What kind of tortoise is this?

kristenbassford

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My neighbors moved out and left a tortoise to die, so I took it in and I can’t seem to figure out what kind of tortoise it is? I also don’t know what sex it is. We think it is a male? I’ve attached pictures. I’ve made him a basic enclosure but he doesn’t seem to be too happy, so I think I’ve got the substrate wrong for his species? We originally thought he was a Greek tortoise but now I’m not sure. He also doesn’t seem to like the kale or romaine lettuce we’ve been giving him, but he will eat it here and there. Please help!

F74C482F-6B06-4A7D-98B8-2A13DBD90B70.jpeg4CCFB636-3A2B-4A40-AF52-4FA5BE4AF854.jpeg
 

method89

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give this a good read:

 

Maggie3fan

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It's a Terrapine ornata ornata. They are a box turtle, and can be confused with the desert box, T.o. luteola both are really nice box turtles. They are semi aquatic, they eat worms, slugs, snails, fruit and other stuff. He needs to be soaked, then given access to a water source. They like to swim
 

Pastel Tortie

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While aquatic turtles like sliders need to eat in the water to swallow properly, and tortoises eat on land, American box turtles can eat in water or on land. You may want to try feeding in the water while soaking.

You can soak the turtle in water even slightly higher the top of the carapace, as long as the turtle can hold its head out of water easily. Sometimes they like to submerge. Supervise the soaks though, to make sure the turtle doesn't flip over and have any problem righting itself. Otherwise, you may have to use more shallow water if there isn't a lifeguard on duty.
 

Maggie3fan

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it is a male, but it's not an ornata. More likely to be a gulf coast or a mix between two sub species. The care for all box turtles is pretty much the same.
It has the ornata pattern on his scutes, (but Eastern have that pattern too) and to me, it looks like his carapace is flatter than other box turtles, hence ornate.
They are private and really like being in the water. I use a paint roller pan for water in their inside tort tables, the ornates will spend more time in the water then my 3-toed, both inside and out. Even my 3 legged ornate will head straight for the water when I put them outside. She swims over to the board that's floating in the water, and she'll bask and swim, (or paddle around) all the darned day
 

kristenbassford

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Thank you all so much! I have him a good 20 minute soak and he seemed happy to be in the water! Kept dipping his head in and wiping his eyes. He even pooped. He kept sighing at me though. Probably just needs to get used to me. I appreciate all the help! If anyone has any advice for making sure he’s happy, let me know. :3
 

shellcior

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thank you for rescuing this little guy. How people can just leave a pet to die is just plain mean. No excuse for that.
 

Moozillion

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My neighbors moved out and left a tortoise to die, so I took it in and I can’t seem to figure out what kind of tortoise it is? I also don’t know what sex it is. We think it is a male? I’ve attached pictures. I’ve made him a basic enclosure but he doesn’t seem to be too happy, so I think I’ve got the substrate wrong for his species? We originally thought he was a Greek tortoise but now I’m not sure. He also doesn’t seem to like the kale or romaine lettuce we’ve been giving him, but he will eat it here and there. Please help!

View attachment 303076View attachment 303077
MAJOR KARMA POINTS TO YOU!!❤️?❤️WELL DONE!!!! ?
 

Tjsalyers

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My neighbors moved out and left a tortoise to die, so I took it in and I can’t seem to figure out what kind of tortoise it is? I also don’t know what sex it is. We think it is a male? I’ve attached pictures. I’ve made him a basic enclosure but he doesn’t seem to be too happy, so I think I’ve got the substrate wrong for his species? We originally thought he was a Greek tortoise but now I’m not sure. He also doesn’t seem to like the kale or romaine lettuce we’ve been giving him, but he will eat it here and there. Please help!

View attachment 303076View attachment 303077
He's a box turtle like diesle
 

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Lemonade

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Thank you all so much! I have him a good 20 minute soak and he seemed happy to be in the water! Kept dipping his head in and wiping his eyes. He even pooped. He kept sighing at me though. Probably just needs to get used to me. I appreciate all the help! If anyone has any advice for making sure he’s happy, let me know. :3


Will you be keeping him outside? I hope so. You can make a yard with a planted area. They love to dig and bury themselves. And if you can make a place for a pile of leaves and such, keep it moist, and add a bunch of red worms, he will love to hunt around in there. Pillbugs will come to the pile too, and the turtle will eat them. If you can make a swimming pool for him, he will love that also. He will probably get in and swim every day.

Thanks for giving him a home. I think you will enjoy caring for him.
 

kristenbassford

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Will you be keeping him outside? I hope so. You can make a yard with a planted area. They love to dig and bury themselves. And if you can make a place for a pile of leaves and such, keep it moist, and add a bunch of red worms, he will love to hunt around in there. Pillbugs will come to the pile too, and the turtle will eat them. If you can make a swimming pool for him, he will love that also. He will probably get in and swim every day.

Thanks for giving him a home. I think you will enjoy caring for him.
I would love to, but I live in Wyoming and we have 8 months of snow, and I live in an apartment complex so it isn’t safe. I will be building him a bigger enclosure in my spare room so he has a big enough space to roam around and dig and play in water. :3
 

Chefdenoel10

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I would love to, but I live in Wyoming and we have 8 months of snow, and I live in an apartment complex so it isn’t safe. I will be building him a bigger enclosure in my spare room so he has a big enough space to roam around and dig and play in water. :3

hello and thank you for being a “HERO” to this little guy!!!!! He is very handsome.
I wish you all the best!!! Ask people on here if he should get a beak and nail trim though.? I can’t believe your neighbors left this poor little defenseless guy alone to die in an apartment!!! They are a bunch of
A**HOLES. Glad you are not like them.
God will get them don’t you worry...
Ok... go off and have fun with that cutie pie!! ?
 

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