Glad to hear you have some help. I'm rooting for the little troublemaker [emoji846] keep us posted
Stuck in burrow
- Thread starter Kamisaki2008
- Start date
Just checking in. Hoping for the best
Sorry, but been gone from tortoiseforum land for the past two days...
@Kamisaki2008
Yes, the ground temperature at that depth in your area should be keeping the burrow right around 50°-55° So not as cold as you thought, but still cold enough to kill a sulcata if they cannot warm up in a few days.
I have found sulcatas are estremely resistant to disease and respiratory type infections. What does normally kill them if left outside is severe enteritis. Without heat to sustain any metabolic function - anything in their gut will actually start to rot and start inflaming the intestinal tract leading to infection. That is why so many feel sulcatas are "FINE" with cold overnight temps. It seems to work a majority of the time BUT that is IF the sulcata can heat up to close to 80° the next day or so to stimulate some metabolic function. Without that - it is inviting disaster! Even 2-3 days like you have going can be survivable, but I would get him out ASAP as you are on the edge.
The only way I have seen that reliably works, especially with bigger sulcatas, is to dig down BEHIND where the tortoise is with a new hole aimed at reaching the burrow just behind the sulcata. From that hole, you can usually enlarge that small section of the burrow towards your tortoise and get him out.
Keep us posted.
Kamisaki2008
Member
We are still trying to get to him. It snowed all day yesterday. Heaters are still going. My fingers are crossed also. Thanks everyone. He's one of the family 
Kamisaki2008
Member
Kamisaki2008
Member
Thank you. I did not know that about the gastroenteritis. That certainly makes it even more urgent.
Any news?
Been thinking about this also. Praying for good news
Kamisaki2008
Member
We spent six hours yesterday digging. I went head first into the burrow six times. We enlarged the tunnel as far as we dared without causing a collapse. I can get to him but can only grab him with my left hand and other people have to pull me out with ropes. Because of the angle, I cannot get enough Leverage to pull him out. I can wiggle him back and forth slightly, but his body is on an incline away from me. His shell is wedged against the top of the cavern, and I could not force anything over him to pull him out. His legs were still very movable as well as his head. But his eyes are closed. Digging from behind is not an option, as the cavern is under a foundation of a chicken coop that is set in cement. My guess is that it is about 65 degrees at the bottom. It is quite warm. We kept the heat lamp in there and put Heat reflective Insulation at the entrance with a gap for air circulation. I tried to get a crowbar behind him and pull him forward, but the side of the cavern would give way when I would put pressure on it to get leverage. I tried bike hooks connected to a chain , but I cannot get them over his shell behind him then there is no way to get the right angle for pulling him up . It is so frustrating to be so close and not be able to get him out. He is so dang heavy. I am the only one small enough to go down there, and I am a hundred and twenty pound 41 year old woman. :/ I am strong, but not strong enough to pull him with one hand! If I could grab him and then bend my elbow to pull him I could maybe get him off the incline, but my arms have to be straight out in front of me
Take a heavy spoon or small hand trowel with you and work at the dirt on top of his shell to try to enlarge the space. If that doesn't work, dig at the dirt in front and under him to get him down from the ceiling so you can maneuver him.
We are all rooting for you and hoping for the best. I know how worried you must be.
Diamond
Active Member
So sorry for you both. I'm sure you are worried sick about him. Sounds like you and your helpers are doing all you can. We are rooting for you all. Praying he comes through ok.
Have you verified if he is still alive? Can you lift all his legs? or is he using his legs to stay wedged? If he is alive the flooded burrow trick does work, Just fill it a little at a time slowly so he has plenty time to respond. Maybe take a spray bottle and spray him in the face, Get some kind of reaction out of him. If you unstick him loop a thick rope like a tow strap around both his front legs, make it so it pulls tight on his legs and drag him out. Some thick webbing won't hurt him at all. Good luck, I hope he is just messing with you and not passed.
Kamisaki2008
Member
Thank you for all of the ideas. We are going to try one more time today. I'm going to take a small trowel down and try again to dig out the dirt in front of him. It's really hard because I can't move my arms side to side or forward and back. So it's just tiny movements with my wrists. I have a ratchet strap that I will try to hook around his front legs and cinch it up. I'm getting some strong men to come hold my feet, I think it will take more strength than my teenage boys to pull me back. If I can Loop the strap around my arms as they pulled me back, maybe I can maneuver him around the corner and up the tunnel. It's a long shot, but I think it's the last option. Thank you for all the ideas, I'm kind of combining them all into one process! Since he is completely unresponsive, I really don't feel good about using water. But if something like this ever happened again, I would use water as soon as he went down there. I have to say this is one challenge that I didn't expect to have as a single mom!
Last edited:
Thank you for the updates. My thoughts are with you and your shelled friend. My fingers are hurting from so much and so long crossing them.
I hope you can get him out. I hope he is alive. I wish you all luck in the world.
I hope you can get him out. I hope he is alive. I wish you all luck in the world.
if you don't get him , i have to think the best solution was markw84's . estimating where he is at and digging straight down 6 feet by hand doesn't take very long . i guess if your soil is real rocky , could take a couple hours , clay isn't bad as it comes out in chunks , might make a mess of your yard , but it's way doable , hire a couple kids to do it , just make sure you take the dirt away from the hole in a wheelbarrow until your most of the way down .............
Still wishing you all the best.
Shaif
Well-Known Member
Oh my! You are an amazing lady. I’m awed by what you have done for your sully. BEST of Luck. I hope with all my heart that he and you are ok.
Good luck! Maybe the local Fire Department can help. They always get credit for rescuing cats from trees.... help, your tort needs 911!
