Found Tortoise

[Teaanybody]

Hello ladies,

I'm after a bit of help. This afternoon when I got home, I found a tortoise in amongst some rotting grass clippings in my garden. It currently snuggled up in some hay in a cardboard box on my dining room table.

But does anyone have ideas as to how I look after it. I've ordered a book on keeping tortoises, but I'm completely clueless!
I've always had furry animals so ones with hard shells are very unknown to me.

Daily warm bath/paddle, chin deep so it can rehydrate after hibernation, hopefully it will drink some of its bath. Get feeding asap, sliced tomato is good, someone will be sad to have lost it. I'd get a vet check too.

Thank you. I'm planning on taking it to the vets in the morning. I did sit it some warm water earlier and it has some cucumber and grass in its box. It's been moving around quite a bit. I'll keep you posted

Are you in Merseyside?
www.nationalpetregister.org/mp/80481

It's probably somebody's pet. Could you put up some notices before you decide to keep it?

If you have fresh water and some leafy greens, he should be fine for tonight.
Tortoises are often (but by no means always) microchipped so fingers crossed he is and he can get home.

I wonder if it got out of a shed during hibernation I would see if it belongs to anybody first

How do you microchip a tortoise ?

In their thigh, I believe! It's a legal requirement for certain species dependent on size.

tortoises are very expensive to buy, so the owners are probably looking for it.
look up the species so you can feed it properly.

Ah ok I was really confused there isn't much tortoise on show to chip . Op yes take it to a vetsee if it has been microchipped

They should be kept warm and fed weeds only, not tomato, or lettuce, not healthy for a tortoise. Dandelions are good.
Lots of advice groups on Facebook. It needs to live in a tortoise table using sterilised soil as the floor. Heat lamps etc as well. They're not cheap or easy to keep. Lots of research required

Oh do keep us posted! I love tortoises.

Good point, RedBugMug
There is a list of species here

I always wanted a tortoise . a school friend of mine had 1 it was her dads so god knows how old it was her grandad was in the merchant navy and brought it home from somewhere

Thank you for the advice. I have put it on Facebook and someone I know thought it was theirs, but it's too small to be theirs and doesn't have the same markings. I'll also put a notice up in the vets when I take it in case anyone comes forward. I'll keep you all posted. X

For food, look at a website called tortoise table, lots of ideas and a full list of plants they can eat.

www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/ is the linky

Thank you, I'll have a look now.

Well I've spoken to the vets and they think he is a horsefield tortoise. I'm going to be fostering him till anyone comes forward to claim him and I've been told what I need to keep him warm and happy. So a friend of mine is giving me her old tortoise table & heat lamp and I've ordered a book on tortoises to read. He enjoyed a warm bath this morning and has tucked into the dandelion leaves I gave him for his breakfast. Thank you for your all your help. 😁🐢🐢

There's the National Theft Register who take reports of lost/found tortoises and circulate list to members. Also Pets Located is a popular place for owners to look. I'd recommend looking at tortoise group websites for care sheets and getting a book on how to care for horsfields. They are lovely tortoises but you do need to know what you're doing and make sure environment and diet correct so they don't get ill.

www.tortoise-protection-group.org.uk/site/146.asp

I can't imagine a tortoise could travel far, try knocking on doors/putting notes through letterboxes of houses within a reasonable radius of yours. Put up posters throughout your area on lampposts, bus stops, local shops/schools/community centres to try to locate the owners. Post on local Facebook sites but do not rely on Facebook alone, although it is popular not everyone has it or uses internet/online registers. Let the police on 101 know in case it has been reported stolen. Contact all local vets and report found.

Our tortoise once walked about a mile down a country lane before we found him - he was speedy!
Please try as much as possible to find the owner. I would have been so upset as a child if a local person had adopted my pet. Notices on lampposts should work - a lot of people are not on fb

He needs to go to the vet and be scanned for a microchip. Chips are usually in the thigh or in the tissue above the neck where it attaches to the shell - also try contacting rspca and local animal shelters in case owners are ringing around looking for him