Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My boxies have been out now for the past 3-4 weeks. All except one. I can't find a trace of her anywhere. I don't see how she could have escaped, but you never know... They are all around 5-6 yrs. old (she's one of the 5 yr olds) and have brumated outdoors for the past 3 winters without a problem. All were healthy in the fall. We had an unusually mild winter this year, even for NW Louisiana.

So, when they just disappear like that, what usually has happened? We don't have a predator issue. I'm perplexed & worried for her...

I've just had the same problem. One of my 4 year olds never came up, while all 6 have been up for almost a week. I have a hibernation cave, and couldn't imagine how she could have gotten out. I just went in there, on my knees and dug around in the cave, and she was buried all the way in the back....still sleeping. I'm thinking it was cooler in the back of the cave where the sun didn't hit. I would only suggest getting down on your knees and crawling all around and digging with your hands.

Terryo, Thanks for your encouraging reply! I haven't given up hope yet. There is one place in the habitat that I've only given a superficial search, and it sounds like the place to look. I didn't think of it before because I though the area was too shallow. As a result, a couple of months ago, while doing some work inside the enclosure, I tossed a heap of nice soil & leaves there, so if she was burried, she's even deeper now and very well might still be cold. I dredged up as much of the ground cover as I could tonight (too dark to see anything). That should let that spot warm up. It is an area, under shrubs, that doesn't get much sunlight. We'll see what happens!