moving to new state

[Travis&Marshmallow]

Hello everyone

I will be moving from CA to AZ with my 100lb male sulcata, Marshmallow. We are trying to make this trip the least stressful it can be and were hoping to get some tips from anyone who has made a similar move. It will be about a 12hr drive total and we are planning to split it into 2 days. He would either drive with me in the back seat of my car in a tub with his favorite foods or ride in an air conditioned trailer driven by my partner's dad. Marshmallow is a very feisty guy and I want to keep him as happy as possible for this trip. We have considered giving him sedation, I am a veterinarian, and have wondered if anyone has tried this before.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Tim Carlisle]

I don't think sedation is warranted, let alone safe. Please don't do that. If you have a tub large enough to suit a 100 lb sully, then I'd use that. Just put plenty of towels in the bottom to keep it from sliding around and to add a little extra shock absorbency. If you're dividing the trip up into 2 days, then that shouldn't be too bad.

 

[zovick]

Hello everyone

I will be moving from CA to AZ with my 100lb male sulcata, Marshmallow. We are trying to make this trip the least stressful it can be and were hoping to get some tips from anyone who has made a similar move. It will be about a 12hr drive total and we are planning to split it into 2 days. He would either drive with me in the back seat of my car in a tub with his favorite foods or ride in an air conditioned trailer driven by my partner's dad. Marshmallow is a very feisty guy and I want to keep him as happy as possible for this trip. We have considered giving him sedation, I am a veterinarian, and have wondered if anyone has tried this before.

Thanks for your help.

You could let him remain loose in the trailer. I moved my tortoises from CO to CT with 2 adult sulcatas and 6 Radiated Tortoises (and nothing else) riding loose in the back of a 24' Ryder box truck. That trip took a lot longer than your 12 hour trip. We got a good bit of attention when I stopped periodically to open up the back of the truck to give them water, fresh air, and replace the straw bedding.

I have moved quite a number of tortoises over the years and this would be another suggestion assuming this Home Depot tub is large enough (it is 28.55" by 19.61" and 15.27" high). Here is a link showing the tub: https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-27-...lack-with-Yellow-Lid-HDX27GONLINE-5/205978361

If that one is not big enough, there may be larger ones available with which you can do the same thing.

Get zip ties to fasten the lid down to the tub. Place some absorbent bedding material in the tub and put the tortoise in it and fasten the lid down. Bring gloves, a garbage bag, extra bedding material and zip ties so that you can open the tub to clean it out if the need arises (which it most likely will).

The tortoise will either remain fairly still in the darkness of the tub or it will attempt to get out incessantly (hence the need to fasten the top down).

I would not worry much about feeding a 100 lb. sulcata for those two days. It will easily make the trip without needing to eat anything.

As far as sedating the tortoise, that would be a judgment call. You are a vet, is it worth taking the risks associated with sedation to make that trip? Only you can answer that one. I personally would try to avoid it.

 

[zovick]

Hello everyone

I will be moving from CA to AZ with my 100lb male sulcata, Marshmallow. We are trying to make this trip the least stressful it can be and were hoping to get some tips from anyone who has made a similar move. It will be about a 12hr drive total and we are planning to split it into 2 days. He would either drive with me in the back seat of my car in a tub with his favorite foods or ride in an air conditioned trailer driven by my partner's dad. Marshmallow is a very feisty guy and I want to keep him as happy as possible for this trip. We have considered giving him sedation, I am a veterinarian, and have wondered if anyone has tried this before.

Thanks for your help.

Another option would be to leave the tortoise with a friend/colleague in CA until you get to AZ and then have the friend ship it to you via Southwest Airlines or Delta Cargo. That way, the tortoise will make the entire trip (airport to airport) in about 6 hours rather than two long days of driving with an overnight stay in between to worry about as well.

 

[Tom]

Hello everyone

I will be moving from CA to AZ with my 100lb male sulcata, Marshmallow. We are trying to make this trip the least stressful it can be and were hoping to get some tips from anyone who has made a similar move. It will be about a 12hr drive total and we are planning to split it into 2 days. He would either drive with me in the back seat of my car in a tub with his favorite foods or ride in an air conditioned trailer driven by my partner's dad. Marshmallow is a very feisty guy and I want to keep him as happy as possible for this trip. We have considered giving him sedation, I am a veterinarian, and have wondered if anyone has tried this before.

Thanks for your help.

You must be headed toward Tucson. That is about the only way I can see 12 hours from CA to AZ.

I transport large tortoises frequently. Get a big black rubberized horse trough, 90 or 110 gallon size, and transport him in that. No food. Hay makes a terrible mess. I just drove 4 giants from FL to CA in July. No substrate and we just stopped and hosed it out daily.

Soak your tortoise for a couple hours the day before you leave to empty him out. Make the 12 hour drive all in one day. Have the pen ready in AZ ahead of time. When you first start driving the tortoise will empty out. Pull over after a half our or so and rinse out the tub and the tortoise. He probably won't poop any more after that, but if he does, pull over and dump and rinse again, or just tolerate the smell and keep driving. Splitting that into two days and trying to keep him in the tub over night will not be fun. Just get it done quickly and all in one shot. No sedation.

From Tractor Supply:



Once you are in AZ, encourage him to dig himself a burrow by using a shovel and a pick axe and starting one for him where you want it. Underground is the only way for them to remain safe and survive that scorching AZ summer sun. Block off the burrow entrance in fall and make him sleep in the heated night box in winter.