New to Tortoise Forum: have a lost classroom pet Eastern Box Turtle: Tina Tortuga! Need advice!

[Ines Rutkovskis]

Hi all! I am excited to join this forum. I have an eastern box turtle named Tina Tortuga . She is about 12 -14 years old. She has a personality that is amazing like you all know your reptiles have too with you........but she is MISSING! now...almost 10 days! My heart is breaking. I can't sleep at nights. She is our classroom pet at Flatirons Elementary in Boulder, CO. During the summer I let families care for her. This one family's daughter placed her in their little garden , stepped away to go inside for like 10-15 minutes ....came out and Tina was gone. I told my families to always keep an eye on her because she's quick and can disappear in a snap!!! The whole family and myself checked everywhere....under bushes, in and down rabbit holes, near rocks, we looked everywhere and there is no sign! How long can she go without water or food? They live by a street that can be very busy. Would she really wander down the street? We placed signs up on all corners in that neighborhood and when we see people in their yards we ask them to keep a lookout. Does anyone have any other ideas where to look? Can Eastern Box Turtles wander far? My school is like a block away. Maybe she is trying to get there to me . I pray that she shows up but I am very worried raccoon, stray dogs, fox might have gotten her. I paid $100 for this animal communicator to help me narrow in using map dowsing. But so far, haven't found her!! Their yard is such a safe place with awesome places to hide , garden, water...why would she leave it. I miss Tina ...Starting school next week without our classroom pet is going to be weird. Any thoughts are appreciated!

 

[Ines Rutkovskis]

Hi ! My eastern box turtle Tina Tortuga went missing almost 10 days ago at one of my student's house in Boulder, CO. She left him unattended and he vanished!! I am super worried she got eaten by a raccoon, fox, or is somewhere super hungry and thirsty. Their yard is an awesome mostly fenced in yard with ample places for her to hide but we checked everywhere! Every inch! Any advice on how long Eastern Box Turtles can go without water . I sense that she is alive so I am not giving up hope! Anyone experience missing eastern box turtles and what else can I do? I put up posters around the neighborhood, put info on the Next Door App and Craigslist, let the humane society know..... help?

 

[Yvonne G]

Put out a plate of enticing food each morning. . . maybe something with some stinky cat food.

 

[Maggie3fan]

She hasn't left the yard most probably. She's watching you look for her. Your best bet is to be in the yard at sunrise. Sit still so she can come out...I had a box turtle leave my inescapable yard and my next door neighbor found her in his yard. Just don't give up

 

[Ray--Opo]

Make sure everyone in the surrounding area is aware.
My sully was lost for 3 days when he was very young. I had notified all the neighbors what he looked like. My neighbor found him in his rabbit pen.
Also another time he went missing. I put the info with pic on the Ring doorbell neighborhood watch. In about a 1/2hr of posting. I got notification that he was seen about a 1/2 mile away. Then I got a notification he was taken to the fire station. I think Maggie3 is right.
Good luck!

 

[Ines Rutkovskis]

Put out a plate of enticing food each morning. . . maybe something with some stinky cat food.

Okay I will try that...thanks! She disappeared at a student's house. My student placed her down in their little garden (which she did before) but this time my student left her unattended for like 15 -20 mins and Tina was gone! We have checked everywhere but she could still be there I am hoping ! we put out kiwi and it was gone the next day think it was squirrels tho not Tina.

 

[Ines Rutkovskis]

She hasn't left the yard most probably. She's watching you look for her. Your best bet is to be in the yard at sunrise. Sit still so she can come out...I had a box turtle leave my inescapable yard and my next door neighbor found her in his yard. Just don't give up

Thanks for replying! I am crossing my fingers she's in my student's yard still..she's a classroom pet...we love her and school's about to start and I don't have my classroom turtle...we have been searching and searching....you're right I need to go there at sunrise ...sit still and wait and observe.....I'll try that tomorrow! We put up signs around the neighborhood, talking to neighbors....it's been so long...like ten days now...what about water? I am worried she's not getting water. :/

 

[Ines Rutkovskis]

Make sure everyone in the surrounding area is aware.
My sully was lost for 3 days when he was very young. I had notified all the neighbors what he looked like. My neighbor found him in his rabbit pen.
Also another time he went missing. I put the info with pic on the Ring doorbell neighborhood watch. In about a 1/2hr of posting. I got notification that he was seen about a 1/2 mile away. Then I got a notification he was taken to the fire station. I think Maggie3 is right.
Good luck!

Thanks! Yes we put info on the Next Door App, on Craigslist, called the Humane Society, put signs up on all the corners near my student's house. Their property is a like a bowl shape....almost the whole circumference is either fenced, is super steep, the only way out would be to climb high and out or on their driveway and then out to the main road (which is kinda busy with cars, bikers, runners). We are talking to neighbors . Next, I want to look in their yards. Love the positive vibes! Thanks so much!

 

[wellington]

Then if you can not return her to the class room, but instead give her a proper home, that would be the best. Turtles and tortoises should not be class room pets. They usually are not cared for properly which is abuse/neglect and a poor way to teach kids how to care for them.

 

[Ines Rutkovskis]

You have it wrong....we care for her really well....she's with me most of the time.....her home is with me....she eats well....I take her outside every single day.....I know what I am doing when she's with me....it just happened this one time with a student who thought she was okay in her garden but suddenly disappeared....it does not help to be negative...thanks for your positivity! There is nothing wrong with my sharing her with students to learn about...they research eastern box turtles , write reports, it's been awesome. They love her.

 

[wellington]

You have it wrong....we care for her really well....she's with me most of the time.....her home is with me....she eats well....I take her outside every single day.....I know what I am doing when she's with me....it just happened this one time with a student who thought she was okay in her garden but suddenly disappeared....it does not help to be negative...thanks for your positivity! There is nothing wrong with my sharing her with students to learn about...they research eastern box turtles , write reports, it's been awesome. They love her.

My concern is with the animal. Never have I seen a turtle properly cared for at a school.
Does she have access to water to swim in? What size enclosure does she have, an aquarium size?ugh
Does she get to roam thru leaves and stuff to search for bugs and worms?
Does she have uvb light or get to have natural sunlight?
Does she have a dry area and a very damp area?
I would just about bet everything, your perception of what is proper for her, actually isn't!
If she has all this stuff at home, and you bring her to school daily and bring her back home daily, then she may be living a good life.
Just double check her actual care to what is the proper care.

 

[Yossarian]

Sorry your turt has gone missing. I am left wondering how big this yard is and also how well enclosed? Id like to add 2 things to what has been said above. My yard is inescapable for my tort, I know where he likes to hide, and also what clues to look for if he chooses somewhere else but sometimes even knowing that it can be really difficult to find him. If you havent yet, look again, and really take your time, you might only see the top of the shell with the rest of the turle buried or even just some loose looking soil or brush.

The other thing is, torts and turles are not slow, that is a misconception, they can cover a lot of ground in a short time and they are highly mobile, like little 4x4s, there are few terrain obstacles other than vertical wall that they cant negotiate with sheer force of will. While there is a good chance it may be nearby, especially if there is ample place to hide, if it has left the yard it could travel a long ways in a day.

 

[mark1]

rain almost always gets them out , especially if it's been dry ....... try hosing down the yard or put out a sprinkler , if she's there she'll most likely come out when she thinks it's raining ...........

 

[Ines Rutkovskis]

My concern is with the animal. Never have I seen a turtle properly cared for at a school.
Does she have access to water to swim in? What size enclosure does she have, an aquarium size?ugh
Does she get to roam thru leaves and stuff to search for bugs and worms?
Does she have uvb light or get to have natural sunlight?
Does she have a dry area and a very damp area?
I would just about bet everything, your perception of what is proper for her, actually isn't!
If she has all this stuff at home, and you bring her to school daily and bring her back home daily, then she may be living a good life.
Just double check her actual care to what is the proper care.

Yes, she has all that and more...please don't assume I have not taken good care of her....I am looking for help with my search for her at this point....I appreciate your suggestions for the classroom but that's not my concern right now.

 

[Ines Rutkovskis]

Sorry your turt has gone missing. I am left wondering how big this yard is and also how well enclosed? Id like to add 2 things to what has been said above. My yard is inescapable for my tort, I know where he likes to hide, and also what clues to look for if he chooses somewhere else but sometimes even knowing that it can be really difficult to find him. If you havent yet, look again, and really take your time, you might only see the top of the shell with the rest of the turle buried or even just some loose looking soil or brush.

The other thing is, torts and turles are not slow, that is a misconception, they can cover a lot of ground in a short time and they are highly mobile, like little 4x4s, there are few terrain obstacles other than vertical wall that they cant negotiate with sheer force of will. While there is a good chance it may be nearby, especially if there is ample place to hide, if it has left the yard it could travel a long ways in a day.

Thanks for your help! This yard is about 90 % fenced in or it's steep on one side (she'd have to climb up and over rocks and up a steep bank) . The one part that is open is the driveway. If she traveled up the driveway she would be immediately on a busy street with a high curbed sidewalk. It's possible she'd go that way then down by the sidewalk then down the street . We put up signs everywhere and info on Next Door App, Craigs list, Humane Society. I am worried she hasn't had water in 10 days. How long can turtles go without water?

 

[adc]

Thanks for your help! This yard is about 90 % fenced in or it's steep on one side (she'd have to climb up and over rocks and up a steep bank) . The one part that is open is the driveway. If she traveled up the driveway she would be immediately on a busy street with a high curbed sidewalk. It's possible she'd go that way then down by the sidewalk then down the street . We put up signs everywhere and info on Next Door App, Craigs list, Humane Society. I am worried she hasn't had water in 10 days. How long can turtles go without water?

I know what you are saying about assuming you don't take care of her. Forums are like that. She can go a good long time without water. Its a function of the temps. She is hunkering down right now. Comments like checking in the morning are a good idea

 

[jeff kushner]

Any luck?

 

[TammyJ]

rain almost always gets them out , especially if it's been dry ....... try hosing down the yard or put out a sprinkler , if she's there she'll most likely come out when she thinks it's raining ...........

This is such a good idea. Set a few sprinklers around where she disappeared from and leave them for hours with someone keeping watch quietly. Good luck!

 

[mark1]

i could go out in august when it's hot and dry for a week , just spray down their pen with a hose and a bunch of them will come out almost instantly ........ when the nights start getting cold i could put out a pile of grass clippings and within 24hrs almost every box turtle here will be in it .....