# This is the strangest story: stolen or escaped, I need help with my African Tort!



## Victor249 (Dec 6, 2015)

Hello everyone, I know NOTHING about tortoises at all, but am here to ask for anyone's expert help or advice. Naturally, I shall seek professional help, but it's a Sunday and I thought it would be a smart idea to gauge online opinion first. Short summary: 7 months ago we discovered our 10-15 year old tortoise (acquired by inheritance) had gone missing, initially assumed escaped, then we thought he'd been stolen. Today he reappeared in a large enclosure which has no entrance -- we've just walked the perimeter, and there is no way into it. 
So there are two options: 
1) he is Houdini and found his way in there by choice. Unlikely if not impossible. If he could get in, the resident mini-pigs and mini-goats would have gotten out! 
2) he was stolen and they discovered they couldn't resell it so they brought it back. His body is very clean, so we don't think he tried to dig himself into hybernation (which he has never done before anyway) and we have already had frost here, where he's never had to deal with. He is drinking water, no problem, and seems to be interested in food but not yet eating.
Other info: he is bleeding slightly around his nose. It's a fresh wound, maybe he was dropped in there, maybe he was scratched, but he's not appearing to be troubled by it.
His home is a California-style walled tropical garden, a sun-trap with gravel, pavers, and lots of ground-cover. He's lived here for ten years, and is totally happy to be back, sunning himself with his head out much more than he used to do. He is 25cm wide and 40cm long. I can provide photos, but he looks (according to a Google image search) very much like a Sulcata.
And that's it. I'm simply not sure if I need to take extra precautions to ensure he doesn't overheat (if he really was outside for 7 months) or how long to wait before he starts eating (if, indeed, he had been hibernating). 
Many, many thanks to you kind people for any advice you might have. I'm a Spaniel kinda gal myself, but we do love our Tort and are delighted to have him back. Even the cats seemed pleased


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## jaizei (Dec 6, 2015)

How large is the enclosure? They can hide very well.


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## SarahChelonoidis (Dec 6, 2015)

7 months is a long time. Can you post photos of the tortoise and enclosure? We can at least confirm it's a sulcata and if it's even possible he returned to it on his own. He wouldn't have been hibernating through the summer.

How have you been overwintering him these past years?


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## Yvonne G (Dec 6, 2015)

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

If it truly is a sulcata, they don't hibernate. And they don't really hide all that well underground. They dig tunnels and you would have seen the cave-like opening.

I think you're right - someone stole him then dropped him back over the wall (maybe when their mother realized her kids stole him and made them take him back.

Your first thing to do is post some clear pictures of the tortoise so we can better help you care for him. The different species take different care and we need to know for sure what you have.

Also, it helps us help you when we know appx. where, geographically, you are.


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## Tom (Dec 6, 2015)

Hello and welcome. I agree with the above. Let's start with pics of the tortoise and enclosure, so we know what we're dealing with.


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## Victor249 (Dec 6, 2015)

Here's a close-up. I've taken some more but am using a new phone so it's taking a while to get the hang of things (sorry). This is his nose injury, but that was 8 hours ago and he is now fine, indoors, warm and happy. He's really been perky, with his head all the way out more than he ever did before, he's been watching the dogs sniffing about, apparently unharmed.
His living space, his home for ten years, is about 10m x 10m in the south of France, an hour north of the Pyrenees. It's a dry S.Cali garden design, perfectly enclosed with walls and a gate on a spring. That's why we think he was stolen. His appearance today was about 30m down the hill from the walled garden, in an area of an acre, fenced in with wire netting for goats and pigs. I am curious to the suggestion thet some kids took him; maybe they told someone else to return him to the 'enclosure' and they put him back in the wrong area!
Anyway, my sister thinks he's a Leopard Tortoise, again based on the wisdom of the world-wide-web, so who knows?! He used to over-winter in the living room with a box and heat lamp, but the past few years he's not been interested in that area and simply cruises around the single-story terracotta-tiled house. He can do two deep steps (up or down) and is excellent at hiding in the foliage!
Hope I've given enough additional information and once again, MANY thanks to you guys for helping out with this crazy conundrum!
Best wishes from France!


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## SarahChelonoidis (Dec 6, 2015)

Oh, a leopard tortoise! Not a sulcata. 

Are you sure that's blood in the nose? Looks more like cactus fruit being so pink.


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## Victor249 (Dec 6, 2015)

No, it's definitely blood. We don't have cactus fruit around here (which is a shame!) and it is turning to winter with temps outside dropping into the minus celcius a few nights over the past few weeks. It'll be down at 2 degrees tonight, with highs of about 10-15 during the day, so that's about 18-20 in the sun, but nothing like high enough. We are all so shocked that he is still trucking around. I honestly don't think he could have made it through those frosty nights, but I'd like to hear if they are that hardy. Otherwise, I'm sticking with the theft theory!


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## Yvonne G (Dec 6, 2015)

Yup, leopard tortoise. I'll bet when he was returned to you he was dropped over the fence and he landed on his nose.

Depending upon what part of Africa your tortoise's ancestors came from he may or may not hibernate. Some leopard tortoises do, some don't. Because I don't know where mine came from, I provide heat and light (sun) all winter and make sure they stay warm enough to digest their food.


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## TerrapinStation (Dec 6, 2015)

what a story.... poor guy. He sure looks good otherwise, very nice coloration. Best of luck


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## Big Charlie (Dec 10, 2015)

Wow, don't you wish he could talk and tell you where he has been! What an amazing story. I'm glad he's back home.


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## teresaf (Dec 10, 2015)

We had a small TV stolen once(along with some pop bottles and my new comb!) when moving into a new place when I was a teenager...a year later it was returned to our backyard in the same shape as when it was taken. We figured the kids that stole it originally became friends with us and didn't want to get caught with it in their house when we came over to visit....


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## Maggie Cummings (Dec 10, 2015)

What a story! Glad you have him back, and I agree with my sister, he was dropped on his nose. I would watch him carefully to make sure he has no internal injuries. Heat him up so he can eat and digest his food. 80 to 85 degrees....and welcome from the very wet PacificNorthWest..


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## teresaf (Dec 10, 2015)

maggie3fan said:


> What a story! Glad you have him back, and I agree with my sister, he was dropped on his nose. I would watch him carefully to make sure he has no internal injuries. Heat him up so he can eat and digest his food. 80 to 85 degrees....and welcome from the very wet PacificNorthWest..


Yvonne's your sis? I didn't know that...cool


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## Maggie Cummings (Dec 11, 2015)

teresaf said:


> Yvonne's your sis? I didn't know that...cool



Yeah, she's not too proud of it, but I am.....


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## Lyn W (Dec 11, 2015)

Hi and welcome, he is lovely and I'm so glad he is back home with you. What is he called?
My tort is a leopard too.
This is the best place for up to date information on all aspects of their care and if you can follow the advice on the caresheet you should have a happy healthy tort for the rest of your life - and beyond!!
Looking forward to hearing more about him.


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## teresaf (Dec 11, 2015)

Victor249 said:


> No, it's definitely blood. We don't have cactus fruit around here (which is a shame!) and it is turning to winter with temps outside dropping into the minus celcius a few nights over the past few weeks. It'll be down at 2 degrees tonight, with highs of about 10-15 during the day, so that's about 18-20 in the sun, but nothing like high enough. We are all so shocked that he is still trucking around. I honestly don't think he could have made it through those frosty nights, but I'd like to hear if they are that hardy. Otherwise, I'm sticking with the theft theory!



I doubt they're that hardy... I would think he'd be sick if not dead if exposed to those temps for any length of time. I would keep an eye on him in case he was out there a couple days before you noticed...he could still get sick especially since he's been stressed as the injury suggests.


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