Long time no see. Just an update...

[Tortus]

Well, it turns out ship your reptiles.com requires a box with at least 3/4" insulated sheets on all sides (not sure where to get those...SYR shipping supplies are expensive), tortoise has to be in a bag, and it can't be delivered on a Saturday. I'll have to pick a weekday and see if she can be home. I guess if you don't follow their packing guidelines the insurance is void.

It's costing me more to ship this tortoise than I paid for it. Maybe I should just drive it there.

 

[Neal]

Just a question about shipping if anyone familiar can give me pointers. I signed up with the "ship your reptiles" site as Team Gomberg recommended. As far as packing goes, I have some reptile shipping heat packs. Where should I put them in the shipping container? I figured I'd put the tort in a ventilated tupperware bowl inside of a box. Put the packs right underneath the bowl?

The heat packs should be taped to the underside of the Styrofoam lid. Be careful not to tape over the red strip: http://www.shipyourreptiles.com/en/get_help/get_help_shipping_standards/#question-16

With a tortoise that size, yeah a cloth bag is probably the most appropriate way to ship. I don't ship a whole heck of a lot, and certainly not tortoises over 6 inches, but keep in mind that a tortoise as big as yours can expel A LOT in a short amount of time. Maybe not enough to compromise the box, but certainly enough that might leak out which would likely delay shipping or worse. I would recommend at the very least, speaking with one of the reps at SYR and ask for their advice on protecting the box from the tortoise urinating or bowel movement.

Perhaps I over-think these things, but it's better to over-think than under-think in my experience.

 

[Yvonne G]

I have used preemie diapers in the past, but they're pretty hard to find. I'm shipping a larger tortoise tomorrow, and I bought newborn diapers (10lbs). It's probably going to be too big, but it will keep the poop confined and not spread all over inside the pillow case he's enclosed in.

 

[Tortus]

The heat packs should be taped to the underside of the Styrofoam lid. Be careful not to tape over the red strip: http://www.shipyourreptiles.com/en/get_help/get_help_shipping_standards/#question-16

With a tortoise that size, yeah a cloth bag is probably the most appropriate way to ship. I don't ship a whole heck of a lot, and certainly not tortoises over 6 inches, but keep in mind that a tortoise as big as yours can expel A LOT in a short amount of time. Maybe not enough to compromise the box, but certainly enough that might leak out which would likely delay shipping or worse. I would recommend at the very least, speaking with one of the reps at SYR and ask for their advice on protecting the box from the tortoise urinating or bowel movement.

Perhaps I over-think these things, but it's better to over-think than under-think in my experience.

I thought I had everything I needed. Looks like shipping will be delayed until she can take a weekday off work. That gives me time to find the insulated panels. Been doing research today and I heard some people are afraid to use the bag in case the tortoise gets flipped over and can right itself. But that's what they recommend. If the inner box is small enough I don't see how it can flip anyway.

The plastic inner container lined with paper towels (and newspaper as they recommend) should contain any leaks. When she got here 2 years ago that's how it arrived. The towels were soaked in excrement. I can only imagine what she could do at 6 inches bigger. I'll definitely give them a call before the final sendoff.

 

[Yvonne G]

If you cut styrofoam sheets to fit inside the box to line it, then put a layer of packing peanuts on the floor of the box, place the turtle in the sack then on the floor of the box, then fill up the box with packing peanuts. There's no way he can tip over.

 

[Tortus]

If you cut styrofoam sheets to fit inside the box to line it, then put a layer of packing peanuts on the floor of the box, place the turtle in the sack then on the floor of the box, then fill up the box with packing peanuts. There's no way he can tip over.

True. Just wondering, can you take tortoises on a plane? Like a commercial flight? For a couple hundred more bucks I can get a round trip ticket there, help her set it up, and do a little job hunt. Wishful thinking probably but it crossed my mind.