A seagull picked up my tortoise

Speedy-1

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I am sorry to hear of this :( I sat one morning recently and watched a hawk nail a dove right in my neighbors front yard ! We have been extra watchful since then . Sad truth , at Speedy's age he is food for a lot of critters ! :tort:
 

Tidgy's Dad

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I am so sorry this happened.
Heartbreaking indeed.
I see birds of prey circling overhead here often and stand close to my Tidgy, some of them here have evolved to be tortoise droppers.
I wouldn't ever have imagined a seagull could do that.
Deepest sympathy.
 

Bogie=babyDINO

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I'm so very sorry. Just reading that broke my heart. I often think what I would do if something happened to bogart. Thank you for sharing though. I sometimes leave mine unattended in his playpen. I'll be sure to put a secure cover over now. Your story means a lot. Thank you.
 

MPRC

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Thank you for posting your difficult story. If it makes one person think twice about leaving their little guy out unattended then you have made a difference!
 

TMartin510

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I had a similar experience when I was younger, a bird went after my 3 turtles/torts, my Box turtle flipped, my russian was too heavy but got pecked, and my baby sulcata pecked to death because he was young and his she'll wasn't fully developed. It was a scrub jay that went after my torts, I'm sorry this has happened and I understand how you feel.

There is hope, that bird picked up my torts and couldn't get to far with them and I found them upside down in my yard, I would check everywhere near where you are including your neighbors back yards, if your tort has a fully developed she'll hopefully you can find him near by!
 

Melissa101

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Thanks guys, you're all so supportive. He's definitely not in the garden, it's just not that big and I literally checked everywhere. I'm almost certain the seagull had him, and plus a neighbour actually saw it happen from his window :(

I'll be going out today and putting up posters, so hopefully if there's any chance, we'll find him. Even if the worst has happened, I'd rather know than spend the rest of my life wondering!

I'm glad my story has made some of you think twice about your torts outside. I never would've dreamed this could've happened, so hopefully others like me will see this and be more aware. I was literally saying to someone yesterday about how animals never pay the torts any attention, and how I was glad they're now too heavy to be picked up by the birds we get around here.

Thanks again guys, you're a really supportive bunch. Still hoping to find my Harry, and will keep you updated. It's also made me realise (as if I didn't already) how precious my torts are, and my little George will be getting extra love and care now.
 

immiexxo

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I'm so sorry to hear this! My tortoise roams the whole garden and we've been getting a lot of seagulls around at the moment so when he's not in his enclosure I'm going to be extra vigilant and keep an eye on his every move.
I hope you manage to find Harry and that he is okay if you do manage to find him.
Good luck x
 

Yvonne G

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(Chickens peck eyeballs too. So did my emu.)
 

leigti

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Birds scare me. There was a doctor here in town, ironically an eye doctor, who had his I picked out by a falcon. That was the end of his medical career and his falconry habit.
 

Yvonne G

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I had an emu for several years before he died of old age. We had to keep young children away from his fence because he would peck at their eyes. Never adults, just children. But other than that, he was a great bird. Kind of stupid, but interesting and quite fun to have around.
 

ALDABRAMAN

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I wanted to come here to warn others

~ Valid point and concern. Just a few days ago i was driving and spotted a small native box turtle crossing the road. I turned around and as i neared the little guy a large bird swooped down and picked it up with its claws, literally less than ten foot from me!
 

leigti

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Poor turtle. Somebody told me once that their little Chihuahua mix dog was carried away by a hawk. Note to self, do not walk your small dog where there are birds of prey. I would've been beyond hysterical if I saw that happen. Thank God my dog is bigger.
 

Alaskamike

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~ Valid point and concern. Just a few days ago i was driving and spotted a small native box turtle crossing the road. I turned around and as i neared the little guy a large bird swooped down and picked it up with its claws, literally less than ten foot from me!
Wow.
Where is your camera when you need it !
I was fly fishing on the Gulkana River in Alaska many years ago - very remote area.
I was fishing for Graying , but hooked about a 5 lb rainbow. In that river you have to release rainbows.

So being the good sport I am , I gently released him. He swam back into the current a bit tired and close to the surface. Seconds later a Bald Eagle swooped down , hit the water with a splash , and lifted him up up and away. While my mouth was hanging open.

What a shot that would have been !

I still think about how good that Rainbow would've tasted on a riverside fire ...

Oh well. :)
 

Tidgy's Dad

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Wow.
Where is your camera when you need it !
I was fly fishing on the Gulkana River in Alaska many years ago - very remote area.
I was fishing for Graying , but hooked about a 5 lb rainbow. In that river you have to release rainbows.

So being the good sport I am , I gently released him. He swam back into the current a bit tired and close to the surface. Seconds later a Bald Eagle swooped down , hit the water with a splash , and lifted him up up and away. While my mouth was hanging open.

What a shot that would have been !

I still think about how good that Rainbow would've tasted on a riverside fire ...

Oh well. :)
Well, at least it was a result for the Bald Eagle!
 

awesomecs

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OMG I'm so sorry. Mine are also that big. Wow, I will not leave them unattended. We have gulls and Hawks here. :(


OMG I fell so scared my tortoise is never unattended since I know what hawks can do to them I'm so sorry that's why I always have a large stick and I look at the sky cause if I see a hawk I'm fighting till there's scratch marks all over my body then to lose my only daughter that's why
 

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