- Hopefully they’ll find him soon since tortoises aren’t made to survive the winter.
Some pets love to take off on their own and head to adventure. Dogs, cats, and even chickens are notorious for being prone to escaping from their enclosures.
If you’re looking for a really escape-proof pet, a tortoise might pop into your mind as an excellent option. After all, tortoises are slow, clumsy, and can’t squeeze through small holes, what with the shell and all.
Right?
Think again. Tortoises can be surprisingly slippery fellows, as Tank is about to demonstrate to us.
Tank is the pet tortoise of veterinary doctor Mike Nelson. He lives at the Mahoning Valley Animal Hospital (MVAH) in Andreas, Pennsylvania.
He is also a real Houdini as far as tortoises go.
Tank has just escaped from MVAH and traveled to who knows where. This isn’t the first time, either — he has run away twice earlier.
The tortoise may not get far, but he is adept at hiding. While his previous ventures to the outside world have been fairly risk-free, this time things are different.
Pennsylvania weather is quickly turning chilly, which isn’t good for Tank’s health. As such, MVAH is asking anyone and everyone who has seen a bizarre moving boulder to report the sighting so Tank can get back to the warmth he seeks.
Through the Fence
Tank disappeared either late on September 21 or in the wee hours of the following morning. The 5-year-old tortoise had been spending time outside in his enclosure.
“He’s Doctor Mike’s pet that he keeps here,” MVAH veterinary technician Megan McFarland explained to CBS 21.
“He has a nice little roaming area out back. Doctor Mike usually puts him out during the summer season and he gets lots of vegetation.”
However, McFarland suspects that Tank somehow clued on that Dr. Nelson was about to bring him inside for the winter. Not wanting to relinquish his outdoor life, he decided to vanish.
When the staff came to check on Tank on September 22, he was nowhere to be found.
“We walked out to the yard. All of us looked around the perimeter just to make sure was he hiding somewhere that Dr. Mike just didn’t see,” McFarland explained to WNEP 16.
“Mike noticed there was a hole in the fence that the little sucker plowed through.”
According to MVAH, the 50-pound tortoise had broken a couple of the rings holding his cage shut and squeezed himself through. So, it’s not like he was carelessly left out in an open yard.
A Long-Distance Traveler
As we said, though, this isn’t the first time Tank has run away. He’s escaped twice before.
“He is a repeat offender. I call him Houdini,” quipped McFarland.
“Each time he gets a little more creative with his escape attempts.”
Tank’s previous journeys have shown that tortoises can travel farther than their clumsy reputation would imply.
“Last time when they found him, he was found up on Cold Spring Road,” McFarland recalled.
Cold Springs Road is roughly a mile from the MVAH. Not exactly far for a long-legged human, but it’s a respectable distance for a tortoise to crawl.
This time, however, one thing is different. The previous two times, Tank decided to escape during the summer heat.
But now, fall is coming fast in Pennsylvania. Tank isn’t exactly built to withstand the chill.
“He’s normally in a habitat that’s slightly warmer, so as our temperature is starting to dip, we get concerned. As it gets colder, it’s not an ideal temperature for him, and there is a possibility that he could pass away out there,” said McFarland.
Time Is Running Out
Unfortunately, as of the time of writing, Tank’s whereabouts are still unknown. That’s not for a lack of trying, though, as the MVAH staff has scoured the surrounding area and alerted all the neighbors.
However, since there has been no sign of the tortoise, they’ve now asked the general public for help. The clinic released a call for help on Facebook.
“If you live within three miles of our clinic and you have a garden, do not panic if you find [Tank] there. He may, however, eat all of your produce,” the MVAH wrote.
“DO NOT be afraid if you do cross paths with him. He will NOT harm you. Most likely he will stop on a dime and hide back into his shell.”
For the time being, the nights are still warm enough that Tank death isn’t imminent within the next few hours. However, he should return home soon or the coming cold will get the best of him.
If you happen to live in Andreas near the MVAH and spot a slow-moving boulder in your yard, call the clinic at 570-386-3088 and let them know you’ve located their serial escapist.