I think,the story was posted on here when he got out. I remember seeing it someplace. So glad they found him safe and sound.
Yes, they can be chipped. The only thing wrong with it, most people/rescues wouldn't think to look for a chip on a tortoise. However, I guess if you don't let the story die, eventually it may actually work out, like it did this one.
Well that new link almost makes it sounds like the microchip didn't help at all.... It was just luck that they caught wind of the ad and used the chip to confirm...
I hope the foster family put up ads originally when they found him and didn't hold onto him for 6 months without checking for an owner.
I am the one that fostered him, the News Article was not that accurate, as are most things in the News .
I found Eddie at a home in a very remote area SW of my town Maricopa.
I am the person on call for PHS for my area for wildlife or exotic removal. I honestly thought it was going to be a DT, which is the case when most people say it is a 100lb desert tortoise, its usually a 5lb real DT. Although Sullies are not uncommon, and there are feral colonies here already.
I did hang flyers, went to all feedstores and all my farmer contacts the day after we picked him up. I did not take him back to PHS for reasons that he was obviosly taken care for, most Sullies found are in bad shape.
He has a near perfect shell, thus why I was really filtering all the calls, everyone of them said he has pointy shell. I was going to scan him, but with the area I found him in, and my schedule, I just back burner it, lesson learned. I really should have scanned him, its just usually very rare, but my bad.
I was willing to keep him forever till I could find a suitable home, I already have 2 females though and do not want to deal with Hatchlings. Thus why after 6months of fostering him and searching for his family, I tried to find a new home for him.
The area that he traveled needs to be seen to understand why he traveled so far, its very desolate and really only has people around during Cotton season, although most fields have wild alfalfa, which was what his
scat was made up of