My first escapee - I am soooo worried!

[Kristina]

Well, we had a bit of a disaster yesterday.

I have a little "playpen" that I use to move the Russians around the yard from time to time, so they can get some fresh weeds. Yesterday, THREE of them got out. No one has ever gotten out of it before, and THREE in one stinking day!!!

My husband found Nurai dug down at the base of a pine stump in my flower bed (he did not discover them missing until 8PM, so they were dug down for the night.) I found Vanya in the same flower bed, dug down next to a rock, within about 5 minutes of getting home from work. David was a little disgusted, he had looked for an hour and even checked the same spot.

I still have not found Darya! I have been pounding the yards of my neighborhood since about 9AM. I know the little buggers' routine, and they don't start to creep out until about 10, so I figured I would find her out somewhere in the yard basking. Both Vanya and Nurai were not 2 feet from the playpen. Darya is plain no where to be found.

All the close neighbors have been notified, as well as the community manager's office, and I made flyers with pictures to put up too. I have two huge fears - someone will hit her with a lawn mower, or take her back to the wetland preserve and toss her in a canal.

Only Sveta had stayed put in the playpen. Needless to say, the playpen is now obsolete. I just sent my kids out to talk to all their neighborhood friends, and see if anyone picked her up. I just can't imagine that she would have gone far - my yard has a ton of dandelions, mallow, plantain, and all kinds of goodies, both shade and sun, and plenty of hiding places.

Wish me luck! I think I need it. I feel like such an idiot.

 

[agiletorts]

Sorry to hear about your loss and I hope you find Darya soon. Usually they don't go far unless somebody pick them up. And during the day it's usually easier to find them as the'y re usually out from their hidings. My next-door neighbor found mine basking in their front yard.

 

[kimber_lee_314]

Whenever I have one go missing - I go out first thing in the morning and usually find them. They usually come out to warm up. You can also look for him in the late afternoon - when they get are eating before bedtime, but mornings are usually better. Good luck!

 

[spikethebest]

they love to dig. just get into tortoise mode... think... if i was a very creative russian tortoise, and i love to dig, where would i go?

 

[Nay]

Kristina, Don't give up hope, I know a good many of us have been through this. It sucks. You are ahead of the game already by not waiting to advertise with flyers etc.
Hope your little makes an apperance soon.
Na

 

[Isa]

I am so sorry to hear you have to go through that Kristina. Good luck, as Cory said, think like a tortoise, where would you hide or go?. Please keep us updated.

 

[Kristina]

FOUND HER!!!

Or rather, my daughter did. She was buried underneath one of the landscape timbers that makes up the outside of their permanent enclosure. She had gone all the way across the yard towards "home."

Thanks for the well wishes everyone! I believe they worked

 

[agiletorts]

So glad to hear that!

 

[Isa]

Yesss! I am sooo happy that you found her Good news!

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I was just gonna send good thoughts your way...but I'm too late, glad you found her...

 

[Jacqui]

Glad I got in on this story once it had a happy ending. I guess may be you found a con about Russians now?

 

[Kristina]

Nah, lol, I don't blame the tortoise She was just looking for a good place to sleep, and mom wasn't home to put her to bed!

I am not surprised it was Darya, she is by far the most "intelligent" of the 4. It amazes me that she ended up right by the pen, almost directly outside her normal burrow. What an incredible sense of direction!

 

[terryo]

Kristina...just read this thread, and am a little late in wishing and hoping for you, but I'm happy you found her.

 

[Kristina]

Thanks Terry

 

[theprincessandpeter]

Well, we had a bit of a disaster yesterday.

I have a little "playpen" that I use to move the Russians around the yard from time to time, so they can get some fresh weeds. Yesterday, THREE of them got out. No one has ever gotten out of it before, and THREE in one stinking day!!!

My husband found Nurai dug down at the base of a pine stump in my flower bed (he did not discover them missing until 8PM, so they were dug down for the night.) I found Vanya in the same flower bed, dug down next to a rock, within about 5 minutes of getting home from work. David was a little disgusted, he had looked for an hour and even checked the same spot.

I still have not found Darya! I have been pounding the yards of my neighborhood since about 9AM. I know the little buggers' routine, and they don't start to creep out until about 10, so I figured I would find her out somewhere in the yard basking. Both Vanya and Nurai were not 2 feet from the playpen. Darya is plain no where to be found.

All the close neighbors have been notified, as well as the community manager's office, and I made flyers with pictures to put up too. I have two huge fears - someone will hit her with a lawn mower, or take her back to the wetland preserve and toss her in a canal.

Only Sveta had stayed put in the playpen. Needless to say, the playpen is now obsolete. I just sent my kids out to talk to all their neighborhood friends, and see if anyone picked her up. I just can't imagine that she would have gone far - my yard has a ton of dandelions, mallow, plantain, and all kinds of goodies, both shade and sun, and plenty of hiding places.

Wish me luck! I think I need it. I feel like such an idiot.

Don't worry. My tortoise escaped too and he was gone for a month with heavy thunderstorms and survived with no harm. Make sure you put flyers in mailboxes because thats how we got ours back. A lot of people said he would be around the house but he was 7 houses away! I gave flyers to the surrounding blocks. I hope she comes home soon. Never lose hope! I went through the same thing with the same concerns. Just keep searching.