urgent lost tort

afriend · 11-05-2009, 06:00 PM

i have put my three outside in enclosure today but my smallest has gone missing spent last 2 hours digging for him but no joy. he is only 9 months old really worried about him.. the enclosure has wire all round edges then a layer of gravel its quite deep for a little one . how far will he dig down ?? will he be okay outside or is it too cold for him. i have had to climb in the enclosure to dig for him and now i am abit worried that i have compacted the soil too tight for him to dig out? please tell me he will be okay outside???

afriend · 11-05-2009, 06:10 PM

Herman .. i have tried to loosen but i think its just the top that i have loosened because underneath is quite damp still

sandy · 11-05-2009, 06:16 PM

If he has dug down he will be perfectly ok if he is healthy. They do tend to dig down if the temps suddenly go cold. I have know tortoises especially hermans dig down for hibernation in the Winter in gardens, when its suddenly gone cold. And they pop up ok next year.
Look where ever the sun was last shinning, as thats sometimes where they will dig down. Or check tomorrow if its sunny.

afriend · 11-05-2009, 06:21 PM

no it has a lid with wire no birds can get in abit woried about a fox we have around at night though

Sraynor · 11-05-2009, 06:24 PM

Hi, there is every chance the little one is in the pen. My son phoned me from home this afternoon saying that "Willow had gone missing"...after much searching he was found about two inches down in what looked like undisturbed soil. (Willow is an August hatching)

A fingertip search may be necessary...good luck, I know just how you feel!

David

afriend · 11-05-2009, 06:35 PM

we have done more than a finger tip search dug down to gravel i am preying he hasnt been able to dig out he is so tiny. i have just heard the weather and we have a touch of frost forcast for tonight not sure what to do to keep it a bit warmer dont have any blankets and the enclosure is about 61/2 ft by 61/2 ft

lozzy2k1 · 11-05-2009, 06:40 PM

hi ihave sent u an email message on here as im from west yorkshire xx

touie · 11-05-2009, 07:38 PM

I hope you find him ok. I lost my tortoise in the front garden when she was a baby, took my eyes off for a second and couldn't find her as she was so small and well camoflaged! I was going frantic combing the garden on my hands and knees looking and even got people round to help! In the end I found her buried under a weed right where I had last seen her!

afriend · 11-05-2009, 08:47 PM

its been about 5 hours of digging now but still no sign its getting pretty nippy now

ME SHELL · 11-05-2009, 08:51 PM

try and get some tarpaulin, or any type of blankets or something to go over the ground. My hermann digs pretty deep so he should be fine over night. Keep us informed

11-05-2009, 06:00 PM	#1
afriend Member Egg Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: halifax westyorkshire Posts: 54	urgent lost tort i have put my three outside in enclosure today but my smallest has gone missing spent last 2 hours digging for him but no joy. he is only 9 months old really worried about him.. the enclosure has wire all round edges then a layer of gravel its quite deep for a little one . how far will he dig down ?? will he be okay outside or is it too cold for him. i have had to climb in the enclosure to dig for him and now i am abit worried that i have compacted the soil too tight for him to dig out? please tell me he will be okay outside???

11-05-2009, 06:16 PM	#3
sandy Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kent UK Posts: 12,146	If he has dug down he will be perfectly ok if he is healthy. They do tend to dig down if the temps suddenly go cold. I have know tortoises especially hermans dig down for hibernation in the Winter in gardens, when its suddenly gone cold. And they pop up ok next year. Look where ever the sun was last shinning, as thats sometimes where they will dig down. Or check tomorrow if its sunny. __________________ < > 60+, keeping ibera, graeca and box turtles \0/ /_\ http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/tortoisefriends

11-05-2009, 06:35 PM	#6
afriend Member Egg Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: halifax westyorkshire Posts: 54	we have done more than a finger tip search dug down to gravel i am preying he hasnt been able to dig out he is so tiny. i have just heard the weather and we have a touch of frost forcast for tonight not sure what to do to keep it a bit warmer dont have any blankets and the enclosure is about 61/2 ft by 61/2 ft Last edited by afriend; 11-05-2009 at 06:40 PM.

11-05-2009, 06:40 PM	#7
lozzy2k1 Member Hatched Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Shipley, Bradford, uk Posts: 352	hi ihave sent u an email message on here as im from west yorkshire xx __________________ Lozzy 1 Leopard-Georgie 4 years old 1 Marginated- 5 years old 2 twin Turkish Spur-popeye/percy 3 years old 1 dog-cavalier king-charles-Alfie 2 years old 1 parrotlet-Kiwi- 2 year old Tropical Fish Gold fish 3 bunnies- Muffin, Gizmo, Buttons 1 guinea pig- Guiness Pond fish

11-05-2009, 06:10 PM	#2
afriend Member Egg Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: halifax westyorkshire Posts: 54	Herman .. i have tried to loosen but i think its just the top that i have loosened because underneath is quite damp still

11-05-2009, 06:21 PM	#4
afriend Member Egg Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: halifax westyorkshire Posts: 54	no it has a lid with wire no birds can get in abit woried about a fox we have around at night though

11-05-2009, 06:24 PM	#5
Sraynor Junior Member Egg Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: South Gloucestershire Posts: 20	Hi, there is every chance the little one is in the pen. My son phoned me from home this afternoon saying that "Willow had gone missing"...after much searching he was found about two inches down in what looked like undisturbed soil. (Willow is an August hatching) A fingertip search may be necessary...good luck, I know just how you feel! David

11-05-2009, 07:38 PM	#8
touie Member Hatched Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Portsmouth UK Posts: 426	I hope you find him ok. I lost my tortoise in the front garden when she was a baby, took my eyes off for a second and couldn't find her as she was so small and well camoflaged! I was going frantic combing the garden on my hands and knees looking and even got people round to help! In the end I found her buried under a weed right where I had last seen her!

11-05-2009, 08:47 PM	#9
afriend Member Egg Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: halifax westyorkshire Posts: 54	its been about 5 hours of digging now but still no sign its getting pretty nippy now

11-05-2009, 08:51 PM	#10
ME SHELL Senior Member Adult Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 8,484	try and get some tarpaulin, or any type of blankets or something to go over the ground. My hermann digs pretty deep so he should be fine over night. Keep us informed

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