- Joined
- Mar 1, 2008
- Messages
- 6
I guess I will start a new thread since this got buried at the end of my other one. With all the research, I'm coming up with new questions to add to my "Do's & Don't" binder. This is proving useful for compiling information before I take the plunge into ownership!
I tend to go on several trips to northern Wisconsin in the summer to stay at my parents cabin. These trips are roughly 4 hours each way and I stay for 4 or more days at a time. The other animals go into boarding if I'm gone more than just a weekend, but I don't feel safe leaving a sulcata with a boarder, even if it is my vet. My parents cabin is on 42 acres of grassland with lots of pines and other trees. It also can get very warm and humid in summer. To me, this is a super tortoise vacation destination. Not only can a tort run about safely in a fenced area but I can keep an eye out just in case anything were to go wrong. Onto the questions:
1. Do ticks pose any threat to tortoises? There tends to be no shortage of those, biting flies and mosquitos.
2. Four hours is a long drive. If I could keep the transport carrier warm(at least 75) and by a window for the duration, would the stress to the tortoise be minimal? I know it's ideal to just leave the tortoise at home, but as I stated above, I'd be happier if I were keeping an eye on it myself in the beginning.
3. We use a lot of insect repellent due to the mosquitos and stuff. I would be doing my very best to keep clean and not handle the tortoise before washing up/changing out of deet soaked clothing. How harmful would traces of bug repellent be as long as it doesn't get on the facial area?
There are a few vets, but none within an hour drive from the cabin that handle tortoises. It's fairly backwoods and the close towns are mostly tourist oriented.
Just for clarity, here is part of the front yard of my parents cabin. Lots and lots of wild grasses, dandelion and clover.
I tend to go on several trips to northern Wisconsin in the summer to stay at my parents cabin. These trips are roughly 4 hours each way and I stay for 4 or more days at a time. The other animals go into boarding if I'm gone more than just a weekend, but I don't feel safe leaving a sulcata with a boarder, even if it is my vet. My parents cabin is on 42 acres of grassland with lots of pines and other trees. It also can get very warm and humid in summer. To me, this is a super tortoise vacation destination. Not only can a tort run about safely in a fenced area but I can keep an eye out just in case anything were to go wrong. Onto the questions:
1. Do ticks pose any threat to tortoises? There tends to be no shortage of those, biting flies and mosquitos.
2. Four hours is a long drive. If I could keep the transport carrier warm(at least 75) and by a window for the duration, would the stress to the tortoise be minimal? I know it's ideal to just leave the tortoise at home, but as I stated above, I'd be happier if I were keeping an eye on it myself in the beginning.
3. We use a lot of insect repellent due to the mosquitos and stuff. I would be doing my very best to keep clean and not handle the tortoise before washing up/changing out of deet soaked clothing. How harmful would traces of bug repellent be as long as it doesn't get on the facial area?
There are a few vets, but none within an hour drive from the cabin that handle tortoises. It's fairly backwoods and the close towns are mostly tourist oriented.
Just for clarity, here is part of the front yard of my parents cabin. Lots and lots of wild grasses, dandelion and clover.
