Leaving tortoise alone?

[THEADEMARCO]

My mother (who I usually spend Christmas with) is going to New Zealand this Christmas. Honestly, good for her. However this means that for the first time in the 10 years since my parent's divorce I am free to spend Christmas with my father, and he is insisting that I come spend it with him.
We have arranged for me to be up there for a week, then for me to come back to my home to spend a day with my tort friend and make sure he's alright before I go back up to my father for New Year's day.
Sorry that that wasn't really relevant but I wanted to explain the reason for my absence from my tortoise's life this Christmas. Anyway, I have arranged for a very trusted friend to look after my tortoise while I am away. However, I really don't want to ask her to come round and take care of him on Christmas day. I know she would say yes, but I think that she should spend the day with her family and not my tortoise. Would it be okay for my tortoise to be left alone that day? This would mean no food for a whole day. There are some plants in his enclosure but I am still worried.

 

[tortoise Resort]

It's okay to keep your tortoise alone, so if you put them in a container, turtoise can survive for weeks without food, but I don't advise you to do this, turtoise should eat every day because in the wild they wander for miles every day in search of food.

My mother (who I usually spend Christmas with) is going to New Zealand this Christmas. Honestly, good for her. However this means that for the first time in the 10 years since my parent's divorce I am free to spend Christmas with my father, and he is insisting that I come spend it with him.
We have arranged for me to be up there for a week, then for me to come back to my home to spend a day with my tort friend and make sure he's alright before I go back up to my father for New Year's day.
Sorry that that wasn't really relevant but I wanted to explain the reason for my absence from my tortoise's life this Christmas. Anyway, I have arranged for a very trusted friend to look after my tortoise while I am away. However, I really don't want to ask her to come round and take care of him on Christmas day. I know she would say yes, but I think that she should spend the day with her family and not my tortoise. Would it be okay for my tortoise to be left alone that day? This would mean no food for a whole day. There are some plants in his enclosure but I am still worried.

 

[wellington]

Have your friend give him extra food the day before and have two water dishes in there. His normal one and then a smaller one that he can't get into and mess up but that he can drink from. Have lights on a time. He will be fine.

 

[wellington]

It's okay to keep your tortoise alone, so if you put them in a container, turtoise can survive for weeks without food, but I don't advise you to do this, turtoise should eat every day because in the wild they wander for miles every day in search of food.

He should stay in his enclosure not a different container.

 

[tortoise Resort]

I don't know the size of his Tortoise I thought they were big in size

He should stay in his enclosure not a different container.

 

[THEADEMARCO]

Thank you both for your assurance. I knew before writing this post that a day would not be detrimental at all, but I still felt uneasy about it.

 

[jsheffield]

As long as the conditions (heat, light, UV, and humidity) in the enclosure are ok, your tortoise should be fine for even a couple of days.

Jamie

 

[wellington]

I don't know the size of his Tortoise I thought they were big in size

It really doesn't matter the size. It should still stay in its original home/enclosure if leaving it for a day or more when someone is looking in on them. A new enclosure is just added stress that's not needed.

 

[Tom]

My mother (who I usually spend Christmas with) is going to New Zealand this Christmas. Honestly, good for her. However this means that for the first time in the 10 years since my parent's divorce I am free to spend Christmas with my father, and he is insisting that I come spend it with him.
We have arranged for me to be up there for a week, then for me to come back to my home to spend a day with my tort friend and make sure he's alright before I go back up to my father for New Year's day.
Sorry that that wasn't really relevant but I wanted to explain the reason for my absence from my tortoise's life this Christmas. Anyway, I have arranged for a very trusted friend to look after my tortoise while I am away. However, I really don't want to ask her to come round and take care of him on Christmas day. I know she would say yes, but I think that she should spend the day with her family and not my tortoise. Would it be okay for my tortoise to be left alone that day? This would mean no food for a whole day. There are some plants in his enclosure but I am still worried.

I agree that is should be no problem to skip a day as long as lights are on timers and heat is on a thermostat. I'd remove the water all together on Christmas Eve and put it back the day after Christmas, so that it doesn't get soiled right after your friends leaves on Christmas Eve, and then sit there fermenting until your friend returns the day after Christmas. A couple of days with no water bowl won't hurt any tortoise.

If your tortoise is used to them, cactus pads are a great food for occasions like this. They last for days, and are great tortoise food. If not, you just have the friend drop in a whole head of endive or escarole the day before Christmas.

I hope you have a great visit with your Dad!

 

[THEADEMARCO]

Thank you Tom! I'm quite excited to see him!
I was discussing cactus pads earlier today. Not too sure where to get them from, maybe an ethnic shop? I will feed him some to get him used to them before I go, and then I will get my friend to drop some cactus pads into his enclosure on Christmas Eve.

 

[SuzanneZ]

Yes.

 

[tortoise Resort]

It really doesn't matter the size. It should still stay in its original home/enclosure if leaving it for a day or more when someone is looking in on them. A new enclosure is just added stress that's not needed.

That wasn't my intention, what I meant was that the container will fit a medium turtle, and the box will fit a small one.

 

[wellington]

That wasn't my intention, what I meant was that the container will fit a medium turtle, and the box will fit a small one.

Not understanding what you are referring too. All depends on what size box or container. But that's fine, there is no need for either here, the tort needs to stay in its daily enclosure anyway.

 

[tortoise Resort]

Not understanding what you are referring too. All depends on what size box or container. But that's fine, there is no need for either here, the tort needs to stay in its daily enclosure anyway.

Now I agree with you 😜