Someone dumped a Turtle/Tortosie

Some Dumped a "Terrapene ornata ornata" on my doorstep.

(male- pictures will go here later, its storming now and my camera batteries are charging)

(his carapace has sunburst yellow markings, his plastron is hinged and has the same pattern on it, he has four toes and rad eyes of an adult male, his arms are yellow and he has yellow facial striping - his growth rings on his sell indicate 12-20 growth seasons so between 6-20 years (depending on how he was kept) He is people friendly coming to an outstretched hand and looks for food).

He's not a FL Box Turtle- I had just a couple seconds with an expert from the herp society in FL. (didn't have a chance to get care instructions or if I /should/ keep him)

Yes he's legal for me to keep. (I can have up to two of the Genus Terrapene per person (age is irrelevant) in the household we are three people total)

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I have him in an old python cage that has been converted to other animals (rabbits for a time, brooder for chicks).

It is three feet high

It is a Hexagon with the back panel wood and the front panel the door.

The perimeter is (as close as I recall) as follows 1*1*3*1*1*3 in feet. The widest part is I think four feet, the deepest is three feet.

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I put a cleaned out cat litter container (plastic) with bedding, and put a four inch layer of shredded aspen bedding (its all I have on hand sunday evening and its supposed to be reptile safe)

I Have a 'kitten litter pan' (plastic) that was never used for such, I filled it with water for wading/soaking

I have a 4 inch porcelain dish also with water (deep put to small for him to get into).

I have 1/2 pound of non chemically treated clover and the like also powdered rat food.
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The cage is 'facing ' south so we get morning and evening sun but none at midday, no more then half of the cage is ever receiving full sun.

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A friend is coming over with the 'super safe' reptile wormer tomorrow
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What have I missed?

 

-suzettex5- Thanks, and good thought, I'll look into it.

-6chickens in St. Charles- Oh, these guys can live 50 years or so- good thing they found that one this guy is young between 6-20ish (years) according to his scales 12-20 growth seasons.

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Well the herpers said most pet turtles with people "in the know" have marked scales, sometimes a hot glued tag with info sometimes a tiny place with "nail polish like stuff" (AKA "reptile tag") on the caprice (right hand side behind the arm usually). A child's pet or non herpers may not mark their turtles as such.

Also I looked for 'cage damage' from starting life in an aquarium or other unsuitable setup.

(I couldn't tell for sure if he had any cage damage, he is NOT calcium deficient looking, not in shed, no scars or damage- very healthy looking, normal turtle poops.)


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Other notes-

It has rained hear for 10+/- days, no sunlight to speak of.

They are building a 2.5 lane road outside.

He is NOT the native type of box turtle (according to the expert) and unsuited for wet environments, (carolina carolina OR carlina bauri are both possible in Jacksonville) or I guess I'll post flyers - his owner will have to tell me something special about him.

Did I mention the cage is outside?

He's only 'boxed' (retraced into shell fully) once that was when I was wiping him down with a warm wet rag - handling him even his head and arms he is untroubled.

He is very fast ('cooter' -aka- Red ear slider fast) and active.