Miricale !!!! Lost turtle found after 7 months

enchilada

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Praise Lord , Miricale !!
One of my DBT was lost back in Aug 2017 , when my pond was just finished construction but fence was not very secure ( first time building it so I was still figuring out ) . FCBEFBEB-33B9-4EFE-9BA7-5B9BEEB42922.jpeg
Later I reinforced the fences . But I kept searching for it for two weeks until all hopes were lost . I thought it must have escaped out of my house because the side yard door gap is 2 inches above ground .
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2 days ago I found it wandering in my side yard , and I thought it was my other DBT who escaped until both of them showed up .

So for 7 months , it has no access back to the pond , no food , only sprinkles water , temperatures from 110F + to 45F , predictors from ravens to raccoons to coyotes. chances to escape to outside world for 7 months,
But he still made it .



This was when they were small , back in 2016
The larger one is the one lost .

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This was tonight .
Notice how wide the other DBT’s growth line. It was 1 inch shorter than the lost one last summer . 370378F3-DD73-46D1-95F2-9E8036989F29.jpeg A64C95C8-7C7C-4397-9DDF-EC06FCB890F3.jpeg F897AB4E-D3AF-45F3-97D2-5CBD8053351D.jpeg
 

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Yvonne G

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All I can say is, "WOW"!!!!!
 

Moozillion

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WOW!!!!! FAN.TAS.TIC!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
It is SO WONDERFUL to hear a story like this- so often it's despair over a lost turtle that is never found.
This really brightened my day!!!!!:)
THANKS!!!!!:<3:
 

Moozillion

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And this is all the happier for me because DBT are one of my DREAM turtles!!!!!!!!!!!!! :):<3::):<3::):<3::):<3:
 

NorCal tortoise guy

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So happy for you! I had a turtle go missing during pond reconstruction a few years ago but she ended up getting in the next door neighbors yard and got chewed on by there dog I felt terrible but with the vets help and hard work she made it through she is a tough old girl! glad yours didn't have to go through something like that!
 

Markw84

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@enchilada that is great news!! DBT's are perhaps the best example of a turtle I know that will disappear for long periods of time. I have found they will dig into the ground and simply aestivate and brumate for extended periods of time. I feel this is often exacerbated by being kept in water that is not brackish. Also young DBTs, like most all chelonians, are extremely secretive in the wild. If they do not "feel" like they have good secure hiding spots, they will simple dig in somewhere and hide at times. Especially when kept outdoors in a pond environment where they have access to nice, planted areas.
 
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