Lost Indian tortoise in garden could not find it

Naikmayur

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I have lost my tortoise in garden searching him for last three hours couldn't find it maybe because it's dark now. Any suggestions or tips on how should I spot my tortoise.
 

wellington

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Crawl on hands and knees and feel around under everything.
When you find it build it its own proper escape proof enclosure
 

Naikmayur

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We did find every corner of the garden. Not sure how far can tortoise travel in a night. Can stray dogs or other raptile eat tortoise. I'm worried sick because of it
 

wellington

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Yes dogs and night varmits like coons fox etc can carry them away depending on how small they are.
Is your yard not fenced in? If its fenced in then not likely a dog would bother it.
If you don't find it, then look first thing in the morning when the sun is out. It should come out to bask
 

Jan A

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I have lost my tortoise in garden searching him for last three hours couldn't find it maybe because it's dark now. Any suggestions or tips on how should I spot my tortoise.
If you have something stinky you cook, make some & put it out on your deck. Give your neighbors a heads-up, post signs on trees around the neighborhood. Put his favorite foods in a meal & place it on the deck. Put an ad on Craigslist or local neighborhood apps. Good luck!!
 

wellington

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If you have something stinky you cook, make some & put it out on your deck. Give your neighbors a heads-up, post signs on trees around the neighborhood. Put his favorite foods in a meal & place it on the deck. Put an ad on Craigslist or local neighborhood apps. Good luck!!
What's the point of putting the food on the deck?
Most tortoises won't climb up onto a deck.
 

Naikmayur

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There's no fence so it's making our efforts useless. There's a lot of grass and trees in surrounding there might be snake as well in that grass. Not sure if tortoise can travel in night or stay somewhere in hideout. Not sure where to search. ???
 

Mrs.Jennifer

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There's no fence so it's making our efforts useless. There's a lot of grass and trees in surrounding there might be snake as well in that grass. Not sure if tortoise can travel in night or stay somewhere in hideout. Not sure where to search. ???
Tortoises do not travel at night. They dig down or shelter under something. They seek warmth in the morning, so they emerge to bask and warm up. Next on their agenda would probably be food. Leave out food that they love and can find easily.
My heart is hopeful for you.
 

Jan A

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What's the point of putting the food on the deck?
Most tortoises won't climb up onto a deck.
If it's something you cook often, especially if it's something you feed your torts, tghde smell may lure your tort back home since presumably he's outside somewhere.

My feral cat has escaped a few times. If I go out on the deck & rattle food in a bowl after she's been gone a few days, she often finally comes home because she's hungry.
 

Naikmayur

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It's been 20hours since tortoise went missing. No sign of him in my surroundings. Search operation still going on no clue what to do to lure him back home...
 

Blackdog1714

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What are the current temps? Check in between bushes were bits of sun may make it to the ground to see of they see basking in safety
 

wellington

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If it's something you cook often, especially if it's something you feed your torts, tghde smell may lure your tort back home since presumably he's outside somewhere.

My feral cat has escaped a few times. If I go out on the deck & rattle food in a bowl after she's been gone a few days, she often finally comes home because she's hungry.
I understand the food/smell part. I don't understand putting it up on a deck where most torts could never get to it
 

Cathie G

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Thank you all for your responses and suggestions.. I found my tortoise after a week and it was such a relief and happy moment..
Out of curiosity where did you find the little mia? But also congratulations ? I'm really happy you found your tortoise ?
 

Cathie G

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What's the point of putting the food on the deck?
Most tortoises won't climb up onto a deck.
My back deck is bricks in the ground. What I like about that is, I can build my tort an enclosure on top of it. Weeds grow up between the bricks easily and cover it with dirt also. I never have to worry about him digging out. Another nice thing is however big I make his enclosure the less I have to do to clean the darn thing up.☺️
 

wellington

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My back deck is bricks in the ground. What I like about that is, I can build my tort an enclosure on top of it. Weeds grow up between the bricks easily and cover it with dirt also. I never have to worry about him digging out. Another nice thing is however big I make his enclosure the less I have to do to clean the darn thing up.☺️
Weeds and grass growing not thru bricks would be much better and more natural. Why not just include some of the patio and some grass/weed area.
Not all tortoises species dig out. Not sure what you have. I only really know Russians and sulcata being the biggest diggers and Russians also climbers
 

Cathie G

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Weeds and grass growing not thru bricks would be much better and more natural. Why not just include some of the patio and some grass/weed area.
Not all tortoises species dig out. Not sure what you have. I only really know Russians and sulcata being the biggest diggers and Russians also climbers
I have a Russian and he's both and good at it. But what happens is the longer I've let his enclosure area go, the more natural it gets. If you have a patio of rocks on the ground it takes a lot of maintenance or a weed killer. If not, before long you won't be able to find it. Mother Nature has her way of taking over. So the more room I can give him the happier I am.?
 

wellington

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I
I have a Russian and he's both and good at it. But what happens is the longer I've let his enclosure area go, the more natural it gets. If you have a patio of rocks on the ground it takes a lot of maintenance or a weed killer. If not, before long you won't be able to find it. Mother Nature has her way of taking over. So the more room I can give him the happier I am.?
I have some flag stone that was laid for a pathway before we bought our place. Unfortunately that's not working for us. I don't want to pull them up, was hoping the grass/weeds would take them over. We moved here in 2014 and they are still there. I guess if I want them gone, I will have to pull them.
But otherwise, yes I do know how weeds can take over, even with weed killers.
 

Cathie G

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I have some flag stone that was laid for a pathway before we bought our place. Unfortunately that's not working for us. I don't want to pull them up, was hoping the grass/weeds would take them over. We moved here in 2014 and they are still there. I guess if I want them gone, I will have to pull them.
But otherwise, yes I do know how weeds can take over, even with weed killers.
That's way different than what I have going on. It's crazy what I have to go through every year with maintenance of the part of the patio I don't want to become the yard again. Many times I've used a flat edged shovel to get rid of the growth? I don't know if it would be the type of stone or just where I live but it's probably where I live. There used to be a cement step way down the hill through the back yard. It's long gone ? I could dig it out but I don't feel like it. It did happen to be a bit convenient for building a little Russian tort enclosure though.
 

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