UPDATE: Lost Tortoise Slader Found Alive but Cold

[Aristotle]

I wanted to share the good news with all of you wonderful TF-ers that Slader is alive and well (as far as I can tell). I found him this morning - not buried, but on top of some dirt (not sure why he wasn't found last night - he didn't have any dirt on the top of his shell). He was quite cold, so I immediately put him in for a warm soak, under his heat lamp. Our nanny, who is there for the day, knows to change the water as soon as it cools down, and to keep doing it until his shell is warm. No bubbles coming out of his nose at this point.

Thanks to all of you who offered advice and comfort last night. I still was worried and had dreams about Slader, but all turned out well. Gotta run and start my busy day, but just wanted to provide and update and a very sincere THANK YOU!!!

Best,
Kristina

 

[Laura]

yay! do they know to keep his inside enclosure warm too? and the build and USE a outdoor one? hopefully they will now...

 

[dmarcus]

Thats great news....

 

[DesertGrandma]

Whew...know you can rest easy now

 

[Fernando]

I'm glad you found the little guy!

 

[DeanS]

Great news! Please continue to keep us posted!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Kristina:

For future reference, just so you know...Leopard tortoises don't dig a burrow, and you will hardly ever find one buried under the dirt. Where you DO find them is under bushes or scrub. They go under a bush or large plant, then they move their body back and forth, back and forth, back and forth...until they have piled up quite a bit of dirt and leaves all around them and all you can see is the top of their carapace. But with the light shining through the bush or plant, their pattern makes them very hard to distinguish from the leaves and debris on the ground.

So glad you've found him!

 

[dmmj]

That's good news indeed. Does the nanny get extra pay for taking care of the tortoise?

 

[OllieInAZ]

Very happy Slader is alive and well!

 

[CtTortoiseMom]

I Just read your other thread. Really great new's and I am glad that lesson is out of the way with the warmer weather coming! I was also thinking that offering a hide even if you don't have an outside enclosure set up yet might make it easier to find your Leo. I just use a recycling bin with a hole cut in the side of it. Just a thought and I am sorry your little boy had to go through that!

 

[DocNezzy]

That's awesome news. Hopefully they start taking care of him better.

 

[Carol S]

I wanted to share the good news with all of you wonderful TF-ers that Slader is alive and well (as far as I can tell). I found him this morning - not buried, but on top of some dirt (not sure why he wasn't found last night - he didn't have any dirt on the top of his shell). He was quite cold, so I immediately put him in for a warm soak, under his heat lamp. Our nanny, who is there for the day, knows to change the water as soon as it cools down, and to keep doing it until his shell is warm. No bubbles coming out of his nose at this point.

Thanks to all of you who offered advice and comfort last night. I still was worried and had dreams about Slader, but all turned out well. Gotta run and start my busy day, but just wanted to provide and update and a very sincere THANK YOU!!!

Best,
Kristina

I am so happy that you found your tortoise!!

Carol

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Great!

 

[DixieParadise]

This is wonderful news. I was thinking about Slader today when I was out with my torts. I couldn't imagine trying to find one of them in my huge yard. The leaves do tend to camoflage, so I have to be extra careful about that. I hope your son is as relieved as you are. I know he learned a very hard lesson.