Will travelling once a month stress out a tortoise

[cm2445]

My partner has wanted a tortoise for the past few years and I was thinking of buying him a vivarium for his birthday so he can finally get round to owning one. Unfortunately we are having to live apart at the moment due to work but we are planning on moving in together in the next year or so as soon as we can get work in the same place.

We only live 2 hours apart by car and he visits me about once a month for a few days or so and he is reluctant to get a tortoise as he's not sure it would be able to travel. The consensus seems to be that tortoises can travel so long as they have the right container and precautions are taken with heat etc. but I'm a bit of a newbie to all this and wouldn't want to be cruel and cause unecessary stress to the tortoise.

Would the species type make a difference? He had been looking at Horsefield or Herman tortoises as they seem to be the most suited to the cooler UK temperatures.

Thanks guys.

 

[lynnedit]

With the appropriate travel container and set up in your place, a tortoise should do well. They tend to just go to sleep in the container. I certainly would not let once a month travel prevent me from getting a tortoise.

What kind of tortoise is he considering? That will affect advice regarding enclosure (tortoise table vs vivarium), etc. Depending on where you live, most tortoises thrive if they can be in an outside enclosure for at least part of the year, even part of the day.

Make sure your partner reviews the species specific sections for information about different tortoises and their care. That can help in the decision process about which tort to get.

 

[wellington]

I agree. The kind you mentioned are great starter torts. Either I think would fair pretty good. I think a yearling or older would be better for your situation then a hatchling. I also would purchase him/her, when he can be at one place for 3-4 weeks to get accustomed to his new home and routine before taking him on the trip. I would also try to keep as much the same at the second home as it is at the first home, including routine. I would go for it. Just do the reading first, get both homes enclosures ready and get the travel cage ready or at least planned out then bring him home. Good luck, you will love him/her

 

[Madkins007]

I'm a bit confused... he would transport the tortoise because otherwise it would be home for a few days by itself? If that is the case, just leave it home. It will be fine on its own for several days in a row if the habitat is set up half-way decently.

Travelling is not a big issue when done decently. A bigger, but not huge, issue is whether the tortoise would ever get any long-term outside time.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi cm2445:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

What would you like us to call you?

 

[Jacob]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Tom]

Traveling WILL stress them, BUT those two species are pretty hardy and adaptable. Most tortoise will desensitize and get used to the moving around. You'll just have to watch YOUR tortoise and see how he fares.

I agree with Mark here too. Probably best to just leave him home. My lights are all on timers. I like to leave opuntia cactus pads in the enclosure on days when I won't be there to feed them. Those pads last for months with out going bad and he can much on them at will. I would pull the water bowl out on an adult tortoise too, so he can't foul it and then drink from it. A few days with out a drink of water, followed by a soak and the replacement of the water bowl, will hurt nothing.

 

[Jacqui]

I traveled with turtles and tortoises quite often in the semi and with the exception of hingebacks, none ever really had any problems with traveling. The two species your talking about, would both be pretty good candidates for traveling.