REWARD - MISSING RADIATED SUBADULT - LAKE WORTH, FL (now FOUND!!)

PNoble

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This is LaBella, my 5 year old, captive-hatched, unsexed-but-believing-female radiated tortoise. She has "disappeared" from my yard in Lake Worth, Florida. I've been in my home for 10 years and my yard is escape-proof, tall privacy fence, etc. I've been at this for 25+ years. Sometimes a radiated will "hide in plain sight" but we have looked for hours, and everywhere!

Stolen?
Gate opened for vegetation removal and somehow she snuck out, despite constant vigilance?

Anyway, the more people that know, the better the chances of recovering her!
Please help, can't live without her! Not kidding, mad dreams last night!

Thank you ALL...it takes a Village!

PATTY
561/309-2229
labella.jpg
 

wellington

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Wow, so sorry. Keep looking every day though, specially when she would normally be basking. Let neighbors know and local vet clinics and animal rescues.
Also keep a close eye on Craig's List. Sounds more like a theft to me.
Good luck and keep us posted.
 

Yvonne G

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My worst nightmare. Good luck. I certainly hope you find her.
 

GingerLove

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I'm keeping an eye out for you, I also live in Florida. Don't lose hope, some people have found their tortoises up to months later. I hope you find yours sooner!
 

tortoiseplanet

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Just like Wellington said go to your local rescue, they find torts all the time. And keep an eye on Craigslist if someone stole him and is attempting to sell him. Hope you best luck, hope you find him!!❤️
 

PNoble

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Nothing yet, friendly folks-who-restore-my-faith-in-humanity!
Lots of calls, flyers, texts, networking friends...and Tortoise Forum people!! From coworkers to Crutchfield, all zoos, stores and vets in between.
I'm just trying to breathe, stay positive and turn over ever stone, literally and figuratively.
Thank you all!
Patty
(here she is again, on the left...with her clutch-mate ElGuapo) :)
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Tom

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With a herd like that in your yard, its time to put up some surveillance cameras. They have some that are easy to install, battery operated, and operate wirelessly through wifi. A simple "Ring" doorbell would do it. They are motion activated and send a signal to your phone when a person comes around. You can even talk to the person when you are in another country. "HEY! Put that tortoise down and get out of my yard before I release the hounds of hell upon you!!!!!!"

You can also run a 12" board across the gate opening that is easy for a person to step over, but impossible for a radiata to get past.

That is one gorgeous tortoise. I hope you find her soon.
 

PNoble

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You're SO right. I've become complacent. I pray it was my "oversight" and not a theft. How would "Ring" (which I had saved in my Amazon wish list for my front door) cover the entire yard? Researching...thank you for your sharp-yet-kind comments (you could have called me an idiot)... :(

No LaBella yet. VERY hopeful still.

PATTY
(beautiful star photo!)
 

Pearly

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What a nightmare! I had been through that one over a year ago, it was during Texas winter. One of my then little baby RFs got away during supervised outing on a very nice warm afternoon and we could not find him. He was very small too. Your Radiata is beautiful!!!! I'm sending my "finding joojoo" over your way. In Catholic faith we say novenna to St.Anthony, the patron saint of things lost. Many believe that when all hope's lost and they turn to this prayer/meditation, their things/persons that have been missing get suddenly recovered. Keep looking. Don't give up hope. Put out her favorite food and fresh water where you last saw her. Daily. See if anyone is eating it. If temps are cool, put out heat source in that place. I did that for entire 4 weeks after which time my baby Tucker was found. I hope you finds your Bella. Hope she was not stolen but I agree with Tom. Install security system. You are a very lucky owner of one of the very highly priced species. Protect them from human greed. And good luck to you. Keep us posted.
 

Tom

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How would "Ring" (which I had saved in my Amazon wish list for my front door) cover the entire yard?

They have a wide angel lens, but it would only cover the area where you mount it. I just used the Ring as an example because everyone knows what it is, and its so simple. You can do something more elaborate with multiple cameras and that would serve you even better. They have many systems available at Costco that you can easily install yourself. I'm not much of a "tech" guy and I was able to figure it all out pretty easily.
 

PNoble

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@PNoble, have you found your tortoise yet?
Good morning, Pearly...everyone...
No LaBella yet...the bad/strange dreams continue. Animal Care & Control called me and I got excited but they just wanted to confirm some details. Will put up more signs this weekend, some blew down in the crazy storms. I met with a security/surveillance system guy who's coming back this weekend. I have a lot of foliage so cameras aren't going to be cheap or easy, but I'm committed. Also put a board across the inside of my big gate - I am totally kicking myself for not thinking of something so simple, Tom!
I know animals can surface after a long time away...I've been looking at storm drains but I think her shell height - especially while walking/standing - is too high for her to have fallen into one...praying, anyway. This is a BAAAAAD feeling, so I especially appreciate this community, thank you all and Happy Memorial Day weekend!
PATTY

Here's a happy picture...me, BigGirl (25 year old Aldabra I've had since 1995), and a friend's (impressed) son. Staying positive!!!
 

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KevinGG

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Good morning, Pearly...everyone...
No LaBella yet...the bad/strange dreams continue. Animal Care & Control called me and I got excited but they just wanted to confirm some details. Will put up more signs this weekend, some blew down in the crazy storms. I met with a security/surveillance system guy who's coming back this weekend. I have a lot of foliage so cameras aren't going to be cheap or easy, but I'm committed. Also put a board across the inside of my big gate - I am totally kicking myself for not thinking of something so simple, Tom!
I know animals can surface after a long time away...I've been looking at storm drains but I think her shell height - especially while walking/standing - is too high for her to have fallen into one...praying, anyway. This is a BAAAAAD feeling, so I especially appreciate this community, thank you all and Happy Memorial Day weekend!
PATTY

Here's a happy picture...me, BigGirl (25 year old Aldabra I've had since 1995), and a friend's (impressed) son. Staying positive!!!

That is a big girl! Good luck with your search.
 

Pearly

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How about reporting to police as stolen? Afterall there is signifficant $ value assigned to this species... Cover ALL bases and leave no stone unturned. Go out there and talk to her, releasing the energy you create by your worry and missing her so much, put it out there, into the Universe. I believe we are all interconnected in some ways, that includes our animals. I also believe that any type of energy we generate and release, does not just dissipate into a thin air or get lost. Keep going back to place where you last saw her, talk to her, pray, meanwhile do all the other search and protection related stuff. DO NOT GIVE UP!!!!
 

ZEROPILOT

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I agree that such a large tortoise has been "found" by someone else.
Someone that is now reluctant to let it go.
I think reporting it as likely stolen is a good idea.
 

PNoble

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I agree that such a large tortoise has been "found" by someone else.
Someone that is now reluctant to let it go.
I think reporting it as likely stolen is a good idea.

Hello, Concerned Friends!

To clarify - LaBella is my hand-sized 5 year old radiated tortoise - and missing.

BigGirl - I just sent a picture for everyone's enjoyment, not to confuse - is my 25 year old Aldabra.

I immediately reported LaBella stolen to the Lake Worth Police. Have done pet shops, vets, posted flyers, talked to neighbors, tortoiseforum.org, craigslist lost and found, animal care & control, busch wildlife sanctuary, etc. I DO speak to her out loud when I'm out and about in the neighborhood, walking my dogs, etc. I'm not "above" that. I was thinking about Channel 5, but I'm not certain I want a camera in my back yard??? Have installed new security system and cameras (expensive ones)...are going up in a couple days.

If y'all can think of any MORE stones I can overturn, I'm open to it! I'm well-connected in the reptile community for 20 years + and have people who are talking to people who are talking to people. I must say, tortoise forum has SO many hits, it's got to be the best connection yet.

Keep talking to me, people...you're AWESOME!

I completely understand that she can...

A) Never show up
B) Show up in 5 minutes
C) Show up in a year

I'm in this for the long haul.

PATTY
 

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