Don't even know what to title...never seen or heard of this...(pic graphic)stuned

[lvstorts]

I have a lone Redfoot hatchling that I hatched this summer. Today I check on him and find the attached picture (graphic). From the looks of it I'd say something took his head off. Problem is there is nothing that is able to do that with him! He lived alone! Indoors, no preditors. There are a couple of house flys around but I highly doubt that is it. Previous check on him time was this morning before work so it happened between 7am and 5pm.

Any thoughts? I'm beyond baffled. He's obviously deceased.

 

[wellington]

OMG, that is awful. Could he have gotten his head stuck and then pulled and caught to get loose until he died? Do you have a cat, dog, bird loose in the house. Any mice in your house? I am so sorry, the poor thing

 

[Kathy Coles]

This is truly terrifying. Any way you could get a vet to give you an idea of what happened? The flys might actually have been involved. IDK. Sorry for your loss.

 

[dncekidd]

I am so so sorry for your loss. I agree it kinda look as if he got stuck or something. Poor baby

 

[WillTort2]

Is there a pool of blood nearby?

 

[mtdavis254817]

Could anyone have done that. Friend of kids. An ex. Pet cat. Dog. Mad spouse.... Maybe mice.. Sounds bad thinking it could be a person close to you.. But I can't imagine how that would happen

 

[Maverick]

I could be wrong...but I don't think an animal would pull it's own head off even if stuck. Looks to me like a mouse or rat attacked your tortoise. Sorry for your loss.

 

[sibi]

So sorry you came home to that. I know this is hard, but it's necessary to ask. Did you find the head? You say there were no predators; so, I assume there were no dogs, cats, birds, etc. Did you have rats? If your tort was in his enclosure, the head must be somewhere nearby. If you ever expect to own another reptile, you will need to find out what actually happened.

 

[pepsiandjac]

omg poor little baby,you must be devastated

 

[Kirin]

I'm so sorry. That is just horrible.

 

[edwardbo]

That is not a fresh wound.

 

[nearpass]

That is not a fresh wound.

Very much agree. Something a bit odd about this. That poor guy has been dead for quite a while, and it's hard to say from the pic what might really have happened.

 

[mtdavis254817]

I think it could dry up with heat over a few hours.. When my dad cut off a copper heads head when I was young the wound looked like that in just a couple of hours in the Texas heat... I hope he finds out what did it tho. If it was a rat or something I'd hate for it to get a chance to come back with some family members
and hurt any other of his torts

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

I wonder if a critter like a raccoon or possum got in. Poor baby. Hope all the others stay safe.

 

[mtdavis254817]

And his legs still look alive to me. I think it could have happened within a nine hour period.

 

[Tom]

I do not see any of the characteristic gnawing marks that a rodent would leave. Do you have a cat or dog?

 

[TommyZ]

As tom said above, no gnawing marks. It looks stretched out kind of. IMO, looks like someone grabbed it, and pulled the head off. No animal would make such a "clean" wound. Do you live in an apartment or house? Some sick twisted maintainance man is why im asking... Very sorry you came home to find that.

 

[mtdavis254817]

I hope you find something out... Back in August when tucco got that cut on his neck from fighting. Are you sure that's how he got it... Did you see it. I really hope someone is not hurting your torts behind your back

 

[ShellyTurtlesCats]

Wow. Never seen such a thing.

Poor baby. Poor you.

_________
~ Shelly ~

 

[lvstorts]

I hope you find something out... Back in August when tucco got that cut on his neck from fighting. Are you sure that's how he got it... Did you see it. I really hope someone is not hurting your torts behind your back

Glad you remembered Tucco! He's still doing well. I witnessed the cut. There was no preditor other than Zeus, the other boy.

---

OMG, that is awful. Could he have gotten his head stuck and then pulled and caught to get loose until he died? Do you have a cat, dog, bird loose in the house. Any mice in your house? I am so sorry, the poor thing

I can't fathom what or where he'd get his head stuck. No cats, birds or dogs in the tortoise house. In the pen is a 8 inch flower pot on its side and a saucer of water. If you want to see the house see my thread in Enclosures. I posted it a couple of days ago. He's been in the pen for a month.

---

As tom said above, no gnawing marks. It looks stretched out kind of. IMO, looks like someone grabbed it, and pulled the head off. No animal would make such a "clean" wound. Do you live in an apartment or house? Some sick twisted maintainance man is why im asking... Very sorry you came home to find that.

No maintainance man, kids or anyone in my house much less in my tortoise casa. Its locked at all times.