Found Russian in Redondo Beach, CA

glitterrific

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We found what we we were told is a Russian tortoise in our backyard on March 21st. We have checked with our immediate neighbors and posted signs, but to no avail. Oddly enough, there is a turtle/tortoise rescue a few blocks from us, but they will not return my calls. So if anyone has lost a shelled friend in my area, please respond!
 

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glitterrific

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Thank you for the welcome!! I am learning a lot from this site! I do need to make an outside enclosure for it (it's in my empty bathtub for now, with plenty of outdoor walks for exercise). I've never been around a tortoise before but I really like him/her - and it seems to like me too. (At least I think so.) At first I was looking into rescues, but now I'm seriously thinking about keeping it if I can't find the owner.
 

leigti

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Welcome to the forum. Definitely keep trying to find it's home but you can do a few things to make it comfortable for now. Then if you decide to keep it you can invest into really good enclosures. First, you can get a large Rubbermaid bin, 50 gallons plus, at places like Home Depot or Walmart, the idea is floorspace not heights. You can use clean yard dirt, orchid bark, or coconut coir for a substrate. You can use a large kiddie pool for a temporary and quick and easy outdoor enclosure as well as an indoor enclosure. It needs to be able to bask, and get its body temperature past 80 to 85°. Temporarily you can use a regular lightbulb for this, do not place it closer than 12 inches from the tortoise. If you don't have any of this right now at least put some towels down in the bathtub, or find a smaller box to put it in. Bathtubs are very cold. As much outdoor time as possible if the weather is nice is the best. I hope you get to keep this tortoise. But if something happens and you do find the original owner maybe you could consider getting another tortoise. There are always a Russian tortoises on craigslist etc. looking for new homes.
 

glitterrific

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Thank you for all your tips! I do have towels lining the tub, but I will go today to Home Depot and get a large tub and the orchid bark. The weather has been unseasonably warm (high 70's to high 80's) for the last few weeks, so he has been outside quite a bit. I had no idea how fast they were! I just can't imagine where he came from, unless someone dumped him in our yard. There are no places where he dug in. If no one claims him, we do have the perfect safe, big place in our side yard for a permanent enclosure. I found out that our neighbor behind us has a much bigger tortoise that lives outside year round.
 

leigti

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70s and 80s is perfect weather to be outside. But yes, they move quicker than you think and if you turn your back and you could lose him. You won't need a UVB bowled since he is getting outdoors often. If you are keeping him indoors then just position a regular lightbulb on one end of the tub so that he has a cool and any warm and. And turn it off at night. Russians do well with a temperature drop at night.
 

glitterrific

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You've been so helpful! This may be the wrong section, but I do have a food related question: honeysuckle flowers - are they poisonous or are they OK? I have 2 types of honeysuckle on my property, Japanese and the regular orange flowers. When I looked online some sources said yes to the flowers but that the berries are toxic, while others said all of it is toxic. My biggest concern is to keep him/her safe and happy, but whenever it's in the front yard that's (of course) immediately where it heads. I pick it up and turn it around, and it just gives me this look every time.
 

glitterrific

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GOOD NEWS!! Her owner was found yesterday!! "Nikolai" lives about a 1/2 block away from me, and escaped while her owners were out of the country on vacation. Apparently she gained a bit of weight the week she was with me.... she ate constantly. I will miss her, but on a happy note, I believe I will be her tortoise-sitter in the future! And that turtle & tortoise rescue a few blocks away STILL hasn't called.

A BIG thank you to Tortoise Forum for all the info needed for a complete (albeit temporary) newbie and especially to leigti for the practical housing tips! :<3:
 

leigti

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GOOD NEWS!! Her owner was found yesterday!! "Nikolai" lives about a 1/2 block away from me, and escaped while her owners were out of the country on vacation. Apparently she gained a bit of weight the week she was with me.... she ate constantly. I will miss her, but on a happy note, I believe I will be her tortoise-sitter in the future! And that turtle & tortoise rescue a few blocks away STILL hasn't called.

A BIG thank you to Tortoise Forum for all the info needed for a complete (albeit temporary) newbie and especially to leigti for the practical housing tips! :<3:
I'm glad she's back with her original owner. I'm sure they were very worried. So are you going to get a tortoise of your own? Has the bug bitten you? :)
 

Tidgy's Dad

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I'm glad she's back with her original owner. I'm sure they were very worried. So are you going to get a tortoise of your own? Has the bug bitten you? :)
Good news glitterific , leighti and Nikolai.
glitterific, i'm sure leighti's right.
You MUST have caught the bug.
glitterbug?
 

bouaboua

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I'm glad she's back with her original owner. I'm sure they were very worried. So are you going to get a tortoise of your own? Has the bug bitten you? :)
Once again........

You are proofed as a great guy. Awesome in Mike's book.
 

leigti

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Once again........

You are proofed as a great guy. Awesome in Mike's book.
If you're talking about me, I'm a girl not a guy. if you're talking about the person who found this tortoise and then found its owner you are right.
 

bouaboua

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If you're talking about me, I'm a girl not a guy. if you're talking about the person who found this tortoise and then found its owner you are right.
Sorry!!! Very sorry, my bad!!!!

I never knew you are female. Sorry again. My bad. :(:(
 
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