Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My largest Sulcata, "Abner" decided that he was going to redecorate the outdoor enclosure. I had no idea that he was so strong, he moved the 10 gallon that had about 5 gallons of water in it. This bucket blocks the opening where the fence and the house join. Abner is not small enough to get out of this opening, but my three yearlings, which are softball size can. and of course they did. I came home and two of the three were gone. I had a very long two days at work so I didnt get to post missing posters around my neighborhood until two days after they had been missing. About three hours after posting 15 color pictures and signs, I got a call; A very nice lady a few blocks away had one of the tortoises! Yea!!! I went and picked him up and the lady was kind enough to show me where she found him. About 120 yards away, and across two streets! WoW!!!! and I then I got a call from a very nice lady in the neighborhood who said that she had seen the signs and would be looking. She thought that it was very sweet that I had put signs up for a missing tortoise. "Very nice person". then on the second day I got another call. A gentleman on the next block said that he had found my tortoise the second day that it was missing and then released it in a large wooded area near bye. He did not know anything about Sulcatas and thought it was a wild tortoise. He had very good intentions. He said that he saw my posted signs the next day and that he would go back with his family and look for him. He also told me where it was and I will be looking also. I think it is great that people this day and age have spots in their hearts to help animals that are lost. not many people seem to care about turtles and tortoises these days. If I may ask; please keep your fingers crossed and say a prayer that my little sulcata finds his way home or that he at least ends up with someone who will research him and take good care of him. I have fixed the "Opening in the pen" problem with two 1/2 cement blocks that Abner can not move. and the little one who was found seems to be doing good after his 3 day adventure around the neighborhood. I was given a new box turtle also, and she is doing good, they are all pretty lazy, but the weather here has been up and down so much lately, they are surely confused. Well, thanks for listening, have a great weekend.

I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you.
5 gallons of water in a 10 gallon bucket is pretty darn heavy! How much does Abner weigh?

Our girl suprised me one year when I had her in a classroom full of kids. The school desks in the room were the type that the chair & desk are connected so it's all one piece of furniture.
I saw a boy who probably weighed at least 50 pounds moving across the room while he was seated.
Destiny weighed 24 pounds then, she was moving the kid across the room!
They can be surprisingly strong animals.
I so hope that you get the baby back!
Please let us know if/when you do.
Good luck!!
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PHRatz

Have you heard anything at all?
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PHRatz

Nope, The second yearling has not come home and we have had several bad thunderstorms, so the missing posters keep coming down. I'm very thankful that the first yearling was returned, but I am still very sad about the other one. He/She is missed. The 4 others that are outside in the enclosure just dont seem so spunky anymore, they eat and rest in the shade. They dont wander around and climb over each other anymore. sad, sad, sad.......
On a happier note, my Boxies keep mating and mating and mating, If anyone has a female that needs attention; I have a male that cant get enough, ha ha ha.

I'm sorry to hear that. I know how you feel, we lost one of our rescued box turtles 1 & 1/2 years ago. I still look for her!
I hope your baby comes home soon & if not I sure hope someone finds her & gives her a good home.
Not knowing is the worst I think..
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PHRatz

It doesnt look like we will be getting our little one back, I also hope that someone has given him/her a good home. On a different note;

My parents sold their home and to make a long story short, there is a beautiful female Box turtle that lives in their garden, she has been there for at least 7 years that I know of and she has never left, and she has never laid eggs, so I assume there are no males in the area. Well, They sold the house and the new owner is going to build a house on the spot where the garden is, So I have adopted the Box and added her to my outdoor pen. She has always been tame and is having no problem eating and soaking and gets along great with the others. There are about 4 males and 3 females now, they are all boxes that people in the area have had as pets and no longer wanted. I hope that they lay eggs soon, I cant wait to try my hand at bringing baby Easterns into the world. I will post some pics in the box turtle section as soon as I get some pics of them all.