Traveling with a hatchling

casey.sherrod25

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We have had a death in the family and are having to go out if town. We are a military family and just recently moved to a new place. We have no one here who could watch and care for our little one. Ive got an easy portable enclosure I can take with me for when we get to our destination but what should I do with him while we are in the car? I want to make this as stress free as possible on him. Any advice is appreciated.

Casey
 

Minority2

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Find someone to take care of your tortoise in the service person's unit/squad. Lower ranked personnel have nothing else better to do. The process of teaching someone to watch a tortoise is relatively simple provided that your lighting fixtures and additional heating elements are already on a timer (as they should be). 20-30 minute warm soaks, spot cleaning, and feedings. You should definitely pay for that person's time and gas money. You should also reward that person with a nice bottle of liquor when you return.
 

casey.sherrod25

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Vicksburg
Find someone to take care of your tortoise in the service person's unit/squad. Lower ranked personnel have nothing else better to do. The process of teaching someone to watch a tortoise is relatively simple provided that your lighting fixtures and additional heating elements are already on a timer (as they should be). 20-30 minute warm soaks, spot cleaning, and feedings. You should definitely pay for that person's time and gas money. You should also reward that person with a nice bottle of liquor when you return.
We have him in a temporary enclosure so his lights are not on timers. Plus I dont want to ask someone I dont know to care for my little one.
 

orv

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Find someone to take care of your tortoise in the service person's unit/squad. Lower ranked personnel have nothing else better to do. The process of teaching someone to watch a tortoise is relatively simple provided that your lighting fixtures and additional heating elements are already on a timer (as they should be). 20-30 minute warm soaks, spot cleaning, and feedings. You should definitely pay for that person's time and gas money. You should also reward that person with a nice bottle of liquor when you return.
I am significantly offended that you would state that our lower ranked servicemen and women "have nothing better to do" with their time, implying that their time and service is beneath that of higher ranked personnel. The time and service of ALL our military personnel is of GREAT VALUE. As an American and veteran with two sons on active duty, I stand offended by your impudent and condesending remark. You should apologize (not merely to me but to all our military and veterans).
 
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ShirleyTX

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I am offended as well. I don’t live by any standards where some people’s time is somehow more valuable than other’s. It’s a distasteful concept. And especially so when speaking of those in service to our country.

I believe if you keep your tortoise warm and in the dark while traveling, it will likely sleep.
 

Minority2

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I am significantly offended that you would state that our lower ranked servicemen and women "have nothing better to do" with their time, implying that their time and service is beneath that of higher ranked personnel. The time and service of ALL our military personnel is of GREAT VALUE. As an American and veteran with two sons on active duty, I stand offended by your impudent and condesending remark. You should apologize (not merely to me but to all our military and veterans).

I am also a veteran and former non-commissioned officer of the United States Army. I have worked in several duty stations. In my experience, lower-ranked soldiers that reside and operate in stateside have a lot of time in their hands; infantry and support personnel included. There is a lot of down time even if you factor in tasks, training, and jobs where you're required to work hand in hand with civilian-hired contractors.

Whenever a service member is deployed, the personnel that are left behind are often in charge of keeping their property maintained and safe. The same goes for personnel that have emergency leave. Simply put, we look out for one another; always have, always will. These tasks are usually delegated to lower-ranked soldiers. I'm sure you've seen this often when you were in active duty.

I'm not going to apologize for making that remark. Your experience may not be the same as what I have been through. I'm not going to completely dismiss yours, however, I would personally ask before publicly making such assumptions.
 

Minority2

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Only for 4 days

In my opinion, your hatchling (Hopefully a couple months old) can be left alone for 4 days. You should definitely buy and use timers for your lighting fixtures. Give a good soak prior to leaving and provide extra food that won't easily spoil like succulents.
 

orv

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I am also a veteran and former non-commissioned officer of the United States Army. I have worked in several duty stations. In my experience, lower-ranked soldiers that reside and operate in stateside have a lot of time in their hands; infantry and support personnel included. There is a lot of down time even if you factor in tasks, training, and jobs where you're required to work hand in hand with civilian-hired contractors.

Whenever a service member is deployed, the personnel that are left behind are often in charge of keeping their property maintained and safe. The same goes for personnel that have emergency leave. Simply put, we look out for one another; always have, always will. These tasks are usually delegated to lower-ranked soldiers. I'm sure you've seen this often when you were in active duty.

I'm not going to apologize for making that remark. Your experience may not be the same as what I have been through. I'm not going to completely dismiss yours, however, I would personally ask before publicly making such assumptions.
Perhaps you allowed yourself to pass your time in a non-productive manner. Today's soldier, sailor and marine, as well as any valuable civilian employee strives toward excellence and uses all their time productively. Yes, this may mean caring for tortoises and other pets . . . this time too can be a part of achieving excellence.
 

Minority2

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Perhaps you allowed yourself to pass your time in a non-productive manner. Today's soldier, sailor and marine, as well as any valuable civilian employee strives toward excellence and uses all their time productively. Yes, this may mean caring for tortoises and other pets . . . this time too can be a part of achieving excellence.

You're making assumptions again. I was highly productive, highly motivated, and well liked by the companies and battalions I served under. There is no need to attack my character. I haven't said a word of yours. I will however, disagree with your assumptions that today's soldiers, all branches are filled with members striving towards excellence. That simply isn't true. There's always going to be a portion of underachievers and troublemakers; similar to every occupation known to humankind. Constantly putting occupations such as the police and or military above a pedestal is just going to give people that may have different opinions more resources to use against you and your words. Humanizing these occupations through similarities and tolerance towards differed beliefs should be the overall goal we should all "strive" to achieve.
 

Tom

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Only for 4 days
Get everything set up correctly on timers and a thermostat, dump the water bowl out, drop in a couple of opuntia pads (Called "Nopales" at any Mexican grocery store), soak the tortoise on the day you leave, and soak again upon your return, and your tortoise will be fine.

On the other hand, traveling the tortoise around and having all the temp fluctuations is likely to be very stressful.
 

LoonyLovegood

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Find someone to take care of your tortoise in the service person's unit/squad. Lower ranked personnel have nothing else better to do. The process of teaching someone to watch a tortoise is relatively simple provided that your lighting fixtures and additional heating elements are already on a timer (as they should be). 20-30 minute warm soaks, spot cleaning, and feedings. You should definitely pay for that person's time and gas money. You should also reward that person with a nice bottle of liquor when you return.
Haha totally agree with you. Lower ranking Airmen living in the dorms really don't have much to do to, so house sitting or pet sitting would be an easy way to make some cash and pass the time.
 

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