Guys im scared

Lou1

New Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2020
Messages
3
Location (City and/or State)
Laredo Texas
I found this turtle and i kept it as a pet. Ive had around a week. When i first found it it dint eat it just pooped. And like to days ago it ate very very little like 5 bites of some leaves. Ive never knew how take care of a turtle but now ive been researching and triying my best. Financially i dont have much. But i have given all my time. Its a texas tortoise. And well ive kept it outsin in the backyard. In my backyard i have bricks and very little plants. I keep it in a large cage and well leave it there for a while come out and take it out and spend time with the tortoise. And try to feed it. I mostly let it outside the cage. Yesterday she ate so much. I put her in the cage at night and leaver her. Today in the morning it got cold all of the sudden. So i went to the tortoise and checked her out. She was cold and she was moving very slow. I got worried and took it inside. I put her in a large box. And put an electrical heater. It dosent get very hot i set the temp low. Its comfortable and its no super hot. She hasnt eaten and i got worry she might be dehydrated so i put her in warm running water. And well i was holdin her carefully because i dint want water running to her face . she streched her neck and while i was holding her she put her face in the running water. And her throat was moving. To me it seemed she was drinking water. But i got scared thinking shes drowning . so i did that a few times while observing carefully. I put her back in the box and she hase been sleeping all day. But she sleeps with her legs and neck out. It scares me. Ive done tons of research and im scared cuz i dont want her to have an infection. I saw online that she my be tring to hybernate hence her sleepin and no eatin. So i want your help. My beutiful babys name is koopa.
 

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Hamiltondood

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Mar 8, 2019
Messages
248
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Richmond, Texas
please return it to the wild. it doesn't need your help, it likely has a burrow nearby. it depends on where you live but, keeping a texas/desert tortoise may be illegal. if you cannot financially support have a tortoise for 80+ years, you shouldn't have a tortoise. im sorry if im being a bit harsh, please return it to where you found it. it should NOT live in a small box for the rest of it's life.
 

AgataP

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Aug 18, 2020
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647
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Seattle, WA
Ahhhh first of all ... tortoise is not cheap ... box and h2o won’t cut it.
I am glad you are trying to help but maybe the best is to let it go close to where you found it. As exciting as it is to find an “exotic” animal it will be fine in the wild In it’s own habitat.
If I would collect every turtle I find in WA in a park on a grass I would have probably about 200 of them.
I only move them and all other creatures when they are in danger.
Please take it back (where it’s safe) and it will be eating.
Thank you for caring about the little creature.
 

Hamiltondood

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Messages
248
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Richmond, Texas
please just buy a tortoise from a breeder instead of impulsively keeping a wild animal. if you want a wild tortoise, buy one that's wild caught. russian tortoises are fairly easy to keep but they need TONS of space. if you really want to keep this tortoise, be ready to spend $300+ on enclosures, food, lamps, etc.
 

Hamiltondood

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Joined
Mar 8, 2019
Messages
248
Location (City and/or State)
Richmond, Texas
Ahhhh first of all ... tortoise is not cheap ... box and h2o won’t cut it.
I am glad you are trying to help but maybe the best is to let it go close to where you found it. As exciting as it is to find an “exotic” animal it will be fine in the wild In it’s own habitat.
If I would collect every turtle I find in WA in a park on a grass I would have probably about 200 of them.
I only move them and all other creatures when they are in danger.
Please take it back (where it’s safe) and it will be eating.
Thank you for caring about the little creature.
well said, couldn't agree more.
 

Hamiltondood

Active Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2019
Messages
248
Location (City and/or State)
Richmond, Texas
google -

Gopher tortoises are a threatened wildlife species and are protected by state law, Chapter 68A-27, Florida Administrative Code. Gopher tortoises must be relocated before any land clearing or development takes place, and property owners must obtain permits from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission before they can move them. For more information about permitting guidelines or the laws protecting gopher tortoises please contact the gopher tortoise biologist in your region.

Rules and regulations are in place to benefit both the species and the people. We've included rules that relate to the gopher tortoise along with brief descriptions of those rules.

Rule 68A-27.003: The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is hereby declared to be threatened, and shall be afforded the protective provisions specified in this paragraph. No person shall take, attempt to take, pursue, hunt, harass, capture, possess, sell or transport any gopher tortoise or parts thereof or their eggs, or molest, damage, or destroy gopher tortoise burrows, except as authorized by Commission permit or when complying with Commission approved guidelines for specific actions which may impact gopher tortoises and their burrows. A gopher tortoise burrow is a tunnel with a cross-section that closely approximates the shape of a gopher tortoise. Permits will be issued based upon whether issuance would further management plan goals and objectives.
 

crimson_lotus

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yep - put it back!

You could definitely find someone willing to give up their tortoise for free to a good home, but it sounds like you need to do a bit more research if you are scared of the tortoise drinking water :) The tortoise sounds like it was severely dehydrated and needs areas to cool off. It's good you went to seek help on this forum and It seems like you meant well, but we are talking about a living thing here taken from its home.

Also wild caught torts are usually filled with parasites and some have a hard time adjusting to domestic life, if they do at all.

and heat travels up so the tortoise being on the ground probably isnt getting much benefit from your heater
 
Last edited:

Tom

The Dog Trainer
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I found this turtle and i kept it as a pet. Ive had around a week. When i first found it it dint eat it just pooped. And like to days ago it ate very very little like 5 bites of some leaves. Ive never knew how take care of a turtle but now ive been researching and triying my best. Financially i dont have much. But i have given all my time. Its a texas tortoise. And well ive kept it outsin in the backyard. In my backyard i have bricks and very little plants. I keep it in a large cage and well leave it there for a while come out and take it out and spend time with the tortoise. And try to feed it. I mostly let it outside the cage. Yesterday she ate so much. I put her in the cage at night and leaver her. Today in the morning it got cold all of the sudden. So i went to the tortoise and checked her out. She was cold and she was moving very slow. I got worried and took it inside. I put her in a large box. And put an electrical heater. It dosent get very hot i set the temp low. Its comfortable and its no super hot. She hasnt eaten and i got worry she might be dehydrated so i put her in warm running water. And well i was holdin her carefully because i dint want water running to her face . she streched her neck and while i was holding her she put her face in the running water. And her throat was moving. To me it seemed she was drinking water. But i got scared thinking shes drowning . so i did that a few times while observing carefully. I put her back in the box and she hase been sleeping all day. But she sleeps with her legs and neck out. It scares me. Ive done tons of research and im scared cuz i dont want her to have an infection. I saw online that she my be tring to hybernate hence her sleepin and no eatin. So i want your help. My beutiful babys name is koopa.
Here is the current and correct care info:

If you don't have the money to give this tortoise the care it needs, then give it to someone who does.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
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Joined
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Messages
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Location (City and/or State)
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google -

Gopher tortoises are a threatened wildlife species and are protected by state law, Chapter 68A-27, Florida Administrative Code. Gopher tortoises must be relocated before any land clearing or development takes place, and property owners must obtain permits from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission before they can move them. For more information about permitting guidelines or the laws protecting gopher tortoises please contact the gopher tortoise biologist in your region.

Rules and regulations are in place to benefit both the species and the people. We've included rules that relate to the gopher tortoise along with brief descriptions of those rules.

Rule 68A-27.003: The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is hereby declared to be threatened, and shall be afforded the protective provisions specified in this paragraph. No person shall take, attempt to take, pursue, hunt, harass, capture, possess, sell or transport any gopher tortoise or parts thereof or their eggs, or molest, damage, or destroy gopher tortoise burrows, except as authorized by Commission permit or when complying with Commission approved guidelines for specific actions which may impact gopher tortoises and their burrows. A gopher tortoise burrow is a tunnel with a cross-section that closely approximates the shape of a gopher tortoise. Permits will be issued based upon whether issuance would further management plan goals and objectives.
Its a Texas tortoise. G. berlandeiri. The OP is in TX, not FL.
 

Lou1

New Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2020
Messages
3
Location (City and/or State)
Laredo Texas
I found this turtle and i kept it as a pet. Ive had around a week. When i first found it it dint eat it just pooped. And like to days ago it ate very very little like 5 bites of some leaves. Ive never knew how take care of a turtle but now ive been researching and triying my best. Financially i dont have much. But i have given all my time. Its a texas tortoise. And well ive kept it outsin in the backyard. In my backyard i have bricks and very little plants. I keep it in a large cage and well leave it there for a while come out and take it out and spend time with the tortoise. And try to feed it. I mostly let it outside the cage. Yesterday she ate so much. I put her in the cage at night and leaver her. Today in the morning it got cold all of the sudden. So i went to the tortoise and checked her out. She was cold and she was moving very slow. I got worried and took it inside. I put her in a large box. And put an electrical heater. It dosent get very hot i set the temp low. Its comfortable and its no super hot. She hasnt eaten and i got worry she might be dehydrated so i put her in warm running water. And well i was holdin her carefully because i dint want water running to her face . she streched her neck and while i was holding her she put her face in the running water. And her throat was moving. To me it seemed she was drinking water. But i got scared thinking shes drowning . so i did that a few times while observing carefully. I put her back in the box and she hase been sleeping all day. But she sleeps with her legs and neck out. It scares me. Ive done tons of research and im scared cuz i dont want her to have an infection. I saw online that she my be tring to hybernate hence her sleepin and no eatin. So i want your help. My beutiful babys name is koopa.
Guys i thank you for the info i decided to leave it at its habitat but the problem is. It was given to me. Someone found it. Idk where. So idk what to do. I dif bunch of research i know they cost money like the lamp. Building its home. Food. And vets. And well right now i dont have the finances. I would like to get one in the future. But for now koopa has to leave. BUT HOW?!!!!!!
 

AgataP

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Messages
647
Location (City and/or State)
Seattle, WA
In this situation maybe it is the best to contact tortoise rescue ?
 

Tom

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ah, thanks for clearing that up. is the texas tortoise also illegal to keep?
All Gopherus species are legally protected. I don't know what the laws in TX are like. You'll have to check into it.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
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Guys i thank you for the info i decided to leave it at its habitat but the problem is. It was given to me. Someone found it. Idk where. So idk what to do. I dif bunch of research i know they cost money like the lamp. Building its home. Food. And vets. And well right now i dont have the finances. I would like to get one in the future. But for now koopa has to leave. BUT HOW?!!!!!!
If this tortoise has been in captivity, then it CANNOT be released back into the wild. To do so could introduce a catastrophic disease to the wild population.

Best to contact that tortoise rescue that glitch linked for you for further advice.
 

Yar33

New Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2020
Messages
7
Location (City and/or State)
NH
Guys i thank you for the info i decided to leave it at its habitat but the problem is. It was given to me. Someone found it. Idk where. So idk what to do. I dif bunch of research i know they cost money like the lamp. Building its home. Food. And vets. And well right now i dont have the finances. I would like to get one in the future. But for now koopa has to leave. BUT HOW?!!!!!!
Echoing what everyone else as said, I am a newbie so I don't have any help to provide as I am still learning myself. I am curious however, your initial post said you " found this turtle and i kept it as a pet " but now you say it was given to you?
 

BrookeB

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Bodfish
Don’t release it if you don’t know where they got it!!! Please don’t! It is possible that this was bred in captivity because it does happen even if it’s illegal, (not sure about laws in your state) on top of that these guys have subspecies and if you introduce a New line to an area it’s not supposed to be that could cause issues in the wild population. Also captive tortoises can spread many illnesses to the wild population. You need to find a rescue or someone to adopt it. If you can’t get the equipment needed for a proper enclosure you need to find them a new home because keeping them in a box is extremely dangerous to the Tortoise’s health. I’m not trying to sound mean or like a know it all but that animal needs a proper living environment. Call a rescue or a local tortoise keeper. Many of us keepers have an addiction and would gladly take a new tortoise. Hell I would take it (and pay for shipping) if you could ship it to me.. I don’t think that’s legal though for this species. ? @Tom do you know if it’s legal for him to ship that species?
 
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