Russian missing

[fgately]

One of my female Russians has been missing for almost a month. My other two hide in their boxes when it is wet and cold, but come back out when it warms up. The missing female is nowhere to be found. I have looked for her and made quite a mess of my landscaping looking for her. I spoke to someone from a reptile shop last week that said she is probably hibernating, and won't show up until spring.

Any of you have any experience with this? Do they just dissappear like this? Why wouldn't she come up during a warm day like the other two do?

Thanks,

 

[GBtortoises]

I live in the Northeastern U.S. and my Russian tortoises live outdoors 365 days a year. They commonly "disappear" this time of year. Mine hibernate outdoors from late October through mid April. It's fall throughout the northern 2/3 of the U.S. and most animals are preparing for winter weather by now. It is always a good idea to know where the tortoise is outdoors. While they may dig down into what they believe is an excellent spot to wait out winter, they aren't going to know about any possible dangers that you will. Mainly water from rain, melting snow, flooding an bitter winter winds that drive the cold temperatures deeper into the ground. If you are in an area that doesn't get snow or the snow doesn't accumulate the only the tortoise will only have whatever soil is above it for cover from severe weather such as below freezing temperatures and winds. While mine hibernate outdoors I always cover them with an "insurance blanket" which is basically a good mound of straw about 2' high and 5' in diameter which is then covered with plastic weighted down with rocks. This keeps them better insulated and keeps rain and melting snow from getting to them.

It's not ununsual for tortoises to act differently from their cagemates. Especially with wild caught tortoises that may be the same species but were collected from different geographical areas. They may sense and respond to natural indicators slightly different.