Found a lost Russian tortoise

Gotuyu

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Tenafly, NJ
Tortoise has chip in his scute. Is it a problem?
 

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Gotuyu

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Location (City and/or State)
Tenafly, NJ
Hi all,
New to tortoise care. I found a lost Russian tortoise in the park. Have not found the owners. We will eventually get him to tortoise rescue. In the meantime, we gave him a bath and noted that he has a chip in his scute. Is there anything to do? We have given him water, tortoise food, dandelions, and lettuce. He’s quite the eater and very lively. I have not bought a uvb light or heat lamp yet as we will get him to a tortoise rescue that takes lost tortoises. We have been letting him soak in the sun all weekend outside.
05099A84-414D-45B9-98BF-8CDCA272172F.jpeg05099A84-414D-45B9-98BF-8CDCA272172F.jpeg
 

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AgataP

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Someone is probably looking for his little escape artist. My RT was gone 3 months till neighbors called (they were an older couple). They said that there is a dinosaur looking creature in their yard feeding on leaves and that this has to belong to me. I always has a zoo in my house since I was a kid.
- sorry a side story HAHA

For the chipped spot as long as it is not soft it should be just fine. You should just keep him :)
 

Blackdog1714

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You can put on Craigslist found tortoise at where you found him, but don't describe him or add pictures so hopefully the real owner can fully describe the tortoise
 

Gotuyu

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Joined
Apr 4, 2021
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Location (City and/or State)
Tenafly, NJ
Someone is probably looking for his little escape artist. My RT was gone 3 months till neighbors called (they were an older couple). They said that there is a dinosaur looking creature in their yard feeding on leaves and that this has to belong to me. I always has a zoo in my house since I was a kid.
- sorry a side story HAHA

For the chipped spot as long as it is not soft it should be just fine. You should just keep him :)
 

Gotuyu

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Tenafly, NJ
Ha! Thx for sharing. I think this guy’s been on his own for a while. He was covered in dirt when we found him. Could it be possible that he hibernated all winter and just came out for spring? And yes the spot on his shell is still hard. Glad to hear it’s likely OK. Will hopefully find him a nice place to live, but if we can’t we’ll adopt him ourselves. He’s got a great little personality.
 

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Blackdog1714

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Ha! Thx for sharing. I think this guy’s been on his own for a while. He was covered in dirt when we found him. Could it be possible that he hibernated all winter and just came out for spring? And yes the spot on his shell is still hard. Glad to hear it’s likely OK. Will hopefully find him a nice place to live, but if we can’t we’ll adopt him ourselves. He’s got a great little personality.
Wow. My Russian is an A$$hole
 

AgataP

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Ha! Thx for sharing. I think this guy’s been on his own for a while. He was covered in dirt when we found him. Could it be possible that he hibernated all winter and just came out for spring? And yes the spot on his shell is still hard. Glad to hear it’s likely OK. Will hopefully find him a nice place to live, but if we can’t we’ll adopt him ourselves. He’s got a great little personality.

Yeah see no need to look for a new home.
And definitely yes to the waking up after winter laziness.
He is probably like “where am I and why does it still feel like 2020?” ??

I am glad you are able to provide him with a living space and trust me you will fall in love with him sooner then you think.

My Russians were funny. They always did their own thing.
Back than I had no idea about not keeping two together but luckily mom and I had common sense to separate them. But it was funny when they would spotted each other in the yard, stoop up tall and start running to hit each other. One was a horrible bully.
Trust me everyone needs a tortoise in their life ?
 

Sarah2020

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They like to burrow so suspect it has wandered off, dug in deep and hibernated. It will be an escaped tortoise and there is probably a devastated owner. Try some posters on lamposts and social media without giving the size and details. The owners will probably have many pics have a look at the scutes to see if there is any distinctive marks. If you do decide to keep then have a read of the caresheet or handover to the tortoise rescue. You could also notify nearby vets incase someone enquires. Hope there is a happy ending for the tortoise.
 

Cathie G

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Ha! Thx for sharing. I think this guy’s been on his own for a while. He was covered in dirt when we found him. Could it be possible that he hibernated all winter and just came out for spring? And yes the spot on his shell is still hard. Glad to hear it’s likely OK. Will hopefully find him a nice place to live, but if we can’t we’ll adopt him ourselves. He’s got a great little personality.
Hello ? little Russians do have a way to get you hooked ☺️ If you decide to keep you have found the perfect place to help you.
 

Cathie G

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They like to burrow so suspect it has wandered off, dug in deep and hibernated. It will be an escaped tortoise and there is probably a devastated owner. Try some posters on lamposts and social media without giving the size and details. The owners will probably have many pics have a look at the scutes to see if there is any distinctive marks. If you do decide to keep then have a read of the caresheet or handover to the tortoise rescue. You could also notify nearby vets incase someone enquires. Hope there is a happy ending for the tortoise.
The little one does have a distinctive mark. Also, some people just let tortoises loose thinking they are able to survive. I'll hope with you ?.
 

Cathie G

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Yeah see no need to look for a new home.
And definitely yes to the waking up after winter laziness.
He is probably like “where am I and why does it still feel like 2020?” ??

I am glad you are able to provide him with a living space and trust me you will fall in love with him sooner then you think.

My Russians were funny. They always did their own thing.
Back than I had no idea about not keeping two together but luckily mom and I had common sense to separate them. But it was funny when they would spotted each other in the yard, stoop up tall and start running to hit each other. One was a horrible bully.
Trust me everyone needs a tortoise in their life ?
Amen.?
 

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