Anyone know anything about tortoises?

[pgrbff]

My wife came across a wandering tortoise on the way home, it was walking along the tarmac. She took it to a friend who has one already but the larger one was chasing the new one snapping at its legs so I'm guessing two males.
I have made a small enclosure, just tall bricks on the grass and built it a "home" stuffed with dry grass cuttings to which it can retreat.
It is behaving like my 14-year-old son, hiding all day and looking lethargic. It has eaten some tomato, which I understand can be toxic to tortoises, and a small amount of frise lettuce.
It/he doesn't seem happy.
Do they need to warm up in the sun before doing anything? I thought it would be curious but it seems to spend most of its time sitting still.

 

[treeturner123]

My brother had one for many years and it loved cucumber and fruit, especially apple.

BTW, they only sit still when you watch them. They have quite a turn of speed and are adept at hiding in the undergrowth. When this happens just stay quiet and eventually you might hear them moving!

Phil

 

[Yojevol]

Beware, if you are planning to keep for the long term, they need to hibernate through the winter in cool conditions. My daughter had 2 which spent their winters in the bottom of the fridge. Also be aware that they need to have emptied their digestion system well beforehand.
Brian

 

[Sandyn]

I would find an animal rescue and take it there.

 

[Jameshow]

I'd ask around locally if anyone has lost one?

Then take it to the vet (they will know if one has gone missing) and the will give it the once over if your thinking of keeping it. (£25 small animal consultation - might be more down south!)

 

[Spectric]

You must not paint them because it is not good for the shell.

 

[Sideways]

They are escape artists, they can climb a vertical step taller than their own height.
Mine had a run made of 7" planks on edge as the garden wasn't secure enough to let him loose unsupervised. He loved fresh dandelion leaves and lettuce.
Hibernation over winter was in a clean wooden tea chest 1/3 full of those continous strings of wood shaving once used for packaging, then the tortoise, then topped off with more of the same and a lid with plenty of 1" airholes. This was left in an unheated outbuilding.
It may be older than you are, please take care of it while you decide what to do with it.

 

[Adam W.]

Perhaps he's pining for the fjords.

I had a tortoise for many years and he was a doddle to look after. All the above information is correct and they like to warm up in the sun by themselves.

They like a drink of water too, btw.

 

[pgrbff]

He appears to have woken up, and yes, very active looking for a way to get out. Made one last check before going out and he had pulled himself up on his front legs. The extruded bricks are as tall as he is standing on his hind legs. He had his front legs and chin on the top of the block, back legs off the ground. I’m pretty sure he would have got out. Turned the bricks on their edge. Hopefully he will still be there when I get home. Also has tray of water which he likes walking over.

 

[pgrbff]

Our neighbour leaves hers in the garden over winter and it digs itself in under a bush. We get at least a meter of snow over winter.

 

[Trainee neophyte]

Females have a flat underside to their shells, males are indented (so they don't slide off the ladies when making new tortoises). Males are quite territorial and will fight other males, but will also chase females agressively so it can be hard to tell the difference between courtship and fighting, although fighting often involves lots of butting heads. Females mostly ignore each other. I don't know if that is important information, unless you are planning a name for your new pet.

They need a pretty big area to roam around in as they graze on the move - they don't sit still and eat all of one cucumber in my garden, but will take around bite out of every cucumber they can reach as they wander down the row. You can forage for food for them - dandelion leaves are a favourite, but a good mix of any leafy greens will be fine. They don't need water, but will appreciate it. I would avoid packets of supermarket salad mixes as they tend to be chlorinated - I don't know if that might upset their internal flora.

It almost certainly belongs to someone within 500 yards of where you found it, and probably a lot less - knock on doors, put up a sign or two, or keep mum and enjoy your new friend. Bear in mind that they are worth quite a bit of money...£250 each, I have heard. I could round up a several thousand pounds worth in a couple of hours if I felt that way inclined - they are free range all around the place here.

 

[Seascaper]

The chances are that someone local to you is very upset having lost their tortoise, so I would enquire around to find out if someone has lost one. Facebook is often the first place people go to announce lost or found pets. The other place people report lost and found pets is your local constabulary. There are different types of tortoises, Herman’s is the most common and size is also relevant to age. They live for along time, often outliving their owners, we had one which was over 60 years old before it died. They are vegetarians, and love dandelions, grapes, tomatoes, lettuce etc. Ours was always put in a cardboard box with some fresh hay from the pet shop at the first sign of frost and put somewhere where it would not freeze. Make sure that wherever you put this box is somewhere where rats will not go otherwise they could attack the tortoise. Such is a tortoises nature they always walk around the perimeter of their enclosure trying to get under or move what is there so bottom boards have to be very securely fastened with metal stakes otherwise escape will happen. They love the sun and often enjoy lying with their back to the sun with legs outstretched. A female will sometimes lay eggs.

 

[Jameshow]

Tortoises and lost are a good description of the plod round here!

 

[pgrbff]

The chances are that someone local to you is very upset having lost their tortoise, so I would enquire around to find out if someone has lost one. Facebook is often the first place people go to announce lost or found pets. The other place people report lost and found pets is your local constabulary. There are different types of tortoises, Herman’s is the most common and size is also relevant to age. They live for along time, often outliving their owners, we had one which was over 60 years old before it died. They are vegetarians, and love dandelions, grapes, tomatoes, lettuce etc. Ours was always put in a cardboard box with some fresh hay from the pet shop at the first sign of frost and put somewhere where it would not freeze. Make sure that wherever you put this box is somewhere where rats will not go otherwise they could attack the tortoise. Such is a tortoises nature they always walk around the perimeter of their enclosure trying to get under or move what is there so bottom boards have to be very securely fastened with metal stakes otherwise escape will happen. They love the sun and often enjoy lying with their back to the sun with legs outstretched. A female will sometimes lay eggs.

This is Italy, many don't have computers or smartphones, and the school had to lend them to pupils during the lockdown. We have no ADSL or mobile phone cover, so Facebook is unlikely to be of much help.
The general consensus locally is that it has been let go. My neighbour told me she couldn't give hers away when she found it and when they changed the law here many just put them on the other side of the fence. Another acquaintance told us she had found a water? tortoise recently. Ours was found on a road in the middle of the country several hundred meters from the nearest house. We are a small comunity and word of mouth will prevail.
In the meantime he seems to spend a lot of time sheltering from the sun and doesn't seem to eat very much at all.

 

[treeturner123]

Make sure there are no eagles and philosophers around!

Phil

 

[HamsterJam]

Like all reptiles, tortoises cannot generate their own body heat so need to bask in the sun or under a heat lamp and hide in shade to regulate their body temperature. He will be lethargic if too cold. A bath in luke warm water can help and will also rehydrate them.
Diet depends on species (and his personal tastes) but avoid brassicas as they slow uptake of calcium which is important.

 

[Keith 66]

We have a Hermans tortoise, now about 17 years old. They will sun themselves in the morning & as soon as they reach operating temperature will go & forage for food, once the sun gets too hot they will find a shady spot & sleep off breakfast, as it cools down later in the day they will go out & about again looking for more food. A good thunderstorm is always entertaining as it makes ours very horny & he will **** a rock for ages while squealing. It is a fact that the dragon screams in Game of thrones were actually sampled from mating tortoises!

 

[Droogs]

All I know is that it took over 40 years before London Zoo got its hands on a live specimen as the crews of the RN ships bringing them back from the Galapagos Islands kept eating them. Apparently according to Capt Cook they made the most delicious stew he'd ever eaten and it seems the crew agreed

 

[Jameshow]

This is Italy, many don't have computers or smartphones, and the school had to lend them to pupils during the lockdown. We have no ADSL or mobile phone cover, so Facebook is unlikely to be of much help.
The general consensus locally is that it has been let go. My neighbour told me she couldn't give hers away when she found it and when they changed the law here many just put them on the other side of the fence. Another acquaintance told us she had found a water? tortoise recently. Ours was found on a road in the middle of the country several hundred meters from the nearest house. We are a small comunity and word of mouth will prevail.
In the meantime he seems to spend a lot of time sheltering from the sun and doesn't seem to eat very much at all.

We could do with a tortoise must be he only animal we haven't taken in!!

 

[Spectric]

It does show that if you live a slow laid back lifestyle then you can live a lot longer.