On The Road..

[Jacob]

Im Going To Be Moving In a Week Up To Northern Calirforina, its A 260 Mile Ride From Where I Currently Live. Whats The Best Way To Transport him With Me Up There Saftly. He's Going To Be With Me In The Front Seat Of The Car. I Have Read Many Past Forums and Don't Have A Clue Of Doing This, Thanks

 

[dmarcus]

When I moved from Las Vegas to Texas last year, I built Vegas a travel box that fit in the back of my pickup and half was under the tool box and the other half stuck out so he could enjoy the sun.

Of course your tort is a lot smaller so I would think a small container with some substrate would work just fine for the trip your making...

 

[Jacob]

Yes, he's About 8 Months 4 inches long and around 140 grams!

 

[RuthieHurry]

We used clear platic containers from Walmart, with holes drilled into the top and sides, a little bit of substrate on the bottom. The biggest concern is sun beating thru the windows onto the box, and overheating. It doesn't sound like you're going too awful far. Ours was an 800 mile trip, and all five did just fine.

 

[Noodlesmadison]

Im Going To Be Moving In a Week Up To Northern Calirforina, its A 260 Mile Ride From Where I Currently Live. Whats The Best Way To Transport him With Me Up There Saftly. He's Going To Be With Me In The Front Seat Of The Car. I Have Read Many Past Forums and Don't Have A Clue Of Doing This, Thanks

I went away for a week and couldn't leave my pets with anyone or at home (oy don't ask). So we packed them all up, guinea pigs, dog, sulcata... and headed on a 14ish hour drive. From NYC to SC.
We put the sulcata in a dog carrier and made sure it was dark in there. She slept the whole time (I took her out on rest stops so she could stretch,etc)

 

[jensgotfaith]

A box small enough so that your Sulcata feels safe but big enough to move a bit. I don't know about anyone else's Sulcatas but none of mine travel without making a huge mess. They will pee and poo a lot even on a few minute ride. So just be prepared. The lovely aroma of even just a little bit can be overwhelming. Whereabouts in Northern Cali are you moving?

 

[Jacob]

Okay Thanks!
Im Moving Up Near San Luis Obispo

 

[Tom]

A small card board box with some paper towels on the bottom should work just fine. Better to keep them in a small space so they won't slide as far if you have to hit the brakes suddenly and better to keep them dark so they stay calmer. Kind of like a hawk with a hood on.

Either way, its not critical.

 

[handsomeEdger]

We take ours with us a lot as it is hard to find someone that will give them the care we do. They go camping ect all the time. We put them in clear rubber made containers with substrate. their normal rock for food and their hid box and they do just fine.

 

[cemmons12]

Same here, Cooper goes camping with us also. For now he has a big rubber maid box right next to my side of the bed in the RV, it has everything he needs in it, mvb light, red night light, substrate, hide box, water dish, cuttle bone. I don't feel like I can trust anyone to give him the care that I do. But he always does just fine on our trips, even if it is for a few days or 2 weeks. Spoiled little Sully! Lol!

 

[9see]

i recently moved from northern california to Arizona (bout 700+) miles driving and i brought my 15 inch tort Patita in a roomy laundry basket. Put a nice comfy towel on the bottom of the basket. I thought he was going to be all squirmy and pee/poo like crazy! I brought some spare towels and plastic bags just in case LOL. Surprisingly, he stayed put and and slept all the way and didnt poop or pee!

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I have had to travel a lot with tortoises and turtles and the best way is to put him in a small dark box so he will sleep most of time. I line the box with newspaper or paper towels and bring extra to clean up as all Sulcata will poop about 15 miles into the trip, hahah. But a small safe dark box that will make him feel secure and sleep most of the way. You'll love the weather near SLO, great tortoise weather...

 

[Jacqui]

I have done a lot of traveling with turtles and tortoises as we drove our semi all over.

First off, your really lucky you have a small sulcata... much less smell and amount of cleanup to do.

I would suggest the newpapers or papertowels for ease of cleaning. So also bring along spare papers, a trash bag, something to clean your hands off.

Before you leave home, soak him to reduce the amount of bowel movements along the way.

Seatbelt him in, if you have his box on the seat so incase of fast breaking, he is not dumped on the floor. Be aware of how things like having the heat or AC on in your car, having windows open, and how the sun is shining in can all have his temperature being different then yours.

If you stop and it is hot and sunny out, have something so you can sneak him inside with you. Cars can get really hot really quickly when sitting. The same is true in the opposite way if it is cold outside.

It's a short trip and you both should do fine!

 

[Jacob]

Thanks Everyone!'
Im Gonna End up Leaving Sunday Morning, and I Plan On Giving Him a Soak Before and After the Ride, and Im gonna Keep Him in a smaller dark box With paper towls or papers and i will bring a lot just in Case
and Bring His Squirt bottle