Plants and other food that last well

[Jc918]

Can anyone tell me what plants to buy & where to buy some plants that I can put in my Russian torts cage that wont spoil and will last for about 3 days so he has food while I am out of town.

 

[Fernando]

Hmmm that's a tough question.

Is there anyway you can leave the tortoise with someone you trust and a care sheet. Maybe you can even prepare the food in advance so they can just drop it in there for you every day.

 

[Jc918]

nope all my family is going out of town with us I have no one. We are only going to be gone two days. We leave early Saturday morning and come back mid Monday after noon. He will be staying outside in his pen with shade and one small bowl pool and a water dish. I know from the heat the lettuce will only last 3 hours tops before is come soft. It's 101 outside

I tried to find some cactus pad just called around but NO luck, I didn't try wall-mart yet.

 

[Yvonne G]

Tortoises can go a long time without food. But if it were me, I'd leave him in the house for that length of time.

 

[Fernando]

What I personally would do in this case. Is I'd leave a good amount of food for them to eat that day. Feed him the morning you leave. If it's going to be in the outside pen he should have access to eating grass and whatever is around. Also, because of the heat you have to make sure that there is PLENTY of shade and WATER. Maybe put two water bowls in case it decides to jump in on a hot day.

 

[Jc918]

So will he be ok outside in the heat ?

I don't want to harm him here's my local forecast for the fourth of July weekend. I really don't want to leave him in the house we have a cat and if she knocked over the bulb my house could catch fire or the bulb could catch fire. It's always scary leaving that bulb on when going out of town which we hardly do.


http://www.weather.com/weather/5-day/Owasso+OK+74055

Looks like Saturday it's going to be the high of 100 & Sunday 97 & Monday 98

 

[Fernando]

I didn't notice your other similar thread. Your outdoor enclosure does not really look safe enough for your tortoise to stay out there without any food (Heat concern as well) What city do you live in? Maybe someone close to you here on the forum would be willing to babysit?

If there is anyway to knock out the bottom and put him on the bare grass maybe. But not with it completely filled with substrate that he can't eat.

 

[Missy]

Cactus will last for days if they don't eat it

 

[Len B]

If you must leave the tort(s) out, What I have seen from past experiences with romaine lettuce. I was getting the bottoms that were cut off at a restaurant.about 3-4 inches tall. I had more than I could feed at one time so I just left the extras in the shade outside until I needed them, While setting there they started growing new leaves out of the center. So maybe if you just laid a couple of full heads of romaine in the pen they would last a few days.Good Luck, Len

 

[Edna]

I've left mine inside when I have to leave for a couple of days. We leave the lights and heat off, so they just rest while we're gone. If I have a pet sitter coming in for the dogs, I ask her to check on torts too, just to make sure they're all right-side-up.

 

[Jc918]

I really don't have much time to decide so everyone's input would greatly be appreciated. So many answers hard to decide on what to do.

Would leaving him inside with the bulb off be a better option. His indoor cage is in it's own room I could turn off the ac vent and turn the ac up to 77, Don't want to over heat the cat and cook her or I would turn the ac all the way up.

Or I can just leave him in his pen outside with lots of shade and extra water dishes. Looks like Saturday it's going to be the high of 100 & Sunday 97 & Monday 98


What would you do if you where in my shoes I have no friends to come over or feed him. Only two day need opinions on what housing to use indoor or outdoor etc



HERE'S THE OPTIONS


ADDED SHADE OPTION TO OUTSIDE PEN WITH ONE WATER DISH AND SMALL POOL AND MORE CYPRESS IT'S DEEPER NOW

OR


INDOOR HOUSING WITH NO BULB AC VENT CLOSED AC TURNED UP TO 77 FAN ON TOP OF CAGE FOR VENTILATION

 

[Zouave]

Have a veggie pizza delivered twice daily.

 

[Fernando]

Hmmmm....I think indoors with everything off and plenty of food should be okay. If you leave the AC on at 77 how cold will it be at night? Since the temp can change during that time.

 

[Jc918]

Well I live in a metal mobile home honestly it's hot as hell my ac runs all the time just to keep my house cool I could close of the bed room door and kill that vent. That room would get about 78 or hotter during the day I am sure and at night I am not sure.

I also could put the heat bulb on a timer and have it come on maybe once or twice for 30 minutes during the night and get way with that with the wife