URGENT!! my mum called and said he's gone!?

Question

i put my baby herman in an outdoor box today before i go to work because he wasnt getting much sun lately i put him in the outdoor shade because i know tortoises get sunburns if exposed to too much sun,,

anyway i asked my mum to check on him and put some food but she said he's gone! she says the box is just the way i left it, i asked her to c if he burried himself and she says he didnt,,

since hes under a shelter i dont think a birg could spot him

i cant go home before 3 more hours plz tell me what possibly happened !!

Answer 1

cats, dogs, say neighbourhood pets usual suspects, also neighbourhood kids, as bart simpson types, my fish was stolen once by bart type.

Answer 2

sweetie i am sorry you have lost your tortoise, unfortunately tortoise are great escape artists for a baby Herman you need to make sure they don't have anything they can climb on, i have had a few times when my tortoise has got out of boxes and enclosures, they can climb what can seem impossible obstacles, so he may have climbed out and has gone on a little adventure, hopefully you will find him happily sunning himself or eating your plants, ask your mum to check your garden, look for any really hot places that he may be sunning himself in, he will head for shelter a little later on so if you have any off the ground sheds check under there, i hope you find him safe and sound but if you ask your neighbours they might have found him wandering, best of luck honey hope you find him

Answer 3

unfortunately... if he's not in the general area of the box... he may be quite far away by now.

make sure your mum to keep looking for him

& i really hope you do find him!

good luck!

Answer 4

he was probably stolen or he found a gap

Answer 5

wow im srry that happened hope u find him

Answer 6

Well, first, before you panic yourself into a frizzy - tortoises burrow, darlin.  They LIKE to dig, and squiggle into the depression/hole, and sigh contently.  They are very artful at this, and can wriggle under any substrate (even a lettuce leaf) leaving little sign of their activity, before they begin to snuggle into a shallow and cooler depression they have pushed out with their hind legs.

Once there - they are OH SO SECURE, and content (and proud of themselves, too)!  I have found smaller culprits contentedly under their water bowl after I wasted a ton of tears and stress; incorporated the neighbors, and even called animal control!

But, I only made that mistake once, and did a bunch of research from there...

"Mum" makes me think you're in the UK (I'm in the States), but I have friends in the UK, and I know it's hot there right now.

Call "Mum" back, and ask her to please move EVERYTHING in the enclosure, and look for a snug and proud tortoise!  Once she moves EVERYTHING; if he's not there - ask her to lightly rake the soil.  She'll feel a bump, if he's gone "incognitio" for the day!

They can hide in plain site, with their coloration and a small amount of soil.  These little loves can be worse than grandbabies!

IF "Mum" can't find him... that leads to "we need more info."  Was the enclosure partially buried, so he couldn't dig out from under a refraining board border?  Did you go a good three feet deep with plastic coated wire which was small enough holes to prevent him tunneling out?

I truly understand your stress right now, but other issues need addressing here, too.  1.) UVB lighting and vitamin suppliments are adequate for a VERY long life, and good health for your tortoise.

It's terrible of me, and I know you don't wanna hear this right now, but your pet should NEVER be outside unsupervised.  With UVB, and you taking him out when you can on the weekends - he'll be FINE!

Another issue IS the ground, and parasites.  Do you know a single cat deficating in your tortoise enclosure can result in death to your tortoise?  Ask your vet.

IF you feel you MUST provide an outside area for your tortoise - it must be entirely enclosed, and 'animal proof.'  Nothing but the tortoise should have access to the pen at any time (watch Jurassic Park, and note the Pterodactyl's enclosure!).  Bird's dropping can be detrimental to your tort, so you will want to cover the pen as well, and the source of direct sun should be SURPERVISED early morning or late evening.

I never, never (did I say never) recommend that a domestic/captive animal touch the raw earth!  IF you need to keep it outdoors - then make sure the soil you are providing has been baked (pound by pound, and 3 ft. deep) at 350 degrees for an hour.  You'll need to repeat this OFTEN to guarantee no baterial/fungal/parasitic infection for your tort.

But - if you are determined?  It CAN be done.

I prefer a UVB source inside, and monitoring direct sun while I hold the animal outdoors.

I truly, truly, truly hope the tort is safely hiding, and you find him faster than soon.

But - I also hope this has shown you how fast/far they CAN go, if given a chance.

Another option, if you MUST put him outdoors, is to surgically install a locator chip.

If he's truly lost - call your neighbors and find one who owns a turtle crazy dog, to sniff the lil Houdini out.

I truly wish you quick resolution to your dilemma, and I KNOW your panic/stress.

God bless, and good luck.

Answer 7

Tortoises are very sought after and expensive pets.

It is most likely he has been stolen Or has died from the heat.

I hope he is ok I own 2 tortoises. And mine escaped once but we found him again luckily. They are very old about 40 or 50

Answer 8

Well you'll have an instant dinner when you're home