Tortoise Carrier

[Totallyreckeless]

Hello! I have a red footed tort named Tortie. He's about 4 years old and loves me to carry him around. Does anyone recommend something he would fit into comfortably where my hands can be free? That would be washable of course. I am thinking of trying a tiny dog sling or front fitting carrier. I was just wondering if anybody has any ideas.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Hello! I have a red footed tort named Tortie. He's about 4 years old and loves me to carry him around. Does anyone recommend something he would fit into comfortably where my hands can be free? That would be washable of course. I am thinking of trying a tiny dog sling or front fitting carrier. I was just wondering if anybody has any ideas.

No. I've never had one that didn't absolutely flip out when being lifted.
And them not knowing what's best for them, they kick and wiggle to escape and can fall and be damaged/harmed.
I strongly suggest limiting how often you lift and carry a tortoise. And only do so with complete control using both hands

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hello and welcome! Tortoises aren’t the kind of pet you want to be handling all the time, only limit it to soak time and examining them. They much prefer to just be able to do their own thing, a carrier would definitely be a hazard as they’ll likely kick and try to get free.

Whilst you’re here, I don’t suppose you’d mind sharing some info on how you’re keeping them? It’s really good when you’re a newer member

What are your temperatures like?
What kind of lighting/heating do you use?
Indoor/outdoor set up? What size?
Any indoor uv? If so what kind?
How’s your humidity? And what do you use for substrate?

A photo of your full set up(s) would be great along with any additional info you can includewould also love to see a pic of your tort

 

[Tom]

Hello! I have a red footed tort named Tortie. He's about 4 years old and loves me to carry him around. Does anyone recommend something he would fit into comfortably where my hands can be free? That would be washable of course. I am thinking of trying a tiny dog sling or front fitting carrier. I was just wondering if anybody has any ideas.

I have no doubt that you love to carry him around, but I doubt that he loves to be carried. Being carried around like that is not a good thing for a tortoise. They are not social and don't like to cuddle.

 

[COmtnLady]

Welcome to the Forum.

My RedFoot found us when she was about four or five years old. It was obvious she had belonged to kid that had handled her a lot, and she is very people-oriented compared to most tortoises. Even she flails a bit on being picked up. If I have her face me she doesn't as much, but that is akin to putting blinders on a horse. Its not that she's happy and calm, its that she can't see she is nine times higher up in the air than she is tall... or notice how fast she is zooming along compared to her normal pace.

As ZeroPilot says, though, yours will come around to pushing against being carried around very much and will be strong enough to push herself out of anything like you are suggesting. I'm not sure there is any way that is safe enough to carry yours around unless you use both hands. Plus, she will get big enough that even that can become tricky. I don't think there's a way to create an escape-proof harness that would act like a seatbelt, and would be a backup and included in any sort of sling arrangement you'd try - so that when the sling fails your tort doesn't crash to the ground/floor and get hurt.

Try thinking like a tortoise. You are hard-wired to be a couple inches from the ground, with an almost cellular imprint that anytime you are jerked up into the air something is trying to eat you or hurt you. Your brain thinks at a speed of the most elementary dinosaur/lizard because it developed before most of them. Your main defense is to pull into your shell if your ability to hide isn't working. So, (while being carried) you sit as still as possible trying to save yourself, but inside you are stressing to the max, you are afraid, and not at all sure what is going on. And a few times you will stretch out to see if there is any avenue of escape, but the stress level is still high and will eventually affect your health.

I'm not trying to be Debbie Downer, but it really isn't safe or kind to carry your tortoise around like it is a dog. Mammals have an entirely different thought process from reptiles (though some snakes get used to being carried while wrapped around a human arm or something - tortoises not so much).

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * *

Do you have a top for your tortoise's enclosure? RF need high humidity and temps to thrive, 80% humidity for the low end, and 80F degrees for the low temp - a few degrees higher is better.

Let's talk about how to make your tortoise happy, K?


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[Totallyreckeless]

No. I've never had one that didn't absolutely flip out when being lifted.
And them not knowing what's best for them, they kick and wiggle to escape and can fall and be damaged/harmed.
I strongly suggest limiting how often you lift and carry a tortoise. And only do so with complete control using both hands

Thanks for the advice. Mine actually stays very calm and I usually hold him once a day after an outside walk or a soak. I'm almost 60 years old and have raised kids and multiple grandkids and haven't dropped one of those wiggling infants yet, so I don't think there is any fear of that! Have a great day!

 

[Totallyreckeless]

I have no doubt that you love to carry him around, but I doubt that he loves to be carried. Being carried around like that is not a good thing for a tortoise. They are not social and don't like to cuddle.

LOL! Thanks for the advice. I think I make it sound like I'm carrying him all around all day. I actually just hold him once a day after his outside walk or from his soak. He's very calm when I hold him, so much so, that my vet commented how calm he became when I was holding him as opposed to them handling him. Have a great day!

 

[Tom]

LOL! Thanks for the advice. I think I make it sound like I'm carrying him all around all day. I actually just hold him once a day after his outside walk or from his soak. He's very calm when I hold him, so much so, that my vet commented how calm he became when I was holding him as opposed to them handling him. Have a great day!

The best way to carry him from place to place is in a tub that he can't see or climb out of. This requires both hands.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

I still wouldn’t recommend holding for a prolonged period, just to and from the enclosure

Would you mind posting a photo of the tort and your set up?