# Bringing baby tortoise home by travel



## Taylor2313 (Sep 1, 2021)

Hi! 
Im bringing baby tortoise about 6-7 months old home. It is about 6 hrs drive so I plan to stop by my moms half way for a overnight stay. What should I do to prep my tortiose for comfort and long trip? 
I have a good sized cardboard box for him to be in with substrate and a pillow case sheet to wrap him to prevent the mobility of the car. I will soak him when we arrive my moms home and then in the morning when we leave for home. Anything else i need to do beside try to feed him too. I also have a heated pad too and temperature too. 
Anything to help me and his travel more comfortable. Please let me know! Im a new mom!


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## wellington (Sep 1, 2021)

Where are you leaving from and going too? State only is needed.
What species?


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## Taylor2313 (Sep 1, 2021)

wellington said:


> Where are you leaving from and going too? State only is needed.
> What species?


well, I am in Canada but I will be leaving from the city of Edmonton to Fort St John. My mom lives in Grande prairie. I will be driving to pick up my tortoise from Grande prairie to st fort john which is about 2 hours then stay overnight at Mom's in GP then drive back to Edmonton- about 4 and half hours. the species is the red foot.


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## Tom (Sep 1, 2021)

Taylor2313 said:


> Hi!
> Im bringing baby tortoise about 6-7 months old home. It is about 6 hrs drive so I plan to stop by my moms half way for a overnight stay. What should I do to prep my tortiose for comfort and long trip?
> I have a good sized cardboard box for him to be in with substrate and a pillow case sheet to wrap him to prevent the mobility of the car. I will soak him when we arrive my moms home and then in the morning when we leave for home. Anything else i need to do beside try to feed him too. I also have a heated pad too and temperature too.
> Anything to help me and his travel more comfortable. Please let me know! Im a new mom!


Stay at Mom's on the way there and then make the whole drive back in one trip. Not good to stay overnight without the correct set up. Heat pads are not safe and shouldn't be used.

Don't use cardboard. It will get soiled and turn to mush. Not only will this leak poopy tortoise water all over your car seats, it will allow the tortoise to escape the box. Use a large dark colored plastic tote. Keep the lid on to keep it dark. This will calm the tortoise on the drive much like a hood on a falcon. Strip down to a t-shirt or tank top, shorts and flip flops, and keep the car warm the whole drive. Use a couple of digital thermometers and keep the car in the 80s for the whole drive.


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## Taylor2313 (Sep 1, 2021)

Tom said:


> Stay at Mom's on the way there and then make the whole drive back in one trip. Not good to stay overnight without the correct set up. Heat pads are not safe and shouldn't be used.
> 
> Don't use cardboard. It will get soiled and turn to mush. Not only will this leak poopy tortoise water all over your car seats, it will allow the tortoise to escape the box. Use a large dark colored plastic tote. Keep the lid on to keep it dark. This will calm the tortoise on the drive much like a hood on a falcon. Strip down to a t-shirt or tank top, shorts and flip flops, and keep the car warm the whole drive. Use a couple of digital thermometers and keep the car in the 80s for the whole drive.


Thank you so much! I thought about the cardboard and decided to discard that and I have a small tote plastic box that I will use for my tortoise. What did I mean about the heat pad to put under the outside of the plastic box to keep the bottom warm? Yes to the digital thermometer. I have the one that has the wire so I can check on it while I am driving than having to stop a few times to check,


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## wellington (Sep 1, 2021)

If the day temps are 75 and above you probably don't have much to worry about as far as heat. Your nights are probably where you may need added heat. 
If you use the heat pad, make sure its placed at one end and that the box is big enough for the tort to get away from where the heat pad heat is.
In normal every day housing heat pads are only good if a heat bulb hangs about it with a thermostat or if placed on the side or top of enclosures. 
But yes, dress cooler so if you do have to have the cars heat on you are not over heating.
Good luck and have a safe drive.


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## Tom (Sep 1, 2021)

Taylor2313 said:


> Thank you so much! I thought about the cardboard and decided to discard that and I have a small tote plastic box that I will use for my tortoise. What did I mean about the heat pad to put under the outside of the plastic box to keep the bottom warm? Yes to the digital thermometer. I have the one that has the wire so I can check on it while I am driving than having to stop a few times to check,


Heat pads should never be used with tortoises. When a tortoise feels too warm, it will instinctively dig down into the cooler earth. With a heat pad, it gets closer to the heat, which makes it warmer, which makes it dig down more, which eventually results in the tortoise overheating and possibly dying. You'd think they be smart enough to just get off the heat or stop digging down, but the instincts that have kept them alive for millions of years tell them otherwise.


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