What do I do with this tortoise?

[tortadise]

It does not appear to be a Hermann's tortoise (T. hermanni hermanni) which is the ONLY native species of tortoise to France, rather it looks like a Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca ssp.) which are introduced but there are only scattered reports of this. Please post good photos of the animal wetted down so I can properly I.D. it for you. I need to see top and bottom. It may be an escaped pet. Have you contacted anyone over at the Gonfaron Tortoise Preserve?

Awesome.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Thanks so much for saving this lovely old tortoise.
It does my heart good to know there are still kind, caring people in the world.
I hope it can be found a suitable home, maybe at the preserve.
Bless you.

 

[ascott]

It does not appear to be a Hermann's tortoise (T. hermanni hermanni) which is the ONLY native species of tortoise to France, rather it looks like a Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca ssp.) which are introduced but there are only scattered reports of this. Please post good photos of the animal wetted down so I can properly I.D. it for you. I need to see top and bottom. It may be an escaped pet. Have you contacted anyone over at the Gonfaron Tortoise Preserve?

Hey...looks like I am getting a little better at id'g by photo p)....coolio....I am excited to see what you all-- in the end decide on the species....

 

[Ann Carter]

Thanks so much for saving this lovely old tortoise.
It does my heart good to know there are still kind, caring people in the world.
I hope it can be found a suitable home, maybe at the preserve.
Bless you.

Yes it will be going to the preserve, I'm hoping my dog rescue friends will help me to get it down there as its over 8hrs away. We've done it for dogs, I'm sure we can do it for a tortoise. If not I'll take it myself and have a weekend away.

 

[Ann Carter]

Here are some photos of Rick (sorry we have named him/her). Also the temporary home we have made for him. I know the run isn't big enough, but it isn't permanent and its better than being stuck in a dog crate. I have given Rick some dandelions, which he likes and a little dish of water. Now does he need any sort of bedding, or do they just go in their shells at night? I will be bringing him in at night to be on the safe side.

 

[tortdad]

It's defiantly a male. Hi Rick

 

[HermanniChris]

Alright that confirms my suspicions. It's a Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca graeca) and is definitely a male. This species comes from sandy, arid areas and although capable of withstanding the cold, they do like it dry and sunny. A bedding of sand (yes sand, it's important for a T. g. greaca especially a "wild" one) and soil with some gravel added in will work for now. They enjoy low lying shrubs and grasses to hide under. Water for drinking is needed and dandelions for now are fine. Keeping him on a lawn will inevitably end in respiratory infection. Hope this helps.

 

[Ann Carter]

Alright that confirms my suspicions. It's a Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca graeca) and is definitely a male. This species comes from sandy, arid areas and although capable of withstanding the cold, they do like it dry and sunny. A bedding of sand (yes sand, it's important for a T. g. greaca especially a "wild" one) and soil with some gravel added in will work for now. They enjoy low lying shrubs and grasses to hide under. Water for drinking is needed and dandelions for now are fine. Keeping him on a lawn will inevitably end in respiratory infection. Hope this helps.

Thanks Chris, sort of decides for us know what to do. We had grown attached to him, even though we only had him since last nigh. Hubby wants to keep him, but I think it would be in the tortoise's best interest to send him to the sanctuary. Although we are planning moving further down south, where the sort of habitat you describes is, we don't have exact dates. I'll get in touch now with the Sanctuary, unless you know anyone else in France who has experience with this sort of tortoise further north, nearer to us. In the mean time we will get some sand, soil and gravel for it.

 

[Ann Carter]

I just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who helped me identify Rick the tortoise. I have found a really good home for him. He didn't end up at the sanctuary, a lovely knowledgeable lady contacted me and offered him a home. After checking to make sure she understood what sort he was we went to pay her a visit. She already has other species of tortoise and has big vivariums already set up for them all and when it is warm enough huge enclosures for them to go out in the sunshine. The are set up for each individual needs of the tortoise. She confirmed what you told me that he is an old boy. Apparently he was dehydrated, so I'm not sure if that was us that caused that or it was something that takes time and he was like it when we found him. She will be bathing him and giving him the care he needs. She did think he had been someone's pet as he was very friendly and not at all afraid. She is keeping him in separate from her other tortoises until she is sure he hasn't anything that the others can catch. I feel sorry for anyone that lost him, but happy he can now have a happy and healthy life with someone that knows how to care for him and close enough for me to visit him.
THANK YOU ALL

 

[WillTort2]

Glad to hear he's in good hands.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

I just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who helped me identify Rick the tortoise. I have found a really good home for him. He didn't end up at the sanctuary, a lovely knowledgeable lady contacted me and offered him a home. After checking to make sure she understood what sort he was we went to pay her a visit. She already has other species of tortoise and has big vivariums already set up for them all and when it is warm enough huge enclosures for them to go out in the sunshine. The are set up for each individual needs of the tortoise. She confirmed what you told me that he is an old boy. Apparently he was dehydrated, so I'm not sure if that was us that caused that or it was something that takes time and he was like it when we found him. She will be bathing him and giving him the care he needs. She did think he had been someone's pet as he was very friendly and not at all afraid. She is keeping him in separate from her other tortoises until she is sure he hasn't anything that the others can catch. I feel sorry for anyone that lost him, but happy he can now have a happy and healthy life with someone that knows how to care for him and close enough for me to visit him.
THANK YOU ALL

Thank you.
A happy ending it would seem.

 

[Gillian M]

Glad to have just read that te tort is safe and sound.

 

[Ann Carter]

A final note from me. The lovely lady who re-homed Rick wanted to confirm a few things about him. She contacted a friend of hers, how has written a few books on tortoise's. He confirmed breed, he was a pet and not wild and the most amazing thing is he said that Rick is 70+ years old. How amazing, he may have even lived through the 2nd world war. I am just so please he is going to live his twilight years in his new home.

 

[puffy137]

A final note from me. The lovely lady who re-homed Rick wanted to confirm a few things about him. She contacted a friend of hers, how has written a few books on tortoise's. He confirmed breed, he was a pet and not wild and the most amazing thing is he said that Rick is 70+ years old. How amazing, he may have even lived through the 2nd world war. I am just so please he is going to live his twilight years in his new home.

Anne you sound like a lovely person yourself . I hope when you eventually move south you will get yourself a Tortoise of your own . Greeks are great.

 

[Gillian M]

Anne you sound like a lovely person yourself . I hope when you eventually move south you will get yourself a Tortoise of your own . Greeks are great.

I agree. Anne does seem to be a wonderful person, which is something very rare to find nowadays, I regret to have to say.

 

[Gillian M]

A final note from me. The lovely lady who re-homed Rick wanted to confirm a few things about him. She contacted a friend of hers, how has written a few books on tortoise's. He confirmed breed, he was a pet and not wild and the most amazing thing is he said that Rick is 70+ years old. How amazing, he may have even lived through the 2nd world war. I am just so please he is going to live his twilight years in his new home.

I hope hear that you got a tortoise soon, Anne.