Help with Identification, please!

[lizalee]

Hi,

I live in the coastal mountains of California under the redwood trees. Not exactly prime tortoise territory, I wouldn't think. A local found a tortoise in her yard and brought it to my school to become a classroom pet.

She was told it was a Desert Tortoise. I'm not so sure.

I've posted some pictures here on Flickr. I've also attached 1 shot here. If someone could take a look, I'd really appreciate it. It doesn't seem like a Desert Tortoise would make a good indoor pet (after reading about them all night).

One thing I've noticed that may not show up well enough on the pictures is that she (right?) has 3 toes on her back legs and 5 on her front legs.

I've already purchased a 54 gallon tub, sand, and a heat lamp to keep it comfortable until we figure out what to do with this poor thing.

Thanks for your help!

 

[TKCARDANDCOIN]

You have a three toe box turtle.You can mix the sand with some peat moss and keep it moist/damp but not wet.As for diet they like worms,bugs and some fruit like berries etc.Good luck,Tom.

 

[dmmj]

It looks a lot lke my 3 toed. Welcome to another Calif. forum member.

 

[lizalee]

Thanks for the quick responses. I'll be researching 3-toed box turtles now. Wheeeee! It's much happier in the larger container with more room and a better substrate. What a process.

 

[melbeebe1980]

My three toed likes fruits, veggies, earthworms, and feeder fish.
Your's looks just like mine!

 

[lizalee]

My three toed likes fruits, veggies, earthworms, and feeder fish.
Your's looks just like mine!

Thanks. She's been miserably unhappy until I put crickets in there. She went on the hunt and chowed down. Poor thing.

 

[tortoisenerd]

Welcome to the forum!

It isn't a good idea to take a wild tortoise or turtle and keep it as a pet. In some areas and/or with some species it is illegal. I would release the turtle back in the wild as near to where it was found as possible.

Secondly, tortoises and turtles aren't good to keep as classroom pets because they need a low stress environment to call home, regular outdoor time, etc. Moving it back and forth to someone's house at least on weekends (and possibly nights) can be stressful on it, plus all the kids likely handling it.

 

[dolfanjack]

Box turtles are not native to cali, it had to be someones pet that got away. You really need to try and find its real owner, they might be looking for it.