Tortoise walked away outside-- any ideas to attract him back?

[louisewhomack76]

Oh wow, that is amazing. Did the tort return on his own or did someone find him? Ours really likes to walk a ton, so we feel like he will keep going and going!

Returned on his own by all accounts and survived UK winters too. Tortoises are amazing creatures.

 

[Cathie G]

What's really interesting is even turtles don't forget where they've been. I watched that once with a wild turtle here at my house. My neighbor did a rescue of a turtle that was just about to walk across our busy street. He thought she was my tortoise that somehow escaped and brought her to me at my front door. I put her in Sapphire's enclosure outback for the night just for safety. The following day I called our fish and wildlife and they said probably a wild turtle so turn her loose close to where you found her. So I did. Before she would actually go home though she came to my front door and scratched. Then she played around in my flower bed beside the door. She found her way around the house and headed home.back to the river. I love that she remembered.

 

[Chip's mom]

Returned on his own by all accounts and survived UK winters too. Tortoises are amazing creatures.

This is making me feel better because we are starting to get cold and rainy weather which is worrying me. Chip was a rescue and has a respiratory condition, I just hope he can be okay in the cold and wet weather!

 

[Chip's mom]

What's really interesting is even turtles don't forget where they've been. I watched that once with a wild turtle here at my house. My neighbor did a rescue of a turtle that was just about to walk across our busy street. He thought she was my tortoise that somehow escaped and brought her to me at my front door. I put her in Sapphire's enclosure outback for the night just for safety. The following day I called our fish and wildlife and they said probably a wild turtle so turn her loose close to where you found her. So I did. Before she would actually go home though she came to my front door and scratched. Then she played around in my flower bed beside the door. She found her way around the house and headed home.back to the river. I love that she remembered.

That is the sweetest story! Thank you for sharing that. As I have been searching the internet for lost tortoises I found a story about a tortoise that got loose (I think a Russians) and was found many months later at their previous house where he had first lived!

I will not give up hope that we will find Chip or he will come back! 🍀

 

[Cathie G]

That is the sweetest story! Thank you for sharing that. As I have been searching the internet for lost tortoises I found a story about a tortoise that got loose (I think a Russians) and was found many months later at their previous house where he had first lived!

I will not give up hope that we will find Chip or he will come back! 🍀

Keep your eyes open especially on warm sunny periods since it's getting cold and rainy. Areas where the sun is shining are a most likely place to spot the darling. My guy hangs around under leafy greens. They have camo too so it's so difficult to spot them even when they are in PLAIN sight. I have to play hide and seek with my tort everyday. He's in an outdoor enclosure that he for certain can't escape from . He's still hard to find though.🤗🙏🤗🙏

 

[Chip's mom]

I have to say hello 🤗 and I have missed you 😘

Keep your eyes open especially on warm sunny periods since it's getting cold and rainy. Areas where the sun is shining are a most likely place to spot the darling. My guy hangs around under leafy greens. They have camo too so it's so difficult to spot them even when they are in PLAIN sight. I have to play hide and seek with my tort everyday. He's in an outdoor enclosure that he for certain can't escape from . He's still hard to find though.🤗🙏🤗🙏

I keep checking the weather for some sun! Rainy day tomorrow but Monday there will be sun. There have been 3 tortoises posted on online groups and one was an Eastern Hermann's - we were so hopeful but you know your tortoise and in a second we knew the photos was not him.

A neighbor has rescue eastern box turtles (native here) and said 2 have gotten away and both have come back, one was a year later. I'll keep looking!

 

[Chip's mom]

Another day of chilly (58 degrees F) and wet weather here in PA tomorrow. On Wednesday we will have a bit of sun and I'll go for a walk to look for Chip. I've posted on many (probably a dozen) Facebook groups for lost pets in the area and 3 tortoises (not ours) have shown up. My neighbor lost their cat. Seems like something is going on, hopefully that will shift with everyone being found soon.

I put some Mazuri in shed and 2 pieces were missing. My son and I searched the shed thoroughly and we don't know how he could have gotten in there, so I think another little critter took the Mazuri. Plus Chip would probably eat more than that. I put some lettuce and a bright red tomato in there this afternoon and nothing, I will check again tomorrow.

My youngest son has been so sad and I will continue to search high and low!

 

[vladimir]

Don't give up - we're rooting for his safe return!

 

[MaNaAk]

Another day of chilly (58 degrees F) and wet weather here in PA tomorrow. On Wednesday we will have a bit of sun and I'll go for a walk to look for Chip. I've posted on many (probably a dozen) Facebook groups for lost pets in the area and 3 tortoises (not ours) have shown up. My neighbor lost their cat. Seems like something is going on, hopefully that will shift with everyone being found soon.

I put some Mazuri in shed and 2 pieces were missing. My son and I searched the shed thoroughly and we don't know how he could have gotten in there, so I think another little critter took the Mazuri. Plus Chip would probably eat more than that. I put some lettuce and a bright red tomato in there this afternoon and nothing, I will check again tomorrow.

My youngest son has been so sad and I will continue to search high and low!

When you search for him make sure you have a torch and a stick? I wish I could search with you

Natrah

 

[Cathie G]

Another day of chilly (58 degrees F) and wet weather here in PA tomorrow. On Wednesday we will have a bit of sun and I'll go for a walk to look for Chip. I've posted on many (probably a dozen) Facebook groups for lost pets in the area and 3 tortoises (not ours) have shown up. My neighbor lost their cat. Seems like something is going on, hopefully that will shift with everyone being found soon.

I put some Mazuri in shed and 2 pieces were missing. My son and I searched the shed thoroughly and we don't know how he could have gotten in there, so I think another little critter took the Mazuri. Plus Chip would probably eat more than that. I put some lettuce and a bright red tomato in there this afternoon and nothing, I will check again tomorrow.

My youngest son has been so sad and I will continue to search high and low!

Search the sunny places of your torts normal areas too. S/he might be returning now and then.

 

[MaNaAk]

Search the sunny places of your torts normal areas too. S/he might be returning now and then.

And search for any holes under a fence

Natrah

 

[Chip's mom]

Some suggestions for finding your lost little guy

Get the neighborhood kids involved

Get down on your hands and knees and look under every shrub and bush - they like to hide in them. Look for tort tracks in any dirt.

Let all your neighbors know and also let the mailman, and regular UPS/FE drivers know – they walk or drive the neighborhoods.

Call the humane society - sometimes people turn them in

Call the nonemergency police phone number and see if anyone called with wanting to turn one in,

Just keep looking and check your yard again - sometimes they hide right in their own yard

Make posters and put them up all over the neighborhood. (say - this is a tortoise not a turtle - please do not put him in water)

S/he may have burrowed down. So when you are crawling around, feel for soft spots, especially under shrubs plants with good roots, or pavers, etc.

Put out favored foods and when the sun comes up s/he might come round or be basking in a nice warm spot

Some suggest using a dog to help you find a lost tort – if you use a dog – keep the dog leashed as torts smell like rawhide chew toys to dogs

Some say torts go north when wandering off

Post on your local Facebook sites and your own timeline, Lost and Found sites, NextDoor, and say this is a tortoise not a turtle and he cannot swim so please if you find him contact me and do not put him in water - thank you


OF NOTE – if the weather has cooled way down – your tortoise might think it is brumation (hibernation) time. When tortoises are winding s/he may have burrowed down. So when you are crawling around, feel for soft spots, especially under shrubs plants with good roots, or pavers, etc.

Thank you for this! We have done all of these things, plus extensive Facebook group posting, neighborhood text chats, weather-proof signs, etc. It is now getting chilly over night down to 45 degrees F, so I suspect he is burrowed down, and will resume the full fledged searching in spring. We miss him!

 

[Chip's mom]

Don't give up - we're rooting for his safe return!

Thank you. We will not give up and will keep searching. It is getting chilly here, so will get the search back in full in spring, which feels far away. Hopefully winter goes fast!

 

[BeeZee1]

Thank you for this! We have done all of these things, plus extensive Facebook group posting, neighborhood text chats, weather-proof signs, etc. It is now getting chilly over night down to 45 degrees F, so I suspect he is burrowed down, and will resume the full fledged searching in spring. We miss him!

so sorry - can you feel any soft dirt? they do a great job hiding the area they dig down

 

[Chip's mom]

Definitely on the lookout for this as we do the fall clean up. We are backed up to quite a bit of natural land, so I'm afraid there's only so much I can do, though I did get permission and searched the neighbor's properties earlier on.

 

[MaNaAk]

so sorry - can you feel any soft dirt? they do a great job hiding the area they dig down

I heard about a tortoise turning up four months. Do not give up hope they are very hardy.

Natrah

 

[Chip's mom]

I heard about a tortoise turning up four months. Do not give up hope they are very hardy.

Natrah

Thank you for this. We will not give up hope!

 

[Chip's mom]

Sadly we have not found Chip yet. We have about a handful of warm days left this fall. The nights are getting quite cold. I'm going to comment on Facebook posts to bump, and then resume the active search in March. We will not give up!

 

[sandwill]

Sadly we have not found Chip yet. We have about a handful of warm days left this fall. The nights are getting quite cold. I'm going to comment on Facebook posts to bump, and then resume the active search in March. We will not give up!

Hopefully You will find him soon enough. It's been days since he's missing

 

[Chip's mom]

Hopefully You will find him soon enough. It's been days since he's missing

Thank you. Yes, 46 long days 😢

We will remain hopeful and keep looking and posting online!