My Tortoise Is Dead

[Mackinz]

My tortoise which I had shown off in this thread is now dead. He was fine yesterday, but today I didn't check on him in the morning and came to find his headless corpse laying upside-down underneath our bougainvillea bush when I went looking for him in the afternoon. Though I only had him for a few months, George had grown on me. He wasn't even my tortoise to begin with, but now he's dead and I feel so sad because I will miss going into my backyard and playing with him, feeding him snacks and his main food source...

Well, I just thought I'd share...

 

[leigti]

I'm so sorry. It is amazing how quickly we can get attached.

 

[christinaland128]

That's terrible! Sorry for your loss. Was he small? Did an animal get to him?

 

[Mackinz]

That's terrible! Sorry for your loss. Was he small? Did an animal get to him?

He was about six inches long. A typical Russian male size... It looks like an animal did get to him, probably because he lived in my backyard and not In an enclosed pen... Circle of life, but it sucks all the same considering the amount of work I put into rescuing him. Now I'm considering how I should...dispose of him... I know of a vet which might be able to help with that...

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

You could always bury him deep in the back yard and put a tortoise statue over the spot.

 

[G-stars]

Sorry for your loss. It's never easy.

 

[christinaland128]

Aw that's terrible! Yes I agree with Cowboy Ken, give him a nice little burial spot in your yard perhaps. If you consider getting another tort someday, there are many options for building outdoor overnight lock boxes. I believe the threads are under the enclosure section. Rest in peace George!

 

[Mackinz]

My tortoise did have a shelter box that was made for him. He just preferred burying himself in the dirt, so I let him. He did, occasionally, go to it by himself...

I'm considering creating him with help from the family friend veterinarian.

 

[leigti]

I hope you're the veterinary friend can help you if you do decide to get another tortoise some day you will probably have to put it in the box every night and lock it in. If you put lots of dirt in there baby will be fine with burrowing down into it. Or you can bring the tortoise in at night. For now just mourn the loss of your tortoise. People are very supportive here.

 

[Carol S]

I am so sorry for your loss. I had a similar incident happen around 3 years ago. It was most likely a raccoon that killed my tortoise. I now have an electric fence around the entire enclosure. My husband buried my tortoise under a tree in the backyard.

 

[4jean]

I am so sorry for your loss. It is so hard. I lost a tortoise last year, I buried him under a rose bush in my garden and put a pretty stone as a marker. It is a comfort.

 

[Mackinz]

I know it's probably never easy for anyone, but I feel so bad right now because my tortoise died under my care. I don't even know what to do at the moment... I'm trying to contact the vet, but my brother recommended looking up crematoriums myself and all the while what is left of George... is sitting out in the backyard as a gathering place for flies.

I think I'm just going to go eat for a bit. Thank you for all the support, guys.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

RIP George.
Read the other threads, poor George had it rough.
Sorry for your loss.

 

[stojanovski92113]

I'm very sorry for your loss

 

[Yvonne G]

I would bury him in his yard with a nice head stone to commemorate him. I'm so sorry this happened. But you shouldn't be blaming yourself. You can't be out there every moment to watch over him. So sad.

 

[leigti]

Don't blame yourself. We can always look back and say what if, what if but it doesn't do any good. I would bury him in your yard and put a pretty rock or a little statue or anything that you would like as A tribute to him. It will give you the closure that you need.

 

[robandcole]

This may sound crazy but couldn't you save the shell ? I know Indians make rattles out of snappers... Not that I would or think its ok to do... I would like to here people's input on this keep shell or no and why

 

[robandcole]

By the way im sorry for your loss

 

[Carolyn Barrett]

So so sorry!

 

[Mackinz]

George has been interred in a grave I dug in his "original" yard (the one he was rescued from), where he is buried alongside several other family pets. Thank you everyone for your support.