Please Meet Tyler..

[Aspen and Misty]

Ok, I need some help. I will admit to you right now..I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO!!!

Ok, my friend called my up to tell me that there dog had brough home a turtle to there house and they had no idea what to do. They couldn't keep it and they were afreid if they let it go the dog would only bring it back to them :( (There cats/dogs bring them home things ALL the time!). So....I have a turtle in my living room :eek: He is in a tote, I have a glass tank, but he couldn't see the walls and was running into them. But in the tote he doesn't. *Edit* I'm pretty sure he is a box turtle.

Here is a picture of Tyler the Turtle
http://img36.photobucket.com/albums/v109/Nova2002/05ac9c4a.jpg

He is the larget turtle i have EVER seen!

Ash

[tatsxxx11]

Oh gee!!!:) As a child, I had two box turtles as pets. We brought them home from our summer home on Long Island. Each summer, we would bring them back with us on vacation and let them roam free in the woods during the day. In the evening, our Flat Coat Retriever would bring them home at bedtime!:):eek: After a couple of years, my parents decided they would be better off living full time back in their beloved woods and they released them a few miles from our summer home so Snuffy would not try to retrieve them. It looks like Tyler is a box turtle too! We kept Lou Lou and Pinky in a tank with rocks, plants and a little water pool. To be honest with you, I don't remember what we fed them! I'd try and do some research on the net re: their care. I don't think living in the tote is realistic in the long run;) Perhaps you could release him far from where the dog's found him? Please keep us updated! Tyler is a cutie!:)

[tatsxxx11]

Here's a website I found re: box turtle care!:) Hope it helps!:)

Box Turtle Care and Feeding (http://www.boxturtlesite.org/)

[Aspen and Misty]

tatsxxx11 - LOL I am on that site right now!! LOL, already am a step ahead of you and have done some research. The tote is there recomended method of them living. HOWEVER, I called my vet and he said that Peaches (Our Old Chameleon) cage would probly, and that any Dieses Peaches had would NOT pass on to Tyler. So I am at the moment taking the top layer of dirt off the cage so that he can't reach the wire of the cage (he will be surounded by plexi grass.) and I am getting him some food! We already have ALL the lamps and otehr items he needs!


Ash :)

[tatsxxx11]

I've been reading and depending on where you live, e.g. east coast vs. west coast, makes a big difference in their care. What area of the country do you live in?

[Aspen and Misty]

I live In Pennsylvania, in a valley.

I think he is an Eastern Box Turtle

[tatsxxx11]

Oh Ash, you're amazing:D Great work, girl!:):):) Keep us updated! I'm living my childhood through you and Tyler too:) Give HIM (how'd you know that?:D) a "hug" for me!

[Aspen and Misty]

Because his back toes are black and REALLY curved! LOL :D He is SUCH a cutie! Right now he is "playing" on a piece of (non-toxic) wood I put in there! LOL.

[tatsxxx11]

Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite, Tyler:) Can't wait for a morning update!:)

[Aspen and Misty]

I think he was lost or something. He is STARVING and SOOO thirsty!! I put a strawberry in his cage and he practicly dove at it!!!! And I gave him his "pool" (a NEVER used cat litter pan) and he sat in there and drank and drank.


Eating

http://img36.photobucket.com/albums/v109/Nova2002/d4476d6b.jpg

His Cage
http://img36.photobucket.com/albums/v109/Nova2002/057ea11b.jpg

And A Close up of thim thinking "Hmm, Swim or eat?"
http://img36.photobucket.com/albums/v109/Nova2002/72f12b61.jpg

Ash
:D

[Aspen and Misty]

YAY!! Tyler got some plants in his cage!! :D and he is VERY happy!

There are 2 plants in his cage (You can see the one in the far back corner)
http://img36.photobucket.com/albums/v109/Nova2002/79f0d83f.jpg

The larger plant
http://img36.photobucket.com/albums/v109/Nova2002/1352bd95.jpg

Ash :D

[Kfamr]

Are you going to keep him? :p

[Aspen and Misty]

Originally posted by Kfamr
Are you going to keep him? :p

::sigh:: I want to. But wild animals belong in the wild. Tyler will be going back tomrrow or the next day! But O how I want to keep him!!! He is soo sweet, and adorable! His cage is all ready and he has had 2 meals with me (Hungry boy!)

Ash :(

[Uabassoon]

Maybe you could keep him in an outdoor enclosure. One of the people I pet sit for found a three legged desert tortise in his yard once. So he sectioned off an area of land for him and the tortise happily lives there.

[Aspen and Misty]

Acctually, I would love to keep him and the cage he is in IS big enough for him. Also, I could use the dog play pens for him to play outside during the day, which, by combinding the 2 would give him TONS of room to roam in the yard (Of course no dog's would be out!)

The only thing that REALLY worries me about releasing him is he is REALLY hungry. I'm afreid he wasn't getting food wherever he was :(

Ash

[Uabassoon]

Are you sure he's wild and not just an escaped pet? I know when I worked at Petco we used to sell box turtles as pets.

[Aspen and Misty]

I dunno?? The people who found him have a chain link fence the whole way around with lattic at the bottom to keep there puppies in. (Had a litter of pups) so they aren't sure HOW he got in because they don't think he could fit through the fence and the dog's didn't leave the fence???


Ash

[Kfamr]

Yeah, it sounds like he was a pet. Maybe someone did drop him off there thinking they'd take care of him seeing they had other animals or something?

[Aspen and Misty]

Dunno??? Hmm, I'll have to talk to my dad. He seems content in his pen. :confused: I dunno!

Ash :D

[lynnestankard]

Why not PM Thelmalu99 - she's just returned to Pet Talk and she owns 2 turtles - she may be able to give you some help.
By the way - he's a lovely turtle isn't he?:)

Lynne

[Logan]

We have encountered so many box turtles in the last few years in our yard!! My dogs think they are toys!! :eek:

I would say that if you have a wooded place to release him, that would be the best thing for everyone, but if you can get enough information to make you feel comfortable, keeping him captive, then do it!

Good luck!!

Logan

[Aspen and Misty]

Acctually Logan. Right now i feel I have enough Information. Once you get everything set up they seem to be a pretty easy pet to care for! I'm going to go take a shower then take Tyler outside for a little romp in the grass!!

Ash :D

[Aspen and Misty]

Here are some new pics of Tyler

http://www.petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=51344


Ash :D

[DJFyrewolf36]

What a neat turtle! From the way he was eating and how well he adapted to being enclosed, it almost sounds like he was a pet! Good luck with him!