Loose tortoise

[Candy]

I was just wondering as tortoises owners what would you do if you found a tortoise in your front yard and didn't know who's it was? That's what my sister found last year. She was scared half to death of it. I remember her calling me and asking me how to get rid of it and me telling her that it won't hurt you just throw it some veggies. She didn't know where it belonged, but figured that it must have crossed the street to get to her house. Her husband took it across the street (because they figured it lived there) and a couple of days later it came back. She hasn't seen it for a while. I told her that it's probably hibernating and that it should be coming out soon (if it's still alive) and to call me next time and I will come and take a look at it. Oh yeah, she doesn't talk to this neighbor because of some bad stuff that's gone on at that house so that's not an option to ask them if it's theirs or not. I told her that they're not taking very good care of it if it's crossing the street and could get hit by a car. What would you do? Candy

 

[Nay]

Hi Candy,
Where I live(mass) there are a few native species, and I would probably look up what kind it was and if by chance it was a native one then I would probably leave it be. (If it survived the winter if you have one, then chances are it would do fine) If it was something I knew didn't belong, I would probably take it in and then post it here, for identify and possibly a home.
Good Luck.
Nay

 

[Yvonne G]

If you find a turtle or tortoise in your front yard, chances are pretty good that it is someone's escaped pet. It is only good neighborliness to try to find the owner. You make up some fliers and tack them up on the utility poles around the neighborhood. You place a "found" ad in the newspaper (these are usually free). But don't be too specific because there are plenty of scoundrels reading the ads with getting a free tortoise in mind. If you have exhausted all your resources in trying to find the owners and haven't been able to find them, then you contact a local turtle club or rescue or if none in your area, the local SPCA.

So many people find a tortoise and say, "Oh boy, look at MY new tortoise." WRONG!! Try to find its owner.

Yvonne

 

[jorrow]

Where i Live in ALabama i find boxies and aquatic turtles in my yard quite often.... or in the road if they are in the road i just move them to the other side in the direction they are heading.... So i guess i would just learn your native species and if it is one of those leave it alone...

 

[carrilac]

I agree with emysemys, if it wasn't native to the area, I would take it in and try to find the owner somehow. There are too many cars and other dangers in urban areas to leave in an unsecured place. Now if I found the animal and it was in poor condition (appeared to be a victim of long-term neglect) I would probably wait to see if the owner cared enough to post signs, ads ect...

As a kid my family adopted a dog off the street. When she literally showed up at our door she was hungry, matted and acted as though she had been badly abused. We looked for ads and signs around the neighborhood and called the local shelter, but no one appeared to be missing her. Right or wrong we didn't post signs because we couldn't imagine returning the dog to a place that had obviously treated her badly. This is way off topic but she ended up becoming a family member (very pampered indoor dog) that lived to the approximate age of 16.

 

[Candy]

I agree so what I've decided to do is by chance it lived through the winter (which wasn't that bad) and it comes to her house again I will have her call me like she did before, but this time I will go over and see what kind it is. Then I will be able to make a better decision on how it looks. I was talking with my sister this morning and she said that she was going to get started on her garden and I said that's probably why it came over to begin with it smelled veggies. Thanks, I'll keep you updated. Candy