Can tortoises survive upright?

Joined
Mar 20, 2017
Messages
48
Location (City and/or State)
Redwood City, CA, United States
I myself am an urban tortoise owner! Although I don't carry him upright...my Sully goes on outings with me ALL the time! We walk to the park every day...we go to the ocean...he LOVES going to the beach! We've gone to music in the park where he gets a different type of exercise that the park provides cuz the terrain is hilly-er for him to get his exercise on those legs and he gets to climb over small overturned logs in the forest type setting. If we go downtown to music on the square he likes to lay on the toasty warm cement and soon enough i find him sleeping in that famous "L" position we've all grown to love. Just as some people may comment how do we know if they.re happy? I respond, how do you know they are not? My torty has been a beautiful source of public education and awareness since i got him at 4 weeks old. He's the most spoiled...perfectly fed... 6 year old shell baby! If this is all her shell baby knows then who are we to state that it is not happy. My vet...a tortoise specialist(i lucked out there!) Knows of my living arrangement and husbandry practices and said I've got a BEAUTIFUL example of a sulcata and is in Supreme health! So, although I agree that maybe the carrier isn't appropriate for long periods of time...My hats off to her for enjoying her shell baby and for being smart enough to at least write into this forum so she can make the best educated decision for herself and her young one
 

KarenSoCal

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Jul 8, 2017
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Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
Hmm? Her description of happy seems to jibe with my observations especially in one area: the tail. None of my male Redfoots nor Hingebacks ever let their tail out unless they are taking a dump, mating or really relaxed/happy. As for the girls it's hard to tell as they're so stubby. Is this not generally true?
My DT often "wags" his tail, but at a reduced speed, of course. He'll do it just walking along. I've never figured out why. ;)
 

chartle

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Joined
Dec 19, 2018
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14
Location (City and/or State)
Phoenix, AZ
Not a good idea at all.

Humans tend to want to impose human feelings onto animals, I am not sure why we do this but it can be detrimental to the animals health all for the sake of pleasing us. It's called anthropomorphizing, please re-consider your idea. Torts really just need us as their keepers to try and mimic their natural environment to keep them healthy, your idea will be very stressful for your tort whether you want to realize it or not. Sounds like you are putting your own needs over what is best for your tort without realizing it. Please don't take any of this feedback as being mean/bullying just trying to help you avoid some problems. Besides this is coming from a lady who sings to her cat children so loudly that the neighbors complain. :)
We have 2 1 year old Sulcata that like to cuddle at night before going to bed, 1 lays on my husbands lap and he rocks it to sleep before bed, the other lays on my chest and I rub her shell, she sticks her whole neck out and lays it next to my neck and goes to sleep, then go to bed and sleep for the night!
 

queen koopa

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Aug 22, 2018
Messages
754
Location (City and/or State)
Las Vegas Nevada
We have two homes and travel back and forth in our plane. We have a small dog carrier we put our two sulcatas in with a warm towel for the hour flight. They have their heads and legs out checking things out the whole time. They are 16 months old and we have been doing this the last year. No problems.
This seems to be the best way to move baby Sulcatas. Private and humid. But a Tortoise a satchel... :(
 

Kipley

Active Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2019
Messages
118
Location (City and/or State)
Seattle, WA
Have you transported the tortoise in this position yet? If so, how did they tolerate it?

A few weeks ago I picked up a 5.6 lb Redfoot. I'm new to tortoises as well. Due to miscommunication the owners drove to my local Costco to meet me two hours before I was expecting them. When they called to tell me where they were parked, I was close by but had my 3 Greyhounds in the SUV with us. So I put the Tortoise table in the back with the dogs, but held the tortoise on my lap for the ride home to keep it away from the dogs (I wasn't driving). The owners told me to hold him with plastron against my chest so he'd feel secure. Sure - that works if you are stationary, but add the stress of moving, stranger holding you, etc. and it becomes pretty messy fast. I was only 4 miles from home. First the tortoise peed all down the front of me. Then he peed again, Then there was a large semi solid bowel movement. As I was trying to move him from my chest to the floor mat, he had another large bowel movement, liquid this time. By the time we got those 4 miles home, I had to strip in the garage and throw clothes in washer, including underwear and socks...both the tortoise and I had to shower, and luckily I have leather seats and WeatherTech floor mats so the clean up wasn't too involved.
But yeah, I don't think this is a good position to transport a tortoise in...
 

DesertGirl

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Dec 5, 2017
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366
Location (City and/or State)
Fabulous Las Vegas, NV
We have 2 1 year old Sulcata that like to cuddle at night before going to bed, 1 lays on my husbands lap and he rocks it to sleep before bed, the other lays on my chest and I rub her shell, she sticks her whole neck out and lays it next to my neck and goes to sleep, then go to bed and sleep for the night!
My DT does the same thing. Hubs is retired and they spend the days outside together. When I get home from work (hey someone’s gotta keep food on the table), Ms Shell is ready for cuddles with mom.
 

Dovey

Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2019
Messages
64
Location (City and/or State)
New River, AZ
Have you transported the tortoise in this position yet? If so, how did they tolerate it?

A few weeks ago I picked up a 5.6 lb Redfoot. I'm new to tortoises as well. Due to miscommunication the owners drove to my local Costco to meet me two hours before I was expecting them. When they called to tell me where they were parked, I was close by but had my 3 Greyhounds in the SUV with us. So I put the Tortoise table in the back with the dogs, but held the tortoise on my lap for the ride home to keep it away from the dogs (I wasn't driving). The owners told me to hold him with plastron against my chest so he'd feel secure. Sure - that works if you are stationary, but add the stress of moving, stranger holding you, etc. and it becomes pretty messy fast. I was only 4 miles from home. First the tortoise peed all down the front of me. Then he peed again, Then there was a large semi solid bowel movement. As I was trying to move him from my chest to the floor mat, he had another large bowel movement, liquid this time. By the time we got those 4 miles home, I had to strip in the garage and throw clothes in washer, including underwear and socks...both the tortoise and I had to shower, and luckily I have leather seats and WeatherTech floor mats so the clean up wasn't too involved.
But yeah, I don't think this is a good position to transport a tortoise in...
I had a similar trip with a nervous fully grown blood python once. Lordy, lordy, it doesn't bear thinking about!
 
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