Emergencies and vacations

[tignish99]

Since we get winters here and occasional power outages, I would like to put an emergency kit together. I am thinking heat packs, some food pellets, blankets, water, all in an insulated box. Anyone have any other suggestions?

When you go on vacation what do you do with your torts? The portable torts, not the ones that weigh more than a small child. Do you take them with you? Take them somewhere to be torti-sat? Do you have someone look in on them?

Thank you

 

[jaizei]

How severe are your winters? And how long of a vacation are you talking about?

 

[Moozillion]

I think this is a great topic. As a first time tort owner who sometimes has to evacuate for hurricanes, I share your concern. I got a "portable" Hermann's tort partly for this very reason.

I could never leave any of my animals behind, but that's just me. Thankfully, we always have advance warnings with hurricanes. I already have an opaque Rubbermaid tote (with lid- i'll cut a hole in the lid) big enough for her to move around some, but small enough to sit on the back seat of my car. I have a large unopened bag of her substrate which is saved just for evacuation use. I plan to put in about 5 inches deep: enough for her to bury herself to feel more secure. I'll bring her bathtub (a plastic dish pan), 1 thermo-hygrometer and my temp gun. Since this tote is MUCH smaller than her enclosure, i'm bringing a goose-neck lamp with incandescent bulbs for heat. She'll be ok with the ambient temperature of the car for the trip.

We usually evacuate about a day's drive from home, and typically to a large town or city. We seldom stay gone for more than a week. Once we've landed where we're waiting things out, I can buy greens for her to eat. She'll just have to tolerate her smaller quarters for about a week. That's my current plan.

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I think this is a great topic. As a first time tort owner who sometimes has to evacuate for hurricanes, I share your concern. I got a "portable" Hermann's tort partly for this very reason.

I could never leave any of my animals behind, but that's just me. Thankfully, we always have advance warnings with hurricanes. I already have an opaque Rubbermaid tote (with lid- i'll cut a hole in the lid) big enough for her to move around some, but small enough to sit on the back seat of my car. I have a large unopened bag of her substrate which is saved just for evacuation use. I plan to put in about 5 inches deep: enough for her to bury herself to feel more secure. I'll bring her bathtub (a plastic dish pan), 1 thermo-hygrometer and my temp gun. Since this tote is MUCH smaller than her enclosure, i'm bringing a goose-neck lamp with incandescent bulbs for heat. She'll be ok with the ambient temperature of the car for the trip.

We usually evacuate about a day's drive from home, and typically to a large town or city. We seldom stay gone for more than a week. Once we've landed where we're waiting things out, I can buy greens for her to eat. She'll just have to tolerate her smaller quarters for about a week. That's my current plan.

On vacation, my neighbor watches all my pets and we return the favor.

 

[JoesMum]

Tortoises loathe changes to their routine and surroundings so much that I would advise leaving them at home with someone caring for them while you are on vacation if at all possible.

 

[tignish99]

How severe are your winters? And how long of a vacation are you talking about?

Winters can include -40 temps and several feet of snow. We do have a gas fireplace if necessary as long as the gas holds out, but I do not want to count on it.

Week vacation max.

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Good plan, Moozillion. Here, we are usually concerned about the very low temperatures. I cannot see her frolicking in the snow A day car ride away, we would still most likely have...you guessed it...snow.

 

[Melly-n-shorty]

Im a pet sitter and I have been booked to care for and look in on tortoise a few times now (and some times other reptiles)... it all depends on how much care you offer on a daily bases. most pet sitters can come as little or as much as you need and are willing to check on things that you are worried about while you are away. it just depends on what makes you feel the safest leaving your pets and what you feel will stress them the least.

 

[Madkins007]

https://sites.google.com/site/tortoiselibrary/health-and-medical/emergency-planning

 

[tignish99]

https://sites.google.com/site/tortoiselibrary/health-and-medical/emergency-planning

Great information, thank you.