Pets on the run

While in Ohio a few weeks ago I helped hunt for a runaway hamster. An experience that called for all the courage I could muster. The little thing had escaped its cage and been on the run for a few days. It was assumed he had gotten outside and had made a nice snack for a neighborhood cat. But then he was spotted late one night, he had apparently been enjoying his freedom running though the dark house living off dropped crumbs and the leavings of small children. He was finally apprehended and returned to his cage with no apparent damage. So when Taylor came to me asking where Jr. was I brushed it off. My first thought was, Jr is a turtle he is in his turtle tank. It is not like he can really run away or anything. I assumed he was hiding under a rock or something and sent Taylor to re investigate. Not there. My next assumption was Dallin had taken him on a bit of an outing to visit the neighbors horny toads. Something Dallin likes to do, both being reptilish things he assumes they could be friends. I told Taylor not to worry about it. Well next morning Dallin went to feed Jr and found an empty tank. I asked him if he had taken Jr. to the neighbors. He said he was sure he hadn't taken him out of the tank at all. Same story from all the kids. So we went turtle hunting.

Being rodents I know hamsters eat all kind of little crumbs and things, I wasn't so sure if that was true of turtles. We feed him goldfish, crickets, and turtle sticks. I was pretty sure there where none of those things lurking about under our couches so I was a bit worried about him starving to death. Jr. also likes to swim-pretty much all day. So without water I wasn't sure how long he would survive. I fully expected to find a shell with a rotting turtle inside. After about only 10 minutes of looking and a prayer or two, we found Jr. under the bed. He was perfectly still with his head scrunched in. I warned the kids he might be dead. Dallin's screech of "he's moving, he's moving" calmed that fear. So we stuck him back in and went about our day.

I assumed someone had gotten him out and put him down and forgotten about him. Jr. lives in a big aquarium filled with water, with glass sides, that is about 4 feet off the ground. This is not wonder pets, Turtles simply can not fly. A few days later the tank is again missing a turtle. This time I immediately sent the troops searching. They turned over every couch, cleaned out under all the beds, and looked in every nook and cranny. I was getting a bit worried. I did not want a rotting turtle to smell up my basement. I wondered if he could climb stairs. So I went looking. Still no turtle. I was getting desperate especially because I had seen both Taylor and Dallin drop to their knees pleading for Jr. safe return. I wanted their faith rewarded. So I decided to try the storage room again. I got a flashlight and got down on my stomach to look under the shelves, which took a lot of courage on my part, how creepy to come face to face with a reptile. Anyway I had gotten through pretty much the whole room when I spotted a bit of a bumpy brown thing. I called Dallin in to investigate. It was the very edge of Jr. shell sticking out from between the freezer and a sleeping bag. I again warned Dallin that he wasn't moving so might be dead. But once Dallin grabbed him he started squirming. I had Dallin cover the tank - I wasn't dealing with anymore roaming reptiles. A few days later on my way to start some laundry I happened to glance in my boys room, something I try to avoid, and saw Jr, scurrying - as fast as turtles can scurry anyway, across their bedroom. I started screaming for Dallin. I wasn't sure what to do, I couldn't let him get away yet I just couldn't bring myself to touch him either. I dumped out the laundry basket preparing to trap him when Dallin showed up. So I decided I better investigate his tank. Something I should have done a lot earlier. The top was still on but there is a side panel that snaps on to allow you to get the filter on and off easier. It was missing. Jr's climbing rock was next to that side. All it took was a climb up on the rock and he was up high enough to crawl out that hole. Why the kids hadn't noticed this I am not sure. But the tank is back together, the rock is on the other side of the tank and the turtle is where he belongs. I have had enough of escaping pets.

I have laid down the law where the birds are concerned. No getting them out of their cage. Well the kids pretty much respect that rule. They don't get the birds out, they just get in with them. I guess I can handle that, in fact if I wasn't so scared of the neighbors calling child protective services I would just shut them in there. No roaming pets, no roaming kids - I could get used to that.