Re: Help! Unidentified tortoise!

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Posted by Heather on May 29, 2000 at 03:18:57:

In Reply to: Help! Unidentified tortoise! posted by Matt on May 28, 2000 at 22:27:44:

1. Don't put it in with your monitor - ever.
2. Do not allow it contact with any captive reptiles until you know what you have.
3. He could be an escaped pet - gopher or sulcata as Matt suggested.
4. He could be a wild gopher tortoise.
5. Do as Marissa said, look up pictures of tortoises - A good place is the CTTC photo gallery and archives http://www.tortoise.org/gallery.html
http://www.tortoise.org/cttc1.html

Was the area you found him a scrubby, grassy area with open spaces where wild tortoise are found?
Or was it a developed suburb/city type of place?

If he is a gopher tortoise, it was probably illegal for you to collect him, even though your intentions were good. (It is great that you prevented him from being hit by a car.)
If it is a gopher, you should call your Fish and Game Department to see what they tell you to do with it. Usually, once in captivity and if one is unsure if it is a wild or captive tortoise, they cannot be returned to the wild.
Since he likes to be scratched he is probably an escaped pet and CANNOT be returned to the wild.

Please post back what you find and we can help you with its care requirements.

Heather

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: 1. Don't put it in with your monitor - ever. : 2. Do not allow it contact with any captive reptiles until you know what you have. : 3. He could be an escaped pet - gopher or sulcata as Matt suggested. : 4. He could be a wild gopher tortoise. : 5. Do as Marissa said, look up pictures of tortoises - A good place is the CTTC photo gallery and archives http://www.tortoise.org/gallery.html : http://www.tortoise.org/cttc1.html : Was the area you found him a scrubby, grassy area with open spaces where wild tortoise are found? : Or was it a developed suburb/city type of place? : If he is a gopher tortoise, it was probably illegal for you to collect him, even though your intentions were good. (It is great that you prevented him from being hit by a car.) : If it is a gopher, you should call your Fish and Game Department to see what they tell you to do with it. Usually, once in captivity and if one is unsure if it is a wild or captive tortoise, they cannot be returned to the wild. : Since he likes to be scratched he is probably an escaped pet and CANNOT be returned to the wild. : Please post back what you find and we can help you with its care requirements. : Heather

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