NEW RESCUE. NEED HELP PLEASE

Di Cortez

New Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2017
Messages
2
Location (City and/or State)
California
15A6D827-51C9-4EEF-9877-B2A0B12E36F5.jpeg 0B6CEC7F-AFF4-46DF-B98D-622EA9820DEF.jpeg 552D710D-63F2-415D-B013-7D3C5B7C6F08.jpeg 0D252A5E-97BC-4A0F-888E-34E0ED703297.jpeg D6034F60-F91C-4694-8A39-2D8A664A9DA6.jpeg Hello, i just received a rescue today. He’s in such bad shape. They said he was an African Tortoise, but he was so dirty i couldn’t bring back his healthy color to his shell. I own a Leopard tortoise that is still pretty young. I’m going to attach photos. Please help me identify my new rescue so i can properly house him. I soaked him, dried him, and cleaned up so much dirt with a q-tip. The dirt was so heavy i used a little coconut oil to loosen it. He turned himself around twice and allowed me to clean his shell near the tail. The back broken area of his shell is pretty dry. The front seems moist like shell rot possibly. I was told he was gotten free off of craigslist, lost for 2 month in a backyard, and had some type of light on him 24/7 in a small tank. I’m not too sure of what he was fed. I left him some greens and water with vitamin drops, but he hasn’t cared for the food. He definitely burrows though. Sticks his head and whole upper body into the ground.

Any idea of what kind of tortoise my new guy is, i would greatly appreciate.
 

Attachments

  • 5B3C40D8-9DA2-4B70-88E9-D3EC1A4AFD0F.jpeg
    5B3C40D8-9DA2-4B70-88E9-D3EC1A4AFD0F.jpeg
    923.6 KB · Views: 21
  • 8972DE58-C2A4-4AC6-A397-A41B087CFC64.jpeg
    8972DE58-C2A4-4AC6-A397-A41B087CFC64.jpeg
    1 MB · Views: 19

TammyJ

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2016
Messages
7,120
Location (City and/or State)
Jamaica
Hi there and thanks for taking in this little guy who sure looks like he needs help!
I believe someone more expert than I am will be along shortly to assist you in what to do.
All the best.
 

TechnoCheese

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Messages
4,505
Location (City and/or State)
Lewisville, Texas
Poor tort D:
I don’t know how someone could keep a tortoise so badly that it got as disfigured as this one. Do you know how old it is?
 

Di Cortez

New Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2017
Messages
2
Location (City and/or State)
California
Poor tort D:
I don’t know how someone could keep a tortoise so badly that it got as disfigured as this one. Do you know how old it is?

I don’t know how old he is. I sent a message to my mother in law who took him from the original owner to see if she can figure out about when they got him. I know their growth sperts vary, but my leopard tortoise is about 9 months old and the rescue is about a half inch wider. I will post better photos to show his size comparison when i get home.
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,391
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Your new little box turtle is quite young, and has been raised in very poor conditions. Please be sure to read the care sheet shown in the above post, and if you set him up properly, with the right lights and food, he can live a long and healthy life with you.

Those are very good pictures you took. Quite professional-looking. It looks like at one time a dog chewed a section of shell. Nothing to do about it, it's old and not causing him any pain.
 
Top