Holiday time

Hi friends
Planning to go on holiday with kids.We also plan to take our baby torts.Will be travelling by 3tier ac coach.What precautions to be taken while travelling.We plan to take them in pet carrier.Do suggest precaution.I have no one to take care of them.In Mumbai caretakers dont take care of tortoise, meant only for cats and dogs.Plz plz guys do suggest

Tortoises generally don't enjoy being carried around and this trip sounds like a very stressful, hopefully non-fatal, experience for your animals. They would be much more content staying with a friend or relative to whom you've provided rudimentary care instructions and some food for while you're away. I should think that with adequate food, water, and shade even the most inept but willing caretaker could keep your tortoises alive for a couple weeks under the climatic conditions afforded by their native country. But you already said you didn't know anyone who could handle that.

If you must travel with your tortoises, I'd recommend packing them as you might for shipping with heat or cool packs to avoid drastic temperature swings. They'll probably void their bowel contents more frequently from the stress of being transported, so you'll need to remain especially attentive to keeping your animals clean and well-hydrated. Some periodic exercise and fresh air are probably in order, but you'll need to weigh this benefit against the risks of loss, theft, injury, poisoning, and exposure to foreign pathogens when they're walking around. Make sure you have adequate food for them too so you're not having to maintain yours off of cruise ship salad bars or whatever the available accommodations might be.

I'm not sure how what you're contemplating will be distinct from wildlife trafficking in the eyes of the authorities in your country, so you may need to be sensitive to that.

Best of luck to you!

Do not take them at all.... I am pretty sure there are scanners(X Ray) installed at the railway stations... the moment they notice that you have an Indian Star Tortoise and You are shifting it from one place to other they are going to confiscate the tortoise, fine you and maybe put you in Jail. Ownership of Indian Star Tortoise is banned in India... some states like Gujarat are more relaxed and lenient in this matter but others are not. So Please do not take the risk. You need to find a relative or friend to take care of the tortoise, maybe the neighbour.... that is the only solution you have.

I don't know what a 3 tier ac coach is, but being toted around in a pet carrier will not be good for your tortoises. Especially not babies.

If your lights are on a timer, someone would just have to do the food and water daily to keep them alive until you get back.

shanu303 said:

Do not take them at all.... I am pretty sure there are scanners(X Ray) installed at the railway stations... the moment they notice that you have an Indian Star Tortoise and You are shifting it from one place to other they are going to confiscate the tortoise, fine you and maybe put you in Jail. Ownership of Indian Star Tortoise is banned in India... some states like Gujarat are more relaxed and lenient in this matter but others are not. So Please do not take the risk. You need to find a relative or friend to take care of the tortoise, maybe the neighbour.... that is the only solution you have.

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Thanks a lot.Today I took them in car for 4 hrs drive we took all precaution like giving food water and their tray to give soaks.They were fine atleast till now.We were back by 5and then gave them soak.They enjoyed the soak and picnic.Ate their lunch of 1small okra each.I want ro know do okra needs to be deseeded.I think they took the travel well.What do you think.Do let me know.

Saba80 said:

What do you think.Do let me know.

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We've all been very clear in what we think. Leave the tortoises at home. Travel is stressful on them, and stars are more easily stressed than some other species.

Also, okra is ok once in a while, but should not be used as a staple. It does not need to be deseeded.

just let them stay at home.
2 yrs ago i went for a holiday, i let my aldabra, radiated tortoise stay at home without being feed for 8 days.
i just put opuntia cactus in their suroundings. i believe my tortoise finished it in 2 days anyway.

I would not advocate leaving a tort at home unattended while you are away on vacation.

There's too much risk of coming back to a flipped, dead tortoise never mind providing sufficient food.

Joe is an outdoor tort that dines on the garden with some supplements from me. We leave him at home, but our neighbour comes round to check on him, sort out water, etc.

Torts don't travel well and I would always recommend training up a neighbour over taking them with you.

I wouldn't risk having the government confiscate my tortoise. Ask a neighbor to look in on him occasionally and leave him home.

The best you can do is keep it at home dat will be safest as you know it's illegal to keep stars...the best u can do is give ur neighbour ur house keys tell him to visit and give food to ur tort every 2 days...dis way they will be well fed and be cared.