Help! (missing tort)

[Arshawn Fathi]

I have a Russian tortoise, and we let him outside from time to time so that he doesn’t feel enclosed in his terrarium. This morning when we let her out, we came back in about 20 or so minutes, and she was gone. We couldn’t find her anywhere! Does anyone have any idea how I can find her? I’ve already contacted my neighbors to look out in case the see anything. I understand that it’s October which is when Russian tortoises usually start to hibernate. We have about 1 acre of land. Half in the front half in the back. She was in the front when we left her. My sister and I are really concerned. Can someone help me? Please?

 

[AgataP]

I can only wish you good luck. Russian Tortoises burry very deep and are almost impossible to find. However they come out for food time around an hour before sun goes down and about 30 min after the sun is out - that’s my personal observation over the years ........ but that’s mostly summer and spring.....
What you could do is put out his favorite snacks and possibly turn on some light maybe that will attract the tortoise....
When my Russian run away - my grandpa was “watching” him, he was gone for a month. But it was summer time.
Hope you can find it!!!

ps. enclosure of any kind is a must with a tortoise ....

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Russians are small. But they can cover a lot of distance in a day. And any tortoise can camouflage and become invisible. Right in front of you.
Place something irresistible that you don't normally feed in the open.
Brightly colored watermelon or squash.
The only tortoise of mine that ever escaped was captured a few days later, trying to get back into his enclosure for food.
Also, if you have a dog, walk the area with him/her and see if he sniffs out the tortoise.

 

[Arshawn Fathi]

Thanks for the help! I'll make sure to try putting out a nice watermelon or something out there. Although, he has food all over the yard. I'm not sure if this is normal, but he loves to eat the leaves off the plants we have in the front. But maybe he'll see it and it helps! Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

It's a coincidence that I just had two Redfoot escape.
Both had scooted under a wall of one of my pens. And one had gotten past my privacy fence. Gotten clean across my neighbors yard and was caught attempting to get into a 3rd yard.
That one was found by my gardener. The other was found eating food I'd left out. And had probably never actually left my back yard. But went unseen for 2 days plus.
When they escape. They don't know what they've done.
They're just looking for food in a new, unexplored area.
The fact that they're so hard to see is all thanks to evolution.
Best of luck.
The vast majority of lost and missing tortoise stories have happy endings.

 

[Arshawn Fathi]

It's a coincidence that I just had two Redfoot escape.
Both had scooted under a wall of one of my pens. And one had gotten past my privacy fence. Gotten clean across my neighbors yard and was caught attempting to get into a 3rd yard.
That one was found by my gardener. The other was found eating food I'd left out. And had probably never actually left my back yard. But went unseen for 2 days plus.
When they escape. They don't know what they've done.
They're just looking for food in a new, unexplored area.
The fact that they're so hard to see is all thanks to evolution.
Best of luck.
The vast majority of lost and missing tortoise stories have happy endings.

I hope so