Found Tortoise (NW Washington State), advice greatly appreciated

Tidgy's Dad

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Hello, Ian, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum.
Thanks for coming here and listening to all the good advice.
Good luck to you and the turtle.
 

domalle

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The only turtles native to the PNW are Pacific Pond Turtles and Western Painted turtles, and both are threatened species because of RES and loss of habitat. You have an Eastern box turtle native to the North East and Midwest (not sure about the Mid West). They eat fruit, worms, crickets, most bugs actually, berries, cantaloupe and that's all I can think of right now. Your guy has an awfully long beak, it may be hard for him to eat. But he'd LOVE some night crawlers....3 should do it...

Besides the muted colors, I hesitated to identify it definitively because:
while it is definitely an Eastern Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina carolina, it could also be a Three-toed Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina triunguis.
As you will note from the generic label, the Three-toed Box is a form of Eastern Box that occurs in the Midwest.



 

Angel Carrion

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Whoa Angel, Thanks for the detailed response! I will try my best to follow your guidelines, but hope that the owner will contact us soon. If not, we will certainly implement your box turtle guidelines.
Haha sorry, that's my copy and paste quick run down of eastern box turtles I typed up a couple days ago so that I didn't have to keep re-typing it over and over again. It's getting more use than I thought....
I understand waiting for a possible previous owner to show up since she obviously was captive for at least some time. If the owner does show up, may I suggest informing them of the visible problems she is having (overgrown beak and nails, possible sunburnt look, shell damage) and directing them towards this site so they may learn how to properly care for her?
Also, if you put up "found" signs, do not add a picture. Have whomever contacts you describe her to you or provide a picture of her to prove ownership. I've heard of situations where collectors, flippers, bad breeders, etc have used "found" signs to gather more torts/turtles for whatever purpose they have for them
 

Ianverm

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Good call Angel, we won't post pictures and make sure the owner can describe. We will also direct them to this site. If the owner is the one who posted signs around the neighborhood, this turtle has been surviving for at least a month in a very dry and hot (for the NW) summer, with no real water sources. I will try to get her to soak in some water. She loved the blackberries we gave her, and I will try to track down something this evening from the "animal" food source list you gave.
 

Angel Carrion

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[/QUOTE]
Besides the muted colors, I hesitated to identify it definitively because:
while it is definitely an Eastern Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina carolina, it could also be a Three-toed Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina triunguis.
As you will note from the generic label, the Three-toed Box is a form of Eastern Box that occurs in the Midwest.



While that is true of 3toeds and Easterns, 3toeds do not have that type of pattern on their shells. Typically, they are pattern-less, but sometimes have a very mute pattern that tends to resemble that of an ornate box turtle, not an eastern (though typically that happens when ornates and 3toeds interbreed since their native territories overlap in places. Not every patterned 3toed is a hybrid, but the possibility of hybridization is possible).
3toeds tend to have an olive-colored shell of varying shades of dark/light-ness. Easterns tend to have brown/black shells with a couple different pattern options that are similar to each other. There is sunburst, bear claw, Phoenix, and at least one other I cannot think of at the moment. While hard to tell because of the "sunburn" (putting in quotes because I'm not sure that's what caused it, but sure looks like it), it appears as though maybe she has a Phoenix pattern on her carapace scutes. I could be wrong.
 

Angel Carrion

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Good call Angel, we won't post pictures and make sure the owner can describe. We will also direct them to this site. If the owner is the one who posted signs around the neighborhood, this turtle has been surviving for at least a month in a very dry and hot (for the NW) summer, with no real water sources. I will try to get her to soak in some water. She loved the blackberries we gave her, and I will try to track down something this evening from the "animal" food source list you gave.
She looks to be an adult (possibly an older adult) so her surviving in your very dry area for a month is because of her age. If she were a hatchling, she wouldn't have survived. I don't believe a young juvenile would have survived, either.
She could have burrowed down and had some moisture that way in a micro-climate hole.
Either way, she's lucky your family found her.
 

domalle

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While that is true of 3toeds and Easterns, 3toeds do not have that type of pattern on their shells. Typically, they are pattern-less, but sometimes have a very mute pattern that tends to resemble that of an ornate box turtle, not an eastern (though typically that happens when ornates and 3toeds interbreed since their native territories overlap in places. Not every patterned 3toed is a hybrid, but the possibility of hybridization is possible).
3toeds tend to have an olive-colored shell of varying shades of dark/light-ness. Easterns tend to have brown/black shells with a couple different pattern options that are similar to each other. There is sunburst, bear claw, Phoenix, and at least one other I cannot think of at the moment. While hard to tell because of the "sunburn" (putting in quotes because I'm not sure that's what caused it, but sure looks like it), it appears as though maybe she has a Phoenix pattern on her carapace scutes. I could be wrong.

We will have to agree to disagree.
Many Terrapene carolina triunguis are patternless and many lose pattern and fade as they age.
Many have carapace markings like the turtle in question that persist.
 
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johnsonnboswell

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Box turtles don't get sunburn, especially not in Washington state. You may find that a good mvb light changes the coloring somewhat, or this is an old animal with muted coloring.
 

Angel Carrion

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Box turtles don't get sunburn, especially not in Washington state. You may find that a good mvb light changes the coloring somewhat, or this is an old animal with muted coloring.
When I say sunburn I don't actually mean sunburn. It's just the best descriptive word I have. I do know they can be burned by being too close to a heat lamp.
Or maybe it is just her coloring.
 

lvstorts

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Hello fellow Washingtonion! I'm in the Tri-Cities and run a a rescue called Northwest Tortoise and raise Eastern Box Turtles as well. All the advice you've gotten here is fantastic! If there is anything I can help with 'locally' (across the state is not quite local but you get the idea!), please don't hesitate to ask.

Welcome to turtle ownership!
 

Angel Carrion

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Hello fellow Washingtonion! I'm in the Tri-Cities and run a a rescue called Northwest Tortoise and raise Eastern Box Turtles as well. All the advice you've gotten here is fantastic! If there is anything I can help with 'locally' (across the state is not quite local but you get the idea!), please don't hesitate to ask.

Welcome to turtle ownership!
Your Tickles is adorable, FYI.
 

MPRC

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@lvstorts - I drive through Tri-cities twice a month traveling between Eugene and Spokane. Sounds like we have a few PNW members floating around.
 

Ianverm

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Hello fellow Washingtonion! I'm in the Tri-Cities and run a a rescue called Northwest Tortoise and raise Eastern Box Turtles as well. All the advice you've gotten here is fantastic! If there is anything I can help with 'locally' (across the state is not quite local but you get the idea!), please don't hesitate to ask.

Welcome to turtle ownership!

Hi Ivstorts,
Thanks for the offer of advice/help. Right now we are trying to find the owners of this little guy. She/he seems to be doing well; eating the berries and nightcrawlers we have put in the temporary enclosure. Hasn't tried the greens/sweet potato yet, but at least is eating and drinking. If we cannot find the owner, we will be looking for advice on how to find him/her an owner who can provide the proper care. Any idea on whether a regular vet would be able to trim his/her nails (they are extremely long) and maybe do a quick check up? Or would we need to find one that specializes in "exotic" pets?

Thanks again,
Ian
 

Tidgy's Dad

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A regular vet should be able to manage the nail trim without any problem, but personally I wouldn't trust one with even the most basic check up unless they kept tortoises themselves. Ordinary vets generally know nothing at all about torts and will look at the net or old books and offer outdated information.
i'd find a specialist, if you want a check up done properly.
 

lvstorts

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A regular vet should be able to manage the nail trim without any problem, but personally I wouldn't trust one with even the most basic check up unless they kept tortoises themselves. Ordinary vets generally know nothing at all about torts and will look at the net or old books and offer outdated information.
i'd find a specialist, if you want a check up done properly.

I agree. And if a regular vet says they do reptiles, ask lots of questions to determine if they are actually a reptile vet. I've had lots of vets say 'yes, I'm a reptile vet' only to find out I know more than them and they cause more harm than good.
 

johnsonnboswell

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Was there a picture of the nails? They should be fairly long, but not curled or twisted.

Clippers made for birds are good because they have a curved blade and don't flatten the nail as it's cut. Be careful not to cut the quick. Don't cut them short. Be sure they need cutting.
 

Ianverm

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The owner was found! They lost Walt Whitman (the turtle) about 3 weeks ago and are just a few houses and one street away from us. They found him in the alley behind their house 15 years ago. I referred them to this forum and they said they would be bringing him to a vet (one the turtle has been to before) to have his nails clipped. Thanks for the advice everyone!
 

MPRC

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Yay! I am so glad that there is a happy ending! What a funny name for a turtle. I hope they decide to join us here!
 
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Maggie Cummings

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I know this is kinda late but someone should have mention a beak trim to, I do believe Yvonne G said it was long too...
 
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