TortTime

Very happy ending for Houdini, the aptly named Sulcata that disappeared from his owners yard in Yarmouth, MA last wednesday! He was found in an open space by a local officer and a crowd of intrigued onlookers. He’s been reunited with his humans and is now happily noming on the yard and posing for pictures and videos like a handsome tortoise should. 

(Source CapeCodTimes.com)

SOUTH YARMOUTH — Houdini, the disappearing tortoise, has returned from the great beyond.

In this case, the great beyond was the world outside his yard on a street off South Shore Drive. That’s where Houdini usually hangs out, hoping for a ripe tomato or a slice of watermelon.

But Wednesday, the 25-pound reptile went missing. Whether he escaped, was tortoise-napped or was merely playing a slow-paced game of hide and seek is unclear.

…

On Sunday, after four days of no tortoise, the dejected Ryan headed over to the Yarmouth Police Department off Higgins Crowell Road to drop off a poster.

That’s when things turned strange and wonderful. Ryan noticed a group of people and a bit of a hubbub upon arriving at the station.

“There were three people around in the semicircle,” recalled Ryan. “There was a police officer standing there. Right smack in the middle was Houdini.”

Ryan was floored. “It was just the most bizarre thing,” she said. “I was meant to be there, when they were there, when the tortoise was there.”

Turns out Houdini had just been found on Knob Hill Road, about 4 miles from his yard.

Yarmouth natural resources officer Timothy Parsons doesn’t think it likely that Houdini could have traveled that far in four days.

Instead, Parsons thinks it possible that Houdini may have escaped from his yard and been found wandering by a good Samaritan who dropped off the tortoise in an open-space area.

Only Houdini knows what really happened, and he’s not talking. Magicians and tortoises never reveal their secrets.

(Source: http://www.youtube.com/)

Very happy ending for Houdini, the aptly named Sulcata that disappeared from his owners yard in Yarmouth, MA last wednesday! He was found in an open space by a local officer and a crowd of intrigued onlookers. He’s been reunited with his humans and is now happily noming on the yard and posing for pictures and videos like a handsome tortoise should. 

(Source CapeCodTimes.com)

SOUTH YARMOUTH — Houdini, the disappearing tortoise, has returned from the great beyond.

In this case, the great beyond was the world outside his yard on a street off South Shore Drive. That’s where Houdini usually hangs out, hoping for a ripe tomato or a slice of watermelon.

But Wednesday, the 25-pound reptile went missing. Whether he escaped, was tortoise-napped or was merely playing a slow-paced game of hide and seek is unclear.

…

On Sunday, after four days of no tortoise, the dejected Ryan headed over to the Yarmouth Police Department off Higgins Crowell Road to drop off a poster.

That’s when things turned strange and wonderful. Ryan noticed a group of people and a bit of a hubbub upon arriving at the station.

“There were three people around in the semicircle,” recalled Ryan. “There was a police officer standing there. Right smack in the middle was Houdini.”

Ryan was floored. “It was just the most bizarre thing,” she said. “I was meant to be there, when they were there, when the tortoise was there.”

Turns out Houdini had just been found on Knob Hill Road, about 4 miles from his yard.

Yarmouth natural resources officer Timothy Parsons doesn’t think it likely that Houdini could have traveled that far in four days.

Instead, Parsons thinks it possible that Houdini may have escaped from his yard and been found wandering by a good Samaritan who dropped off the tortoise in an open-space area.

Only Houdini knows what really happened, and he’s not talking. Magicians and tortoises never reveal their secrets.

TortTime

Never underestimate how adventurous tortoises are! 

Sydney (seen above) was found after escaping and being missing for 10 months. She dug herself down and was only found when her owner was digging up some land to add an extension to his home. Click the pic to watch the video. She (or he) sure is a survivor! 

My guess is Sydney wasn’t too fond of her small tank like winter home. Her owner seemed very aware of the the need to keep the tortoise in the garden with sun and plants and a place to roam (when temperatures allow) but that winter home just didn’t work for Sydney. You can’t put the kid in a castle for half the year and then stick em in a closet. 😉

Sydney’s adventure seems to have taught the human a lesson. He plans to build a steel barrier around the garden sydney occupies during the warmer months. Good plan for both.

Watch the video for to see Sydney strut her stuff. Hey tortie, you’re lookin’ good. 

(Source: ITV )

Never underestimate how adventurous tortoises are! 

Sydney (seen above) was found after escaping and being missing for 10 months. She dug herself down and was only found when her owner was digging up some land to add an extension to his home. Click the pic to watch the video. She (or he) sure is a survivor! 

My guess is Sydney wasn’t too fond of her small tank like winter home. Her owner seemed very aware of the the need to keep the tortoise in the garden with sun and plants and a place to roam (when temperatures allow) but that winter home just didn’t work for Sydney. You can’t put the kid in a castle for half the year and then stick em in a closet. 😉

Sydney’s adventure seems to have taught the human a lesson. He plans to build a steel barrier around the garden sydney occupies during the warmer months. Good plan for both.

Watch the video for to see Sydney strut her stuff. Hey tortie, you’re lookin’ good. 

(Source: ITV )

TortTime

Well this sign sucks! so make a new one so your torties can get home safe darn it! 

Gilbert Police spotted one of these speedycreatures making its way along a sidewalk in the Power Ranch subdivision on Thursday. An officer contacted members of the surrounding neighborhood to find out who had lost the 25-pound African Tortoise.

None of the nearby neighbors could recall losing a 25-pound tortoise. Power Ranch staff eventually informed the officer that a resident had reported her tortoise missing a few weeks back.

It turns out that the missing tortoise found by Gilbert police is not the tortoise that the resident lost. She promised to care for the tortoise, but is still looking for her 10-pound Sonoran Desert Tortoise, Harriet, originally named Harry — inspired by Harry Potter — until it was discovered to be female.

The African tortoise has now been reunited with its original owner — another Power Ranch resident. But the tortoise of the kind caretaker is still on the loose somewhere — likely moving at a very slow pace.

(torttime would like to note that its likely not as slow as you think!)

Well this sign sucks! so make a new one so your torties can get home safe darn it! 

Gilbert Police spotted one of these speedycreatures making its way along a sidewalk in the Power Ranch subdivision on Thursday. An officer contacted members of the surrounding neighborhood to find out who had lost the 25-pound African Tortoise.

None of the nearby neighbors could recall losing a 25-pound tortoise. Power Ranch staff eventually informed the officer that a resident had reported her tortoise missing a few weeks back.

It turns out that the missing tortoise found by Gilbert police is not the tortoise that the resident lost. She promised to care for the tortoise, but is still looking for her 10-pound Sonoran Desert Tortoise, Harriet, originally named Harry – inspired by Harry Potter – until it was discovered to be female.

The African tortoise has now been reunited with its original owner – another Power Ranch resident. But the tortoise of the kind caretaker is still on the loose somewhere – likely moving at a very slow pace.

(torttime would like to note that its likely not as slow as you think!)