What species is my tortoise?

Wendy Webb

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I live in Southern California, about 30 miles east of Disneyland. I found this tortoise, upside down, in my horse's pen. The neighbors do not know who owned it. I have been reading many posts about tortoises, their care, how to identify species, etc. I have concluded this is a female because the bottom of her shell is flat. From what I've read, it looks as though I need to know her species in order to figure out what diet is best for her. She is about 13" long. Having an animal that hibernates and doesn't have to be fed and watered daily makes me nervous. We found her in December and put her in a box in the guest bathtub that we don't use. She never seemed to sleep.

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tortadise

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Welcome. Not 100% on species. But looks like a cooter or old red ear slider to me. This is an aquatic species of turtle though. Some more versed Members in aquatics should be along shortly.
 

sibi

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Not sure this is a tortoise. The plastron doesn't look like that of a tortoise, but rather, that of some sort of box turtle. She may be semi-aquatic. Some can get really big. Hopefully, someone will come along and ID this turtle for you. I would put her in water and try feeding her some fruit. She's in a strange environment, so she's not gonna sleep well anyway. Do you plan to put her back out, or keep her?
 

Wendy Webb

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I did try soaking her in water. I read that I should try that. We live in an extremely arid area so she wouldn't have gotten that outside often. I want to do what is best for her, even if that means giving her up to someone with experience. But letting her go outside would be far too dangerous. We have lots of traffic, dogs, horses, fire ants and even raccoons, opossums and rats. Thank you for responding.
 

Wendy Webb

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We also gave her a bit of apple, some weeds from outside, broccoli and romaine lettuce.

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Markw84

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The older males lose the red marking as well as the stripes. Some become almost black while others just get vet "washed out" looking like this one. I think with good diet and care he will darken up too

So - aquatic and must be kept in water. Has to be in water in order to eat
 

Yvonne G

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We also gave her a bit of apple, some weeds from outside, broccoli and romaine lettuce.

Water turtles can't eat out of the water. They can only swallow food if they are submerged. It looks like a male red ear slider that has lost his color
 

Wendy Webb

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OK, I was worried he would drown. So why would I find him wandering in my dry horse arena with no water nearby at all? I remember seeing a hole on the side of the hill like that a tortoise would dig. I believe you all, just wondering.
 

Markw84

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Glad he's getting some good care now

A male normally only leaves the water searching for a new home if somethings not to its liking. They will travel quite some distances. Do you have any ponds farm ponds or streams within a mile or so? If not maybe someone dumped it. Also could have been a long term captive that escaped they are not native to California but have gotten established in lots of ponds and streams here by people releasing pets

By the way. If he doesn't eat right away you could try an earthworm or two. Stubborn turtles can't seem to resist the wiggling of a worm that triggers its feeding response

Good link and thanks for caring enough to check things out for the turtle
 

Wendy Webb

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Well I love animals and I find this thing fascinating. It's like a little dinosaur in my bathtub. He seems pretty happy now, walking around in the shallow water.

We do have the Santa Ana River about a mile away but he would have had to cross several busy roads and go uphill.

I'm hoping the flaky edge on his shell will improve now that he is getting hydrated.

Thanks again everyone.
 

Wendy Webb

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He can't live in my bathtub forever. I'm wondering how feasible it would be to keep him in a large child's pool outside. I could put some flat rocks or bricks in the center so he could get out of the water to sunbathe. Then we could build a wooden frame with wire mesh to keep predators out.
 

tglazie

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A large child's pool as you describe it would work. Don't release this turtle, as it isn't native to your area. In all likelihood, it is either a released pet or the descendant of a released pet. So long as he eats, he should do fine. Old fellas like that will eat turtle pellets and a variety of vegetables. Romaine, collards, mustard greens, dandelions, and aquatic plants like anachris (elodea), duckweed, and water hyacinth, among others. If you keep him without a filter in the large kiddie pool, the water will have to be changed regularly, depending upon how filthy he gets. Has he been eating?

T.G.
 

Wendy Webb

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I will not release him into the wild. I think he has eaten a couple of the turtle pellets. He must have survived away from water for a very long time because I remember seeing that hole we think he was living in for a few years. If I find a local person who would like to adopt him, how likely is it that he will get along with their other turtles? I don't want any of them hurt.

I read that he should have 10 gallons of water space per inch of shell length. What if there are more than one in an enclosure?
 

sibi

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I have a smaller water turtle, a Reeves turtle, and I have her in a 55 gallon tank. If I had two of them, I would get a 75-100 gallon tank. Btw, my turtle is 30 years old now.
If you plan to put the turtle in a kiddy pool, make sure you keep it enclosed or in a place that he can't escape. These turtles will climb out of it eventually, and if he's outside, he'll be gone before you know it. You've got a beautiful turtle!
 

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