GPS? Air Tag?

[LisaLew]

Have you used a GPS or air tag on your tortoise? I searched in the group and I don't see any current discussion about this.

I didn't like the idea at first, but now warming up if it's a healthy "better safe than sorry" option. For reference, we have a healthy seven year-old red foot female.

 

[Tom]

I ran an AirTag on one of mine because it would go hide in the tall weeds and I couldn't find it at night to put it away in its night box. The enclosure is huge and the weeds get head high after our winter rains. I just taped it on.

 

[longevity]

I ran an AirTag on one of mine because it would go hide in the tall weeds and I couldn't find it at night to put it away in its night box. The enclosure is huge and the weeds get head high after our winter rains. I just taped it on.

@Tom Can you share how big this AirTag is, and how you attach it to the tortoise?

 

[Tom]

@Tom Can you share how big this AirTag is, and how you attach it to the tortoise?

It's an Apple Air Tag. It's about the size of a quarter and works with your phone. I stuck it on with tape, but aquarium type silicone glue will work too. Or double sided tape.

 

[ryan57]

I second the air tag choice if the tortoise is 15 or so lbs. The thing to know is, if you use an air tag, there must be a Bluetooth device close to see it. Meaning if it's in your yard you can walk around with your phone and actually see where it is and activate the air tag to make a sound. If your tortoise is in the middle of a cornfield with no wi-fi to show location you will need to walk the field with your phone until you're in range and it shows up. Hope this helps.

If it is a small species of any animal, there are professional RF devices/systems that are weatherproof and wicked expensive but during the season when tortoises are out they have been useful to know where they are at all times. Use some GE Silicone 1 to attach it somewhere that it can't get rubbed off. I use the area above the right rear leg and it's very, very small so it won't get caught on anything.

 

[longevity]

@Tom and @ryan57 , Thank you for the information.

The RF device size seems really interesting for a tortoise, but it’s too expensive. I think the AirTag will be the best option for my needs and budget. I checked the market here and found a $4 AirTag with very good reviews.

Since my baby is only 8 inches, I don’t think I can glue it to his shell without affecting his new growth line. I’ll wait until he gets bigger before using an AirTag. Meanwhile, I’ll just donate my blood to the mosquitoes in the garden while looking for him in the bushes.

I usually let him play in the back garden from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sometimes, he goes back to his hide spot near the back door, so I just need to pick him up, soak him, and put him inside his enclosure until the next morning.

The issue is that about 3 out of 10 times, he doesn’t go back, but hides in the bushes. Then I have to check one by one, and the mosquitoes here are pretty crazy and very itchy!

 

[MenagerieGrl]

Yes, I use a Tile Tracker" (Now Life360). It has a CR2032 replaceable battery in it. It is Bluetooth and sometimes, may take a few Min to connect. It chimes, But on windy days may be hard to hear. I have it velcroed and duct taped to Seymores back side. It is about 1" x1" by 3/16" (25x25x5mm) Battery last quite a while. Here's a picture, I have since added another piece of duct tape. I would prefer a GPS, but don't want to have an ongoing charge to use.

 

[RhodaE]

We use a TILE tag on our 30+ yr old leopard tortoise. We glued it onto his shell and my husband painted it to blend in with his shell. It has its limitations but it makes it SO much easier to quickly locate him in our yard. We check on him all throughout the day. The only two times he escaped our yard, was before we had the tile.

 

[ryan57]

I second the air tag choice if the tortoise is 15 or so lbs. The thing to know is, if you use an air tag, there must be a Bluetooth device close to see it. Meaning if it's in your yard you can walk around with your phone and actually see where it is and activate the air tag to make a sound. If your tortoise is in the middle of a cornfield with no wi-fi to show location you will need to walk the field with your phone until you're in range and it shows up. Hope this helps.

If it is a small species of any animal, there are professional RF devices/systems that are weatherproof and wicked expensive but during the season when tortoises are out they have been useful to know where they are at all times. Use some GE Silicone 1 to attach it somewhere that it can't get rubbed off. I use the area above the right rear leg and it's very, very small so it won't get caught on anything.

View attachment 395042

View attachment 395043

Looking at the reactions! Stumpy and the figster aren’t getting lost. Stumps last August vacation cost me $2000 so there’s no difference. Can’t happen again.

 

[Maggie3fan]

I had a large male Sulcata who had gatedar, and would climb 8 stairs to get to the street to take off...my Vet put that (forgot the name) tag thing under his skin easily and fortunately I never had to use it...but my Vet made it no muss no fuss...