# Do torts travel well?



## Kylee L.

I would like to go see family over the holidays and may not have anyone to tort sit. They live 6 hours away.. I have a 1 year old Russian and was curious to know if anyone has traveled with their tortoise and what they did with then when they got to the destination.


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## Maggie3fan

I have traveled frequently with animals. With torts I put them in a dark closed box. Generally they go to sleep and stay asleep. I bring a tote, lights, CHE and food, set him up in a quiet area when I get there, and don't allow anyone to pick him up.


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## crimson_lotus

Whenever I take my tort to the vet in a dish bin, she poops constantly for the 45 minute ride. The smell is like death in a small car with closed windows. I don't cover my tortoise though, perhaps that's the trick..


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## Aunt Caffy

I have a bag I made especially for my tort to travel in. It has a foam cushion at the bottom, and the insides are lined with the silver fabric used for oven mitts. There are little net pockets where I can put hand warmers (for heat) and moistened lint-free cloths for humidity. There is a little mat on the bottom so that my tort doesn’t scratch the bottom lining. 

I used to carry her in a fabric lunch bag with hand warmers and moistened lint-free cloths, but she outgrew it.


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## Kylee L.

maggie3fan said:


> I have traveled frequently with animals. With torts I put them in a dark closed box. Generally they go to sleep and stay asleep. I bring a tote, lights, CHE and food, set him up in a quiet area when I get there, and don't allow anyone to pick him up.


awesome! thank you!


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## Kylee L.

Aunt Caffy said:


> I have a bag I made especially for my tort to travel in. It has a foam cushion at the bottom, and the insides are lined with the silver fabric used for oven mitts. There are little net pockets where I can put hand warmers (for heat) and moistened lint-free cloths for humidity. There is a little mat on the bottom so that my tort doesn’t scratch the bottom lining.
> 
> I used to carry her in a fabric lunch bag with hand warmers and moistened lint-free cloths, but she outgrew it.


I have something like that if the electricity ever goes out I can put hand warmers around it to keep him warm! thank you!


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## Kylee L.

crimson_lotus said:


> Whenever I take my tort to the vet in a dish bin, she poops constantly for the 45 minute ride. The smell is like death in a small car with closed windows. I don't cover my tortoise though, perhaps that's the trick..


lol, Sheldon is a pooper too!!!! maybe I will put him the very back


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## Tom

Kylee L. said:


> I would like to go see family over the holidays and may not have anyone to tort sit. They live 6 hours away.. I have a 1 year old Russian and was curious to know if anyone has traveled with their tortoise and what they did with then when they got to the destination.


No. They don't travel well. Best to leave them at home.


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## jsheffield

How long are you going to be away?

I routinely leave my torts alone when I travel for up to two weeks... with lights and heat on timers and thermostats, they're fine until I get back.

Jamie


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## Kylee L.

Tom said:


> No. They don't travel well. Best to leave them at home.


ok, thank you!! I really started thinking about everything I would have to bring to keep him happy and it was getting to bre a bit much


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## Relic

Do they travel well? Just wait until you get stuck behind a family of redfoots at the security checkpoint at the airport. It takes FOREVER to get them all through the metal detector, they never have all their travel documents ready for inspection, and once on the airplane not a one of them can stow their carry-on luggage in the overhead bin without assistance. It's a nightmare, I tell ya!


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## Aunt Caffy

Relic said:


> Do they travel well? Just wait until you get stuck behind a family of redfoots at the security checkpoint at the airport. It takes FOREVER to get them all through the metal detector, they never have all their travel documents ready for inspection, and once on the airplane not a one of them can stow their carry-on luggage in the overhead bin without assistance. It's a nightmare, I tell ya!


My redfoot Rowan has been having a devil of a time getting a proper passport photo.


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## Kylee L.

jsheffield said:


> How long are you going to be away?
> 
> I routinely leave my torts alone when I travel for up to two weeks... with lights and heat on timers and thermostats, they're fine until I get back.
> 
> Jamie


about 5-6 days. are they ok without food for that long?


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## Kylee L.

Aunt Caffy said:


> My redfoot Rowan has been having a devil of a time getting a proper passport photo.


Sheldon would more than likely sleep in and miss his flight to begin with lol


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## Kylee L.

jsheffield said:


> How long are you going to be away?
> 
> I routinely leave my torts alone when I travel for up to two weeks... with lights and heat on timers and thermostats, they're fine until I get back.
> 
> Jamie


about 5-6 days, they are ok without food for that long?


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## Maggie3fan

Kylee L. said:


> ok, thank you!! I really started thinking about everything I would have to bring to keep him happy and it was getting to bre a bit much





Tom said:


> No. They don't travel well. Best to leave them at home.


I don't mean any disrespect, really, but I just drove 800 miles with a 40+lb male Sulcata. He did not poop or pee, he was in a hard rubber black tote with a fastened lid. He didn't make any sound of scratches, or banging. When I unloaded him at Y's he immediately found the first patch of grass and started grazing. I don't think he acted stressed or unhappy. I also brought my 12 yr old adopted cat who had never been on a car trip. He was fine. Great at Y's house and again on the road home. I brought back 2 box turtles, first thing I did when I got them home was set them up. They didn't act strange or nervous. I cannot be the only crazy person in the world who does not hesitate to travel with animals. I always travel with animals.
So just to please me, how do they not travel well, look? Am I so empty headed and unconscious that I don't realize how damaging I am to sensitive animals? I really want to know how you are seeing stressed out animals. I brought back 3 box turtles and one tortoise from Texas 5-6 years ago. A 2 day trip and not one of those animals acted stressed out. My cat and I did get stopped at POE and held for 8 hours while the Texas County Mounties tried to accuse me of tortoise smuggling. Ha, my cat and I were evidently trying to smuggle a common Sulcata tortoise and more common box turtles according to the police. Jerks


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## Tom

maggie3fan said:


> I don't mean any disrespect, really, but I just drove 800 miles with a 40+lb male Sulcata. He did not poop or pee, he was in a hard rubber black tote with a fastened lid. He didn't make any sound of scratches, or banging. When I unloaded him at Y's he immediately found the first patch of grass and started grazing. I don't think he acted stressed or unhappy. I also brought my 12 yr old adopted cat who had never been on a car trip. He was fine. Great at Y's house and again on the road home. I brought back 2 box turtles, first thing I did when I got them home was set them up. They didn't act strange or nervous. I cannot be the only crazy person in the world who does not hesitate to travel with animals. I always travel with animals.
> So just to please me, how do they not travel well, look? Am I so empty headed and unconscious that I don't realize how damaging I am to sensitive animals? I really want to know how you are seeing stressed out animals. I brought back 3 box turtles and one tortoise from Texas 5-6 years ago. A 2 day trip and not one of those animals acted stressed out. My cat and I did get stopped at POE and held for 8 hours while the Texas County Mounties tried to accuse me of tortoise smuggling. Ha, my cat and I were evidently trying to smuggle a common Sulcata tortoise and more common box turtles according to the police. Jerks


Your sample size of one is compelling, but not much stresses a 40 pound sulcata. I too travel with animals. Daily. For a living. Most tortoises release a sh** storm in their travel container. Its great that yours did not, but that is not the norm. Having had many tortoises of all sizes and species shipped, driven, and otherwise brought to me, I can tell you they don't travel well and are best left at home. Can they adapt and get used to it? Sure. Doesn't mean most people should be doing it on a regular basis.


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## Maggie3fan

Tom said:


> Your sample size of one is compelling, but not much stresses a 40 pound sulcata. I too travel with animals. Daily. For a living. Most tortoises release a sh** storm in their travel container. Its great that yours did not, but that is not the norm. Having had many tortoises of all sizes and species shipped, driven, and otherwise brought to me, I can tell you they don't travel well and are best left at home. Can they adapt and get used to it? Sure. Doesn't mean most people should be doing it on a regular basis.


I have been running turtles and tortoises in my Camaro back and forth to my sister's place and other places for a lot of years. You keep saying travel stresses them out, but how? Are they frothing at the mouth? Yes, I have run tortoises frequently, and the smaller animals do poop a lot. I used my recent travel with 1 Sulcata as an example. BUT...I have brought clutches of tortoises back from Calif, I rented a work van once and hauled a huge Sulcata and his 30 pounds of carrots south. I've hauled 15 to 30 small tortoises at a time. I want to know how do they act that tells you they are upset, because I don't see it. 
Granted you do haul animals around for your job. OK, cool. But don't belittle my hauling experience, I don't do it in a fancy truck, but without exaggerating, I have probably run a few hundred+ chelonia. You may have hauled more, but that does not lessen my personal experience. And I don't see any signs that the animals are stressed. I don't believe they have the capacity to be stressed.
Sometimes that drive stresses ME out. I have had to stop on the road shoulder to dump out tort poop. Dangerous. But I have not seen 'stress' signs among anything I hauled and none arrived dead.


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## Markw84

maggie3fan said:


> I don't mean any disrespect, really, but I just drove 800 miles with a 40+lb male Sulcata. He did not poop or pee, he was in a hard rubber black tote with a fastened lid. He didn't make any sound of scratches, or banging. When I unloaded him at Y's he immediately found the first patch of grass and started grazing. I don't think he acted stressed or unhappy. I also brought my 12 yr old adopted cat who had never been on a car trip. He was fine. Great at Y's house and again on the road home. I brought back 2 box turtles, first thing I did when I got them home was set them up. They didn't act strange or nervous. I cannot be the only crazy person in the world who does not hesitate to travel with animals. I always travel with animals.
> So just to please me, how do they not travel well, look? Am I so empty headed and unconscious that I don't realize how damaging I am to sensitive animals? I really want to know how you are seeing stressed out animals. I brought back 3 box turtles and one tortoise from Texas 5-6 years ago. A 2 day trip and not one of those animals acted stressed out. My cat and I did get stopped at POE and held for 8 hours while the Texas County Mounties tried to accuse me of tortoise smuggling. Ha, my cat and I were evidently trying to smuggle a common Sulcata tortoise and more common box turtles according to the police. Jerks



Tortoises are very much creatures of routine and habit. They have very good memories in the sense that they live by programming into their memory their territority - over here is water in the rainy season. Over there that plant grows in spring. Here the grass is good. This is the place best to rest in midday. Over there is the best night hide. If you study them when you pretty much leave them to do their own thing (Don't handle and desensitize them a lot) you will start to see there is even a consistent pattern to their daily routine. My galapagos, for example has now gotten used to his newer outdoor enclosure. He pretty much comes out of the night house every day at the same time. Turns to his right and follows the same path around to the same section to graze for a while. Then goes under his favorite daytime hide in the pumpkin patch, and rests for an hour or so. Then comes out and grazes for another few hours working his way the same path to another section of the enclosure. He always checks out the stand of testudo mix in another section of the enclosure before going back into the night house for the evening.

IF they are moved, they don't know where all "their stuff" is. They live and their whole world is their relationship to "their stuff" If they cannot find it, they are stressed. Long term, low-grade stress is probably the number one killer of tortoises in captivity after dehydration.


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## Tes

From my personal experience; when I move my tortoise in a small plastic travelbox, he gets very stressed; he pees, poops, crawls on the sides, flips over a few times. While if I move him in his enclosure (thats at least for now still possible, since his enclosure fits in the car) he's very calm and shows his normal tortoise behaviour. However, I drove max 1.5 hours with him in the car.
When I leave him at home for a longer period of time, I plant edible and easy to grow food in his enclosure, such as Cat Grass, Cress or I leave a big piece of a succulent/cactus. All those things last a few days without turning bad.


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## Kylee L.

maggie3fan said:


> I don't mean any disrespect, really, but I just drove 800 miles with a 40+lb male Sulcata. He did not poop or pee, he was in a hard rubber black tote with a fastened lid. He didn't make any sound of scratches, or banging. When I unloaded him at Y's he immediately found the first patch of grass and started grazing. I don't think he acted stressed or unhappy. I also brought my 12 yr old adopted cat who had never been on a car trip. He was fine. Great at Y's house and again on the road home. I brought back 2 box turtles, first thing I did when I got them home was set them up. They didn't act strange or nervous. I cannot be the only crazy person in the world who does not hesitate to travel with animals. I always travel with animals.
> So just to please me, how do they not travel well, look? Am I so empty headed and unconscious that I don't realize how damaging I am to sensitive animals? I really want to know how you are seeing stressed out animals. I brought back 3 box turtles and one tortoise from Texas 5-6 years ago. A 2 day trip and not one of those animals acted stressed out. My cat and I did get stopped at POE and held for 8 hours while the Texas County Mounties tried to accuse me of tortoise smuggling. Ha, my cat and I were evidently trying to smuggle a common Sulcata tortoise and more common box turtles according to the police. Jerks


no disrespect taken, I had a tort die on me very shortly after I got him so I over think everything.


Markw84 said:


> Tortoises are very much creatures of routine and habit. They have very good memories in the sense that they live by programming into their memory their territority - over here is water in the rainy season. Over there that plant grows in spring. Here the grass is good. This is the place best to rest in midday. Over there is the best night hide. If you study them when you pretty much leave them to do their own thing (Don't handle and desensitize them a lot) you will start to see there is even a consistent pattern to their daily routine. My galapagos, for example has now gotten used to his newer outdoor enclosure. He pretty much comes out of the night house every day at the same time. Turns to his right and follows the same path around to the same section to graze for a while. Then goes under his favorite daytime hide in the pumpkin patch, and rests for an hour or so. Then comes out and grazes for another few hours working his way the same path to another section of the enclosure. He always checks out the stand of testudo mix in another section of the enclosure before going back into the night house for the evening.
> 
> IF they are moved, they don't know where all "their stuff" is. They live and their whole world is their relationship to "their stuff" If they cannot find it, they are stressed. Long term, low-grade stress is probably the number one killer of tortoises in captivity after dehydration.


that'd understandable


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## Aunt Caffy

My tort only travels to the vet. She would poop pretty much every time in her first travel bag when we travelled. She doesn’t poop near as much since I made her the new much larger bag.


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## Maggie3fan

Markw84 said:


> Tortoises are very much creatures of routine and habit. They have very good memories in the sense that they live by programming into their memory their territority - over here is water in the rainy season. Over there that plant grows in spring. Here the grass is good. This is the place best to rest in midday. Over there is the best night hide. If you study them when you pretty much leave them to do their own thing (Don't handle and desensitize them a lot) you will start to see there is even a consistent pattern to their daily routine. My galapagos, for example has now gotten used to his newer outdoor enclosure. He pretty much comes out of the night house every day at the same time. Turns to his right and follows the same path around to the same section to graze for a while. Then goes under his favorite daytime hide in the pumpkin patch, and rests for an hour or so. Then comes out and grazes for another few hours working his way the same path to another section of the enclosure. He always checks out the stand of testudo mix in another section of the enclosure before going back into the night house for the evening.
> 
> IF they are moved, they don't know where all "their stuff" is. They live and their whole world is their relationship to "their stuff" If they cannot find it, they are stressed. Long term, low-grade stress is probably the number one killer of tortoises in captivity after dehydration.


I agree with most of what you say, it's not like I'm new to the world of reptile keeping. And look who is my mentor. But neither you nor Tom is giving me what I am looking for. What makes you think they are stressed out? What symptoms do you see, that I evidently don't see, that makes you say the animal looks or acts stressed?


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## Maggie3fan

Please understand that I am not trying to start an argument. I want to know, what does "stressed out" look like? Are you using your experience to make a decision that this tortoise must be stressed out, or do you see physical symptoms?


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## crimson_lotus

maggie3fan said:


> Please understand that I am not trying to start an argument. I want to know, what does "stressed out" look like? Are you using your experience to make a decision that this tortoise must be stressed out, or do you see physical symptoms?



To me, the indication of stress would be the constant, back to back pooping. She literally empties her bowels on the way to the vet until she cannot poop anymore.

Granted once the poop has been emptied she no longer shows this sign of stress! But it is very unusual for my tort to poop that consistently so it must be the change in environment.

Also keep in mind I have little experience, only my one tortoise and rides to the vet once a year.


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## Markw84

maggie3fan said:


> Please understand that I am not trying to start an argument. I want to know, what does "stressed out" look like? Are you using your experience to make a decision that this tortoise must be stressed out, or do you see physical symptoms?


Stressed out by low grade stress normally first shows as a slow down or no growth for a few weeks or month. I did a lot of reptile shows last year. As most who read my posts probably has surmised, I am rather anal about keeping records. I track and graph the weights of all my Burmese Stars I hatch. When I take some to the shows, it involves a few nights of living out of a travel bin and in a strange enclosure at the shows, even though I try to set it up as I do their enclosure at home. I see a change in growth rate every time. When I do 2-3 shows over a 2 month period, I see very slow growth from the ones I take and do not sell at the show. At the show, they all act fine and are quite active. (Actually I believe looking for familiar places). They eat what is put in front of them. But they ALL slow down to at least 1/2 their normal growth that month.

What many interpret as actively exploring a new enclosure, I see as stressed trying to find its territory. Most people simply respond to why a new tortoise is very active at first, then hides a lot and isn't growing the first month or two as "needing time to adjust". But that is low grade stress showing its effects. This also lowers the immune system and can leave the tortoise more susceptible to disease.

Moving a tortoise is very stressful to a tortoise.


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## Tom

To augment Mark's points, which I 100% agree with, another indicator is that a consistent breeding group can be moved, and they will stop breeding, sometimes for years, until they get settled in again.

@maggie3fan in the travel bin, you'll see excessive voiding of the bowels and bladder, pacing and wall climbing and a general sense of restlessness. Some torts will go so far as to flip themselves. Often upon arrival, people will often see the energetic "exploring the new territory", which I agree with Mark is actually a near panicked search for "home". This stage is followed by lethargy and lack of appetite (low grade stress) because they are not home where they are comfortable, and cannot find home.

You can see it here on the forum when a member simply re-arranges the cage or changes the substrate. Tortoise starts running around, sometimes flipping itself, and this is often followed by lethargy and lack of appetite for a while until they "settle in".

Frequent advice for a constipated tortoise is to take it for a car ride. Why? Because the stress and frantic pacing will usually make them unload their bowels. You've argued in the past that frequent and long soaks make them poop too much and not digest their food properly. My observations of health, appetite and growth rate say otherwise. Likewise, I share Mark's observations that growth rate slows tremendously for a good while after a car ride. In my business, I never use my breeding females for jobs. I only use surplus males that are not part of any breeding project, because transporting them to a film set, working with them for a day, and then bringing them home that evening upsets their routine. The surplus males get over it and are fine within a day or two, but I wouldn't want to risk a female getting egg bound or going off food.


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## jsheffield

Kylee L. said:


> about 5-6 days, they are ok without food for that long?



They could go for a month without suffering serious problems....

Jamie


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## Tom

Kylee L. said:


> about 5-6 days. are they ok without food for that long?


Best to have someone stop by to check on them daily and drop in some food.

Soak them for an hour or more that day before, or the day you are leaving if there is time before you depart. Remove the water bowl. Don't want them to poop in the water bowl and have it sit there for days. Soak again the day you return, or the morning after, and replace the water dish.

You can also drop in a spineless opuntia pad or two. Those will last a week or more without going bad. Even if its not your tortoises current favorite food, they can nibble on it if they get hungry and its very high in water content.


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## Chubbs the tegu

He’ll probably have a poop mustache when u get back


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## turtlesteve

maggie3fan said:


> I agree with most of what you say, it's not like I'm new to the world of reptile keeping. And look who is my mentor. But neither you nor Tom is giving me what I am looking for. What makes you think they are stressed out? What symptoms do you see, that I evidently don't see, that makes you say the animal looks or acts stressed?



I have moved several times with tortoises and changed enclosures more times than I can remember. I almost always feel that the animals undergo some stress in unfamiliar environments. What I see is similar to what Tom and Mark indicated - a decrease in appetite, hiding / sulking, hyperactivity (pacing, climbing walls). It is very specific to individual animals and some seem to be more bothered than others.

For years I even disliked the idea of moving tortoises back and forth between enclosures (e.g. indoor / outdoor). However, I eventually realized that this is not stressful; the tortoises easily learn and remember both enclosures.


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## Chubbs the tegu

I dont think one trip is going to be overwhelmingly stressful for a tortoise. They get shipped and brought to shows without dropping dead. Yeah i wouldnt suggest doing it every week, but i think its contradictory for you all to pelt a person for being afraid to keep their tort alone for a week when you all do the same thing. Just my opinion


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## Chubbs the tegu

If you dont have someone that can care for the tortoise of course... some ppl dont feel comfortable leaving for a week if they have nobody to depend on... what happens if it ended up flipping and couldnt right itself? Theres worse things that could happen than a lil stress


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## Chubbs the tegu

Lave ya! Mean it! Haha


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## Tom

turtlesteve said:


> For years I even disliked the idea of moving tortoises back and forth between enclosures (e.g. indoor / outdoor). However, I eventually realized that this is not stressful; the tortoises easily learn and remember both enclosures.


This has been my strategy for raising small ones for decades. Indoors at night and in bad weather, and outdoors periodically when the weather is nice. My experience is the same as yours. They learn both and are comfortable in either.


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## Maggie3fan

Tom said:


> To augment Mark's points, which I 100% agree with, another indicator is that a consistent breeding group can be moved, and they will stop breeding, sometimes for years, until they get settled in again.
> 
> @maggie3fan in the travel bin, you'll see excessive voiding of the bowels and bladder, pacing and wall climbing and a general sense of restlessness. Some torts will go so far as to flip themselves. Often upon arrival, people will often see the energetic "exploring the new territory", which I agree with Mark is actually a near panicked search for "home". This stage is followed by lethargy and lack of appetite (low grade stress) because they are not home where they are comfortable, and cannot find home.
> 
> You can see it here on the forum when a member simply re-arranges the cage or changes the substrate. Tortoise starts running around, sometimes flipping itself, and this is often followed by lethargy and lack of appetite for a while until they "settle in".
> 
> Frequent advice for a constipated tortoise is to take it for a car ride. Why? Because the stress and frantic pacing will usually make them unload their bowels. You've argued in the past that frequent and long soaks make them poop too much and not digest their food properly. My observations of health, appetite and growth rate say otherwise. Likewise, I share Mark's observations that growth rate slows tremendously for a good while after a car ride. In my business, I never use my breeding females for jobs. I only use surplus males that are not part of any breeding project, because transporting them to a film set, working with them for a day, and then bringing them home that evening upsets their routine. The surplus males get over it and are fine within a day or two, but I wouldn't want to risk a female getting egg bound or going off food.


OK Tom, thanks. That's just what I wanted, sorta lol


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## Maggie3fan

Markw84 said:


> Stressed out by low grade stress normally first shows as a slow down or no growth for a few weeks or month. I did a lot of reptile shows last year. As most who read my posts probably has surmised, I am rather anal about keeping records. I track and graph the weights of all my Burmese Stars I hatch. When I take some to the shows, it involves a few nights of living out of a travel bin and in a strange enclosure at the shows, even though I try to set it up as I do their enclosure at home. I see a change in growth rate every time. When I do 2-3 shows over a 2 month period, I see very slow growth from the ones I take and do not sell at the show. At the show, they all act fine and are quite active. (Actually I believe looking for familiar places). They eat what is put in front of them. But they ALL slow down to at least 1/2 their normal growth that month.
> 
> What many interpret as actively exploring a new enclosure, I see as stressed trying to find its territory. Most people simply respond to why a new tortoise is very active at first, then hides a lot and isn't growing the first month or two as "needing time to adjust". But that is low grade stress showing its effects. This also lowers the immune system and can leave the tortoise more susceptible to disease.
> 
> Moving a tortoise is very stressful to a tortoise.


Thanks Mark. I appreciate your opinion


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## pcrealty

Kylee L. said:


> I would like to go see family over the holidays and may not have anyone to tort sit. They live 6 hours away.. I have a 1 year old Russian and was curious to know if anyone has traveled with their tortoise and what they did with then when they got to the destination.


We did a 5 hours drive round trip and every two weeks a 2 hours drive. We place the tortoise in some warm water to excrete (soak for 20 minutes+). Soak the tortoise in warm water, and if water gets cool, we do a water change. Soaking stimulates excretion. Then we have a small tortoise transport container and line it with paper towel. As the tortoise gets uncomfortable, it will excrete in the container several times during the trip. We have a ready bag with gloves, wipes and new paper towels to re-line the transport container. Also, keep some plastic disposal bags for trash. 

Importantly, we have a travel plastic bin containing all the temporary tortoise equipment: portable lamps for basking. A small bag of substrate, tortoise food and water dishes. If it is colder during the winter times, we tape down some portable hand warmers on top of the lid for the comfort during the transport. Use a small tub (low level) 3 feet x 18 inches for its temporary home. Also, electric extension cords or power strips are helpful. It may take a few days before the tortoise returns to a regular routine. See below attachment of our temporary tortoise home.

If we travel by airplane, we leave the tortoise and complete equipment to our daughters to care for. 

Have a good trip!


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## GMDVM

Tortoises do have adrenal glands and their cortisol levels will increase measurably when transported or moved to another environment Studies show that it can take four weeks for a return to more normal levels. Cortisol is released by the adrenals to help the body deal with stress. Of course there may be a great deal of individual variation even within close family members so I would say to observe your own pet closely and if a move is judged necessary then plan carefully with timing , manner and enclosure to reduce disruption to routine On the other hand I personally would not feel right leaving my tort without a trusted “sitter” for extended periods.


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## pcrealty

GMDVM said:


> Tortoises do have adrenal glands and their cortisol levels will increase measurably when transported or moved to another environment Studies show that it can take four weeks for a return to more normal levels. Cortisol is released by the adrenals to help the body deal with stress. Of course there may be a great deal of individual variation even within close family members so I would say to observe your own pet closely and if a move is judged necessary then plan carefully with timing , manner and enclosure to reduce disruption to routine On the other hand I personally would not feel right leaving my tort without a trusted “sitter” for extended periods.


Agreed, it takes about 3-4 days for our tort to resume normal.


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## queen koopa

I feel that traveling at speeds the animals cannot achieve naturally also contributes to reactions of travel.


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## AgataP

Kylee L. said:


> about 5-6 days. are they ok without food for that long?



Supply lots of food, h2o also check in with your vet. I have a vet next to the house that will board tortoises- how crazy is that. 
From all the photos and reviews seems like it is working well I have 3 neighbors on stand by and friends and my dad lol just in case.


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## Maggie3fan

queen koopa said:


> I feel that traveling at speeds the animals cannot achieve naturally also contributes to reactions of travel.


I always put tortoises in a box with a lid so it's dark and they mostly sleep.


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## Kylee L.

maggie3fan said:


> I always put tortoises in a box with a lid so it's dark and they mostly sleep.


Sheldon is always sleeping lol


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## pcrealty

maggie3fan said:


> I always put tortoises in a box with a lid so it's dark and they mostly sleep.


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## pcrealty

As tortoises owners for a year, we noticed the water and food dishes are the first to be dry or soiled by one day. In addition, the substrate gets dirty, if we do not soak the tortoises daily for it to excrete. 

Tortoises are like cats or dogs and must be personally attended to on a daily basis. We been driving back and forth between New Jersey and Pennsylvania, a two hours drive, twice a month, usually requires a diaper change 1-2 times during the trip. Upon return, the tortoise resume their regular activities. 

If we travel by airplanes, we drop off the tortoises with our daughter with a full temporary tortoise enclosure.


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## Mumsmad123

Kylee L. said:


> lol, Sheldon is a pooper too!!!! maybe I will put him the very back


I had a tortoise mobile home i made. It had everything needed for her but she got stressed out when I used to take her away so I dont do it any more


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## KarenSoCal

I would get a wifi camera or two. Mine can be set to send me notifications every time movement is sensed, or a variety of settings.

You can look on your phone whenever you want and see the enclosure live, or play the recorded view.

You could check on the tort as often as you want, and have someone on call if you see him flipped, or any other situation. This way, no one has to check him unless there's an emergency.

I am using Wyze cameras and app. It works great, works with Alexa or Google Assistant, and isn't expensive. You can buy them on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G2YR23M/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20


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## Sandy W

Kylee L. said:


> I would like to go see family over the holidays and may not have anyone to tort sit. They live 6 hours away.. I have a 1 year old Russian and was curious to know if anyone has traveled with their tortoise and what they did with then when they got to the destination.


We were evacuated from the CA fires and had to take our 5 tortoises with us ... we were traveling for about a week... had them in a “under the bed “plastic box in the back seat- they did fine, except kept trying to see over the top. Bought some wire mesh to make a top for the box to keep them confined- had to put a heavy weight on the corners to keep them from pushing up the wire. They did well.. ate well...we did take them for a walk 2-3 times a day for sunshine. i cant say they were happy, but it was only a week and we are home now and they are great


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## Maggie3fan

Sandy W said:


> We were evacuated from the CA fires and had to take our 5 tortoises with us ... we were traveling for about a week... had them in a “under the bed “plastic box in the back seat- they did fine, except kept trying to see over the top. Bought some wire mesh to make a top for the box to keep them confined- had to put a heavy weight on the corners to keep them from pushing up the wire. They did well.. ate well...we did take them for a walk 2-3 times a day for sunshine. i cant say they were happy, but it was only a week and we are home now and they are great


Ha!!! one of my last ex-husbands lives in Scotts Valley. Oh lordy, do I remember fast super scary rides on his Harley over Hiway 9.
Anyway, you and I will be friends forever just because of your comment, *THEY DID FINE *haha. Seriously, I'm kinda wondering if possibly I feel the way I do because mostly I was moving Sulcata or desert tortoises. I've kept Hermanni, and Russians but more Sulcata then anything,and it's really hard to upset Sulcata, oops and box turtles


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## Maggie3fan

maggie3fan said:


> Ha!!! one of my last ex-husbands lives in Scotts Valley. Oh lordy, do I remember fast super scary rides on his Harley over Hiway 9.
> Anyway, you and I will be friends forever just because of your comment, *THEY DID FINE *haha. Seriously, I'm kinda wondering if possibly I feel the way I do because mostly I was moving Sulcata or desert tortoises. I've kept Hermanni, and Russians but more Sulcata then anything,and it's really hard to upset Sulcata, oops and box turtles


And I hope you weren't burned out. My son had a nice cabin at Huntington Lake at 10,000 ft in the Sierras totally burned out...


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## pawsplus

I recommend that you find someone to come in and care for the tortoise. If you can't get a friend, hire a pet sitter. It's just part of having pets. I would not travel with a tortoise unless it was for a permanent move.


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## Jasminemmm

I guess because tortoises have no facial expression or have no voice, probably that makes people think that tortoise will not/can not be stressed... Some peope even think that they don’t have a sense of pain just because they are not able to make any sound or express emotion by means of facial changes...

I am not expert but I know that they are ground-dwellers and don’t like to be lifted up. They are also very sensitive for signals that are transmitted via vibration of the ground...and they can definitely be stressed out by constantly moving...

To say that “I don't believe they have the capacity to be stressed.” to me kinda shows ...


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## pcrealty

Jasminemmm said:


> I guess because tortoises have no facial expression or have no voice, probably that makes people think that tortoise will not/can not be stressed... Some peope even think that they don’t have a sense of pain just because they are not able to make any sound or express emotion by means of facial changes...
> 
> I am not expert but I know that they are ground-dwellers and don’t like to be lifted up. They are also very sensitive for signals that are transmitted via vibration of the ground...and they can definitely be stressed out by constantly moving...
> 
> To say that “I don't believe they have the capacity to be stressed.” to me kinda shows ...


Every two to three weeks we transport our torts form Pennsylvania to New Jersey. It is a 2 hours drive. The older tort move around a lot in his pet container and defecates a few times, the younger one sleeps well. We bring disposable gloves, hand sanitizer, baby wipes and plenty of paper towels as diapers and plastic bags for trash. Pictures of our enclosures. Male vs female tortoise chart attached.


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## pcrealty

We travel a lot, the two torts are like our puppies. We have been to Pittsburgh PA, Cleveland OH, and Lincoln, NH with them. My wife cares for them while I drive. The younger tort crawls around in his pet container and the older one rests on my wife's lap with a towel wrapped around it. To make the road trip better, we soak them in warm water to stimulate excretion before the trip for a cleaner road trip. 

We cannot leave them at home when traveling. The home enclosures will be soiled, the water dish will dry out. Sometimes the tortoises will roll over and need assistance to re-balance. 

We have portable enclosure trays for each tortoise, equipped with heating and UV lamps at the hotels. It has been three years of traveling and our tortoises are healthy.


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## Team Gomberg

Just to share my experiences:

Levi has been an animal ambassador his whole life. He's 10 years old and has gone to thousands of schools, birthday parties, shows, etc. over the years. He is given a warm soak before hand to empty his bowels, then loaded into a dark tub with shavings and hay (absorbent material should he "go" more before reaching our destination). He has traveled for these events just fine and performed at the events (by performing I mean he walks around and eats without problem). BUT he is different while out than he is at home. At home, he tries to beat me up non-stop. He will stop eating just to chase me away. Out, he's great! Eats lettuce from the kids hands, walks around and doesn't ever try to ram me or anyone else. So clearly, he's not 100% himself...

I have also lived at 8 different residences with him. That's 8 family moves to 8 different properties giving him 8 different outdoor enclosures, and I can see the difference in him after each move. Like all tortoises, he likes routine and it takes him a brief moment to figure out his new space and fully settle in.

With all that said, I'd say Levi has moved to new locations successfully but not because I wanted to travel the world with him for fun. Rather, because I wanted to keep my beloved tortoise with me when I moved. **shocker some people MOVE and KEEP their pets!** Levi has also successfully traveled to events with me but in my experience, most animals that are raised in "show life" handle it better than older animals thrust into that type of lifestyle. 

Would I advocate for putting your tortoise in a travel carrier for trips to the mall, weekends to Cabo and the occasional beach day? No.

Would I suggest that it's ok to transport your tortoise from a rescue to foster home, adoptive home, vet, moving, etc. Ya, totally. 

Would I suggest everyone load up their tort in a box for shows around town? No....unless maybe you really wanted to transition into that lifestyle?? Would you tortoise necessarily like it as much as you? maybe not.

For anyone wondering the answer to the question: you have to read through other's experiences, weigh the pros/cons to each side, see what's applicable to your specific situation and make a judgement call.


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## Maggie3fan

Team Gomberg said:


> Just to share my experiences:
> 
> Levi has been an animal ambassador his whole life. He's 10 years old and has gone to thousands of schools, birthday parties, shows, etc. over the years. He is given a warm soak before hand to empty his bowels, then loaded into a dark tub with shavings and hay (absorbent material should he "go" more before reaching our destination). He has traveled for these events just fine and performed at the events (by performing I mean he walks around and eats without problem). BUT he is different while out than he is at home. At home, he tries to beat me up non-stop. He will stop eating just to chase me away. Out, he's great! Eats lettuce from the kids hands, walks around and doesn't ever try to ram me or anyone else. So clearly, he's not 100% himself...
> 
> I have also lived at 8 different residences with him. That's 8 family moves to 8 different properties giving him 8 different outdoor enclosures, and I can see the difference in him after each move. Like all tortoises, he likes routine and it takes him a brief moment to figure out his new space and fully settle in.
> 
> With all that said, I'd say Levi has moved to new locations successfully but not because I wanted to travel the world with him for fun. Rather, because I wanted to keep my beloved tortoise with me when I moved. **shocker some people MOVE and KEEP their pets!** Levi has also successfully traveled to events with me but in my experience, most animals that are raised in "show life" handle it better than older animals thrust into that type of lifestyle.
> 
> Would I advocate for putting your tortoise in a travel carrier for trips to the mall, weekends to Cabo and the occasional beach day? No.
> 
> Would I suggest that it's ok to transport your tortoise from a rescue to foster home, adoptive home, vet, moving, etc. Ya, totally.
> 
> Would I suggest everyone load up their tort in a box for shows around town? No....unless maybe you really wanted to transition into that lifestyle?? Would you tortoise necessarily like it as much as you? maybe not.
> 
> For anyone wondering the answer to the question: you have to read through other's experiences, weigh the pros/cons to each side, see what's applicable to your specific situation and make a judgement call.


And with all you wrote it made me think of Bob...


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## TortoiseLili

Kylee L. said:


> I would like to go see family over the holidays and may not have anyone to tort sit. They live 6 hours away.. I have a 1 year old Russian and was curious to know if anyone has traveled with their tortoise and what they did with then when they got to the destination.


Mine traveled from the States, to France, To Syria, to Saudi Arabia and to Jordan. Small carrier and she was perfectly fine. She died at age 105. She had several owners before me. Of course I had a health certificate from a veterinarian because her travels were international.


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## TortoiseLili

Team Gomberg said:


> Just to share my experiences:
> 
> Levi has been an animal ambassador his whole life. He's 10 years old and has gone to thousands of schools, birthday parties, shows, etc. over the years. He is given a warm soak before hand to empty his bowels, then loaded into a dark tub with shavings and hay (absorbent material should he "go" more before reaching our destination). He has traveled for these events just fine and performed at the events (by performing I mean he walks around and eats without problem). BUT he is different while out than he is at home. At home, he tries to beat me up non-stop. He will stop eating just to chase me away. Out, he's great! Eats lettuce from the kids hands, walks around and doesn't ever try to ram me or anyone else. So clearly, he's not 100% himself...
> 
> I have also lived at 8 different residences with him. That's 8 family moves to 8 different properties giving him 8 different outdoor enclosures, and I can see the difference in him after each move. Like all tortoises, he likes routine and it takes him a brief moment to figure out his new space and fully settle in.
> 
> With all that said, I'd say Levi has moved to new locations successfully but not because I wanted to travel the world with him for fun. Rather, because I wanted to keep my beloved tortoise with me when I moved. **shocker some people MOVE and KEEP their pets!** Levi has also successfully traveled to events with me but in my experience, most animals that are raised in "show life" handle it better than older animals thrust into that type of lifestyle.
> 
> Would I advocate for putting your tortoise in a travel carrier for trips to the mall, weekends to Cabo and the occasional beach day? No.
> 
> Would I suggest that it's ok to transport your tortoise from a rescue to foster home, adoptive home, vet, moving, etc. Ya, totally.
> 
> Would I suggest everyone load up their tort in a box for shows around town? No....unless maybe you really wanted to transition into that lifestyle?? Would you tortoise necessarily like it as much as you? maybe not.
> 
> For anyone wondering the answer to the question: you have to read through other's experiences, weigh the pros/cons to each side, see what's applicable to your specific situation and make a judgement call.


Mine traveled with me because I could never give her up. She was part of my family.


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