Anyone know anything about turtles

[Fox-Gal]

I was giving a baby turtle, the girl that had it found him some where and said it wouldn't eat for her. Well first of all she had it living in water, it's not a water turtle, that I 100% know. So I got him in sand now and feeding him veggies, the same things I feed my Igunans. He eats well now.

What I need to know is if the need something special? Vitamins? different diet? What? Are is veggies the right food for him. I'm assume they are, but better be safe and ask.

I rather not feed him the turtle food I see at the pet stores, tried it, he doesn't like it. And any way my goal is to get him bigger and set him free like nature meant. Don't think he will find pet store food in the wild. :D Inless he become a big pet, then i'll keep him.

Anybody that knows about turtles let me know anything you think I might need to know.

thanks

[GoldenRetrLuver]

So its a desert tortoise? I have 6 of them! lol, anytime you have a ? about them...fell free to pm me anytime! As for their diet, NOTHING STORE BOUGHT! It ruins there shells! You can give them weeds, grass, mulberry leaves, rose petals, and sprinkle a little bit of cuttlebone onto there food. Also, if its a desert tortoise you should bring it outdoors once in a while, dont keep it in a cage.

[Fox-Gal]

Thanks alot I'll be Pm you :D

[luckies4me]

AND if it IS a desert tortoise DO NOT release it back into the wild, it is a federal crime to do so. You also need a permit to keep one, as they are endangered species!!!


I advise you to contact a tortoise rescue nearby, and they can even come out to get it. You should not have a desert tortoise, they are very prone to upper respiratory problems, especially when they are comming out of hybernation.

You need to find out what type of tortoise it is, and make sure before you decide to let him go. That is not a very smart thing to do. And plus, it could be a totally different type of tortoise, or a box turtle who is really a turtle but lives on land, and if you let it go it might not survive!


Please do not let him suffer and contact a rescue.

As far as feeding, my Desert Tortoise gets romain and red leaf lettuce, cactus .....................hold on be right back.

[GoldenRetrLuver]

Yup, it would HAVE to have a liscence. I ddnt mean release it into the wild, i meant let it go in the backyard once in a while not in a cage. :) But, anyway...she said it was a Gopher Tortoise. :)

[KYS]

Do you know what kind of turtle you found?
You might want to check out the Turtle society clubs in your area or via the internet.
We have 2 box turtles that we found years ago.
Mike feeds them banana's, snails, little bit of raw fresh
fish, and vegetables.
In the summer we have separate pens outside,
nestle amoung the bushes and plants with a water pie pan.
When it warm outside they will each lay inside their own
water pan.
(They also like to dig in the dirt)
In the winter they are put in separate fish tanks in
the garage.

[luckies4me]

Here are some links for Gopher Tortoise info, and please make sure it's a gopher tortoise and not a desert tortoise. ;)


http://www.gophertortoisecouncil.org/


http://www.nbbd.com/godo/ef/gtortoise/


The gopher tortoise is federally protected as a threatened species except in Florida, where it is listed as a Species of Special Concern by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

[Fox-Gal]

It's not a desert turtle....it's gopher turtle.

Thanks for the links, luckies4me, I'm going now to check them out.

Also it's nice to know that in Florida their not federally protected yet. I going to also check out Florida Fish and Wildlife to see about him. I wasn't sure if I could even have him but what was I going to do. The woman who gave him to me was killing him, putting him in water, so I had to take him in.

When she gave him to me, his eyes wouldn't even open, smelled bad and he didn't eat at all, now his eyes are open and he eat very well. He lives a good life, put him in a big clear storage, contaner (no lid of course), lots of sand, even has a nice turtle shaped water dish, that he can get into if he feels the need. Gave him some cover to hide in and he goes outside almost ever day, if it's not raining. He has turned into a real pet, doesn't even go in his shell any more when I pick him up, eats out of my hand. :)

luckies4me....I would never let him go without know it's the right thing to do, maybe next time I post I should be more clear when I talk. I guess I'm just use to people knowing me better then that. I Forget sometimes, you guys don't know me. And he not suffering at all or will he ever, if I can help it. That's why we are all here, because we care.

Well thanks everyone for the help and advice.

[CathyBogart]

Gopher tortoises are beautiful! I envy you! Someone brought one in to work awhile back and I thought it was great!!