?What to do with your Tortoise while on Vacation? (Need advice, please)

Flipper

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So, I'm planning ahead to Christmas time......

We go home to Western, NY for Christmas every year for about five days. I don't fee like it would be a good idea to take Tallula (the young Herman's tortoise) on a car ride with the boston terrier across the country for that amount of time.

However, I know no one who will touch a reptile. So, I'm at a bit of a stressful loss.

Does anybody have any ideas for me? Please!

I would need someone to change her water and give her fresh veggies daily. It would also be nice if they would soak her once or twice, but that isn't absolutely necessary. Misting the enclosure while they're paying her attention would be swell also. Am I asking too much?

Thoughts?
 

Yellow Turtle01

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You could go to a place like Angie's List or something and see if you could hire a sitter? There may be one in your area.
 

Yellow Turtle01

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Ok, I've never used it. But I'll look into it. :)
I've actually never used it either, but I know someone who dido there for lizard sitting. She said they did a good job and recommended them, but unfortunately I've never needed a lizard sitter :p
 

Flipper

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Would it be better for them to come to my house or for me to take Tallula to a sitters house?
 

leigti

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I would definitely try to keep the Tortoise at your own house. Personally, my dog sitter who I have been using for 16 years :) takes care of all my animals when I'm gone. Luckily she doesn't freak out when I add another animal to my collection :) the vet is a good idea also, how about the vet you take her to? Are there any members of this forum in your town that you could possibly ask? Just a thought.
 

Levi the Leopard

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It's best to leave the tort's set up at home. Don't take the enclosure anywhere else for babysitting.

Any close friends? Someone that you'd feel comfortable letting into your home while away? There has to be someone willing to drop food into the tank...even if they don't like reptiles, they like you! They can do the bare minimum for you...
 

yillt

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Just ask your neighbour to come in and turn his lamp on/off and feed him occasionally. Say you will pay her. If not just say to a member of family that you really deserve this holiday without worrying about your tortoise the whole time and you know they will look after her properly. All they have to do is the lamp and the food and one quick spot clean session.
 

Flipper

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I have no family here :( I really don't want to give any of my neighbors a key to my home when we are not here.

I will look into the vet thing and begging a friend from work!

Thanks for all the suggestions.
 

Tom

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In your situation, here is what I would do: Take the water bowl out so it can't be soiled. Soak daily for a few days leading up to your departure, and then soak daily for a few days after your return. (This isn't really necessary, but it won't hurt.) Drop a big opuntia cactus pad in there, and drive away. Your timers and thermostats should all do their job.

My preference would be to have a friend or family member come check on them daily, and feed and water them, but you said that wasn't an option. As long as the power doesn't go out and your house heater doesn't fail, everything should be fine. I would not mess with someone soaking and spraying them. Too many details and too many things can go wrong. Your tortie will be totally fine for 5 days without it. Look how many people never do this stuff, and their tortoises survive. Five years of no water, no soaking, and no spraying doesn't kill them, so you know 5 days will be no big deal.
 

Flipper

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In your situation, here is what I would do: Take the water bowl out so it can't be soiled. Soak daily for a few days leading up to your departure, and then soak daily for a few days after your return. (This isn't really necessary, but it won't hurt.) Drop a big opuntia cactus pad in there, and drive away. Your timers and thermostats should all do their job.

My preference would be to have a friend or family member come check on them daily, and feed and water them, but you said that wasn't an option. As long as the power doesn't go out and your house heater doesn't fail, everything should be fine. I would not mess with someone soaking and spraying them. Too many details and too many things can go wrong. Your tortie will be totally fine for 5 days without it. Look how many people never do this stuff, and their tortoises survive. Five years of no water, no soaking, and no spraying doesn't kill them, so you know 5 days will be no big deal.
Well, this is a very no nonsense way to handle it :) thanks Tom :big hug:
 

Flipper

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In your situation, here is what I would do: Take the water bowl out so it can't be soiled. Soak daily for a few days leading up to your departure, and then soak daily for a few days after your return. (This isn't really necessary, but it won't hurt.) Drop a big opuntia cactus pad in there, and drive away. Your timers and thermostats should all do their job.

My preference would be to have a friend or family member come check on them daily, and feed and water them, but you said that wasn't an option. As long as the power doesn't go out and your house heater doesn't fail, everything should be fine. I would not mess with someone soaking and spraying them. Too many details and too many things can go wrong. Your tortie will be totally fine for 5 days without it. Look how many people never do this stuff, and their tortoises survive. Five years of no water, no soaking, and no spraying doesn't kill them, so you know 5 days will be no big deal.
In December, what should my thermostat be set at?
 

wellington

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I too like Toms idea. I would not do a CL but a friend or family member only. I have a sitter and as good as he is, there are still things missed, although very miner, just not dot the way I would. A stranger, I would not want to trust.
 

bonsai tortoise

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I would follow Tom's advice. When I go away I typically soak them immediately before I leave and feed them the night before. I remove any uneaten food right before I leave as well. They can go quite a while without feeding as long as the environment is good. For me I feed them them about every day. Leading up to vacation I will increase that to every day for about a week. I don't know if that makes a difference or not but it makes me feel better. I really wouldn't stress out about it too much. As long as they're healthy they can easily go a week without any attention.
Btw... I've been a lurker here for quite a while and haven't really participated. The information here is great and I've used a lot of it to help me out of jams. Thanks everyone!
 

Flipper

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Just set the house thermostat for 65ish, and your lights are on timers for around 13 hours a day if you are not hibernating.

Of course if you let him hibernate this will all be irrelevant.
She's still too young to brumate (I think) and I've only had her since June. So no on that. She'll be about 15ish months at Christmas time.

So, I just need her MVB light and not her CHE? Once she's a year old?
 
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