Home alone

[Shirley the tortoise]

Hello

I need to go away over the weekend and I'm wondering the best way to leave Shirley. I'll be away for roughly 48 hours. Obviously I'll make sure she has enough water and a couple of days worth of food, but should I leave her light on or off whilst I'm away? She's inside in a table and has areas where she can get out of the light (plus seems to live burying herself in the substrate). Anything else I should be thinking about?

Given the short timescales, swift responses would be most welcome and many thanks in advance.

Gareth

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

you can get a light timer thing at Walmart.

 

[Shirley the tortoise]

Thanks for the reply, I'll look into it. We don't have Walmart here in the UK but I'm sure it will be available elsewhere.

In case I can't find one though, lamp on or off?

Gareth

 

[ZEROPILOT]

On and to one side so that there is a cool side. Also, remove any flipping hazard. Anything that it can climb up and fall over on.
Go into any general store and ask for a lamp timer. Unless you have a super duty high discharge bulb, the cheapo one will do the job. Here they cost about $5.99 I have no idea how much that is in REAL money...

 

[Shirley the tortoise]

Thanks very much for your help. I'll check in B&Q or homebase for a lamp timer.

Gareth

 

[Tom]

For a two day trip, I would remove the water bowl. This way the tortoise can't tip over or drown in it, and she can't soil it and then drink it the next day. Soak her in a separate tub the day you leave or the night before, and again on your return. If you can find them, a couple of spineless opuntia cactus pads work great for this sort of feeding situation. They don't go bad for weeks.

I agree your light needs to be on a timer. It should be on one already anyway.

 

[Jacqui]

Is there a reason she even needs the light? If it is just for UVB a few days will not hurt. Paranoid me can visualize the light falling and possibly hurting or burning the tortoise or even burn the house down. Depending on age of tortoise, I could see a deadly flip happening under the light.

Plus I personal think lights on timers is a sign of a lazy caretaker and VERY unnatural.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Is there a reason she even needs the light? .......snip......

Plus I personal think lights on timers is a sign of a lazy caretaker and VERY unnatural.

For many of us, the light is the source of heat. The need then is determined by the ambient temperature.

I think timers are better than sliced bread. I've spent a lot of time without them, and I don't recommend it. I like to be able to leave the house and know that if I get back late the lights will be off.

 

[Jacqui]

You did notice, I asked of this was light only right? If for heat, what happens if light blows or electric goes out?

 

[Jacqui]

I should also be more clear, it is not the devise, it is not even it's use as such. It is that people set them for certain times and then leave them set. To me, proper use would every so often, say three days, try should have new times programed in. It is the never changing length and temps of days and nights I find wrong.

 

[Jodie]

I should also be more clear, it is not the devise, it is not even it's use as such. It is that people set them for certain times and then leave them set. To me, proper use would every so often, say three days, try should have new times programed in. It is the never changing length and temps of days and nights I find wrong.

This is an interesting point that i had not thought of with my timers.

 

[Shirley the tortoise]

The light is for heat and light, although given we are now in the swing of spring we are less dependent on it for heat than we were a couple of weeks ago.

I'm impressed by your paranoia Jacqui! When I go away one of the things I always worry about is the house burning down. However in this case the lamp is fixed to a bracket that is screwed on, and it definitely won't fall over.

Point noted about the water. Shirley is soaking as I type.

 

[Shirley the tortoise]

I forgot to let you know, the timer worked fine, and I now have the lamp on the timer all the time.


Having had Shirley a month now, she's also eating a lot better (she loves lamb's lettuce) and moving about a bit more. Seems to be really energised after a warm bath. She still spends a lot of time buried though, and I'm not sure she would ever get up if I didn't dig her up.

I've also built her outdoor run and started landscaping it for her, hopefully she'll get a run out next month if we have any warm days.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

I remember England! Warm days in April? You'll be lucky.
Glad to know Shirley is settling in, it takes a while for torts to get accustomed to their new home. She'll be fine if kept warm enough.
My Tidgy is a Greek and doesn't burrow to much, she prefers hiding.
Do you have a hide, or does yours just love trying to dig to Australia?

 

[smarch]

I've had to go on weekend trips with my family (so no at home sitters) and last summer I had the really confusing scenario of going on vacation with my cousin who is my tortoise sitter since she had turtles in the past (and after a few days watching Franklin she now also owns a Russian too). So I left him for the weekend, soaked him before leaving, made sure to leave a lot of food for the piggy, and made sure he had water... didn't even think of drowning since the dish is so shallow. I left the light on, I know he can sleep when its on, he takes naps, so he just had a really long "day" that weekend. I personally wont get a timer, he is one of the reasons I'm forced to wake up in the morning, I got him so something relied on me, feed him wake him up, needing me, so a timer would just make half of that invalid and i'd probably resort to not getting out of bed again. But that's a personal problem. I'm glad your timer works out!

 

[Shirley the tortoise]

We might get the odd warm day! I got married in March and it was a scorching 25 degree day (although there was six inches of snow on our anniversary the following year!). Maybe I'll get her nice and warm before I put her out though (Shirley, not the wife).

I don't think Shirley would appreciate being woken up at the time I leave the house to go to work, so happy to leave the timer on.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

We might get the odd warm day! I got married in March and it was a scorching 25 degree day (although there was six inches of snow on our anniversary the following year!). Maybe I'll get her nice and warm before I put her out though (Shirley, not the wife).

I don't think Shirley would appreciate being woken up at the time I leave the house to go to work, so happy to leave the timer on.

Scorching? 25 degrees? Sounds positively chilly to Tidgy and me.. And what's snow, pray tell, for I have forgotten.

 

[Shirley the tortoise]

Cor blimey guv'nor, 25 degrees is enough for me! The red busses cease up if it gets any hotter and the boat race gets cancelled. The queen even has to take her crown off.

It's not the snow that'll get you, it's the cricket ball sized hail stones.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Cor blimey guv'nor, 25 degrees is enough for me! The red busses cease up if it gets any hotter and the boat race gets cancelled. The queen even has to take her crown off.

It's not the snow that'll get you, it's the cricket ball sized hail stones.

Anything below 30 is cold, ask Shirley. Our donkeys sulk if it's too cold and the Moroccans won't get out of bed. As for cricket I think the English have forgotten how to play. perhaps those hailstones could be useful practice.

 

[Shirley the tortoise]

Brilliant response! I like it here.