Lost Russian Tortoise!

Froog

New Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2021
Messages
7
Location (City and/or State)
North Austin, TX
Hey y'all. I have silently surfed this forum for a long time before making an account. It had been a great resource for me many times! Sadly, I'm not here on the happiest of terms.

Clover, my large female russian tortoise went missing when she was let outside yesterday. I was out of the house at the time. My mom let her out on the driveway near the yard to graze and bask. She told my sister to put her back in the outdoor pen once she was done. It got busy and there was some confusion and Clover slipped off into the back yard unnoticed. Two hours later, we realized she was missing and my family and I scoured the yard looking for her. Yet, no luck. Today around 1:00 I checked the yard again and looked around the neighbor's backyards just to see if I could find her walking around. (I checked as far as 12 to 15 blocks away from our yard.)

We live on a half-acre lot with no fence, which backs up to a creek and we have neighbors on both sides of our house. We don't have a fence and neither do our next-door neighbors. I don't think she can cross the creek and she can't go very far to the right as a steep hill and rock wall separate the next house.

I'm going to:

-Check around her favorite hiding spots in our yard and the surrounding neighbor's yards.

-Put some treats out in our yard. (Strawberries etc...)

-Put up flyers and reach out on our neighborhood social media. (Nextdoor.)

Any suggestions you guys have? Could she have gone far? I don't know if Russian tortoises are more nomad-like/continually travelling tortoises or if she'll come back to the yard she recognizes.

If she has the chance, will she travel as far away as she can or stay nearby?

I'm worried that she will find a way past the creek and get lost in the hilly forest behind us. I'm also nervous about the road too.
I've read several missing tortoise stories with happy endings though, so I hope that I will find her!

Thanks y'all!

-Luke K

*I've added some photos as well.
 

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wellington

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In the wild they roam a lot of miles.
With what you are already doing and going to do, search for her daily when the sun first comes out nice and bright.
The hottest part if the day she will be hiding likely. So morning when sun first comes out and then closer to 4-5 when its not so hot.
Feel with hands in hiding spots as just looking they don't easily get seen.
Good luck and keep us posted.
 

Froog

New Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2021
Messages
7
Location (City and/or State)
North Austin, TX
In the wild they roam a lot of miles.
With what you are already doing and going to do, search for her daily when the sun first comes out nice and bright.
The hottest part if the day she will be hiding likely. So morning when sun first comes out and then closer to 4-5 when its not so hot.
Feel with hands in hiding spots as just looking they don't easily get seen.
Good luck and keep us posted.

Thanks! Will do!
 

Krista S

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Saskatchewan
I’m sorry to hear that Clover is missing. You‘ve got an excellent plan of attack in place. I often see people suggesting to get kids in the neighbourhood involved in the search. Maybe offer a small reward for whoever find her to motivate kids to go searching. I will keep you and Clover in my thoughts and hope for her safe return. Please keep us posted.
 

Froog

New Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2021
Messages
7
Location (City and/or State)
North Austin, TX
I’m sorry to hear that Clover is missing. You‘ve got an excellent plan of attack in place. I often see people suggesting to get kids in the neighbourhood involved in the search. Maybe offer a small reward for whoever find her to motivate kids to go searching. I will keep you and Clover in my thoughts and hope for her safe return. Please keep us posted.
Good idea, I might put a reward on the flier and hang it up somewhere central.

Thank you!
 

Froog

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Joined
Apr 25, 2021
Messages
7
Location (City and/or State)
North Austin, TX
Fantastic news everyone!!!

Right around 6:00 PM, our neighbors came over saying they found Clover!

The neighbors told us they where just coming out to look for Clover when they saw her head poking out of a crevice in a large rock wall. They brought here right to us and she is safe and sound now!

She was gone for a little over 24 hours, and was probably in the same area that whole time just hiding out of sight.

Thank y'all for the advice and help!
 

Jan A

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Jan 9, 2021
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Location (City and/or State)
Boulder, CO
Fantastic news everyone!!!

Right around 6:00 PM, our neighbors came over saying they found Clover!

The neighbors told us they where just coming out to look for Clover when they saw her head poking out of a crevice in a large rock wall. They brought here right to us and she is safe and sound now!

She was gone for a little over 24 hours, and was probably in the same area that whole time just hiding out of sight.

Thank y'all for the advice and help!
So glad she's back. Spoil her rotten so she'll know who she belongs to.
 

Cathie G

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Fantastic news everyone!!!

Right around 6:00 PM, our neighbors came over saying they found Clover!

The neighbors told us they where just coming out to look for Clover when they saw her head poking out of a crevice in a large rock wall. They brought here right to us and she is safe and sound now!

She was gone for a little over 24 hours, and was probably in the same area that whole time just hiding out of sight.

Thank y'all for the advice and help!
This is a picture of my little Russian in his outdoor enclosure. Believe it or not. I always check on him throughout the day and I know that he can't possibly get out. BUT I had a heck of a time finding him.IMG_20210426_112511494_HDR.jpg
 

Froog

New Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2021
Messages
7
Location (City and/or State)
North Austin, TX
This is a picture of my little Russian in his outdoor enclosure. Believe it or not. I always check on him throughout the day and I know that he can't possibly get out. BUT I had a heck of a time finding him.View attachment 323923


Ha! It does look like there are a lot of hiding places in that pen.

I get worried when she finds a new hiding place and I have to search through the enclosure to find her.

Smart lil' critters for sure!
 
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