Help! I found a turtle on front step - now what do I do??

[maui]

I went out to get the mail, and I found more than the mail — I found this adorable turtle on the front steps!

Right now I am making FOUND TURTLE flyers and will post them in my neighborhood. In the meantime, Mr Turtle is in a big Rubbermaid tub with some water and some lettuce. He's more keen on trying to get out though and knocked over his saucer of water. He is about 6" in diameter. Cute as anything. Kitty cats were a little too curious, so I put him in the garage.

Does anyone know how to take care of a turtle??? !

 

[sicycat]

Now I have seen everything

Lost turtles?? Why do I find this so funny.

Water and lettuce, good idea! I dont know any more than that about turtles.. but actually I know my landlord used to feed her turtle canned cat food

 

[maui]

It's funny to me too! Now did your landlord have the same kind of turtle? This one is about 5-6 inches (the shell).

 

[sylent rayne]

Ack, don't know how to care for Turtles, know how to care for Tortoises. Grew up raising those.

Eep. Look on google for a Turtle site, they will be helpful probably.

 

[kiwideus]

LMAO - I find those turtles on my yard all the time, they are wild, I am presuming here, so I just let them go in the woods.

He is a cute turtle though!

 

[sicycat]

Originally posted by Maui

It's funny to me too! Now did your landlord have the same kind of turtle? This one is about 5-6 inches (the shell).

Hmm actually hers was smaller.. maybe only 3 inches.

 

[nora]

I heard that some turtles don't like to be in water.

 

[maui]

Originally posted by Kiwideus
LMAO - I find those turtles on my yard all the time, they are wild, I am presuming here, so I just let them go in the woods.

He is a cute turtle though!

Wild? Really?? I've seen these at the pet store. . .hmm. . . I called my husband and he doesn't think a turtle would survive very well here. There are no woods to speak of. We live in a regular suburb with streets and concrete and yards. I think I will call the pet store and see if these are wild.

 

[tuxedokitties]

try this page:
http://www.petturtle.com/Default.htm
Google to the rescue!

 

[tuxedokitties]

Our city has a wildlife rescue...check your phonebook to see if there's a wildlife rescue in your area. They should be able to help you identify the turtle & tell you if it's wild or a pet.

 

[maui]

I just called the pet store. He said it definitely was someone's pet. Too urban out here to be growing wild turtles!

Thank you for the link, Tess, I will go read about turtles now

 

[kiwideus]

How does one lose a turtle?

This one must be an escape artist!

 

[catlover67]

or raised shell. It looks more like a box turtle. I used to raise water turtles like red-eared sliders and this one that you found does NOT resemble a water turtle. If he is a box turtle, which I think he is, he needs a dry environment. He needs a dirt/dry substrate bottom with a shallow water DISH. Box turtles poop in their water (on purpose) so you will need to keep changing his water!

 

[george'smom]

Goodness, gracious!

Holy Mutant Ninja Turtles. . . . T.C.S. had gone T.T.S.

He's adorable!

The only turtles I've encountered in the wild are snappers (big ones!!!)

Where do you live exactly?

If he's someone's pet. . . . they probably set him free purposely. . . . I find it hard to believe that he just escaped!

 

[katl8e]

Wash your hands well, with antibacterial soap, after handling it. Some turtles carry salmonella and can make you very sick.

 

[kateang]

hey, actually they are quite easy to look after.. give them some water in the rubbermaid and feed them with some lettuce.. change their water every few days to clear the poop and stuff... and get a old toothbrush to brush the shell to rid of the algae if any....

 

[nighteyes]

My neighbors tortoise, got out of her yard last month. My Daughter in-law found him. He was taking a walk(lol) anyway he is about ten years old and they got him as a baby.
I would find out just what kind he is and if no one claims him you could make a small enclosure in your yard, that is if you want to keep him.
There are many turtle and tortoise clubs, I am sure some one would want him.

 

[dragonlady]

That looks like an eastern box turtle to me. He can eat berries, romaine lettuse, crickets, mealworms, earth worms, sliced tomatoes, and a variety of other veggies. Dandylion blossoms are a favorite.

To tell if it is a boy or girl look at the bottom of it's shell. If it sucks in at the back half it is a boy, if it is flat it is a girl.

 

[okeefecl]

Originally posted by Kiwideus
How does one lose a turtle?

This one must be an escape artist!

Actually, they can be. A good friend has an African Spurred Tortise. She lets Shelly (the tortise) out on her patio when the weather is good, to have a nice walk. Shelly has now learned to move the bricks blocking my friend's patio from the patio next door. Within the past few days, Shelly has made it into the neighbor's apartment twice (they leave the door open for their dogs to go out), and has been on the neighbor's patio every time my friend has let her out. It seems that when turtles want to go somewhere, nothing stands in their way!

 

[maui]

I posted the FOUND flyers and stopped by the pet store to get some "turtle supplies." Fortunately the girl in the store had raised turtles and knew what kind of turtle it was! She said it was a box turtle — Dragonlady and catlover67 are right. I think she said a painted box turtle because of the orange flecks on the head. Because of the size she thought he might be about 5-6 years old unless he had been not eating enough. And he is definitely someone's pet.

She told me to put dirt in the Rubbermaid tub with a cake pan of water. So I made him a nice house in a different storage box. This one is clear plastic so we can see him, yet I can put a lid on so the kitties don't get too friendly. Sage my timid Russian Blue saw him and began stalking him, but then when she got close to him she ran away

"He can eat berries, romaine lettuse, crickets, mealworms, earth worms, sliced tomatoes, and a variety of other veggies. Dandylion blossoms are a favorite."

Exactly what the girl said, Dragonlady, except she didn't tell me about the dandylions. I'll have to try that tomorrow. She sold me some crickets because I couldn't stomach the mealworms

He seems really unsettled poor guy, cuz he paces around and tries to climb out. I hope he feels more at home soon. I also someone calls real soon to pick him up!