My 70 year old spur thied tortoise mysteriously went missing from our garden late September.

The garden is completly enclosed, and with no signs of him digging his way out, assumed someone had stolen him, or thrown him over the back fence (into a farmers field).

During his missing 6 weeks, I've asked about, searched over the back of the fence and dug down (carefully) in the garden but with no trace of him.

During the weekend, I went looking for him again and this time found a hole dug under the rear fence - on investigation, this was clearly done from outside in.

I then looked again under his favourite bushes and found him 3/4 burried.

My question is, "assuming" someone placed him over the 5 ft fence, how has he survived the cold during the past 6 weeks without his heat lamp, and how did he find his way back?

I'm 100% convinced he didn't escape himself, as the fence is 5ft, the gate to the garden always locked and there definatly wasn't any signes of him digging his way out.

One last question, I think he's ready for hibernation. Is it too early (I generally wait until December)?

Sorry I don't know the answers to your questions but just felt the need to say what an uplifting story of 'returning tortoise'.  He's a survivor no doubt about that!

Really pleased you got your tortoise back

He's probably been dug in for some time, possibly shortly after being placed over the fence. He would have instinctively dug at the edge of the fence. In the wild they usually dig up against or under something, be it a bush or a rock.

Many have already placed their tortoises in hibernation, the weather is pretty poor at the moment.

Thank You for your lovely story - you must have been so pleased to get him back

TC
Darren

I'm over the moon.

He was missing for at least five of the six weeks as I've kept hunting for him on a weekend and the hole under the fence was done since last weekend.

Ta

Nick

So pleased to hear your good news

Jane, Keya & Molly