Hi, my 7yr old male Hermanns has disappeared!!!! I'm convinced he can't get out of the enclosure - there is only one bit he would be able to escape from but there are so many barriers etc that its highly unlikely that he has gone there. Yesterday I found my 9yr old female buried so i'm guessing that maybe this is what he has done? I have gone all through the 'loose' dirt and can't find him! Whats the deepest they have been known to bury?

If I don't manage to find him, shall I set up the coldframe over the bit that he is likely to have buried under so that if he doesn't surface he will be 'frost free' over the winter?

I've never known him to bury down before - well not deep, he's only ever done it once and his shell was visable. They have heat in the shed, but the night before last when I checked before going out to work (nightshift) none of the biggies were in and it wasn't particulary cold. So maybe if he didn't resurface yesterday last night he's gone down deeper as it was chilly?????

I know I'm kinda answering my own questions but just wanted to know if anyone else has had this happen and if so what did you do?

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Dawn x

0.0.1 Bearded Dragon ~ Freckles
2.1.2 THB Frank ~ Tallulah ~ Archie ~ Teefa ~ Ruby

You are probably right he has buried down, they can go down six to eight inches, possibly more. A good idea to cover the area with a coldframe. This will protect agaist frosts. Although the temperatures underground do stay stable. Lots of tortoises hibernate out in the garden, because we have a sharp drop in temps, and its a natural reaction for torts to dig down, and protect themselves. If by any chance he stays down and we have a really cold spell and you panic, then just cover the coldframe or area in the coldframe with an old piece of carpet or the like. This will help protect the tortoise, and keep you from worrying.

Thanks for the reply, I have been out there again, and I'm convinced he can't get out of the enclosure. I'm a bit reluctant to put notices up in the area cos It will alert people to the fact that I have torts. I have just gone through all the enclosure again digging down with my hands and I've gone as deep as I can - the garden was paved when we moved in so I put top soil down but the bit where the enclosure was built had loads of pebbles there, so he can only did down a few inches 6 or 7 max before coming across the stones.... hmmmm, theres not a lot I can do, except keep checking and when the temps drop put the coldframe in the area where I think he may be...

Come home soon Frankie!!!!!!!!

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Dawn x

0.0.1 Bearded Dragon ~ Freckles
2.1.2 THB Frank ~ Tallulah ~ Archie ~ Teefa ~ Ruby

It's been pretty cool in the evenings recently - maybe he's had abit of a dig???

YUP....one of my 5 yr old thb's has done a dig in.....she will rise again if it goes above 17c

its amazing how good an escape artist tortoises are. as a kid we allways had at least two once i found mine half way up a chain link fence , a lot of post on here are about early hibernation signs maybe he has dug himslf deep down and gone to sleep for a while. hope you find him ......

A woman in my work has a tort' and the nieghbours from four or five houses away are always returning him!!!!

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Karen

I hope you find him too! My 100 year old tortoise is presently trying to get out from next doors chicken wire fence, got it sorted though, this shelled warrior won't be able to

what about putting some of his fav food out to see if you can tempt him out ??

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Hi Dawn

Any news on Frankie ?