Traveling with Baby Red Foot

RedFootTort557

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Aug 25, 2014
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We are traveling four hours away for a short, two day trip (leaving Friday night and coming back Sunday evening). Do you think it's stressful for a baby red foot tortoise to travel for four hours in a car? I would feel more comfortable bringing him with us as opposed to leaving him home as we don't have anyone we trust to check in on him (and I get paranoid about something going wrong with his lights, etc. even though they are on a timer and we haven't had any issues for the last two months...I worry about him just leaving him for the day when I go to work lol. We are very protective of our tortoise because he is so little). Our baby red foot is used to having a large enclosure to roam around in, so he'd be in a smaller enclosure for the weekend if we brought him with us. We don't want to stress him out by traveling with him, but are nervous to leave him by himself. We've seen mixed advice online in terms of travel....anyone have suggestions?
 

Yvonne G

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Can you bring him inside his usual habitat? If yes, then it would not be stressful on the animal to travel.
 

RedFootTort557

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He currently lives in a 4 foot x 3 foot enclosure, so his tortoise table is too big to fit in our car....we would have to transport him in a large tote.
 

tortdad

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I would think taking him in an unusual tote would be more stress that just leaving him for that short time. Maybe take the items from his permanent enclosure and put them in his temp spot and let him get use to it for a few days before you leave???
 

johnsonnboswell

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I'd leave him home. If you are truly worried about the light and the ambient temperature is comfortable, then just turn it off.
 

RedFootTort557

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Thanks, everyone!! We ended up leaving him home and did an even shorter trip than planned so we could get home earlier to see him. He did great at home by himself and we think he was excited to see us when we got back :) When he is a little older, do you think it is less stressful for him to travel or is it stressful no matter their age?
 

ladyvalkyrie

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I've been taking my redfoot with me a lot of places lately (well... everywhere that I can) and I think it will always be stressful. I got some good advice on here about travelling. Pad the box as much as you can. I fill a plastic tote with cypress mulch and cover half with a blanket for Deryn to hide. But it's not home and cars are bumpy so it's definitely scary.
 
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