Where did my Russian Tortoise go?

[psutoon]

Hello,

I am new to this site. I just bookmarked it and will use it for all future reference. I need your help in locating my missing Russian tortoise Joe. I live in Phoenix, Arizona and he has been missing for about 20hrs.

I just purchased 2yr old Joe from Pets Mart a few days ago. I have it kept in a small, glass cage with all the essentials the Pets Mart associate suggested.

For about 30min or so, I will let him loose in the back yard so he can move more freely, exercise, and to just get "fresh air". Once I get him, I let him soak in water for abut 20min to help pass stool and for hydration purposes. Yesterday, I ran a little late and left him outdoors for about an hour or so. The temperatures were in the high 90s, low 100F rage. I went to find him and he was no where to be found.

Enclosed are two pics of the garden which I left him in. I doubt he escaped through the gate. The gap, under the gate, I stuffed with an old towel. I am confident he could not have pushed his way through let alone even fit through the small gap. I checked in the mini utility room on the back left corner of garden and he is not hiding anywhere in there.

My only theory I have here is that it was too hot, after awhile, and he must have dug himself under ground. Now how would I go about finding him? Since I am in the summer, it cannot hibernate now correct? Therefore if he is indeed burrowed underground, he would have to come up for food/water/heat correct at some point?

Please help....

Sincerely,
Nate

 

[Tom]

And this is what always happens when people let them run loose... Most people last more than two days though...

When/if you find him, please build a suitable enclosure to contain him in your yard.


They can turn sideways and slip through a gate like that.

Alternatively, crawl around on your hands and knees and look for areas where the dirt has been recently disturbed. They don't usually dig very deep.

 

[Jodie]

They are escape artists. Some say they can levitate lol. Sorry about yours. I would definately crawl around and look for him. Talk to all of the neighbors as well. Flyers often work well. Good luck.

 

[psutoon]

Tom,

Yes sir regarding a suitable enclosure. Can you describe your setup? I am new to this and would give me an idea. Will search the forum here about this as well once i locate Joe. I will crawl around inspecting the dirt later in the afternoon when I come home.

With a situation like mine....assuming he has dug himself in the ground (and not crawled sideways through the gate)....any estimate when he will naturally come out (if I cannot locate him myself). Or this is hard to say?

Thanks,
Nate

 

[JoesMum]

Work out where the sun shines first thing in the morning. That's where he will go to bask and warm up. Leave some strawberry or tomato in sheltered sunny spots as bait.

Much as tomato or strawberry should not be fed regularly to your tort, because it can't digest sugars properly, it is something they cannot resist eating and makes brilliant tortoise bait

 

[Tom]

Tom,

Yes sir regarding a suitable enclosure. Can you describe your setup? I am new to this and would give me an idea. Will search the forum here about this as well once i locate Joe. I will crawl around inspecting the dirt later in the afternoon when I come home.

With a situation like mine....assuming he has dug himself in the ground (and not crawled sideways through the gate)....any estimate when he will naturally come out (if I cannot locate him myself). Or this is hard to say?

Thanks,
Nate

It is hard to say. In the wild they will dig down and stay there for weeks to escape the summer heat. I'll bet AZ is a lot like the wild where they come from in summer, soooooo... Yes, it is hard to say. A thorough wet down back there might bring him up, but look first as the water will erase the signs of digging. My money is on the gate escape though. I'd start checking outside the gates.

Here are some housing examples for you, but there are many more in the enclosure section.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/semi-underground-russian-box.98590/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/simple-sunning-enclosure.104351/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...table-but-safe-outdoor-baby-enclosures.30683/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/daisys-new-enclosure.28662/

These might be good to read too:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

 

[Tortoisefanatic88]

I do hope that you can find him best of luck with your search. Ask all your neighbors to keep a look out.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Try watering the area as well as leaving out water & food.

 

[Carol S]

Did you look behind and under the things that are stacked in the area? Did you also look in the smaller enclosed area where the hose is coming from? That area in the picture looks like it has shade. He could have turned sideways and slipped through the gate to get into that area where there was shade and something to hide behind or under. I hope you find him/her.

 

[Len B]

Look under everything even though you can't see signs of him digging, A couple years ago I had one I couldn't find and it had dug under a 12 inch long piece of treated 6x6 that was just setting in the enclosure, no signs of digging anywhere around the piece of wood. The round stepping stones maybe. Good Luck ....

 

[Russianuncletwo]

I just posted the following verbiage to another with same issue and after you hopefully find yours, do what I do-if I'm out with mine, I don't care if it's 2 hours, I move a chair around (or walk with him) and do not take my eyes off him (for less than 15 seconds maaaybe) as if I were driving on a highway-I don't take my eyes off the road, I don't take my eyes off the tortoise if outside, even in my yard! Here's that text from my other post:
"Ask around. Put up signs. I found taking a digital photo under a bush, then zooming it on computer can give a better view because they blend in so well. He could be in the same spot tomorrow that he wasn't today. Also, using a stick to hold up bushes, if any, is a help. Before mine became in my sole care, he got lost inside and outside-once for 9 days. Don't give up!! they normally don't end up further than 200 feet from home and many times just hidden, within a small distance, like 20 feet."

 

[Tom]

...do what I do-if I'm out with mine, I don't care if it's 2 hours, I move a chair around (or walk with him) and do not take my eyes off him (for less than 15 seconds maaaybe) as if I were driving on a highway-I don't take my eyes off the road, I don't take my eyes off the tortoise if outside, even in my yard!

Many people have this "I don't take my eyes off of him" stance, but you do take your eyes off of them. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but eventually you will and the tortoise will be gone.

The solution is to have a safe, secure, escape proof enclosure for the tortoise so then when human nature takes over, everything will be fine.

Tortoises should not be out loose roaming outside of a tortoise enclosure. Follow this advice and you won't need superhuman powers of concentration or hawk eyes.

 

[Russianuncletwo]

Thanks, Tom. That goal is my next step; you are so right. Still being in somewhat "physical therapy" mode since a mid March leg fracture, I can not "build" too well outside yet (no carrying cinderblocks either!), but I can't wait to do something of that nature.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

You have to recheck places you've already checked. Tortoises move around. That spot you checked before may be where he is now.

Hope you find him.

 

[annster]

I saw something that might have been a tort in the first picture near the back.

 

[bouaboua]

Did you have him back? I hope he did not go far.

 

[psutoon]

Hello,

Sadly no signs of Joe. Did eventually wet the grounds and that didn't work. I was out when the sign was just rising and was not able to locate him. I believe he did indeed escape "sideways" through the gate.

Curiously, how long can Russian tortoises stay underground for (in the summer)? They would have to come up for food/water/air at some point...correct? Looking at the above posts, some of you mentioned stories of having a tortoise "resurface" after several days!

 

[Tom]

Curiously, how long can Russian tortoises stay underground for (in the summer)? They would have to come up for food/water/air at some point...correct? Looking at the above posts, some of you mentioned stories of having a tortoise "resurface" after several days!

In some parts of their range they will be active for only 6 weeks in spring and another 6 weeks in fall. They spend all summer and all winter buried underground to avoid the extreme hot or cold conditions.

I'll bet your tortoise is out wandering the neighborhood. It is most likely to seek cover at night and in the mid day heat.

 

[psutoon]

Tom,

Yeah it is definitely gone. So I went ahead and bought another.....aka Joe v2.0 . He is 6 months old compared to the original (2.5 years old).

Hate to say it but looks like the original was to "beta test" on how to care for it. I am sure this time around, I will be more aware of their activity when outdoors! Checking out some of your posts by the way as well as other members on the do's and don't when someone first owns a Russian tortoise.

 

[Tom]

Tom,

Yeah it is definitely gone. So I went ahead and bought another.....aka Joe v2.0 . He is 6 months old compared to the original (2.5 years old).

Hate to say it but looks like the original was to "beta test" on how to care for it. I am sure this time around, I will be more aware of their activity when outdoors! Checking out some of your posts by the way as well as other members on the do's and don't when someone first owns a Russian tortoise.

Awe jeez. Don't quit looking for Joe. Its only been a couple of days.

When he turns back up, which is likely, you will now need two enclosures both inside and out.