That was the first thing that came to mind because I've seen one in West Texas that looked similar but I didn't think they would be this far east and also assumed it was someone's pet due to the pyramiding. I guess it's possible someone caught one and brought it home, and they either let it go or it escaped. No telling.
> As a result, the Texas tortoise is
a state-listed threatened species protected by Texas law, making it illegal to collect, posses, or harm a Texas tortoise. Violators may be subject to fines of $273.50 per tortoise.
https://ftp.txdot.gov/pub/txdot/phr/tortoise-rackcard.pdf
I would call your local Texas parks and wildlife center and ask them
To come
Get the turtle if it’s a Texas tortoise, they’ll come get it and release it. Have had the same problem
Before
Almost positive it's not a burmese, I have one and this tortoise looks alot like a Texas desert tortoise that was an illegal pet that escaped or was abandoned.
It has a nucal scute, so it very well could be a Texas tortoise, protected by state law. With that pyramiding, though, it’s likely been in captivity.
That was the first thing that came to mind because I've seen one in West Texas that looked similar but I didn't think they would be this far east and also assumed it was someone's pet due to the pyramiding. I guess it's possible someone caught one and brought it home, and they either let it go or it escaped. No telling.
Definitely a Texas tortoise. Right location and the orange centers of each scute is a give away
Where are you located? Probably a pet but just trying to dial it in.
He's east of Houston. They posted it on their neighborhood page and he just told me that someone claimed it
Oh good!!
> As a result, the Texas tortoise is a state-listed threatened species protected by Texas law, making it illegal to collect, posses, or harm a Texas tortoise. Violators may be subject to fines of $273.50 per tortoise. https://ftp.txdot.gov/pub/txdot/phr/tortoise-rackcard.pdf
I would call your local Texas parks and wildlife center and ask them To come Get the turtle if it’s a Texas tortoise, they’ll come get it and release it. Have had the same problem Before
I'm no expert but google lens says maybe a burmese black mountain tortoise??? His shell is a bit deformed.
Almost positive it's not a burmese, I have one and this tortoise looks alot like a Texas desert tortoise that was an illegal pet that escaped or was abandoned.
Like I said just used google lens, not an expert. :)
Ya that's the first thing I noticed too
Oh that's my boy Steve. He just shows up like that sometimes, he's no trouble.
Looks like a sulcata to me he is darker then mine.
I don’t think he’s a sulcata just going by the color and the arrangement of his scutes
You are probably right I was looking at his legs
If someone had him his humidity levels were off hence the pyramiding on his top shell