Found tortoise in backyard

[Andie]

Hi All!
I just moved into a new house and it seems that I've inherited a tortoise from the previous renters. She was in the backyard. I am guessing that she is a Russian Tortoise based on pics from the Internet but I have no experience with them. Can anyone else identify what species she is for sure? I'm calling her a her because the bottom of her shell is completely flat. I have been reading as much as I can because I want to give her a good home so any suggestions/advice/tips would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

 

[lismar79]

Not a russian, box turtle but I don't know what kind. What part of the world are you in?

 

[Andie]

I live just outside of Oklahoma City.

 

[Ciri]

Looks like a three toed box turtle. Probably female. They don't eat lettuce, but like earthworms, grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars, pill bugs, beatles.

 

[lismar79]

Three toes are native to you then, and it does look like mine. This may be a wild turtle so you may want to put it back where you found it if you live in a area with wilderness. Wild caught boxies are real hard to keep healthy and alive as captives
http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/turtles.htm

 

[tortdad]

She's cute. Is she shy and instantly suck herself into her she'll when you pick it up or does she seem to be okay around people?


0.0.1 Redfoot (Spike)
0.0.1 Cherryhead Redfoot (Bruce Wayne)
1.0 Sulcata (Hal Jordan)

 

[Ciri]

View attachment 104153 Hi All!
I just moved into a new house and it seems that I've inherited a tortoise from the previous renters. She was in the backyard. I am guessing that she is a Russian Tortoise based on pics from the Internet but I have no experience with them. Can anyone else identify what species she is for sure? I'm calling her a her because the bottom of her shell is completely flat. I have been reading as much as I can because I want to give her a good home so any suggestions/advice/tips would be greatly appreciated! Thank you! View attachment 104151 View attachment 104152

Since she was already living in the backyard when you moved into the house, it would not be a good idea to release her into the wild. The only time to do that is when they've only been out of The wild briefly, and you can release them in their home territory. Taking care of her is certainly the right thing to do.

 

[Andie]

She's very friendly and will even stick her head out and allow my husband to gently rub her head. We live in a very suburban area without any creeks etc. so I highly doubt that she is wild.

 

[lismar79]

That's great for you then that she's friendly!
Here is a diet site guideline to start:
http://boxturtlesite.info/diet.html

 

[Andie]

Thank you all so much!

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

box turtles are a turtle species that spend lots of time out of the water and most of its time on land. if it is so nice could it be someones pet?

 

[leigti]

If you let her go in the backyard where you found her, watch what she does. She may have just lived back there when the previous family was there. Are you going to get that really cold weather in your area? It seems like she may have been hibernating by now if they do hibernate down in Oklahoma

 

[Andie]

I asked several neighbors around me if they lost one or knew someone in the neighborhood who did. I've also checked craigslist and looked for any posted lost signs. Its getting really cold here and I don't know if she can handle those temps. Also, if she was hibernating then would she come out of her den? She was walking around a few feet away from me when I found her.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

if she was not someones pet, shouldn't she be best back in the wild?

 

[tortdad]

If she's that friendly then she had to be taken care of by someone. I say read the care sheets and raise it yourself.


0.0.1 Redfoot (Spike)
0.0.1 Cherryhead Redfoot (Bruce Wayne)
1.0 Sulcata (Hal Jordan)

 

[leigti]

I don't think she can handle the cold temperatures that are coming. I've heard that they do sometimes come up during hibernation to look around etc. And then they go back down. But I think this cold front is moving into quickly for her to do that. You would have to ask more experienced Boxturtle people about that. but if she will let you handle her etc. then it sounds like she was a pet, she may have just lived in the backyard. Take her in for the winter and keep her comfortable.

 

[leigti]

Read all the information you can in the box turtle section and keep asking questions.

 

[Gillian M]

Welcome to the forum. Take good care of that cute tort especially after you mentioned it is a friendly one....you've been lucky.

 

[Ciri]

I asked several neighbors around me if they lost one or knew someone in the neighborhood who did. I've also checked craigslist and looked for any posted lost signs. Its getting really cold here and I don't know if she can handle those temps. Also, if she was hibernating then would she come out of her den? She was walking around a few feet away from me when I found her.

When a box turtle is hibernating they might get up to drink water. The other possible reason that she could be up is if she is sick. If you can get her looked at by reptile specialist veterinarian then you will know if it's safe for her to continue hibernating. If she's not sick, what my reptile specialist veterinarian has taught me to do is first to soak her in shallow water. Then weigh her (like with a kitchen scale), and give her a place to hibernate where she has plenty of protection from freezing temps and won't get rained on. Then wake her up every 2 to 3 weeks and soak her in water. Every time you get her up to soak her, weigh her and record her weight (after she's had her soak). If she loses more than 7% of her original weight, and cannot gain it back through soaking, then she could be sick and should be seen by reptile veterinarian if possible. In any case at that point, it would be important to get her up, warm her, and start feeding her.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Ask the previous renter what she did to take care of that box turtle. Then do that, or improve on it.

She is native, she can handle the temps if she's been living outdoors. She was wild originally, but she isn't now. That doesn't mean she should be indoors or completely a pet.