queen koopa
Well-Known Member
I feel that traveling at speeds the animals cannot achieve naturally also contributes to reactions of travel.
about 5-6 days. are they ok without food for that long?
I always put tortoises in a box with a lid so it's dark and they mostly sleep.I feel that traveling at speeds the animals cannot achieve naturally also contributes to reactions of travel.
Sheldon is always sleeping lolI always put tortoises in a box with a lid so it's dark and they mostly sleep.
I always put tortoises in a box with a lid so it's dark and they mostly sleep.
I had a tortoise mobile home i made. It had everything needed for her but she got stressed out when I used to take her away so I dont do it any morelol, Sheldon is a pooper too!!!! maybe I will put him the very back
We were evacuated from the CA fires and had to take our 5 tortoises with us ... we were traveling for about a week... had them in a “under the bed “plastic box in the back seat- they did fine, except kept trying to see over the top. Bought some wire mesh to make a top for the box to keep them confined- had to put a heavy weight on the corners to keep them from pushing up the wire. They did well.. ate well...we did take them for a walk 2-3 times a day for sunshine. i cant say they were happy, but it was only a week and we are home now and they are greatI would like to go see family over the holidays and may not have anyone to tort sit. They live 6 hours away.. I have a 1 year old Russian and was curious to know if anyone has traveled with their tortoise and what they did with then when they got to the destination.
Ha!!! one of my last ex-husbands lives in Scotts Valley. Oh lordy, do I remember fast super scary rides on his Harley over Hiway 9.We were evacuated from the CA fires and had to take our 5 tortoises with us ... we were traveling for about a week... had them in a “under the bed “plastic box in the back seat- they did fine, except kept trying to see over the top. Bought some wire mesh to make a top for the box to keep them confined- had to put a heavy weight on the corners to keep them from pushing up the wire. They did well.. ate well...we did take them for a walk 2-3 times a day for sunshine. i cant say they were happy, but it was only a week and we are home now and they are great
And I hope you weren't burned out. My son had a nice cabin at Huntington Lake at 10,000 ft in the Sierras totally burned out...Ha!!! one of my last ex-husbands lives in Scotts Valley. Oh lordy, do I remember fast super scary rides on his Harley over Hiway 9.
Anyway, you and I will be friends forever just because of your comment, THEY DID FINE haha. Seriously, I'm kinda wondering if possibly I feel the way I do because mostly I was moving Sulcata or desert tortoises. I've kept Hermanni, and Russians but more Sulcata then anything,and it's really hard to upset Sulcata, oops and box turtles
Every two to three weeks we transport our torts form Pennsylvania to New Jersey. It is a 2 hours drive. The older tort move around a lot in his pet container and defecates a few times, the younger one sleeps well. We bring disposable gloves, hand sanitizer, baby wipes and plenty of paper towels as diapers and plastic bags for trash. Pictures of our enclosures. Male vs female tortoise chart attached.I guess because tortoises have no facial expression or have no voice, probably that makes people think that tortoise will not/can not be stressed... Some peope even think that they don’t have a sense of pain just because they are not able to make any sound or express emotion by means of facial changes...
I am not expert but I know that they are ground-dwellers and don’t like to be lifted up. They are also very sensitive for signals that are transmitted via vibration of the ground...and they can definitely be stressed out by constantly moving...
To say that “I don't believe they have the capacity to be stressed.” to me kinda shows ...
And with all you wrote it made me think of Bob...Just to share my experiences:
Levi has been an animal ambassador his whole life. He's 10 years old and has gone to thousands of schools, birthday parties, shows, etc. over the years. He is given a warm soak before hand to empty his bowels, then loaded into a dark tub with shavings and hay (absorbent material should he "go" more before reaching our destination). He has traveled for these events just fine and performed at the events (by performing I mean he walks around and eats without problem). BUT he is different while out than he is at home. At home, he tries to beat me up non-stop. He will stop eating just to chase me away. Out, he's great! Eats lettuce from the kids hands, walks around and doesn't ever try to ram me or anyone else. So clearly, he's not 100% himself...
I have also lived at 8 different residences with him. That's 8 family moves to 8 different properties giving him 8 different outdoor enclosures, and I can see the difference in him after each move. Like all tortoises, he likes routine and it takes him a brief moment to figure out his new space and fully settle in.
With all that said, I'd say Levi has moved to new locations successfully but not because I wanted to travel the world with him for fun. Rather, because I wanted to keep my beloved tortoise with me when I moved. **shocker some people MOVE and KEEP their pets!** Levi has also successfully traveled to events with me but in my experience, most animals that are raised in "show life" handle it better than older animals thrust into that type of lifestyle.
Would I advocate for putting your tortoise in a travel carrier for trips to the mall, weekends to Cabo and the occasional beach day? No.
Would I suggest that it's ok to transport your tortoise from a rescue to foster home, adoptive home, vet, moving, etc. Ya, totally.
Would I suggest everyone load up their tort in a box for shows around town? No....unless maybe you really wanted to transition into that lifestyle?? Would you tortoise necessarily like it as much as you? maybe not.
For anyone wondering the answer to the question: you have to read through other's experiences, weigh the pros/cons to each side, see what's applicable to your specific situation and make a judgement call.
Mine traveled from the States, to France, To Syria, to Saudi Arabia and to Jordan. Small carrier and she was perfectly fine. She died at age 105. She had several owners before me. Of course I had a health certificate from a veterinarian because her travels were international.I would like to go see family over the holidays and may not have anyone to tort sit. They live 6 hours away.. I have a 1 year old Russian and was curious to know if anyone has traveled with their tortoise and what they did with then when they got to the destination.
Mine traveled with me because I could never give her up. She was part of my family.Just to share my experiences:
Levi has been an animal ambassador his whole life. He's 10 years old and has gone to thousands of schools, birthday parties, shows, etc. over the years. He is given a warm soak before hand to empty his bowels, then loaded into a dark tub with shavings and hay (absorbent material should he "go" more before reaching our destination). He has traveled for these events just fine and performed at the events (by performing I mean he walks around and eats without problem). BUT he is different while out than he is at home. At home, he tries to beat me up non-stop. He will stop eating just to chase me away. Out, he's great! Eats lettuce from the kids hands, walks around and doesn't ever try to ram me or anyone else. So clearly, he's not 100% himself...
I have also lived at 8 different residences with him. That's 8 family moves to 8 different properties giving him 8 different outdoor enclosures, and I can see the difference in him after each move. Like all tortoises, he likes routine and it takes him a brief moment to figure out his new space and fully settle in.
With all that said, I'd say Levi has moved to new locations successfully but not because I wanted to travel the world with him for fun. Rather, because I wanted to keep my beloved tortoise with me when I moved. **shocker some people MOVE and KEEP their pets!** Levi has also successfully traveled to events with me but in my experience, most animals that are raised in "show life" handle it better than older animals thrust into that type of lifestyle.
Would I advocate for putting your tortoise in a travel carrier for trips to the mall, weekends to Cabo and the occasional beach day? No.
Would I suggest that it's ok to transport your tortoise from a rescue to foster home, adoptive home, vet, moving, etc. Ya, totally.
Would I suggest everyone load up their tort in a box for shows around town? No....unless maybe you really wanted to transition into that lifestyle?? Would you tortoise necessarily like it as much as you? maybe not.
For anyone wondering the answer to the question: you have to read through other's experiences, weigh the pros/cons to each side, see what's applicable to your specific situation and make a judgement call.