HELP - I'm heartbroken!

[fifthdawn]

Just curious, how big and enclosed is your yard?

Well, its been quite some time now. I think now we should pray that it is actually outside all along.

 

[rwfoss]

Just curious, how big and enclosed is your yard?

Well, its been quite some time now. I think now we should pray that it is actually outside all along.

I don't know the exact dimensions of the yard. Standard planned community yard. Block wall all the way around with one gate entrance. The underside of the gate has been stuffed with rocks to keep the cats and dogs from digging out. There is a chance that he is buried himself somewhere out there in the back. We do have a lot of vegetation (including some nice dandelion weeds). I go outside and look for him everyday. As it starts to warm up out here in AZ, I'm hoping he will be visible one of these days.

 

[Tom]

There is no reason to give up hope.They can live for months without food, especially since its cooler outside of his environment. I've heard stories of them surviving over winter outside too. Unless someone removed him from your property, he'll turn up somewhere.

 

[Kymiie]

Id say look outside, get some gardening gloves, and dig him up with your hands!
I think now we know he is definitly outside!
I would spen a day digging up all the mud, looking for a dig hole etc!

You will find him, and he will still be alive as he has ate plants xx

 

[Yvonne G]

I've told this story before on the forum, but because there's a chance your tortoise might have ended up outside, I'll tell it again:

I received a phone call from a lady who was hired to clean up the yard of the house next door to her. The house had been vacant for 3 years. When she was chopping down the tall weeds in the back yard she found a soft ball-sized sulcata back there. He had been outside for three winters. The winter nights here in the Fresno area are usually right around 32 degrees every night. The days are usually in the 40's sometimes in the 50's. We figured the little guy had dug a burrow under the cement foundation of the house.

This little tortoise couldn't have been more than a couple years old when he was left out there. And he's about 90lbs today! There's hope for you.

 

[Floof]

I don't know the exact dimensions of the yard. Standard planned community yard. Block wall all the way around with one gate entrance. The underside of the gate has been stuffed with rocks to keep the cats and dogs from digging out. There is a chance that he is buried himself somewhere out there in the back. We do have a lot of vegetation (including some nice dandelion weeds). I go outside and look for him everyday. As it starts to warm up out here in AZ, I'm hoping he will be visible one of these days.

What about looking at the plants around the yard when you go looking for him? I've noticed tortoises leave some pretty identifiable bite marks in their food... Maybe you can "track" him by seeing if any of your yard's dandelions, etc have been chewed on?

Good luck!!

 

[sammi]

I keep checking back..still wishing you luck that the little guy finds his way home!

 

[Stephanie Logan]

I've told this story before on the forum, but because there's a chance your tortoise might have ended up outside, I'll tell it again:

I received a phone call from a lady who was hired to clean up the yard of the house next door to her. The house had been vacant for 3 years. When she was chopping down the tall weeds in the back yard she found a soft ball-sized sulcata back there. He had been outside for three winters. The winter nights here in the Fresno area are usually right around 32 degrees every night. The days are usually in the 40's sometimes in the 50's. We figured the little guy had dug a burrow under the cement foundation of the house.

This little tortoise couldn't have been more than a couple years old when he was left out there. And he's about 90lbs today! There's hope for you.

Awww! Was this Dudley?

 

[Yvonne G]

Awww! Was this Dudley?

No. I adopted the baby out to someone I know and she named him Lucky. I see him occasionally and you'd never know he was a wild tortoise for three years.

 

[reptylefreek]

I had a bearded dragon live outside in seattle's fall weather for two weeks! Through two hail storms and lots of rain. She dug herself a little hide right next to the foundation of the house. She looked kinda wild after we found her but she was healthy as ever... I have faith you'll find him

 

[Tom]

Awww! Was this Dudley?

No. I adopted the baby out to someone I know and she named him Lucky. I see him occasionally and you'd never know he was a wild tortoise for three years.

How was his level of pyramiding?

 

[Yvonne G]

How was his level of pyramiding?

It wasn't bad, however he wasn't smooth.

 

[franeich]

Have you given up?

 

[rwfoss]

Have you given up?

No, not at all. Sorry I haven't updated anything. The post about one of the dogs possibly carrying Gus outside is making a lot of sense to us. We have had rain, so some searching was haulted. We going into another big cleaning overdrive this weekend. Cleaning means searching. I plan on being in the backyard when I can this weekend, plus we have family coming Saturday, so we will be have an extra pair of eyes.

 

[samstar]

Have you given up?

No, not at all. Sorry I haven't updated anything. The post about one of the dogs possibly carrying Gus outside is making a lot of sense to us. We have had rain, so some searching was haulted. We going into another big cleaning overdrive this weekend. Cleaning means searching. I plan on being in the backyard when I can this weekend, plus we have family coming Saturday, so we will be have an extra pair of eyes.

Dogs sometimes like to hide their price possesions so maybe he dug up and hid your tort? Just my guess..

 

[terracolson]

Well I thought of this today.... I see you have a new one in the house... He will show up some time.. and he will be just fine.. I still have faith..

 

[Shelly]

Seriously?

 

[terracolson]

Seriously what?

 

[rwfoss]

You know, we heard that someone in the neighborhood saw a tortoise in their front yard, but they didn't pick it up. My first reaction was...GUS! So we're waiting to get a return phone call so I can get the exact address and start looking. They said the tort was as big as their hand, so Carla doesn't think it's Gus. My thinking was...whose hand? I have big hands, and he was half my hand in size. He may have grown a little too.

So, I'm still hoping and praying and looking!!

 

[snakegrl]

I had that happen once. I was letting mine walk around our living room went to answer the phone; 1 min. and "poof" gone. Found him 2 days later sleeping in my tennise shoe in my closet. They are very good at hiding. Lord help you find it!!