Lost cherryhead baby

[Pearly]

I'm posting this here just in case there are some behavior specifics about the species that could help in finding this little baby. Every time we have nice sunny day we take the babies out for their exercise outdoors. Their outdoor enclosure is not done yet so I just stay with them and don't let them out of my sight. Past couple of days I've been letting them in my untreated flower bed full of pansies, violas, snapdragons and calendulas. There are no chemicals in there and I've started seeing more little snails which they love to hunt for, so stupid me thought to let them have fun hunting for a while before I have to do something about it. I always like natural better than store bought... They LOVE that garden bed!!!! so much more than just marching on the sidewalk... For a moment I directed my attention to Shellie who was trying to manage whole snail in her mouth (with it's shell) and for a moment looked like she was gonna choke. She stuffed the whole us crushed trumpet of the snails shell in her mouth, but after few seconds of hesitation she regurgitated the whole thing. That few seconds was enough for Tucker to disappear!

I am completely devastated! My daughter (the torts' mom) is heartbroken. We went through that flower bed moving/shaking every plant, I removed all fallen leaves... The grass around is cut short and dormant now but I looked in every dent in the ground where he could have snuggled in... Nothing!!!
I was outside with flashlight till 11pm! It gets dark now at 7pm

Ironically before this happened I was thinking to myself that I'd give my kids new challenge, to come up with clever way of safe marking for the babies' outdoor time (something like that red helium balloon only more fitting with the size of our babies)...

At first I was not going to post on here at all. I can just hear some comments already...
I was very hesitant, I know I'm opening myself up to some harsh criticism, opinions and judgment for not being proactive enough in keeping my babies safe. But if that's a price to pay for potentially good advise and tips I'll just swallow my pride and humbly take those comments.

If anyone out there has ever been successful in finding a cherryhead baby or any tort baby and used some specific techniques on the rescue mission, please share with me. I've already posted on the 3 neighborhood sites that we have here. My daughter made flyers that are being printed, and the kids will go door to door as well as posting flyers on every lamp post and street sign of the subdivision.

It is warming up now, and I'm getting ready to put my garden clothes on and go back searching. Am I missing something? Could I be doing something else?

 

[Yvonne G]

Do you think the baby could have climbed out of the flower bed? What I mean is, are the walls short enough he could have gotten out?

I've noticed my little YF hatchling makes quite an indentation in the ground under plants and gets pretty well-hidden and out of sight.

 

[Pearly]

Do you think the baby could have climbed out of the flower bed? What I mean is, are the walls short enough he could have gotten out?

I've noticed my little YF hatchling makes quite an indentation in the ground under plants and gets pretty well-hidden and out of sight.

Oh, Yvonne! I was hoping you'd see my post! It is soooooo good to have you back! You were sorely missed❣
I didn't think they'd climb out but I tested it during the search and Shellie did climb out, which opens.... The whole damn area, my garden, the neighbors.... Across the street.... It was in the 40's last night! If I find him I'm preparing to take him to the emergency reptile vet's in Austin. I just want to find him before some dog or hawk does, or some stupid "trophy collecting" kid who has no clue how to care for him...

 

[Yvonne G]

This is very sad, and I'm so sorry it has happened to you and your baby. When he started getting cold, he dug in. I really doubt he's gone far. Chances are he's buried or partially buried under a plant, trying to stay warm.

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

I am so sorry Pearly (and family). I don't have any relevant experience to offer but I wish you luck with your search.

 

[allegraf]

Unlikely a hawk will get him, if he is still small, they camouflage exceptionally well. I would put half clay pots or something that looks like a little cave around the yard to encourage him to take shelter for the cold. Check them as often as you can to see if he hunkered down in any of the little covers, all is not lost. He may turn up months from now.

 

[Pearly]

Thank you so much! I'm getting ready to cut down all of my low growing perennials. If I weren't so dang tired and if I had better lighting last night I'd pull them all out. I am soooo mad with myself!!!!what the heck was I thinking?! Doing Heimlich on Shellie?! I should have trusted her natural ability to handle her food items even if they seem little big for her mouth... One moment! That's all it took! And I've read stories of escaped torts, and I thought I was being so careful, so proactive....

 

[wellington]

Don't be so hard on yourself and no one else should either. It's amazing how fast they can be when you need them not to. Also, boy can they hide. I used to panic when I would lose my leopard and I knew he couldn't get out of the enclosure.
Don't trust just your eyes to find him. They can blend in like you wouldn't believe. Get on hands and knees and feel every spot with your hands. My leopard could be right in my sight, but because he blended in so well I didn't see him.
Good luck and I hope you find him soon. He will probably be looking at you like, what's the panic all about. Give nice warm soak when you do find him, and of course let us know.

 

[MPRC]

I know that RFs don't really bask, but maybe running a few heat lights outside near nice hiding places might bring him out. I would use a lot or even a cardboard box and try that.
Also leaving out a favorite treat in a couple places may help you narrow down his range.
Another trick that works well for lost critters indoors that you may be able to modify is creating a ring of flour or something around where you suspect he is and looking for disturbances. Maybe you could modify this idea somehow.

Best of luck and don't be afraid to search NEAR and FAR - my 6in Redfoot will take me on a 100 yard out and then back walk if I give her enough time in the pasture.

 

[Pearly]

Thank you! I'm cutting down my low perennials now, and will rake all the stuff out to bare ground. Then yes, I will get down on all 4 and will be touching everything around, thank you for that. I just hope that in this relatively cool weather his metabolism is not too fast and giving him energy to walk far. Oh God! How I pray to find him!!!! Please, those of you that do pray, join me!!! I tend to believe in stuff like that. Those who don't pray, please send your good energy this way to help this frantic tort g-Ma in her search. Flyers have been posted, my kids are too shy to go door to door, I'll have to do that myself, but not now. As long as the sun is out I'love be looking around

 

[Pearly]

. Leaving no stones unturned. There is water runoff drain on our sidewalk, my husband was kind (and brave!) enough to get inside and see if Tucker didn't fall in there. Nope! He didn't.

 

[MPRC]

You may want to block that drain for now just to make sure he doesn't go down it now that you have checked it.

Maybe you can offer the neighborhood kids a reward for helping search your yard. Pizza for everyone and $20 to anyone who finds him or something?

 

[Pearly]

You may want to block that drain for now just to make sure he doesn't go down it now that you have checked it.

Maybe you can offer the neighborhood kids a reward for helping search your yard. Pizza for everyone and $20 to anyone who finds him or something?

Yes, though not too many kids on our street, we'll be going door to door with flyers. I gotta feed the brigade now, and will go back out. I have put out bunch of terracotta pots around where he got lost. Placed little of his favorite food in each one. Cut down all the bushy perennials in the garden next to this area, still... no sign of him. Some of the neighbors are already looking as well. Right now, I'm pretty overwhelmed feeling like I'm looking for a needle in haystack

 

[Anyfoot]

Any news @Pearly.

 

[Pearly]

Any news @Pearly.

No. Just finished setting up a little nest with CHE going, food, clean water, hide stuffed with moist moss, his favorite food.... I keep thinking he must be somewhere dug-in in that pansy bed where I last saw him. I have reached out to MANY of our neighbors already too

 

[dannylozano10]

I have reached out to MANY of our neighbors already too

I wish I could help find your tort omg I'm getting nervous but I feel that he's fine and just hiding

 

[dannylozano10]

You should've put a bow or balloon around him to easily spot him lol(saw that idea in a thread)

 

[Anyfoot]

No. Just finished setting up a little nest with CHE going, food, clean water, hide stuffed with moist moss, his favorite food.... I keep thinking he must be somewhere dug-in in that pansy bed where I last saw him. I have reached out to MANY of our neighbors already too

Is your yard wide open or closed off ?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I'm so sorry Ewa.
This has happened to me twice.
The first time the tortoise wasn't actually gone from his enclosure and was found two days later, still in it. I have no idea where he had hidden.
The second time, it was an escape through a hole. That tortoise was captured days later trying to get back inside.
I sure hope that you have the same good luck.
I have some experience with my wife crawling around with flashlights...Keep in mind it doesn't know it has escaped and isn't hiding.
It is behaving as it always does and will be searching for food, water and sunlight.

 

[TardisTortoise]

Look for her as the day starts to warm up. You may find her basking to warm up. I lost tardis once when he was only 15lbs. Turns out the neighbor found him and relocated him to a field thinking he was native wild life. I searched for 3 days, and one mourning he came charging out of the long grass. When he saw me, he ran over to see if I had any goodies. Talk to all your neighbors. They will probably help you look. Put signs every where. Give them to shelters, animal hospitals, & pet stores. Good luck!