Help! I found a sulcata

[James.lamantia]

Hello,

I found what I believe is a adult male sulcata on the west coast of FL. If anyone knows someone that lost a tortoise around Port Charlotte please contact me.

Thanks,
James Lamantia
954-821-4215 text preferred

 

[SinLA]

@ZEROPILOT any suggestions?

 

[Ink]

Maybe post a picture of the tortoise to make sure it is a sulcata. It might be a gopher tortoise.

 

[James.lamantia]

I have lived in FL my whole life and I am sure it is not a gopher. Attached is a photo. Thanks in advance.

 

[James.lamantia]

I can get a better photo once I am home.

 

[James.lamantia]

This is a photo of his face and tail.

 

[Warren]

It' a Sulcata, looks to be about 5 to 6 yrs.old. Looks to be well cared for, check around for any posting for a lost Sulcata. I sure someone is running around looking for their lost tortoise. Just keep it safe for now.

 

[SinLA]

agreed - keep it safe and also reach out to the local animal shelters, nextdoor, and craigslist to see if anyone lost one. BE WARNED though, if someone claims it is theirs, ask to see photos of themselves with it on their phone. Otherwise its just someone trying to get a free tortoise they will resell or worse...

 

[James.lamantia]

Thank you, I contacted a more then a dozen vets, around the location where I found him. Had him checked for a microchip, with no luck and contacted several rescue organizations already. I just thought I might get lucky on on TF.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

@ZEROPILOT any suggestions?

I'm on the East coast of Florida
I would've done the same things to find the owner

 

[jeff kushner]

Okay, I'm curious...it's been a couple of weeks......have you;

A. Found the owner(very cool of you to go to the effort btw.).

B. decided if keeping a major-large tort is either too big a commitment, or an impossible one logistically?

??

Come ooooonnnn, inquiring minds want to know? LOL

 

[James.lamantia]

Sorry for not updating. I was unable to find the owner, and I don't have the space for such a large breed of tortious, so I had to adopt him out. My nephew knew someone that was looking for a male to go with his female and they adopted him.

I love helping animals, but it was stressful when he was in my back yard. I kept finding him next to me ac condenser wrapped up in all of the lines. I attempted to block off that area, but he knew it was there and would retun every evening, I think he liked the warmth while sleeping. I was glad when I found him a home. I have a new found respect towards keeping large tortoise. They are stubborn when they want something. lol

 

[Lyn W]

Sorry for not updating. I was unable to find the owner, and I don't have the space for such a large breed of tortious, so I had to adopt him out. My nephew knew someone that was looking for a male to go with his female and they adopted him.

I love helping animals, but it was stressful when he was in my back yard. I kept finding him next to me ac condenser wrapped up in all of the lines. I attempted to block off that area, but he knew it was there and would retun every evening, I think he liked the warmth while sleeping. I was glad when I found him a home. I have a new found respect towards keeping large tortoise. They are stubborn when they want something. lol

Please make sure your nephew's friend knows that torts should not be kept in pairs and will need their own very large, separate enclosures.
If kept together it will be stressful for both because they are solitary creatures. The male will constantly harass the female to mate which is miserable for her, and one could end up harming/killing the other just because they are in their space.
If they want to know more please point them on the direction of this forum.

 

[jeff kushner]

You are truly a example of a good human being to others....there are few better compliments I can think of. As one of the mods noted, you did everything "right", and from selflessness. Pretty cool.

As Lyn noted...VERY Important. A dom male will intentionally "pester", beat, dominate, ram, intimidate by sight alone....and the girl will eventually be beaten till she dies. Think: domestic violence. ..at least that's my take. Torts run into one another in the wild, but don't sleep together.


I have no doubt that in short order, your ac Condensing unit would being creeping....


LOL

jeff

 

[James.lamantia]

Thanks guys. I will follow up with him and direct him to this forum. I know he worked at a local reptile shop, so hopefully he already knows to separate them, but you can never be to careful.

 

[Maggie3fan]

agreed - keep it safe and also reach out to the local animal shelters, nextdoor, and craigslist to see if anyone lost one. BE WARNED though, if someone claims it is theirs, ask to see photos of themselves with it on their phone. Otherwise its just someone trying to get a free tortoise they will resell or worse...

and don't you tell them the species...they should tell you ...just be very careful, we're here for you...

 

[Lyn W]

Thanks guys. I will follow up with him and direct him to this forum. I know he worked at a local reptile shop, so hopefully he already knows to separate them, but you can never be to careful.

You'd be surprised at the lack of knowledge many staff at reptile stores have about tort care. New members often arrive with all the wrong information from them and have to correct mistakes.