Tortoise boarding
- Thread starter tortturt
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How long are you planning to be gone? What species and age stage is your tortoise?
Tortoises are notorious for disliking disruption, plus the quality of someone else's care are huge considerations. Its really difficult to find a veterinarian that knows tortoises, would you trust a "boarding facility"? There are quite dangerous diseases out there now that there are no vaccinations for, a public facility could expose your tortoise .
Please tell us more of your situation, perhaps there is a better solution.
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Tortoises are notorious for disliking disruption, plus the quality of someone else's care are huge considerations. Its really difficult to find a veterinarian that knows tortoises, would you trust a "boarding facility"? There are quite dangerous diseases out there now that there are no vaccinations for, a public facility could expose your tortoise .
Please tell us more of your situation, perhaps there is a better solution.
.
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I would highly recommend local pet sitting services from licensed and bonded professionals. That way, your little guy is not stressed by the environmental changes or catches anything from other animals.
It would be best to leave your tortoise at home, in its own enclosure. All the heating and lighting should be automated and controlled with timers and thermostats. Have someone come by once a day to do the water and food. Have extra bulbs on hand to make replacement as easy as possible, in case something blows out while you are gone. Write out all of your instruction for the caretaker.
Alternatively, move the whole enclosure to the house of a friend, neighbor, or family member's house. This will be more stressful for your tortoise, but better than other alternatives.
https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Key+Copy&find_loc=New+Haven,+CT, or just go to a local hardware store like Ace and make a copy.
I'm sure you can get a spare key made between now and July. Or install a keypad combination lock so that no key is necessary. There is a solution for every problem.
My absolute last choice would be taking the tortoise to some facility that does boarding. With that plan, stress is certain, poor care is likely, and infection is probable. Personally, I would give the tortoise up to another home permanently before I would board it at a facility for a month. That would be better for the tortoise.
Boarding can work for well socialized dogs with the right temperament and at the right facility, but its really not the way to go with a tortoise.
Maidenhair59
New Member
I would ask your vet.Boarding might be possible at their facility, or they may know someone.
Hardware stores can make extra keys for far less than $5. Some places (like the big chain grocery stores) have arcade-like machines that copy keys. Saying you don't have a spare key is like saying you can't do it because you have to wash your hair so don't have the time.
You are toying with your tortoise's health and life. If having no spare key is anything more than a very minor inconvenience, it would be best to re-home your tortoise.
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The_Four_Toed_Edward
Well-Known Member
I think one reason could be that if you rent your landlord might not allow making spare keys. I know that is the case for me.
Renee_H
Well-Known Member
I would leave my own key with a pet sitter before boarding a tortoise.
1st option stay put and someone comes in, 2nd option Create a smaller set up that is mobile that could go to a friend or family to bloom after . You could also check local reptiles shops to see if they will house it. Good luck
They don't "allow" it? How would they know? That wouldn't stop me in the slightest. I wouldn't give it a second thought.
Alternatively, follow the rules of not making additional spare keys, but then go to the hardware store and buy a new door handle and lock set for $25 with your own key. It's just two screws to change out a door handle and two more screws to change out a dead bolt. If you buy the same brand, all the internal hardware should still line up correctly. Then you could honestly say that you didn't have any spare keys made. You could change it back to the original lock when you got back.
A solution for every problem.
The_Four_Toed_Edward
Well-Known Member
Hopefully your parents realize how stressful and risky the boarding is and think about other possible options.
