OMG OMG! My baby! Mr. Pickles got OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jmhoesch]

OMG OMG OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I went out to check on Mr. Pickles before it got dark last night and he wasn't in the enclosure! I FREAKED! I got my husband and my daughter and we tore it up looking for him, thinking that he buried himself. NOPE..................I'm hysterical looking all over our yard for 20 min! I'm crying..............My husband is sitting there scratching his head saying, "how did he get out"??????????????????? 22 min and I find him! See that orange plant in the corner of the picture? HE WAS UNDER THAT SLEEPING!! You can see his enclosure in the back ground! OMG my poor baby! This is how my husband thinks he got out..............see that purple plant in the second pic? There's a 1/2 log right beside it. My husband thinks he got on top of that, then got on top of that purple plant, used it as a ramp then on to the ledge then dropped down. OMG he probably fell on his little head! I see no damage to his shell...............he's running around the enclosure............................The third picture is my husband DIGGING UP that plant! My heart was going so fast.... The border around the enclosure is 18 inches! There's a lip too. I was so worried! I screamed when I found him and hugged him so tight! Then I held him up and yelled at him! My husband also hammered a board on the bottom part of the ONLY gate leading out of the yard, so...................if he ever manages to do this again, he CANNOT get out of our yard. That wall goes all the way around and beneath it, it's concrete...........My heart was beating so fast last night. Thought I'd have a heart attack! It took me nearly all night to calm down............

 

[StuMac]

Good lord. So glad you found him! Think a name change may be in order......Houdini sounds appropriate
I got a fright today when I left Slash out in his escape proof garden, and he wasn't in any of his 3 hides......he was UNDER the patch of moss I planted for him. They sure know how to scare us!

 

[kathyth]

I'm so happy you found Mr. Pickles! I would make sure there is nothing along the walling that he can boost himself up and over, on.
Scares like that are a darn good lesson for all of us.
Glad all are ok!

 

[Yvonne G]

Yeah, they're very good at using artificial ladders to scale the walls. Thank goodness you found him.

 

[Tom]

Yeah, they're very good at using artificial ladders to scale the walls. Thank goodness you found him.

I am convinced that russians can levitate sometimes. But only when people are not watching...

 

[Jacqui]

You know what, can you take a close up picture of where that enclosure wall meets up with the wall for me please? Over by where the purple grass plant was.

 

[jmhoesch]

Sure, give me a few. Mr. Pickles is taking a bath. lol

 

[dmmj]

I am convinced that russians can levitate sometimes. But only when people are not watching...

They actually have little grappling hooks hidden in their shells.


Cap any corners those buggers can climb.

 

[Saleama]

Cap any angled areas where walls come together and make sure there is nothing within 6 -8 inches of any outer wall. You might also look for any way he could burrow under that wall. I have a male that escaped 3 times and I found him every time. The second escape of my small female proved to be her last. Someone found her and took her and I have yet to get her back. My point is, they are escape artists and will disappear without a second thought.

 

[tortgirl123]

This exact same thing happened to me the other night. We couldn't find him until the next day though! Glad you found him though!

 

[ascott]

 

[bouaboua]

Good LORD alright!!!

Glad that you found him. Higher measures are needed......

 

[StuMac]

View attachment 80158

Damn! Was that legit,or a posed shot? I fear for that maniac. Imagine the impact on that wee bugger when it fell. *Shudders*

 

[ascott]

I post the pic so you can see that this species is literally the Spidertort of the tortoise world...they are fabulous climbers....they use what ever is at their disposal....

 

[StuMac]

Spidertort! Great name for an escape artist!! I'm lucky in that my hermanns doesn't like climbing much, plus his outdoor enclosure has 3 walls and a 2 foot fence surrounding it. He ain't going nowhere...( goes to double check him!)

 

[Teacup]

I'm glad you found him! Mr Pickles obviously is one determined little tort.

 

[Moozillion]

WHEW!!!! Congratulations on finding that little scamp!!!

 

[Jlant85]

Escape artist at finest! Glad you found him! I remember when I had my first heart attack. My wife called and said he couldn't find my torts on my outdoor enclose. Something you don't want to hear while working. Got home and just like I told her, he dug and I spotted him at first glance.

 

[ascott]

Got home and just like I told her, he dug and I spotted him at first glance.

What a perfect statement, sometimes we humans have a tendency to quickly equate a tortoise to our like thinking...when in actuality they are nothing like us .....sometimes we need to observe more and not be so quick to "know something is wrong"....

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Welcome to the wonderful world of trying to contain a Russian tortoise! lol