an escape artist

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Yvonne G

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I normally wrap up my tortoise's "patio" and "gazebo" with a full sheet of plastic, but this year I had some scraps and was trying to be frugal. So the top is wrapped down to about 2' of the bottom, then there's a scrap wrapping up the bottom. I had the bottom piece UNDER the top piece, but the little bit of rain we got last night pulled the bottom piece down.

So I go out there this a.m. to open the Yellofoots' winter house door to let them go out onto their patio and this is what greets me:

11-6-11pondturtle-1.jpg


and from the outside:
11-6-11pondturtle-2.jpg


He was stuck good and tight!

I had always heard they were excellent climbers and could even climb a 6' redfoot fence. The fence for the pond has horizontal boards screwed onto the top board, making a lip on the inside to foil climbers. I've checked and re-checked and all the "lips" are intact. There are no holes under either.

11-6-11pondturtle-3.jpg


My guess is that he used those dead plants as a ladder.
 

dmarcus

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Wow, he was almost gone...I wonder what he was thinking after getting so close...
 

tyler0912

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He was probably thinking!
''Im never getting stuck in this situation again!'' ;)
Awfuly cute....but mischieves.....(thats the cute thing)
 
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Maggie Cummings

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Western Pond Turtle? How's Scruffie, do you still see her? Could you take a picture of her for me, 'em us???
 

terryo

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I wish I could get into their little heads and see what they are thinking. Same with the box turtles. They have such a beautiful home....and yet "the grass is always greener." Why of why do they want to leave??????
 

Yvonne G

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maggie3fan said:
Western Pond Turtle? How's Scruffie, do you still see her? Could you take a picture of her for me, 'em us???

I hadn't seen Scruffie in a while, but they're hibernating now, only come out rarely.
 

dmmj

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He was probably thinking " so close, yet so far"
 

Saloli

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yeah Shelly got out of the 100 gallon the adults were staying in. She has also climbed a 6' stockade fence, so needless to say when I put them in their new pen she eye balled the whole thing looking for a way to get out but she comes back.
 

LindaF

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He really was making a break for it! Lucky you found him in time. It did make for a cute picture!
 

ripper7777777

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Great pic, funny how they like to roam. When I was a kid we had a Red ear turn up in the backyard, stayed for the summer and than left. All we ever did was move it when mowing.

I have a small Koi pond and we put some Bullfrog tadpoles in it and the frogs stayed, wish turtles would do the same.
 

fbsmith3

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What kind of turtle is that? A turtle that can climb 6 feet is something that intrigues and scares me.
 

Yvonne G

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Its an Actinemys marmorata (western pond turtle). They're governed by the fishing limit laws, and the limit on turtles is 0...so its illegal to have them. But I have a Memorandum of Understanding from the DFG that allows me to take them in and rehab them. This one was hit by a car. He's fine now.
 
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freddy10

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Think god the tortosis did not die from suffocation lol by the way why do you use plastic? I would use wood or chicken wire.. Way much better than plastic!! Don't you think??



That's a very different set up you got there Old Timer, what kind of set up is that?
 

Yvonne G

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Hi Freddy10:

The plastic wraps up an area for the Yellowfoot tortoises to be able to go outside in the cold weather. It acts as a sort of green house, keeping the warmth inside. The turtle had dug under the plastic lattice from the pond area. I'll try to get a better picture for you so you can understand it better.
 
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freddy10

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emysemys said:
Hi Freddy10:

The plastic wraps up an area for the Yellowfoot tortoises to be able to go outside in the cold weather. It acts as a sort of green house, keeping the warmth inside. The turtle had dug under the plastic lattice from the pond area. I'll try to get a better picture for you so you can understand it better.



Okay, but once again in that case I would use chicken wire then put the plastic over the chicken wire so it keeps it warm, so the tortoise can't get stuck no more no telling how long he or she was stuck? Just think if you did not check on him or her, it could have got hurt really bad only trying to help here..
 

Yvonne G

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Ok...let's see if I can make it clear:

11-7-11.jpg


The pond is to the right in the foreground. This is where the escape artist lives. It is fenced and the fence is capped.

The Aldabran and Yellowfoot tortoises share the shed shown in the picture. The Yellowfoot tortoises' yard is to the north of the pond where all the elephant ear leaves are showing. There's a small area next to the shed that is really outside, but is fenced by the plastic lattice. For winter, I wrap that up with plastic film so I can open the shed door and allow the tortoises to go outside. Their yard is blocked off because its too cold for them here in the winter time.

I don't know how the escape artist got out of the pond area and inside the Yellowfoot's green house. But he was inside the wrapped area and climbing to escape.

I would never, NEVER, use chicken wire anyplace near any of my turtles or tortoises. There's too much danger involved with chicken wire. And a turtle can climb chicken wire much better than the plastic lattice. If he gets stuck in WIRE its much worse than getting stuck in soft plastic. I check on them every day. I doubt he was there very long.

I'm curious why you've copied my signature as your own?
 

ripper7777777

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Great looking area. The elephant ears look good, man you gotta be careful with those things they spread like wild fire, looks like you got it all under control. Again great looking area.
 
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