HELP!!!!!!! (tortoise lost in the house)

[nikkivikki2091]

I have a Russian tortoise and I brought him in yesterday cause the weather was really really bad. Well I let him walk around my room and while eating dinner someone went in and never closed the door. I don't know where he is. I put out his food in every room he has access but nothing. Is there a treat or something I can offer to draw him out? Any ideas?

 

[littleginsu]

Search high and low, those Russians are climbers. Look behind and in everything.

 

[tortdad]

Could he have gotten out of the house?


0.0.1 Redfoot (Spike)
0.0.1 Cherryhead Redfoot (Bruce Wayne)
1.0 Sulcata (Hal Jordan)

 

[wellington]

Look and feel every spot. He probably found some place dark to hide. Good luck. At least you know he is some place, and not gone. You just have to find that some place. If you have a dog, be sure to keep him away from any of the places the tort could have gotten too. Also, if there is a common place between all the places he could have gotten, hanging a basking light, might help to draw him out.

 

[nikkivikki2091]

I'm sure he's in the house and the dog is not allowed out of his bedroom other then to go out till he's found. Than k you everyone.

 

[littleginsu]

And there is no chance the tortoise is in the dogs bedroom, yes?

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Look in the closet, under clothes. Look under furniture. Look places you don't think he'd fit or could have climbed to. Look at edges and corners.

This happens. It's one reason we recommend against tortoises loose in the house. I know of one that got under the fridge, another trapped under the heater. Keep looking.

 

[Jabuticaba]

How big is your tort?


May
THBs: Darwin & Merlin
Aussies: Dax, Vegas, & Cricket
IG: @AUSSOMEAUSSIES

 

[annster]

Keep pets out of the house and all doors shut! Even bedroom doors... Keep him out of as many places as possible! Good luck!

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Sorry to here your tort is loose ,people get made cause I tell them not to let a tort walk around .but with all that said do you have heat ducks on the floor and they are all covered put a night light over 1-2 of them and put some food and water by them and turn all other lights off in that room . The tort may see the light and think were there is light there is heat ( food = 1-2 strips of lettuce about the size of a cigarette ) you may not see it but you will know if it eat a strip or two . Good luck


Sent from my iPhone using TortForum

 

[nikkivikki2091]

He's about 4inches. I know he didn't get in the dogs room. And I only let him out cause he couldn't be outside since we were getting hail and were under severe thunderstorm warning. And he does like his indoor house.

 

[Moozillion]

Have you found your tort yet?

 

[nikkivikki2091]

Not yet I set out is food turned on his heat lamp and keep searching.

 

[Abdulla6169]

Good luck. Search all rooms systematically. !

 

[majxmom]

Is there a particularly warm spot that he can crawl into, such as under a water heater? If you've looked in a lot of places that humans can easily look into, he probably disappeared somewhere where you have to be flat on your belly with a flashlight to see.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Good luck. Chances are he walked to a wall and then walked the perimeter of a wall. Maybe finding a closet. I found a three incher that was loose in my back yard a week or so ago. He was only a foot away from the escape spot. Looks like he was trying to get back in. Put on a heat source and see if he comes to it.

 

[jeffjeff]

hope you find him soon. have you tried lying down with your ear to the floor to get a tortoise eye view? sounds daft but you might spot a hiding place you cant see from standing or from your hands and knees. its amazing how tight a place they can get in too. good luck

 

[smarch]

I hope he turns up soon. other than keeping out food and lighting like already mentioned I don't have any particular finding advice.
But may I suggest what to do after he's found? I know many say don't let torts wander the house bad things can happen, and that's true, but I've found with my Russian, the winters here make him super unhappy not having place to roam, so a few times a week in the winter I let him roam our carpeted floor (we have a wood stove so its never chilly) and I just follow him, he doesn't appreciate having a "shadow" but its the only way i'd let him roam so if he starts sniffing at anything I can shop him, or if he's lifting up like he seems to do in prep for the bathroom I can catch him, and just so he doesn't get lost or stepped on (i'm like a body guard!) My suggestion would be only let him out when you are supervising him, when you leave the room to eat or even go to the bathroom plunk him in his enclosure until you come back, because Russians are notorious Houdinis!

 

[JasonMcKeownSr]

Ouch. Watch your step. Only thing worse than not finding him is to find him by the sound of a crunch. Good luck on your search and rescue!

 

[JasonMcKeownSr]

There is one more idea... Hear me out... Before my tort I have a RES... I have a outside area for her. I never would have thought that she would climb a 3 foot fence but she did. I have a very curious dog that had to watch her all the time. Well make a long story short. The day. She disappeared I took my dog back there and kept asking if he knows where Betty is? Find Betty! I swear on my turtle.... He was all over the yard. When I was about to walk away he kept digging and barking at the bottom of the deck where there is a small hole. Sure as hell... She was under there. Just a thought. Also depends on if your dog was ever curious of the tort. I know I know sounds crazy. But I swear on it that my dog found my turtle lol. Can't hurt to try.