there were any native tortoise in PA.View attachment 357572

I checked the mapping, it’s nearly a straight line from the way the tortoise went to waynesboro. He has been missing since 2019, this would be amazing if he survived this long in PA.

 

[Ink]

I checked the mapping, it’s nearly a straight line from the way the tortoise went to waynesboro. He has been missing since 2019, this would be amazing if he survived this long in PA.

Please keep us posted. 🤞

 

[zovick]

I checked the mapping, it’s nearly a straight line from the way the tortoise went to waynesboro. He has been missing since 2019, this would be amazing if he survived this long in PA.

II is a Russian Tortoise, though I highly doubt is is the same tortoise which escaped from Loganville in 2019. It is roughly 60 miles from Loganville to Waynesboro, and that is one heck of a long way for a 5" tortoise to travel, even in 4 years' time.

It's far more likely that it escaped from someone more local to where you found it in Waynesboro (unless of course, someone picked it up in Loganville and took it to Waynesboro, then later either released it or it escaped from them).

 

[HAMPS77]

Am i wrong on the ID? Is this a native species? I didnt think there were any native tortoise in PA.View attachment 357572

Could you post another picture but where I can see him from the front? Owner requested a front view and he would know for sure if it was brian or not.

 

[Friarfr3d]

 

[Friarfr3d]

also one the wife took with the same phone but somehow much higher resolution

 

[HAMPS77]

View attachment 358073also one the wife took with the same phone but somehow much higher resolution

View attachment 358073also one the wife took with the same phone but somehow much higher resolution

This is the tortoise that was lost in 2019, only photo he could fine. Maybe if I can get a yes or no consensus from the forum

 

[SinLA]

I would say not the same bc the newly found one has more dark along the edge scutes, unless that changes over time and I’m not aware of it. Would be better if they had better photos of the lost one.

But I also would say if a/he doesn’t find a home maybe your friend could take him as a legacy, but only if they have an enclosure for him

 

[EricW]

I would say not the same bc the newly found one has more dark along the edge scutes, unless that changes over time and I’m not aware of it. Would be better if they had better photos of the lost one.

But I also would say if a/he doesn’t find a home maybe your friend could take him as a legacy, but only if they have an enclosure for him

Check out the "dents" to the scutes right of the head, they are similar. Beak is similar too. I don't know, may be.

 

[SinLA]

I defer to @Yvonne G or others or experienced with scute changes over time