Happy day! My Three toed box turtle came back after 9 months lost.

[fbsmith3]

Today while cleaning up my old box turtle enclosure, she came walking over to me. I lost her or thought I lost her last August.

This means she hibernated through a New England winter something she has never done sine I first adopted her in 1989.

I am stunned and elated and I am so happy to share this.

 

[Saleama]

Great news! It is amazing how they know how to survive. Turtles are not given enough credit in my opinion!

 

[fbsmith3]

I agree, I only started keeper her outside in the summer in 2011. She had escaped a couple of times and each time literally coming up behind me while I was on my hands and knees searching the weeds. I had thought her enclosure was completely escape proof, but them she disappeared last August. She always came out in the morning for her water change and a little veggies.

I guess she decided that she was going to hide from me so she could hibernate. Otherwise she found a way to tunnel under the fence and decide to return to her enclosure.

I'll study my her enclosure fully. Right now she's eating some bananas, kale and parrot pellets. I changed her waters and go from here.

I was going to make her enclosure a garden, I am so happy to find another place for my garden. Although I'll probably grow some veggies there anyway. It already had several strawberry plants.

 

[Yvonne G]

Sometimes its a good thing when a turtle thinks of you as the food goddess. I've had an escapee every so often and because there are so many in the pen, not realizing they had escaped, only to be surprised one day when they come walking over to me just outside my back door, looking for food.

 

[Saleama]

There is no reason not to plant a garden "as" her enclosure. She will eat what she wants and leave the rest for you. There is no veggie or fruit they can't eat short of really hot peppers and citrus, those they will leave alone in a garden setting. Also, they can dig down roughly 2 feet looking for shelter from the heat and cold. While you have her in hand, so to speak, now would be a good time to line the enclosure with chicken wire. I dig out about a foot deep and 6 - 8 inches from my borders and place the square coated wire in the ground with half in the hole and half bent up along the outer perimiter and then bury it. They will almost always start their dig near the edge and this way, they can go down about a foot and then the wire stops them. In the winter, I build up the back corner with dirt and mulch and pen them back there. They can dig down 2 - 3 feet but still not get under the wire.

 

[TigsMom]

Smiles and giggles. So glad you and she found each other again. It happens, and it's wonderful when it does! You should be very happy and no doubt she is being equally thrilled with lovin' and easy to find yummy foods.

 

[fbsmith3]

Well, she was definitely not thin. He ate very little, but did eat. I was worried since the temperature is going down to 40 F tonight until I realized she has been doing fine outside for 9 months now.

 

[wellington]

WOOHOO, CONGRATS. Love hearing the good endings of lost torts.

 

[Moozillion]

HOORAAAYY!!! I just love happy stories!!!

 

[Ashes]

Yay!! That's fantastic!!!

 

[LoutheRussian]

So good to read some good news early in the morning


Luke&Lou

 

[bouaboua]

Yep! Congrats! Now better heighten the security now.

 

[Daisy’ s mom]

Today while cleaning up my old box turtle enclosure, she came walking over to me. I lost her or thought I lost her last August.

This means she hibernated through a New England winter something she has never done sine I first adopted her in 1989.

I am stunned and elated and I am so happy to share this.

Congratulations