What kind of tortoise is this?

[SincerelyCam]

Hello! Today I found this little tortoise on a sidewalk in Colorado, and I decided to take it in for a bit. I looked on many websites to see what kind of tortoise it was, but to no avail. I don't think it's native to where I live, and it looked like it had been abandoned. Could you please tell me what kind of species it is so I can give it the right needs?

 

[thelifeofbuttons]

I have no help with your ID. My expertise stop short of Desert Tortoises. He/She sure is cute though! I hope you get your answer soon.

BUT...Tortoises are notorious escape artists. I've found them walking my neighborhood, and found out they belonged to neighbors. I also had one brought to me by a neighbor, knowing I had tortoises of my own, to care for while I located the owner. I posted about a found tortoise around the neighborhood, and you wouldn't believe the weirdos that came out of the wood works. So many lost turtles, and people who had no idea what species turtle they even owned and lost. One person even got aggressive and hostile with me, claiming I was trying to keep their tortoise that they obviously stole from the desert (based on their story of how they "found" their tort), obviously, I wasn't holding their tortoise hostage, as it wasn't even the same kind of tortoise. Anyway, waaaay too long a story (sorry!), if you post that you found a lost tortoise to try and find it's owner, keep the species ID to yourself, to make sure it's not some random person trying claim a tortoise for themselves. It really was an eye opening experience, about how many people would be willing to claim a tortoise that wasn't thiers to begin with, and how many people have no clue about their pets.

 

[zovick]

Hello! Today I found this little tortoise on a sidewalk in Colorado, and I decided to take it in for a bit. I looked on many websites to see what kind of tortoise it was, but to no avail. I don't think it's native to where I live, and it looked like it had been abandoned. Could you please tell me what kind of species it is so I can give it the right needs? View attachment 217443

That is an Ornate Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata ornata) rather than a tortoise. The beak is overgrown and needs to be trimmed so it can eat more readily. Also due to the overgrown beak, I would surmise that it may be an escaped pet since wild ones normally would not have that overgrowth issue.

You didn't say where in Colorado you found it, but they are native to roughly the eastern one third to one half of the state. I used to live in Colorado myself and would find them walking about after a thunderstorm along I-76 and sometimes I-25. I always stopped to get them off the highway if it looked as though they were going to try to cross it. They are probably much less common today than when I lived there in the early 1970's.

 

[SincerelyCam]

That is an Ornate Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata ornata) rather than a tortoise. The beak is overgrown and needs to be trimmed so it can eat more readily. Also due to the overgrown beak, I would surmise that it may be an escaped pet since wild ones normally would not have that overgrowth issue.

You didn't say where in Colorado you found it, but they are native to roughly the eastern one third to one half of the state. I used to live in Colorado myself and would find them walking about after a thunderstorm along I-76 and sometimes I-25. I always stopped to get them off the highway if it looked as though they were going to try to cross it. They are probably much less common today than when I lived there in the early 1970's.

Thank you! It looked like a tortoise, but I guess it wasn't! I actually found him in the Eastern side of Colorado in my neighborhood, so I'll be putting him somewhere where he can be safe after I trim his beak. Again, thanks for the info. It really helped!

 

[zovick]

Thank you! It looked like a tortoise, but I guess it wasn't! I actually found him in the Eastern side of Colorado in my neighborhood, so I'll be putting him somewhere where he can be safe after I trim his beak. Again, thanks for the info. It really helped!

That sounds good. Hopefully you are in a fairly rural area where the turtle can be released a good distance away from civilization. It would be good if there were a water source somewhere near the release site you choose also.

Be sure to release the turtle within its naturally occurring range in the state. Here is a link showing the range map of the Ornate Box Turtle in Colorado:

https://images.search.yahoo.com/sea...edia/ornate_box_turtle_range.gif&action=click

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm of a different mind set than the above posters. Since we agree this is probably an escaped pet turtle, I would hesitate to release it into the wild. I would advertise and try to find its owner. Turtles that have been kept as pets sometimes have a hard time supporting themselves when turned loose.

 

[lisa127]

I am in strong agreement with Yvonne!

 

[MrMarg&me]

I agree! The box turtle has probably been kept as a pet for a long time for the beak to become overgrown. If released the turtle would struggle because of the loss of hunting, foraging, and shelter locating skills. I think the turtle requires the care of a knowledgable keeper. Also the turtle seems very dry in the photos and could use a warm soak. It is fortunate you are the one to have found him.

 

[Turtlesfromcolo]

That is an Ornate Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata ornata) rather than a tortoise. The beak is overgrown and needs to be trimmed so it can eat more readily. Also due to the overgrown beak, I would surmise that it may be an escaped pet since wild ones normally would not have that overgrowth issue.

You didn't say where in Colorado you found it, but they are native to roughly the eastern one third to one half of the state. I used to live in Colorado myself and would find them walking about after a thunderstorm along I-76 and sometimes I-25. I always stopped to get them off the highway if it looked as though they were going to try to cross it. They are probably much less common today than when I lived there in the early 1970's.

Small world... I live by 76