Thoughts opinions... Baby tortoise??

[Tony the tank]

Well out in the yard today and decided to come inside and cool off... My dog comes up to me and drops a baby tortoise on my lap... I believe it's a gopher tortoise since the adults are all over my property..I'm Torn on what to do...Should I just let him loose back in the yard(I have a few acres so not sure were the little guy came from) or should I try to raise him a bitso he has a better chance...I would guess he is about a week or two old...

If you believe I should try to let him mature a bit... Does anyone know what a gopher tortoise would need for an enclosure...

Thank you

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I would immediately release him, away from your property so your dog can't get him again. just my opinion...

 

[Tony the tank]

Would it be ok to release him so far away from what he is familiar with....I'm not worried about my dogs..my concern are the all the other predators....birds of prey, raccoons , ferrel cats not to mention the rednecks and there dirt bikes..lol

 

[Yvonne G]

This is one of those let-nature-take-its-course things. It is against the law to pick up gopher tortoises, and even though it goes against the grain, you must put it back outside. If you bring it in, besides breaking the law, you are lessening the baby's chance at surviving in the wild.

 

[Tony the tank]

Im going to release it by one of the many gopher hole on the property..hopefully the occupant won't be to put out by the little thing...

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Just FYI, if you relocate a gopher they will return to the original location if possible! Best is to do just what you did, release it in the general area and it will locate home.

 

[Tony the tank]

I walked around the property and found 3 hatchlings in the front yard.. Also found two partially eaten .. I'm wondering if this has something to do with the invasion of Armadillos the last few weeks ...Wonder if the armadillos somehow disrupted them..

 

[kmartin]

Florida allows you to relocate a gopher tortoise up to 5 miles from your home if there are threats (dogs) where you are. There is a rescue out near Orlando that will take and rehab/release them, unfortunately I can't find the number to call right now.
Good luck.

 

[Tony the tank]

I have quite a few gopher tortoise on the property.. And I see one or two adults in the morning in the back yard... It's gotten to the point they lay under the hibiscus plant next to my pool enclosure and try to reach the low flowers ... But now wondering if the armadillos are eating the hatchlings

 

[kmartin]

Amarillo, possum, raccoons, Fox, coyote....
Welcome to Florida! There are so many predators in Florida and half of them roam in neighborhoods. A lot of people feed them, some accidentally with trash, some deliberately. A neighbor of mine was feeding raccoons. She thought they were cute? Until they got on her porch and her dog ended up at the vet. Small tortoise are edible to so many other animals, it seems amazing to me that so many survive their first year.

 

[Tony the tank]

It's funny..I had one tortoise burrow next to the house when we started building... Since the fence went up almost a yr ago..I now have 5 within the fence line.. They either feel safer in the fence or just like the Bermuda Bahia grass mix...lol.. I also have two burrows just outside the main gate and when I leave in the am some mornings one seems to be waiting for the main gate to open and come right in... I know here they are considered endangered.. But I am fortunate enough to have them everywhere around the property...I just want to do right by them...