We found a baby tortoise in our yard… help

AmberViolette

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We live in the desert, my husband saw what he thought was a tennis ball behind our outdoor couch, turns out it was a tiny baby tortoise. No idea where he came from, none of our neighbors know either. We looked around our yard for any other babies, no sign of anything.

Can someone help me figure out what kind of tortoise it is and what basic first steps I need to take care of him? Thanks for any help you can provide.
 

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jeff kushner

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Most here will tell you to return him to a safe place near where you found him but while he's in your care, a good soak in room temp water about 3/4" of an inch deep for 20 minutes will make his day!

There is a huge amount of talent on this forum, they will help you find out what you found and how to care for him!
 

wellington

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It looks like a desert tortoise to me which is native to AZ. I believe also illegal to take from the wild but you would need to check that out for sure. I know it's illegal in CA.
I agree with what Jeff said. Give it a nice warm soak and then let him go back into the wild where it belongs.
 

Yvonne G

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It looks like a desert tortoise to me which is native to AZ. I believe also illegal to take from the wild but you would need to check that out for sure. I know it's illegal in CA.
I agree with what Jeff said. Give it a nice warm soak and then let him go back into the wild where it belongs.
I think it's a little sulcata with a muddy carapace. Look at those leg scales.

@AmberViolette - once you've go him cleaned up show us pictures again. Until we're sure of the species, don't release him.
 

AmberViolette

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I think it's a little sulcata with a muddy carapace. Look at those leg scales.

@AmberViolette - once you've go him cleaned up show us pictures again. Until we're sure of the species, don't release him.
I tried to clean him up but the dirt is pretty caked and I didn’t want to hurt him. Here’s some more pictures, let me know if these are any better.
 

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zovick

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We live in the desert, my husband saw what he thought was a tennis ball behind our outdoor couch, turns out it was a tiny baby tortoise. No idea where he came from, none of our neighbors know either. We looked around our yard for any other babies, no sign of anything.

Can someone help me figure out what kind of tortoise it is and what basic first steps I need to take care of him? Thanks for any help you can provide.
You have found a baby African Spurred Tortoise, also known as a "sulcata". It may have escaped from someone or it may be a wild-hatched offspring of feral adults which were either let go by irresponsible owners or escaped into the wild. Desert Tortoises have a nuchal scute, and yours does not, so it is not a Desert Tortoise native to AZ.

I would definitely not release it into the wild again. It is probably best to call the AZ DNR or DEC or whatever they call the state agency there which deals with their native tortoises to see what the best thing to do with it would be.
 

wellington

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You have found a baby African Spurred Tortoise, also known as a "sulcata". It may have escaped from someone or it may be a wild-hatched offspring of feral adults which were either let go by irresponsible owners or escaped into the wild. Desert Tortoises have a nuchal scute, and yours does not, so it is not a Desert Tortoise native to AZ.

I would definitely not release it into the wild again. It is probably best to call the AZ DNR or DEC or whatever they call the state agency there which deals with their native tortoises to see what the best thing to do with it would be.
I was just going to look up nochual scute to see if the DT had one or not. Thanks for saving me the trouble.
The color of his shell sure doesn't scream sulcata but the scute is more confirming.
 

ZippyButter

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Good luck and have fun taking care of this baby. Down the road, perhaps you need a lawn so he/she can mow and eat at the same time.
 

Tom

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I tried to clean him up but the dirt is pretty caked and I didn’t want to hurt him. Here’s some more pictures, let me know if these are any better.
Here is the correct care info. I would give this any a long warm soak and gently scrub the dirt away with a soft toothbrush. And then, don't use that tooth brush for your own teeth anymore... :)

Here is the correct care info for the species. Be aware that almost everything you find on-line and from pets shops will be wrong. Questions are welcome!
 

enchilada

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Is it possible there’s a feral population of sulcata somehow managed to reproduce naturally in your area ?
 

AmberViolette

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My neighbor has 1 sulcata, but he didn’t know his had babies. I’m sure others in the neighborhood have tortoises, maybe it wandered far away? Is it normal for a baby to just show up in your yard?

This is the 2nd tortoise we’ve inherited, but the other is a desert tortoise the previous owners of our house left without telling us. We have the means to separate them. Looks like I’ve got a lot of reading to do.
 

Yvonne G

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My neighbor has 1 sulcata, but he didn’t know his had babies. I’m sure others in the neighborhood have tortoises, maybe it wandered far away? Is it normal for a baby to just show up in your yard?

This is the 2nd tortoise we’ve inherited, but the other is a desert tortoise the previous owners of our house left without telling us. We have the means to separate them. Looks like I’ve got a lot of reading to do.
Birds pick up baby tortoises, fly high then drop them, hoping to split them open so the can eat them. This baby survived the process. Lucky for both you and the baby.

Please don't plan to allow them to share a yard when he's big enough. Mixing species may cause illness or death of one or both.
 

AmberViolette

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Birds pick up baby tortoises, fly high then drop them, hoping to split them open so the can eat them. This baby survived the process. Lucky for both you and the baby.

Please don't plan to allow them to share a yard when he's big enough. Mixing species may cause illness or death of one or both.
So if they both had their own enclosures but we let them roam at separate times could they still catch an illness?
 

AmberViolette

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Since they can transfer diseases do you think we should try to find it a new home? Or as long as we keep them separated and don’t let them roam in the same yard they would be ok? I wouldn’t want anything to happen to my current tortoise.
 

SinLA

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If you can keep them and their spaces entirely separate you should have no issues.
 
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