Unexpected arrival!

[timsteele]

Hi all,
A neighbor was gardening in our neighborhood elementary school this morning and accidentally dug up a tortoise - which she brought to me (I'm not sure why she did, but I'm thrilled). There's no way he could have climbed into one of the raised beds by himself - so I think someone dumped him there for some reason.
I immediately dug a hole about as deep as the one she described pulling him out of, put him (I'm just going to say him - I have no clue)in, covered him with dirt (he'd been covered with dirt before, right?), built a berm around him, and put a tile over him (the berm was to make sure I didn't squash him when I put the tile over him for cover. We then all went to breakfast and came back to find him several feet away from the "burrow" I tried to create for him.
It's early February in Northern California (SF Bay Area). We might still get freezing temperatures this winter, so I was trying to get him to go back into this interrupted hibernation, but it looks like that didn't work. He did quite a bit of walking today but didn't eat/drink anything I offered.
So, I've built him a pen to walk around in during the day and prepared a large tub to put him in at night (in the house). My immediate goal is to keep him alive while I figure out what in the world I'm supposed to do to help him thrive. I'm happy to have found your forum!
So, here are the questions I've got first:
* Any clue what kind of tortoise I have? Once I know that, I plan to read everything ever written about his species!
* Since his hibernation was interrupted, do you think there's any chance of him going back into hibernation? Or is our exceptionally warm winter this year making that less probable?
* Am I doing the right thing by bringing him in at night? I'd hate for him to experience freezing temperatures suddenly and not have time to burrow deep enough for protection. On the other hand, if he's going to be healthier staying outside, I'll certainly do that.
In advance, I appreciate your help!
--Tim

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[Blakem]

That looks like a Russian tortoise you have there! Someone With much more knowledge will be by very soon to help inform you what to do in your situation! Awesome that you took this tort in. Give it a warm soaking, about level with the bottom of the neck to see if you can get him a little cleaner and warm.

 

[jojodesca]

Looks like a Russian Tortoise to me...and by the looks of it...the shell is a bit in bad shape....looks like someone just released him and let him fend out in the wild...You should keep it inside for right now since it was disturbed during hibernation...

heres some info

http://russiantortoise.net/care_sheet.htm

if you can share more pics of the face that could help identify it better..but so far looks like a Russian to me

 

[Jacob]

Welcome, Thats a Russian

 

[dmarcus]

Hello Tim and welcome to the forum...

 

[Zamric]

Welcome to the Forum!
Your not our 1st Accidental Toroise Owner, nor do I believe you'll be the last!

Looks like a Russian and a older one at that. How Long is he and how Heavy is he?

Russians ROCK!

 

[bubbles01]

Welcome to you and your Russian, kudos for taking him/her in... x

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome. One of the best things you can do for them after a long winter's nap with no food or water is to give him daily soaks for 20 minutes or so. I would start with slightly warm water only up to about his chin and use some sort of basin that is too tall for him to climb out of. Gradually make the water a little warmer each day for around 2 weeks. This will help hydrate him and clear his system of built up impurities from his sleepy slumber.

Russians are great climbers, diggers and escape artists. No doubt this is somebody's beloved pet that either climbed or dug its way out of somebody's enclosure. They can climb trees or corners of cinderblock enclosure like its nothing. Often they dig into the ground and people can't find them, so they assume they are lost and gone and take down the enclosure walls that used to contain them. Then, when they wake up in the spring and dig out, they are "free". I'd put up some signs in the area advertising found tortoise. If you get any calls have them describe the size and species to you... Good luck.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Tim:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

I'll be willing to bet that one of the elementary kids brought his tortoise to school last semester, set it down and took his eyes off it for a few moments and the tortoise disappeared. I would put up a sign where all the kids can see it that you found a tortoise, asking that anyone who lost one should identify the tortoise. Don't say what kind or how big, just say "tortoise."

 

[laramie]

What a find!! Welcome to TFO

 

[timsteele]

Thanks everyone! I found that the Russian was lost by the second grade class at the school. I offered to bring him back of course, but they declined. So, I now have a tortoise! I'll soon post pics of his new enclosure (purchased yesterday) and I'm reading everything I can! In the meantime, he's active and eating and he's even decided where he likes to sleep in my office when I let him roam. The store i visited yesterday (The East Bay Vivarium in Berkeley) showed me that nothing on earth is cuter than tortoise hatchlings (especially Leopards), so now im alreading thinking of breeding one day (dont worry, I'm not rushing into that - I figure it's years down the road before I'd be ready!). I'm glad to have found the forum and thrilled to know you're all out there offering advice and support. --Tim

 

[Zamric]

....and the maddness begins...

 

[bubbles01]

Another addict - Bravo!!!!

 

[slowpoke]

Welcome ... RT's are great , and so is this forum for finding out every thing about them ...

 

[Arizona Sulcata]

Welcome!

 

[Turtlechasers]

Hello, My name is Aaron, I am an addict...

 

[Yvonne G]

Thanks everyone! I found that the Russian was lost by the second grade class at the school.

Sometimes I'm so smart I just can't stand myself! Well...not quite the scenario I suggested, but close!

 

[timsteele]

He seems happy in his new home. I'm sure it will evolve with time. I know I need to provide water (or do I? I've been soaking him at least twice weekly). I put in some succulents and planted seeds for other plants - and he's already nibbled on one. The bricks are there to create two "rooms" of different temps - I wasn't getting the gradient needed. It works pretty well for the temp, is pretty stable, and gives him more to explore (and he has - he's been all over the place). So, assuming I can figure out how to post pics from my iPhone on this app, take a look at the photos and tell me what you think. I'm learning and open to suggestions!

 

[timsteele]

Thanks everyone! I found that the Russian was lost by the second grade class at the school.

Sometimes I'm so smart I just can't stand myself! Well...not quite the scenario I suggested, but close!

You were right! 100% But it all worked out just fine.