The Prodigal Tortoise

[Chu-Chu]

Hey everyone!

I am new here and first time owner of a tortoise. Just want to share with you that Chu-Chu, my newly adopted baby leopard tortoise has gone astray. I left him in the backyard to graze and went inside for a while and he was no where in sight when I came back outside. I think he might have snucked under the fence. He was a very active baby, perhaps too quick for his kind, that's why he out-smart me and gone away! I missed him dearly! I plan to look for him again at sunrise tomorrow morning and hopefully he'll come out to bask. A piece of advice for everyone: DON'T UNDERESTIMATE YOUR TORTOISE!!! Any advise from any of you experts would be much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[AMBene]

I'm not an expert, but a newbie myself. thank you for sharing your experience. I am building an outdoor area for my 2 hatchlings and will make sure it is secure from predators and wanderers. Good luck, I hope you fine Chu-Chu soon.

 

[Chu-Chu]

Thanks! Chu-Chu is gone for good! A valuable lesson for my future babies!

Enjoy the beautiful spring weather!!!

I'm not an expert, but a newbie myself. thank you for sharing your experience. I am building an outdoor area for my 2 hatchlings and will make sure it is secure from predators and wanderers. Good luck, I hope you fine Chu-Chu soon.

 

[agiletorts]

Sorry to hear about your lost. I have leopards too but never lost them as they're not as active as my greeks. I've lost my greeks more than 4 times but always found them afterwards. The worst was losing my greek - then only 1 year old. He went missing the entire winter/spring and my neighbor found him late spring basking in their frontyard. He's perfectly fine after spending more than 4 months outdoor (probably hibernating somewhere).

Depending on where do you live, your leopard tortoise may survive for a long time outdoor. Leopards don't hibernate so coming winter will be tough. I live in San Francisco Bay area and I keep my leopards in my backyard from April to October without any special housing (I take them indoor during rainy or cold days only, usually here during late October to March). So talk to your neighbors just in case they've seen your baby leopard. They're very active during the day where temperatures goes above mid 70's. My leopards like to hide under something that could provide cover for them, like bushes or shrubs. During hot summer days, they like to go out when the sprinkler is on if you don't regularly dip them in water bowl or something.

 

[Yvonne G]

This reminds me of another story. (Oh no! you say...another story???)

When I first moved to this house about 11 or 12 years ago and built my box turtle pen I had an escapee that I didn't even know escaped. So one day I was out there with the food and placing food in each pen, stepping over the fence...place food, etc. I stepped back out to the path and here comes this little 3-toed box turtle running over to me begging for food...coming from the OUTSIDE of the pen!!!

Needless to say, I went over that pen with a fine tooth comb and made a few adjustments!


Yvonne

 

[agiletorts]

how funny! Can't believe he was found right in the front basking! LOL after all that time! In the wild, do you know if they usually travel very far from home?

Not sure how leopards behave in the wild, maybe someone who lives or used to live in Africa could let us know. In my opinion, I think it depends on the personality of the tortoise. I have two leopards in my backyard; on a warm day when they're most active searching for foods, one likes to wander back and forth just within less than 10 ft, while the other roams/explores all over my entire backyard.

 

[Laura]

Never leave them unattended out of their pens. :-(
Keep looking.. but also look up.. Do you have Ravens in your area? They might prey on little tortoises. Sorry

 

[jasso2]

some guy told me he lost his 125lb sulcata for months and then found him about 30 miles away walkin on the shoulder of the road. (he lives out in the country, lots of ranches). pretty cool.

 

[K9KidsLove]

Do you have a photo of him? I would make some posters with his picture on them, & post them near you, in stores, on trees, etc.
Good luck
Patsy