Burrow question Part 2

[igs]

This a followup question to this thread: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/burrow-question.35079/

I found that thread very helpful but the initial question wasn't directly answered.

Is there any way to tell where the tortoise dug the burrow? Are there any holes, indentations, mounds or ridges left behind?

My tortoise disappeared today and I can't find any evidence of where she might have dug the burrow.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

This a followup question to this thread: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/burrow-question.35079/

I found that thread very helpful but the initial question wasn't directly answered.

Is there any way to tell where the tortoise dug the burrow? Are there any holes, indentations, mounds or ridges left behind?

My tortoise disappeared today and I can't find any evidence of where she might have dug the burrow.

Your tortoise may have burried itself to escape the heat or to get some moisture. There should be a mound or visible disturbance in the soil.
When they dig a burrow, they don't close it off. It stays open so that they can turn around and climb back out. They enter and exit the same hole.
Is it possible that someone or some thing has walked off with your tortoise? How big is it and how was it being housed?

 

[Jodie]

Russian right? They can really disappear. Mine completely cover themselves. The dirt behind them is soft. We have spent hours digging up soft spots looking for one. They go almost straight down sometimes, but I have had them go down and under the brick barriers in my enclosure for separation purposes.

 

[Yvonne G]

Mine bury themselves right out in the open. My Russian tortoise yard looks like it has been invaded by gophers. They don't dig a burrow, they dig down and while they do that, they push the dirt behind them, effectively covering themselves up. The only way to find them is to get down on your hands and knees and feel every inch of the habitat with your fingers. I'll try to get a picture of it, but sometimes the camera doesn't really show the effect:

 

[igs]

Thanks for the info everyone. I probably won't be able to find her. I let her free range in the backyard. My backyard is small, but not so small that I will be able to feel every inch of dirt. There's also lot of plant growth (unlimited food supply for her) covering the ground so it's already hard enough to find her when she doesn't burrow.

 

[Yvonne G]

Just go around and give the fence a real good inspection. Make sure you can't see daylight under any portion of it. If the tortoise can see under the fence it will dig there.

You are most likely to find her first thing in the morning on the section of yard where the sun is hitting.

 

[igs]

My yard is surrounded by a brick walls 10 feet high and 3 feet deep so she's no going anywhere. Unless a pelican scoops her up.

I suppose this also means I won't be able to keep her from hibernating or relocate her into a hide since I can't even find her. I hope she survives the winter.

 

[Gillian M]

This a followup question to this thread: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/burrow-question.35079/

I found that thread very helpful but the initial question wasn't directly answered.

Is there any way to tell where the tortoise dug the burrow? Are there any holes, indentations, mounds or ridges left behind?

My tortoise disappeared today and I can't find any evidence of where she might have dug the burrow.

Have you found your tort?

Hope to hear good news.

 

[Gillian M]

This a followup question to this thread: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/burrow-question.35079/

I found that thread very helpful but the initial question wasn't directly answered.

Is there any way to tell where the tortoise dug the burrow? Are there any holes, indentations, mounds or ridges left behind?

My tortoise disappeared today and I can't find any evidence of where she might have dug the burrow.

Sorry about that. Keep up hope.

And welcome to the forum.

 

[igs]

Found her!





In a pile of mulch next to the house. I remember checking this exact spot yesterday, but probably not thorough enough as I spent most of the time looking out in the garden.


Built her a hide that hopefully she'll want to return to.








Do you think it's big enough for her?

 

[leigti]

I'm glad you found her. They are so easy to lose. They bury themselves so well. I think that hide is big enough, the problem is it's not deep enough for her to really burrow in. Does she stay outside year-round? You could build her an underground Burrow, and use a Rubbermaid bin as the actual Burrow full of dirt Cut a hole in it like you did that box, put the lid on it and cover it with dirt except for the entrance down to it. It will stay insulated underground, and you can get down there and open the lid if you need to look for her.

 

[igs]

I'd like to keep her outside year round so I'm afraid of flooding if she or her hide is buried underground as there is usually 2-3 days of continuous heavy rain over the winter.

Ideally she would return to this hide in the dry patio area each night to sleep and end up hibernating there.

It's hard to tell from the angle of the photo but the bedding is as deep as she is tall. I can add another inch to it or get a bigger box which will be deeper. But the entrance will still need to be at the bottom so she can get in.

But either way if she decides she rather burrow out in the yard rather than the hide then I'm out of luck.

 

[Jodie]

Glad you found her.

 

[Gillian M]

So glad to hear you found your tort. Take care.

 

[Tom]

I'd like to keep her outside year round so I'm afraid of flooding if she or her hide is buried underground as there is usually 2-3 days of continuous heavy rain over the winter.

Ideally she would return to this hide in the dry patio area each night to sleep and end up hibernating there.

It's hard to tell from the angle of the photo but the bedding is as deep as she is tall. I can add another inch to it or get a bigger box which will be deeper. But the entrance will still need to be at the bottom so she can get in.

But either way if she decides she rather burrow out in the yard rather than the hide then I'm out of luck.

Your tortoise will likely not return to that box on its own, and if it did the temperature extremes above ground are not so good for her.

Also, temperatures are too warm and much too inconsistent for a tortoise to hibernate outside in Irvine. Even if your tortoise dug down. Letting them hibernate outside is usually a death sentence in our area. We just don't have the right conditions for it. I condition mine for hibernation slowly over most of the month of November by using an indoor inclosure to control the food, heat and light in preparation for hibernation and then I hibernate them in a refrigerator set to the correct temps.

I would suggest you make an enclosure in part of your backyard, so your tortoise will be contained to a smaller area and you'll be able to find her when you need to.

Here is an example that works well for housing russians in SoCal outdoors full time:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/semi-underground-russian-box.98590/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/heating-an-outdoor-russian-night-box.116180/#post-1077261

 

[RosemaryDW]

Igs, I did not realize you were in Irvine, we are very close to you in Newport Coast.

Our Russian tortoise, a road rescue, is not willing to take my advice about where to sleep. She has a heated deck box in our small and safe yard but as soon as the weather turned warm, she would not use it or at best she used it inconsistently. I spent a fair amount of time trying to keep her in when it was raining. Quite a few evenings spent with a flashlight as well.

Now that it's summer, she spends time in a scrape she built and we improved into a shallow but sheltered burrow. It won't be enough to keep her safe in wet or cold weather.

Last year she dug down and hibernated while we were looking for an owner. She came up safe but as a new owner, it was nerve wracking.

We are building her a better night box, based on Tom's design, hoping she will use it more consistently in the fall to "wind down" but we intend to fridge hibernate. I'm not 100% sure it's necessary but I'm confident it will be better for me, stress wise!

Our excellent vet is very comfortable with Russians staying out all year here with some heat; there is no one right way. I'm sure I'll be anxious using a fridge as well! The difference this year will be having other owners to walk me through it.

I'm glad you found her safe!