Hello everyone, I know NOTHING about tortoises at all, but am here to ask for anyone's expert help or advice. Naturally, I shall seek professional help, but it's a Sunday and I thought it would be a smart idea to gauge online opinion first. Short summary: 7 months ago we discovered our 10-15 year old tortoise (acquired by inheritance) had gone missing, initially assumed escaped, then we thought he'd been stolen. Today he reappeared in a large enclosure which has no entrance -- we've just walked the perimeter, and there is no way into it.
So there are two options:
1) he is Houdini and found his way in there by choice. Unlikely if not impossible. If he could get in, the resident mini-pigs and mini-goats would have gotten out!
2) he was stolen and they discovered they couldn't resell it so they brought it back. His body is very clean, so we don't think he tried to dig himself into hybernation (which he has never done before anyway) and we have already had frost here, where he's never had to deal with. He is drinking water, no problem, and seems to be interested in food but not yet eating.
Other info: he is bleeding slightly around his nose. It's a fresh wound, maybe he was dropped in there, maybe he was scratched, but he's not appearing to be troubled by it.
His home is a California-style walled tropical garden, a sun-trap with gravel, pavers, and lots of ground-cover. He's lived here for ten years, and is totally happy to be back, sunning himself with his head out much more than he used to do. He is 25cm wide and 40cm long. I can provide photos, but he looks (according to a Google image search) very much like a Sulcata.
And that's it. I'm simply not sure if I need to take extra precautions to ensure he doesn't overheat (if he really was outside for 7 months) or how long to wait before he starts eating (if, indeed, he had been hibernating).
Many, many thanks to you kind people for any advice you might have. I'm a Spaniel kinda gal myself, but we do love our Tort and are delighted to have him back. Even the cats seemed pleased
So there are two options:
1) he is Houdini and found his way in there by choice. Unlikely if not impossible. If he could get in, the resident mini-pigs and mini-goats would have gotten out!
2) he was stolen and they discovered they couldn't resell it so they brought it back. His body is very clean, so we don't think he tried to dig himself into hybernation (which he has never done before anyway) and we have already had frost here, where he's never had to deal with. He is drinking water, no problem, and seems to be interested in food but not yet eating.
Other info: he is bleeding slightly around his nose. It's a fresh wound, maybe he was dropped in there, maybe he was scratched, but he's not appearing to be troubled by it.
His home is a California-style walled tropical garden, a sun-trap with gravel, pavers, and lots of ground-cover. He's lived here for ten years, and is totally happy to be back, sunning himself with his head out much more than he used to do. He is 25cm wide and 40cm long. I can provide photos, but he looks (according to a Google image search) very much like a Sulcata.
And that's it. I'm simply not sure if I need to take extra precautions to ensure he doesn't overheat (if he really was outside for 7 months) or how long to wait before he starts eating (if, indeed, he had been hibernating).
Many, many thanks to you kind people for any advice you might have. I'm a Spaniel kinda gal myself, but we do love our Tort and are delighted to have him back. Even the cats seemed pleased