We recently got 4 torts and one is missing. We have looked everywhere in our yard and surrounding area. We are new owners. Any tips on locating our missing one. He's quite large... But not huge. 12 inches and maybe 10 pounds??? My husband has a crazy idea about getting a blood hound to find him!?! Would that work? Any suggestions? Thanks...Jen
Missing tortoise.
- Thread starter jboyen
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Sorry 
So have you completely searched your yard for possible places he could have crawled or dug under and may still be within your yard, just hiding? Also have you found any location he could have squeezed thru or under? That way you can fix it for the rest of them.
Next have you started asking around your neighborhood? Tried offering a reward to neighborhood kids, if they find him? Put up posters? Posted on places that allow missing animal ads? Called the local animal control/humane society, pet stores, and Vets?
So have you completely searched your yard for possible places he could have crawled or dug under and may still be within your yard, just hiding? Also have you found any location he could have squeezed thru or under? That way you can fix it for the rest of them.Next have you started asking around your neighborhood? Tried offering a reward to neighborhood kids, if they find him? Put up posters? Posted on places that allow missing animal ads? Called the local animal control/humane society, pet stores, and Vets?
I'm sorry he's gone astray. I doubt a bloodhound would recognise the scent. they have to be trained. The best thing to do is to put something irresistible (strawberry) in a nice sunny place and wait.
I assume you've checked your boundary fences to make sure he hasn't left your property?
I doubt a bloodhound would recognise the scent. they have to be trained. The best thing to do is to put something irresistible (strawberry) in a nice sunny place and wait.I assume you've checked your boundary fences to make sure he hasn't left your property?
What species of tortoise?
So sorry one of your torts went astray. As Jacqui has said. Look very close, crawling on hands and knees, your whole enclosure. Under every bush, log, rock, etc. If it is a sulcata, which I think it is. They can dig giant holes/caves. Then also do the postings, let vets in your area know, animal control know. Best of luck, hope you find him soon. Let's us know.
Just search search search one time i lost my Sulcata on vacation, i found him the next day in the backyard i was staying but it was very scarry. Hope all goes well, sorry to hear.
Hello Jen and welcome to the forum...
Just do what was suggested, you would be suprised how easy they blend into there surroundings...
Just do what was suggested, you would be suprised how easy they blend into there surroundings...
dmarcus said:
Sometimes my Russian is hard to find luckily my husband has great torotise eyes. They really can hide though.
Definately post signs.... and keep looking....
Signs, ask around, the food in a sunny area great idea.. My Belgium Shepard will find our tort, we just say wheres Willie and she will track right to him... You would be amazed at what dogs can find if hey have a starting sent.. If you know someone with a good tracking dog, it wont hurt. Where are you located? Also keep looking, ours loves to vanish under brush- many large shrubs have been removed from my backyard... Good luck and keep watch, it will turn up.
Thanks everyone! And yes... It's a sulcata male we think. We live in the hill country of San Antonio Tx. Our yard is 3/4 of an acre of hilly rocks with grasses, wildflowers, cactuses and weeds. A tortoise could thrive for quite awhile. It was a beginners mistake really. We didn't have a completed enclosure. We had just got them and of course they were larger and smarter than we anticipated!! We were letting the roam and graze while we watched them. Well they are so much faster than we thought and the largest of the 4 just got out of sight. The enclosure is finished and the other 3 are doing great! Hopefully their fearless leader will be found! Also what kind of vitamins do you recommend. Any other beginner tips welcomed!
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never underestimate what they can do. i once lost my 120g sulcata and me, my bestfriend, and parents looked EVERYWHERE for it, even in all of the neighbors yards. everytime i went inside i thought to look under the 3rd step to get to my porch bc it is hollow but i never did because i would say "no thats crazy, he would have to climb 2 steps". after hours of searching we were going to give up for the evening(was getting dark). I finally looked under the step and there he was! still have no idea how he did it.
i wish you the best of luck and glad your other 3 are doing good!
i wish you the best of luck and glad your other 3 are doing good!
Have you found him yet?
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I hope so I lost mine for 6 hrs one time. I finally found him under a heater that was only as high as his shell when he was laying down. He squeezed in there somehow. I hope he has shown up for you.
Still no signs of him...and today the smallest named Ella managed to escape their fenced area. Luckily she came straight to the flower bed by our back porch. I did a search of their fenced area and watched her a while. She was looking again for a way to escape. I found the hole she got out and fixed it!! Why do they want out?!? They have a large area bigger than most peoples back yard! Tons of grass and weeds, don't know why they want out?
the grass is always greener on the other side...
can they see thru the fence? If so, you need to make it solid. Put up some boards so they can't see out.
can they see thru the fence? If so, you need to make it solid. Put up some boards so they can't see out.
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My daughter lost ours outside one time and we had all the kids (and some of the parents) on the street crawling around looking like lunatics. Once we found him my daughter decided that this was going to be his outside uniform. A piece of tape with flowers attached so we could easily see him walking. I found it rather amusing.
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Great news... After missing for 4 weeks our Sulcata has been found!! One street up!!! They posted signs but we never saw them. We posted signs but someone kept taking them down. The bad news was the people who found it were planning to keep it since no one responded, so they engraved it!!!???? As new Sulcata owners should we do this to the others?? Is there an easy and safe way to tag them with info in case they ever get out again?
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jboyen said:
I'm not sure but I wouldn't never intentionally scrape my torts shell. Other people use dog tags and have them chipped.
'Gratz on finding him! These little guys are much FASTER than people think!
...so, what did they engrave on him?
...so, what did they engrave on him?
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