# A seagull picked up my tortoise



## Melissa101 (Aug 29, 2015)

As the title says... My two babies were in the garden, and I went inside for a moment. I come out and Harry is gone. My husband comes out to help me look, and we see a seagull fly over us with something very large in his beak. 

I'm absolutely heartbroken. Please don't tell me it's my fault for not being there because I completely know it's my fault, and will feel guilty about this for the rest of my life. 

I wanted to come here to warn others: please don't leave your tortoises outside for even a second unless they are in a secure enclosure with a lid. I thought my torts were too big to be picked up by anything, but clearly I was wrong. I just hope whatever happened was quick. 

Sorry, you all probably knew not to do that anyway, but maybe this story will help someone as dumb as me not to lose a tortoise. I'd had Harry for over 10 years, and now it feels like part of me is gone too.


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## christinaland128 (Aug 29, 2015)

That's so terrible! I'm so sorry!


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## christinaland128 (Aug 29, 2015)

So frightening! I leave mine unattended for up to ten minutes because their enclosure is secure but jeez! How big was he if you don't mind my asking? That's why I avoided letting mine outside until I thought they were big enough. But I think they're too small still.


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## Melissa101 (Aug 29, 2015)

About as big as my hand, and pretty heavy. Still small, but I never would've thought a seagull would be able to manage him. It was so unexpected.


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## christinaland128 (Aug 29, 2015)

OMG I'm so sorry. Mine are also that big. Wow, I will not leave them unattended. We have gulls and Hawks here.


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## wellington (Aug 29, 2015)

OMG, I am so very sorry. It's not your fault, who would have thought this for the size your tort sounds. I would suggest though, to go looking around the area you seen the seagull flying. Sometimes they drop them, as they are too big to carry too far and with some luck, you will find your tort and if it was a soft enough landing, you never know. 
Again, so sorry that's not something you want to see.


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## Melissa101 (Aug 29, 2015)

Thanks guys, yeah we had a walk around and couldn't find him, but I'll keep looking. I've posted a message on my town FB page so hopefully that'll have more people looking too. We live near some woods, which I had a look around too, but obviously almost impossible to see him in there.


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## dmmj (Aug 29, 2015)

seagulls eat baby sea turtles when they hatch hatch if your toilet was larger with a hard shell didn't what it normally would eat the seagull may not have known how to eat it. So there's still a slim chance it'll I don't hope too much but it couldn't hurt to look may put up some posters let people know that your tortoise is gone


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## Jodie (Aug 29, 2015)

This is awful. So sorry! I am sure hoping you find him, I would have never thought.


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## ILoveTorts&Gerbils (Aug 29, 2015)

I can't believe a Seagull would manage that! I'm so sorry, but don't give up hope yet. You never know, he might just have been dropped on something soft nearby. 

Keep us posted.


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## Yvonne G (Aug 29, 2015)

Birds drop them hoping to break them open, but quite a few little tortoises find themselves in new neighborhoods because they were dropped by birds and lived to tell the tale. Go all around for several blocks and put up fliers on utility poles.


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## Gillian M (Aug 29, 2015)

christinaland128 said:


> So frightening! I leave mine unattended for up to ten minutes because their enclosure is secure but jeez! How big was he if you don't mind my asking? That's why I avoided letting mine outside until I thought they were big enough. But I think they're too small still.


You'd better take care.


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## Gillian M (Aug 29, 2015)

Melissa101 said:


> As the title says... My two babies were in the garden, and I went inside for a moment. I come out and Harry is gone. My husband comes out to help me look, and we see a seagull fly over us with something very large in his beak.
> 
> I'm absolutely heartbroken. Please don't tell me it's my fault for not being there because I completely know it's my fault, and will feel guilty about this for the rest of my life.
> 
> ...


Very sorry to have heard such a heartbreaking story.

No, it was NOT your fault: after all we are human beings and we all make mistakes. Try to relax, though I do know how hard it is after such a shock. You never know, you might find him, and good luck. Please keep us updated.


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## RedFootedLove (Aug 29, 2015)

that is horrible like everyone is saying it is definitley not your fault none of us here would of thought a SEAGULL could pick up a tort just keep your head up and keep an eye out i highly doubt a seagull could swallow a tortoise


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## Melissa101 (Aug 29, 2015)

You guys have all been really lovely, thanks so much for your kind words. I've printed out some posters and will be putting them up tomorrow, you never know I guess...


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## Gillian M (Aug 29, 2015)

Melissa101 said:


> As the title says... My two babies were in the garden, and I went inside for a moment. I come out and Harry is gone. My husband comes out to help me look, and we see a seagull fly over us with something very large in his beak.
> 
> I'm absolutely heartbroken. Please don't tell me it's my fault for not being there because I completely know it's my fault, and will feel guilty about this for the rest of my life.
> 
> ...


I take Oli out for walks whenever the weather permits. I literally walk beside him so as NOT to allow any person/animal touch him. approach him,hurt him etc. You can imagine the patience needed here. I have read a lot about torts being stolen, harmed and hurt, poor creatures-they really are helpless.


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## dmmj (Aug 29, 2015)

hate to ask havesteps been taken to prevent this from happening again


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## Lyn W (Aug 29, 2015)

So sorry that this has happened, I do hope you find him.


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## Melissa101 (Aug 29, 2015)

Oh absolutely, they have an outdoor enclosure with a lid, I just allowed them out of it in order for them to have even more space to roam around in (because the garden is so secure). Now, however, I will not let my other tort out of the enclosure unless I'm literally inches away from him. I'd never seen gulls anywhere near our garden before, but I certainly won't risk anything like this happening again.


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## Melissa101 (Aug 29, 2015)

Sorry, that last post was meant to be a reply to dmmj! Thanks Lyn for your kind words.


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## Speedy-1 (Aug 29, 2015)

*I am sorry to hear of this  I sat one morning recently and watched a hawk nail a dove right in my neighbors front yard ! We have been extra watchful since then . Sad truth , at Speedy's age he is food for a lot of critters !  *


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## Tidgy's Dad (Aug 29, 2015)

I am so sorry this happened.
Heartbreaking indeed.
I see birds of prey circling overhead here often and stand close to my Tidgy, some of them here have evolved to be tortoise droppers.
I wouldn't ever have imagined a seagull could do that. 
Deepest sympathy.


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## Carol S (Aug 29, 2015)

I am so sorry this happened. Are you sure the seagull had your tortoise and it is not hiding somewhere in your yard?


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## SouthernRFT (Aug 29, 2015)

When you saw the seagull were you sure it was your tortoise?


Carol S said:


> I am so sorry this happened. Are you sure the seagull had your tortoise and it is not hiding somewhere in your yard?



I was thinking the same..... maybe wishful thinking?


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## Bogie=babyDINO (Aug 29, 2015)

I'm so very sorry. Just reading that broke my heart. I often think what I would do if something happened to bogart. Thank you for sharing though. I sometimes leave mine unattended in his playpen. I'll be sure to put a secure cover over now. Your story means a lot. Thank you.


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## MPRC (Aug 29, 2015)

Thank you for posting your difficult story. If it makes one person think twice about leaving their little guy out unattended then you have made a difference!


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## TMartin510 (Aug 29, 2015)

I had a similar experience when I was younger, a bird went after my 3 turtles/torts, my Box turtle flipped, my russian was too heavy but got pecked, and my baby sulcata pecked to death because he was young and his she'll wasn't fully developed. It was a scrub jay that went after my torts, I'm sorry this has happened and I understand how you feel. 

There is hope, that bird picked up my torts and couldn't get to far with them and I found them upside down in my yard, I would check everywhere near where you are including your neighbors back yards, if your tort has a fully developed she'll hopefully you can find him near by!


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## Melissa101 (Aug 29, 2015)

Thanks guys, you're all so supportive. He's definitely not in the garden, it's just not that big and I literally checked everywhere. I'm almost certain the seagull had him, and plus a neighbour actually saw it happen from his window  

I'll be going out today and putting up posters, so hopefully if there's any chance, we'll find him. Even if the worst has happened, I'd rather know than spend the rest of my life wondering! 

I'm glad my story has made some of you think twice about your torts outside. I never would've dreamed this could've happened, so hopefully others like me will see this and be more aware. I was literally saying to someone yesterday about how animals never pay the torts any attention, and how I was glad they're now too heavy to be picked up by the birds we get around here. 

Thanks again guys, you're a really supportive bunch. Still hoping to find my Harry, and will keep you updated. It's also made me realise (as if I didn't already) how precious my torts are, and my little George will be getting extra love and care now.


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## immiexxo (Aug 30, 2015)

I'm so sorry to hear this! My tortoise roams the whole garden and we've been getting a lot of seagulls around at the moment so when he's not in his enclosure I'm going to be extra vigilant and keep an eye on his every move. 
I hope you manage to find Harry and that he is okay if you do manage to find him. 
Good luck x


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## leigti (Aug 30, 2015)

They found him.


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## immiexxo (Aug 30, 2015)

leigti said:


> They found him.



Yes I've just seen. Amazing!x


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## enchilada (Sep 1, 2015)

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/08/150817-seals-seagulls-animals-science-predators-prey/
*Seagulls Have a Gruesome New Way of Attacking Baby Seals *

thats why you should shoot any seagull show up in your property


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## Yvonne G (Sep 1, 2015)

(Chickens peck eyeballs too. So did my emu.)


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## leigti (Sep 1, 2015)

Birds scare me. There was a doctor here in town, ironically an eye doctor, who had his I picked out by a falcon. That was the end of his medical career and his falconry habit.


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## Yvonne G (Sep 1, 2015)

I had an emu for several years before he died of old age. We had to keep young children away from his fence because he would peck at their eyes. Never adults, just children. But other than that, he was a great bird. Kind of stupid, but interesting and quite fun to have around.


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## ALDABRAMAN (Sep 2, 2015)

Melissa101 said:


> I wanted to come here to warn others



~ Valid point and concern. Just a few days ago i was driving and spotted a small native box turtle crossing the road. I turned around and as i neared the little guy a large bird swooped down and picked it up with its claws, literally less than ten foot from me!


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## leigti (Sep 2, 2015)

Poor turtle. Somebody told me once that their little Chihuahua mix dog was carried away by a hawk. Note to self, do not walk your small dog where there are birds of prey. I would've been beyond hysterical if I saw that happen. Thank God my dog is bigger.


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## Alaskamike (Sep 3, 2015)

ALDABRAMAN said:


> ~ Valid point and concern. Just a few days ago i was driving and spotted a small native box turtle crossing the road. I turned around and as i neared the little guy a large bird swooped down and picked it up with its claws, literally less than ten foot from me!


Wow. 
Where is your camera when you need it ! 
I was fly fishing on the Gulkana River in Alaska many years ago - very remote area. 
I was fishing for Graying , but hooked about a 5 lb rainbow. In that river you have to release rainbows. 

So being the good sport I am , I gently released him. He swam back into the current a bit tired and close to the surface. Seconds later a Bald Eagle swooped down , hit the water with a splash , and lifted him up up and away. While my mouth was hanging open. 

What a shot that would have been ! 

I still think about how good that Rainbow would've tasted on a riverside fire ... 

Oh well.


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## Tidgy's Dad (Sep 3, 2015)

Alaskamike said:


> Wow.
> Where is your camera when you need it !
> I was fly fishing on the Gulkana River in Alaska many years ago - very remote area.
> I was fishing for Graying , but hooked about a 5 lb rainbow. In that river you have to release rainbows.
> ...


Well, at least it was a result for the Bald Eagle!


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## awesomecs (Sep 3, 2015)

christinaland128 said:


> OMG I'm so sorry. Mine are also that big. Wow, I will not leave them unattended. We have gulls and Hawks here.




OMG I fell so scared my tortoise is never unattended since I know what hawks can do to them I'm so sorry that's why I always have a large stick and I look at the sky cause if I see a hawk I'm fighting till there's scratch marks all over my body then to lose my only daughter that's why


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## awesomecs (Sep 3, 2015)

christinaland128 said:


> OMG I'm so sorry. Mine are also that big. Wow, I will not leave them unattended. We have gulls and Hawks here.




OMG I fell so scared my tortoise is never unattended since I know what hawks can do to them I'm so sorry that's why I always have a large stick and I look at the sky cause if I see a hawk I'm fighting till there's scratch marks all over my body then to lose my only daughter that's why


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