Hello There, Question about tort/turtle?

[Gulf Coast]

Okay well Im pretty sure this little guy (or maybe a girl) isn't a turtle. We live near a bayou and have plenty of turtles that bask out in the sun on logs and even a couple that hang around the outside of the house.. But yesterday my daugther found this guy or girl out in our backyard down near the bulkhead about 20 feet from the waters edge.. AGAIN it doesn't look or act like a turtle.. lol.. So I come to the web to try and figure out what he is.. We have 3 acres here, but just bought the house last June so the little guy could have been here somewhere all along and we never crossed paths.. I hope these pictures are okay and not to big.. Maybe they are clear enough to give ya'll and idea of what he/she looks like..

Also, sorry my first post here is a question.. lol. but I have just gotta to find out what this guy is..

Thanks in advance..

Would also like to add that the giant beer bottle in the background are for bottle cutting.. lol..

 

[Meg90]

That's a Greek Tortoise. not a turtle at all...good instincts! What are you going to do with it now? You can't just put it back outside. Its a pet animal, not native.

 

[K9KidsLove]

Hi...Where do you live? I am assuming you live near the Gulf of Mexico? If so, and you don't want to keep it, let me know, cause I would love to have him. I live in Mississippi.
Patsy

 

[egyptiandan]

You have found a male Jordanian Greek tortoise

Yes Patsy they are in Mississippi

Danny

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Just for the future, you can always tell the difference in a turtle and a tortoise as turtles have webbed back feet for swimming...tortoises have clawed back feet...

 

[Gulf Coast]

Oh I just knew you great folks here would know what kind and if male or female. Also if my DH wasn't sleeping I would go in there and let him know HE is not a TURTLE!! lol.. We had this big talk over that little guy of weither he was a tort or a turt.. Bless you sweet folks.. Yall not only told me he was a tortorise but the type of tort he is.. Thank each and everyone of ya...

OH Maggie I wish I had remembered that web back feet thing while debating with DH.. lol.. He was just so darn sure it was a a turtle since we have so many down in the water.. Including snapping turtles..

No Meg wont be going back outside and set free.. Ever since my 9 year old found him she has claimed him as her's lol... If he had been one of our normal yard turtles I would have tried to set him back outside..I just knew he couldnt be a normal turtle.. Because and maybe I am wrong about this but he seems to gentle.. I mean as far as not snappy or trying to bite.. and he is fine about laying his head in your hand.. So now I know for a fact he is not from here and could never live out in the yard. He will be taken care of to the best of my abilities. But now Patsy if I find that I can't take care of the little guy for my daughter then I will let you know.. Since yes we too are in MS..

Thanks Danny for letting me know he was a he.. I kind of thought so and my 9 year old had been telling me since she found him, he was a he.. I guess I should have listened to her.. My daughter is really smitten with this little guy..

Thank you for the answers.. Now just gotta read as much about them I can and see how I can make his little life better.. OH and gotta try and do a name change.. She had already named him SPICY... lol.. I have no clue as to why but she did.. lol..

 

[Meg90]

I thought that was a jordan....looked alot like Nigel!

 

[Gulf Coast]

Can anyone point me in the directions for care for him? Life span? Food? I know it has to be listed here on site somewhere but being new, Im kind of lost in this sea of info..

Thanks again..

 

[bikerchicspain]

A good site to use is Tortoisetrust.org
will find out everything you need to know on there.
Good luck

 

[Gulf Coast]

Thanks bikerchic

 

[Meg90]

go to the greek section on this forum as well. There are tons of informative threads there.

What you want to do now, is get him eating spring mix, and under a UVB light like your beardies need. He needs to be warm in order to digest. Stay away from Iceberg lettuce. If you feed that, you might as well just feed paper, no nutrition at all. Romaine is OK as long as it is part of a varied diet, not the only thing he is eating. and use a planter disk (those terra cotta things) for water. It should be big enough that he can sit in there, but no more than an inch of water.

Aspen bedding works well for them, they like to burrow in it alittle bit. Make sure that he can't see out of the container he's in. That will cause stress.

As for lifespan, he will be able to get quite old with proper care. My boy is 10 already, and he's still a frisky young thing.

Have you decided if you are going to keep him?

 

[tortoisenerd]

hehe about the tortoise vs. turtle thing. I had to explain to a co-worker today that my tortoise didn't swim around in an aquarium!

Best of luck with the new tort! Any plans to try and find the old owner if it just wandered off?

 

[Gulf Coast]

Yes we are going to keep him and he finally has a name.. WALDO.. The name is very special to me. Had a Great Dane years ago that lived until he was almost 9. he meant the world to me and was so sweet and smart. Plus I keep asking my daughter WHERES WALDO?? lol.. so it just fit..

I will ask my neighbors (which I am sure will think I am crazy) because like I said before we live on a bayou and turtles by the hundreds are everywhere. lol. But I will try.. I know how it feels to lose a pet, we have been searching for over a month for my daughters boston terrier that our neighbor (two driveways over) stole and dumped a couple miles from our house. Cant believe she actually told me she had done it, not only me but the officer that went to her house to ask about Roxy. She actually told him the same.. Anyway.. Long story short. We have searched high and low for her, passed out hundreds of flyers, made a huge reward sign at the end of our driveway with poster size color pictures of her on it, checked the animal shelter every couple of days.. I am plum wore out from searching for her and with my daughter getting her hopes up everytime our phone rings.. I will ask my close neighbors but beyond that, I don't have the energy to go searching from where he came from.. BUT now dont get me wrong if someone came to my house and asked I would in a heart beat return the little guy.. I will do the best to make sure he has everything he needs and if things don't work out here and if the owner hasn't been found then I have a backup plan. with a member here.

Now that I think about this.. its kind of funny, how turtles and Waldo came into our lives.. About 2 years ago my husband was at work (he works on diesel trucks) in the garage that is in the middle of the city. He went to move a truck and there under the truck was a tiny green turtle the size of a quarter. He brought him home and he has been here ever since.. We have a 125 gallon fish tank that he pretty much has to himself.. Hmm I don't even know what kind of turtle he is. lol.. I had seen him type for sale at the flea market before so I knew he was a water turtle and pretty sure not native to ms. but what do I know?? lol..

Soooo sorry this is so long..
Thanks everyone for making me feel welcome and for all the great answers/replies..