Found Tortoise

[haycroft]

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Bradley has found a tortoise in our garden while i was out shopping...

until we find the owner can you give me any advice,feeding etc

we have him in a larger box on shaving with water,dandilion leaves, a little cucumber

if we cant find the owners we'l keep him until we do but have no experiance with tortoises but Bradley was happy that he found him

 

[jinnyfizz]

Sorry, I know nothing about them other than they live alot longer than we do!!!!

Lovely for Bradley to have the experience - I hope you can keep him as I'm sure they're no trouble

 

[Debbie b]

Bradley has found a tortoise in our garden while i was out shopping...until we find the owner can you give me any advice,feeding etc

we have him in a larger box on shaving with water,dandilion leaves, a little cucumber

if we cant find the owners we'l keep him until we do but have no experiance with tortoises but Bradley was happy that he found him

apples, banana, beans (runner and french), bean sprouts, blackberries, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, buttercup, cabbage, carrot, cauliflowe,courgettes, cucumber, dandelion, grass, , lettuce, melon, nectarines, parsnips, peaches, pears, peas, plums, raspberries, strawberries, tomatoes, watercress

also get some cuttle fish and scrap some of it over their food as need calcium

good luck in finding its owner or keeping it your self :thumbsup: .

 

[jinnyfizz]

Found this ..............

http://www.tortoisetrust.org/care/care.html

Hope it might help :thumbsup:

 

[Hula]

I have heard some people have them microchipped so it might be worth having him scanned just in case ?

Good luck with the tortoise :luck:

 

[Mark Roberts]

Good advice given about feeding.

some types of tortoises are microchipped as they are liscenced under DEFRA so it would be worth getting your vet to check. (the chips normaly put in the left back leg)

if you post a pick i'll try and let you know what breed it it.

the normal type kept as pets in the uk are Hermans & Spure thighs (very simlar to look at and both breed must be microchipped when they reach 10cm) Horsfields are also very common but wont be microchipped as they are not subject to DEFRA rules.

although other breeds are kept they are the most common kept as pets.

we keep/breed Hermans Tortoises.

if you need any more help your welcome to PM me.

 

[kirsty]

How lovely ) Can we have some pics please :-

 

[Janimal]

oh best of luck with the torotise Jane...Ive had 2 of them in my lifetime...and love them..would love a picture of him or her please.. :wub:

Funnilly enough I was going to suggest Mark because I knew hed bred some, but see he has replied. :thumbsup:

 

[eve]

I had my tortie for 26 years before she passed away. She must have been a good age as she was 8" when we got her and her previous family had her for nearly 10 years. She adored watermelon (minus the pips)

Lots of good advice been given already.

Worth finding out what species the tortie is as not all can live outdoors. Some live indoors and require heatlamps. They can be put outside in good weather. It is just possible that this is one of those and that it has escaped. Worth taking the precaution of checking out to make sure. Bradley would be heartbroken if it died. How big is it? Take care how you advertise it as found. Tortoises are very expensive now and large ones very valuable. Owners should have registration documents and should be able to tell you its size. If it is areally big one, it may have been with a family for years and not have documents but those kind of people whole be actively looking for a much loved pet.

Stating the obvious, but watch that the whippies do not think it is some kind of new toy. It has been known. What fun for Bradley, a foundling to find out about and look after

 

[haycroft]

Thanks for the replies...yes we still have him/her..mention it at the pet shop but didnt advertise him(theres two being advertise for £250 for both)..google said give him some cuttlefish

heres a few pics

so now can you tell me abit more..breed sex etc

be nice to keep him ...i think bradley will be upset to see him go if we can find the owner...good idea about it being chipped i'll pop down the vet on mon and find out

ive put him out in an outside run so at least he can munch on the grass and move around

 

[michelle]

make sure your enclosure is secure....my tort escaped for 9 mths after digging under his enclosure luckily we got him back as he was living in next doors garden, his new enclosure is super secure now h34r: (i hope lol). i tend not to be as "soft" as i previously was with him as he has prooved that he can survive in inches of snow & -15 temps over winter.

All grissom the tort eats is weeds....i just bought packs of them off ebay and planted them in his garden and he munches away on them but dandelion is deff his fave .

I would take the tort to the police station,rspca or vets to make sure he is'nt chipped if someone has spent a lot of money buying him the chances are he could be chipped.

I find the tort trust web site is informative but also another site called "shelled warriors" is really informative and they have a lost & found section.

Also....but some antibac gel....tortoises can carry salmonella so you will need to watch little ones handling the tort then putting fingers in mouths/eating food

good luck x

 

[eve]

Marginated Tortoise I think but if it has a spur on each back leg then possibly a Tunisian Spur -Thighed (they are a little more delicate)

No doubt someone will be able to Id from the pics. I am no expert. A photo of the underside and one of the back end would help.

PS if you are a keen gardener, keep an eye on it. Tortoises adore carnations amongst other garden favourites o :-

 

[haycroft]

ahh thanks eve..looks like a marginated tortoise ,it has the fan sort of shell and a female after i had goole the breed,it did say avoid friuts and toms..oopps

its eating well though

 

[Mark Roberts]

COULD BE A HERMANS/SPURE OR MARGINATED, ALL REQUIRE MICROCHIPPING ONCE THEY REACH 10CM.

A PIC FROM UNDERNEATH WOULD CLARITY MALE/FEMALE,

MALES HANE A LONG TALI (WHICH HOLDS HIS MANHOOD)

FEMALES HAVE A SHORT STUMPY TAIL.

HOW BIG IS IT FROM FRONT TO BACK OF SHELL NOT INCLUDING HEAD/TAIL.

IVE ADVERTISED THE FIND ON SEVERAL REPTILE SITES i USE I'LL PM YOU IF ANYONE GETS BACK TO ME.

sorry about capitals I forgot cap lock was on LOL.

heres a pic of my Hermans.

 

[haycroft]

thanks mark

 

[haycroft]

thanks mark

18 cm front to back..only the shell

 

[Mark Roberts]

its a hermans tortoise (Tustudo Hermani Boettgeri) 99.9% sure but hermans and margies are very sinlar to look at.

definatly a female and at that size should be microchiped but some people who just want them as pets dont bother as they only have to be microchipped when over 10cm's if you intend to sell them or breed from them.

she's a stunning girl but the bumpy shell on top (called pyramiding) would suggest she's been fed on a bad diet in the past.

 

[haycroft]

all very interesting though..what do you recommend to feed regulary and does it need a vits

as you can tell not very experiance but willing to learn and keep her if the owner cant be found...how old do you think she is

we just got her in a cardboard box atm and out in the pen if im around to keep an eye one her

got some hay from the yard and a cuttlebone as i was told they need calcium

 

[Mark Roberts]

the advice given earlyer was spot on regaring food, ignore the bit you saw about tommatoes mine have them most days and are thriving (ive 8 eggs in the incubator again 4 from each female so my feeding must be ok and i feed simlar to the list posted)

my lot go though 2-3 full cuttlefish bones a week (especialy when due to lay) they just sit there munching it, i also feed the tortoise pellets (Kamodo brand) every 3 days soaked in a little water to soften them.

make sure waters always available as some torts like to drink a lot others dont drink much especialy those fed lettuce/tommatoes/cucumber as they get moisture from them.

AGE? size depends on how well/what they've been fed but at that size she will be around 4-5 years old.

they make great pets i've advertised your find on shelled warriors web site which is\ a good site to join for info/advice if you decide to keep her (if not I know a good home LOL)

if i can help in any way just shout.

 

[Mark Roberts]

FORGOT TO SAY

DON't FEED ICEBERG LETTUCE only round/flat lefuce or the floret type mixed bags are ideal short term.