Russian Tortoise Gone Missing

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haley_loves_frodo

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Hey guys I know this is a little late, but my male Russian Tortoise, Frodo, went missing about a month ago. We think he somehow escaped to the overgrown lot behind our house, but we haven't found him. We searched and dug the loose dirt in our garden, but no luck. If he did escape to the lot, I was wondering if there's any chance he could be surviving somehow. I live in eastern Oregon so it's been getting cold and we have had some rain. I know tortoises tend to hibernate so I was hoping maybe he resorted to that and will somehow reappear eventually? Please any advice will help! I miss him so much!!!
 

dmmj

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Russians like to roam, in all honesty I doubt he is still in the yard next to you. The only thing you can really do now is wait for warmer temps and see what happens. A few signs around your neighborhood would help.
 

yoda3106

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haley_loves_frodo said:
Hey guys I know this is a little late, but my male Russian Tortoise, Frodo, went missing about a month ago. We think he somehow escaped to the overgrown lot behind our house, but we haven't found him. We searched and dug the loose dirt in our garden, but no luck. If he did escape to the lot, I was wondering if there's any chance he could be surviving somehow. I live in eastern Oregon so it's been getting cold and we have had some rain. I know tortoises tend to hibernate so I was hoping maybe he resorted to that and will somehow reappear eventually? Please any advice will help! I miss him so much!!!

Hi, I would worry too much, there's always a chance he will reappear!! True story, my mates who live across the road from me brought a tort and had him in a temp built enclosure whilst they were sorting out a bigger enclosure for him, one morning the lady of the house woke up and went to check on him but he was gone, we searched everywhere, high, low literally, everywhere but couldn't find him, weeks went by and all hope was gone until roughly 3weeks later, my wife walked out the gate to go to are car to go out and something caught her eye, she looked again and too her surprise, it was Stanley, the tort, just sat on the side of the road basking away happy as anything :) she thought maybe it was a wild tort but it was 100percent Stanley!! He was fine, abit dusty and had a few cobwebs on him but fine!! She ran over to them with him and they were over the moon :) it had been rainy here in cyprus for the few weeks he was gone and behind our house is dead land, woods, shrubs etc so we guessed that he was just laying low until the sun had come back out!! There is hope, he will turn up :) best if luck!!
 

Tortus

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Yes, there is always hope. My uromastyx once was lost in the back yard all summer. I thought it was gone. And then when the weather changed, I saw it sitting on the back steps.

Don't give up. Just keep your eyes open.
 

lynnedit

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Signs around the neighborhood, at local vet's offices and pet stores, and checking with the Humane society can all help.
Also, let the neighbors around you know so they can keep an eye out.
 

haley_loves_frodo

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Do Tortoises have a good sense of direction? I'm hoping Frodo will find his way back but I don't know if he can make it home
 

lynnedit

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Maybe he knows where he came from, but as mentioned, they are roamers.

And, humans can intervene. Thus, the value of having signs posted and notifying neighbors.
 

kanalomele

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Russians are master escape artists. It is entirely possible he is dug himself a nice burrow in your yard. I looked high and low for one of my girls one year. She was so well hidden in her burrow i walked by her literally every day and never found her until spring.
 

CactusVinnie

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The timing is quite typical for a Russian that is preparing hibernation. Eastern Oregon is dry, so he has big chances to survive, especially if the ground is sandy, light, with fast drainage. More on the dry side. If your yard is well fenced, he may appear in April to get some sun. If escaped, maybe with some luck...
Where exactly in Oregon do you live?
 

shellysmom

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haley_loves_frodo said:
Do Tortoises have a good sense of direction? I'm hoping Frodo will find his way back but I don't know if he can make it home

Tortoises have a fantastic sense of direction and a strong homing sense. He's probably moved around a lot, but hasn't actually gone very far. Don't give up. Let all your neighbors know to keep an eye out for him, search and post on Craig's List lost and found. RTs can survive a winter, so don't worry about that.
 
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