We've lost one

[Laura]

how tall are the sides? they climb very well.. is the rest of your yard fenced?

 

[Tyrtle]

I'm not positive he wasn't taken by something although my yard is pretty safe and he disappeared in the daytime not at night. So no nighttime predators.

The sides are deep enough to keep him in about 8". I have always kept the hides away from the sides so that he can't get on top of those and climb out. I've never seen him attempting to climb anything in the enclosure.

My yard is fenced although there is some space under the fence on two sides. I've asked all of my neighbors except for one to keep an eye out. I just haven't seen the other one to let him know. I've looked in several of the adjoining yards as well as all over my own.

He's mostly an indoor tortoise who only goes outside during the daytime when it's warm. I usually take them outside around 9:00am and bring them back in around 7:00pm.

I can't really see him burrowing more than 12". First he would have to be right in the center of the enclosure since there is a 4" rim around the outer sides. Only the center doesn't have a bottom and goes straight down into the dirt. I would imagine 12" is a lot easier to burrow when you're not in solid clay soil like here in Colorado. The enclosure itself has nice soft dirt in it, but it's sitting on almost solid clay soil. The weather has not started to cool yet. We are still having mid-90s during the day.

It's too late to "not water" as the sprinklers have been on several times. I never saw anything that looked like disturbed dirt to indicate a tunnel. But I've already moved the first 4" of dirt all around in the enclosure.

I'm starting to think something did get him. But I really have no idea what. Like I said, there just aren't any raccoons or foxes in the yard particularly during the day. A bird would be the only thing and I've never seen any predatory birds in my yard. I suppose it could be possible, but I'm still dubious.

It's like he just disappeared into thin air.

 

[lynnedit]

That certainly is upsetting for you. Don't give up yet. Put the enclosure back together as well as you can, in case he is still in there. Keep it secure; lid, etc.
Keep an eye out and put food out regularly. Make water available. Don't completely lose heart. You see story after story of a tort being gone for weeks/months then appearing, even after winters with snow.
Russians are amazing.

 

[Tyrtle]

Will do, Lynne. I don't have a cover for it right now. But I think I should invest in one anyway. I'm not sure I'll ever feel safe putting the other one out there without a cover now.

I'll put out food. There is a water tray in there and I will make sure it has water in it.

Boy that would be quite a shock if he somehow reappeared after a Colorado winter.

 

[kathyth]

I would also be outside with a chair and latiently wait during the times he would come out to bask, eat, etc. Mornings and early evenings or late afternoons.
Please let us know!
Good luck!

 

[mctlong]

Boy that would be quite a shock if he somehow reappeared after a Colorado winter.

That would be awesome!

I have a co-worker who lives in the mountains here in SoCal. Like yours, his Russian tortoise disappeared out of its enclosure one day. Just poof - gone. This was September, two years ago. He stopped looking after several days assuming that a bird must've swooped in and carried it away. Several months later, after a cold, wet & snowy winter (he lives up in the Mountains), he finds a very dirty, slightly skinnier Russian tortoise walking around his yard. His Russian hadn't been carried away by a predator, it had been underground hibernating the whole time. We never found out how it got out of its enclosure.

Russians are amazing animals. Very hardy - they have to be to survive winters in Uzbekistan!

If his made it, so can yours. I think there's still hope.

 

[Tyrtle]

Thanks, Shelly. That would be amazing! And quite a story to tell. I'll try not to give up hope.

 

[Comrad Turtles "grandma"]

Oh I am SO sorry that your tortoise has disappeared. A couple of weeks ago I was up in Washington state for 3 weeks so I had brought my RT with me. My parents live on 11 acres of pasture, and while Comrad was outside in a temporary closure to get some sun and grass he escaped! Everyone in the family (me, my husband, our daughter, my Mom, my Dad and my sister) looked high and low for him. We even used my dog Belle to try and sniff him out (I've used her to help me find him when he hides in my backyard, but then quickly put her back inside when she finds him to make sure she doesn't attack him) with no luck. The next day we found him at the top of the driveway next to the highway just sun bathing. I thought he was gone for good - and was just hoping that he managed to dig down and that my Mom would find him in the spring. RT's are very hardy and quite smart so hopefully he has just decided on doing his own thing (the nerve of him!) and will turn up. I wish you the bes of luck!!!!!

 

[Alan RF]

All the best at finding him safe and well keep us posted!