# Bruce Not Almighty: Tortoise Traps French Bulldog in Winter Burrow



## Liz (Oct 2, 2010)

From the WaPo: Firefighters launch tense rescue after pet tortoise traps pet dog in underground burrow. The story has a happy ending for all involved, but poor Bruce has been dubbed "Bruce the Idiot" by his owners.


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## Dianaleez (Dec 14, 2019)

I admit, I thought it was funny when the fireman said that French bulldogs aren't the smartest.

I'm sure at least one of our terriers would have taken the bait and gone down the tortoise hole.


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

What a story! Thanks for sharing Can’t help but wondering if the tortoise wanted a different outcome. First Responders, Yay!!!


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## cowpony (Dec 30, 2009)

They are lucky the burrow didn't collapse.


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

We have a Sulcata that weighs close to 100 pounds. When we first got him, he was the size of a paper plate in diameter. I made him a 10 by 10 pen with cinder blocks three feet high and buried two feet deep. He burrowed under them and out six feet, multiple times. My teen aged son was not happy, as he was the designated tunnel filler. After a few years we just turned the tortoise loose in the entire backyard. He quit burrowing because he had lots of trees and leaves to hide under. He also has a heated house which he does not like to use. Wilson was raised with the tortoise and he is the only dog that interacts with him. All the other dogs stay out of his way. Wilson, had a horrible addiction to tortoise poo for several months. I was so happy when I finally convinced him that poo was not a snack, or a roll on toy. Let's just say that green gooey tortoise patties can really stain the white ruff of a poodle. Ez groom crystals made a lot of money off of me, ha-ha!


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## Mufar42 (Jan 1, 2017)

We too have a sulcata tortoise. Our is 9 years old now and was the size of a half dollar when my daughter got him. I have no clue what he weighs but I can still lift him to put him back in his pen when he climbs over the sides, though I think I have that fixed temporarily. The dogs run thru his area but really don't bother with him. At night his heated house in in a old chainlink pen we had in yard so we close his doors and the gate of the pen to keep him secured. I never though my daughter would have him so long but I guess he is here to stay. One day though he will need a full yard to graze in.


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## cowpony (Dec 30, 2009)

It's kind of a problem that Sulcata tortoises have caught on in the pet trade. They live as long as humans and grow to around 200 pounds. Really it's an animal that needs a trust fund.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Some exotics that catch on are just way more of a commitment than people realize at the outset. It is too bad since it often results in rehomings of animals that aren't in great health because so many people don't know how to properly husband them.

Separately I almost fell of the sofa when I read the WaPo story. French bulldogs are definitely not rocket scientists are they? Our local news feed has reported on two Frenchies stolen during home burglaries this week. One has already been found and returned to the family, no return yet for the other one. I guess they are not very imposing figures to the robbers. I would have a hard time imagining Lily or Javelin being stolen since they both present imposing responses to people they don't know approaching the house. Peeves wouldn't have allowed himself to be stolen either.


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