Missing tortoise

[TurtlePete2015]

Seems that my male russian has escaped! I am stumped on how he got out since there isn't any dig marks or holes. I thought maybe he just buried himself but today since he hasn't made an appearance in really getting worried! Any specific things I should search my yard for of what to look for on how he got out???

 

[Jodie]

They are really good at hiding. I thought my male had possibly escaped yesterday, but kept looking because there is no way to escape. We did find him buried in a long pile of grass.
Pictures of your enclosure would help.

 

[TurtlePete2015]

They are really good at hiding. I thought my male had possibly escaped yesterday, but kept looking because there is no way to escape. We did find him buried in a long pile of grass.
Pictures of your enclosure would help.

How long could he be hiding? I'm going on 24 hours now . . . He hid once before but just for the night and came back out in the morning

 

[Anyfoot]

Seems that my male russian has escaped! I am stumped on how he got out since there isn't any dig marks or holes. I thought maybe he just buried himself but today since he hasn't made an appearance in really getting worried! Any specific things I should search my yard for of what to look for on how he got out???

OMG. That is one of my biggest fears. Like Jodie said, can we look at your enclosure.

 

[ascott]

How long could he be hiding? I'm going on 24 hours now . . . He hid once before but just for the night and came back out in the morning

Is the space covered? What type of fencing? They are good climbers..even vertical obstacles..

 

[Jacqui]

Is the space covered? What type of fencing? They are good climbers..even vertical obstacles..

lol Ya beat me to my first thought. You have also felt around the base of all plant clumps, correct?

 

[wellington]

Hands and knees and feel under everything. Also, check in the mornings when the sun is nice and warm. However, if there is no way he could have dug out, is it possible a varmit or predator bird got him?
Good luck and keep us posted and don't stop looking. Also, tell neighbors and post missing signs, and contact local vets and animal rescues.

 

[Jodie]

How long could he be hiding? I'm going on 24 hours now . . . He hid once before but just for the night and came back out in the morning

I don't know. It gets cold here at night, even in the hottest part of summer, so I have always found them.

 

[TurtlePete2015]

Unfortunately I had to head out of town (bad timing I know) so our house guest who has tortoise sat before will be on the look out. So I can't post any photos of the enclosure.

During the day he lives in our fenced garden. Wood fencing that's 3 feet tall and 4 inches a apart. The bottom 12 inches we have metal mesh so he couldn't squeeze through the holes. 2 sides of the area is a taller fence that backs up to the neighbors and on the other side they have chain link so there is no way he could have gotten out those sides.

If a preditor got him they would have had to hold onto him and jump over the fence so I feel that would be really complicated considering we live in an urban area and the only thing around during the day is squirrels and cats.

The entire back yard is gated and fenced with no holes and has been searched numerous times as well. He's snuck out before but happily eaten grass in the yard and wondered in the middle and was easy to grab! He's really got us all searching now!

My neighborhood has an active website that I posted a photo on that he was missing.

Thanks for your suggestions and encouragement to keep looking!!

 

[TurtlePete2015]

Hands and knees and feel under everything. Also, check in the mornings when the sun is nice and warm. However, if there is no way he could have dug out, is it possible a varmit or predator bird got him?
Good luck and keep us posted and don't stop looking. Also, tell neighbors and post missing signs, and contact local vets and animal rescues.

Good call on the animal shelter. I'll call them in the morning! Thanks!

 

[turtlemanfla88]

I had one of my female Russian climb over three foot wood fence out of her pen. I thought she was gone this was end of summer. Fall came and went,winter came and went, then spring came and all of sudden I was in my back yard looking at the other Russians in their pen and I saw some thing coming out of the ground. It was my Russian. I live in Florida were we have a lot of Gopher tortoises and they dig burrows ,but my Russian and some of my other Russians will dig a burrow then back fill it so unless you watched them you would not know they are there. I was going to recommend putting some of its favorites foods out in the pen and in the yard.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

And leave a light on at night.
I really hope you find him.
or he comes home by himself.

 

[Yvonne G]

If it's been very hot where you live, chances are the tortoise has dug down and is waiting for cooler weather. Russian tortoises are very good at hiding where they've dug. They push the dirt behind them as they go forward and the loos dirt fills in the space, making it almost impossible to see.

 

[Russianuncletwo]

Ask around. Put up signs. I found taking a digital photo under a bush, then zooming it on computer can give a better view because they blend in so well. He could be in the same spot tomorrow that he wasn't today. Also, using a stick to hold up bushes, if any, is a help. Before mine became in my sole care, he got lost inside and outside-once for 9 days. Don't give up!! they normally don't end up further than 200 feet from home and many times just hidden, within a small distance, like 20 feet.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

They climb. That mesh may have been a good ladder. Widen your search.

 

[Russianuncletwo]

Can they climb hanging evergreen branches? I don't believe this-now my Luna is missing; it's almost an impossibility.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Can they climb hanging evergreen branches? I don't believe this-now my Luna is missing; it's almost an impossibility.

Oh, dear.
They do seem to be incredibly athletic.
Hope Luna turns up safe and well soon.

 

[TurtlePete2015]

I would like to update that it's been 42 days since Pete went missing and he was found today one block north of our house!! Thanks to some signs we posted, we were called and he was returned without a scratch! What an adventure he had!

 

[Russianuncletwo]

YES!!!!!! Mine went missing the day after I gave you the advice. 10 days, then was found by neighbors practically in front of my house but was taken on a motorcycle by a so called animal rights freak who jumped in the situation and put him in his pocket on a motorcycle on a 91 degree day to take to "a wildiife center", refusing to give him up. Within a couple hours, to make a long story short, I located the right center, emailed them photos/permit/description. The rest is history... Got a female to console me and to perhaps coax him out of bushes he may be in the day before.
Isn't finding "the impossible" (a Russian tortoise lost) about the best thing there is???!!!

 

[TurtlePete2015]

I'm in shock he's back, feels a healthy weight and not harmed! Good news we identified how he got out so I feel so much better knowing he's safe this time in his enclosure!