Volunteers finally find Betty White—the rescue tortoise
Betty White spent the winter hiding from the authorities. The Russian tortoise, about 20 years old (Testudo horsfieldii), named after the iconic actress, is one of the resident reptiles at Oregon’s Badger Run Wildlife Rehab. She went missing last fall, only to be found months later under her enclosure by a volunteer named Rose.
Russian tortoises like Betty White are found throughout Central Asia, including Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Iran and China. After the fall of the Soviet Union, they became a popular export in the former Soviet states.
“Nearly all Russian tortoises in the pet trade are captured from the wild, which has had detrimental consequences for their species in their native territories, as well as loss of habitat,” says Laura Hale, biologist and president of Badger Run Wildlife Rehab. Popular science. “They are considered endangered or threatened throughout much of their range. »
In December 2023, Betty White and a male Russian tortoise named Smudge were rescued after his owner died. Both were brought to Badger Run Wildlife Rehab in Klamath Falls, Oregon, where they educate the public about turtles, tortoises and the dangers of the exotic pet trade. Trafficking in wild animals takes them out of their natural habitat and owning exotic animals also poses health risks to human owners and animals, including Betty White. Its name comes from the white lines on its shell caused by improper growth between different sections of the shell. These wrinkles are due to poor nutrition and the incorrect humidity in which it was initially kept.
Betty White and Smudge now spend their spring, summer and fall together in a large outdoor enclosure with deep soil for digging. In winter, they are moved indoors to a warmer enclosure equipped with UVB lights.
“Since Betty White and Smudge have ‘daily duties’ as training animals, we don’t let them fog (hibernate) in cold weather,” says Hale. “They are moved indoors where they remain active during the cold months.”
According to Hale, many reptile experts advise against leaving captive animals like Betty White and Smudge brumate unless keepers can ensure absolute silence without any disturbance to the animals’ well-being.
“Every time a hibernating animal is awakened, its metabolism increases again, burning valuable calories,” says Hale. “If this happens too often, they won’t have enough stored calories to survive until spring.”
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Last fall, the Badger Run team prepared to move the two men into their winter accommodations. Smudge, who is more of a “human turtle,” made sure to go outside to rub and scratch. But Ms. White had other plans. She dug a few feet beneath the heavy, insulated house, beneath their 16-by-8-foot rectangular enclosure.
“The bottom of the enclosure has a thick wire mesh floor to prevent a turtle from getting all the way out and escaping,” says Hale. “So we knew she was in there somewhere.”
Betty White spent the winter snuggled up in her burrow, while the team patiently scanned the area for signs of turtle life. When an unseasonably warm spell returned earlier this month, Betty White went out to sunbathe and was picked up by volunteers on Saturday March 21.
She was cleaned and fed green vegetables, dried flowers, a calcium supplement, in addition to access to water, heat and UVB lights. “Betty White was not very happy to see her shell rinsed of encrusted mud upon returning from her winter brumation adventure,” says Hale.
Betty White will stay inside with Smudge until more stable warm temperatures return to southern Oregon.
“Smudge was very happy to see Betty White return,” says Hale. “He spent the first day following her around their indoor enclosure.”
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