Yesterday, we found an escaped tortoise marching down our street. Tortoises aren’t native to this part of Oregon. Maybe to the hotter, more eastern parts, but definitely not here in the Willamette Valley.
I had trouble at first figuring out what was down the street. We have a lot of cats, but it didn’t look right for that. I thought maybe a duck. As it got closer to me, I realized it was a tortoise. Blinking with surprise, I walked down the road towards it.
At this time a group of boys also noticed it. They arrived before I did. Not ever seeing one before, they didn’t know how to pick it up, or even if it would bite.
Our family had one in California. I can’t remember exactly where we got it. We picked it up as we were traveling home from visiting family in Oklahoma. My dad found it and took a liking to it. I’d seen some snapping turtles back there, so wasn’t too sure about our new guest.
As I picked this one up, I heard one of the boys say, “So that’s how you pick them up.” I was glad I got there before they tried. I’d hate for them to try and pick it up by its legs.  As I carried it to the house, I told them that it belonged to someone. Tortoises like this didn’t just wander around.
I put it in our yard and asked my husband to take care of it while I got the camera. I told the boys I would post the picture at the mailboxes, and asked them if they also wanted pictures, too. Of course they said yes. I also grabbed the camcorder while I was in the house.
It took the pictures and then pulled out the recorder. That turtle kept marching off to somewhere. I have no idea where it thought it was going. The way it kept trucking, it seemed to have some destination in mind. It was sure stubborn about getting there.

As it was marching, a snake came out from under one of the cement blocks and crawled under it. It just marched right over the snake.
The boys wanted to keep the tortoise. I could tell that one of the boys thought of it already as his since he found it first. He asked how big of an aquarium was needed to hold a turtle like that. I had no idea. When we found the snake, I did let him keep that! I’m sure his mother was real happy about him bringing home a snake. Not my problem!
It wasn’t much later, when it seemed all the boys in the neighborhood had gathered outside to see the turtle. I didn’t want to, but I told them the turtle was put away for now. One boy nodded in understanding.
I could see their disappointment. They probably even thought that I had no right to do that, but it would be a bit much for the turtle to suddenly have twenty boys fussing over it.
I posted the picture with our name and address. I also requested that the owner not delay. I really didn’t want to be taking care of a tortoise for very long.
Big turtles aren’t as easy as people may think to take care of. I had no idea of what it was used to eating, or if it would eat the paper bags I had lined the plastic ben with. I put down water and gave him a sprig of lettuce. He didn’t touch the lettuce. Probably, because he’d been munching on the grass as he marched.
About an hour later someone knocked at the door. I opened the door to see two women. One had the notice clinched in her hand. She’d had that turtle for over twenty years. His name was Scooter, fitting name.
She had stopped at the mail boxes before going home. She had a shocked look as she told the story about seeing the picture of her tortoise out there on the notice board. She hadn’t even know he was missing at the time. She has  hurried home to fine the gate open.
I swear, Scooter seemed as happy to see her as she was to see him. His head lifted upwards in greeting. She knew how to handle him. I knew she was the true owner. She blanched when I told her about the boys. I’m sure Scooter will not be escaping anytime soon from his yard.
Attached is the video of Scooter, the snake, and the boy.  Enjoy!