Transporting my leo hatchlings...??

[Elohi]

So I know it would probably be ideal to leave my hatchlings in the chamber and have my neighbor/friend take care of them but I'm worried something could be off with temps/humidity, or a hatchling get lethargic, or some random issue and cause a lot of stress so due to the fact that I just got the two new hatchlings, I'm very seriously considering taking all 3 of them with me on a 5 day trip.
I have a smaller closed chamber already half ready to go. The same temp box I kept freckles in for the first few days I had her. It only has one cut out for a dome on top so I would have to swap out a daytime heat source and the CHE each morning and night. IS THIS A TERRIBLE IDEA? I trust my friend to care for animals properly. She is an animal lover and regularly volunteers at animal shelters and is a lovely lady. It's not that I don't think she can handle their care. It's just that I am home every day and monitor them like I do my toddler so I am observant of any little issue very quickly. If I leave them in her care, she would come 2-3 times a day.
Soooooo...leave them or take them? I am a worry wart by nature so that is why I'm even considering boxing the babies up and packing them along on the trip.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

You'll get mixed opinions.

I have taken a hatchling on an overnight trip before. Used a 10 gallon for a temp enclosure.

My question for you would be, where are you going for 5 days? If you'll be on the road a lot, I'd say leave them home. Staying in a hotel with a lot of down time? then sure take them.

 

[T33's Torts]

Re: RE: Transporting my leo hatchlings...??

You'll get mixed opinions.

I have taken a hatchling on an overnight trip before. Used a 10 gallon for a temp enclosure.

My question for you would be, where are you going for 5 days? If you'll be on the road a lot, I'd say leave them home. Staying in a hotel with a lot of down time? then sure take them.

Perfectly said.

 

[Elohi]

You'll get mixed opinions.

I have taken a hatchling on an overnight trip before. Used a 10 gallon for a temp enclosure.

My question for you would be, where are you going for 5 days? If you'll be on the road a lot, I'd say leave them home. Staying in a hotel with a lot of down time? then sure take them.

Driving about 5.5 hrs then staying in a hotel for the night and then driving 4.5 the next day. Then staying put at the in-laws for the remainder of that day plus 2 more days, then driving home in one long stretch on the 5th day.

---

And I can actually maintain heat and humidity while on the road since my van has an actual outlet in the back.

 

[wellington]

I took my hatchling once with me for a long weekend. After that I leave him or hire a sitter. Either way would be fine, as long as you can keep them warm for the trip. Do what will make you feel more comfortable.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

In your case, I think either option is fine. Do which ever you want to

(I have a feeling 3 little torts are in for a vaca hehe)

 

[Redstrike]

They will be stressed but they can make the trip.

Don't freak out or panic, they're pretty tough animals. When you get to your inlaws just give them a good warm soak and lots of quite time.

I've had to cart my redfoots around in a similar manner while in grad school. Every holiday break that was >3 days meant I had to take the torts with me (9.5 hour drive home). I didn't like it and they didn't either but everybody turned out fine.

The other option is to leave them home. Tortoises are poikilotherms so their basal metabolic rates are low. Therefore you don't need to feed them every day. If you had someone come in to change water and feed them after a couple days on their own, they'd be fine. I run a closed chamber so the environmental parameters don't change much and I can leave them to their own devices fairly regularly (http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-79728.html). This would subject them to less stress. This is the method I've been employing currently since my hatchlings are now a little older.

Either way you go will work.

 

[Jacqui]

I think leaving them at home would end up being the least amount of stress for them. If you take them you have to consider what if you (kocking on wood) have a break down or accident? Will there be lots of folks at the place your staying wanting to check out and handle the little guys? Two of them just got done being shipped a week or less ago, I would just leave them at home.

 

[mike taylor]

I would say set them up at a friends house that you trust with your kids. If there good enough to take care of a kid then they can care for a tortoise . If the humidity falls for a day or two it will not hurt a thing . But you can stress them out and they could die with the move .

 

[Elohi]

I still haven't made a decision yet but I of course want to do what is best for them. I will worry like crazy if I leave them here. And I will worry about stressing them out if I take them.

 

[Tom]

Tortoises do not like to be moved. Leave them at home.

 

[Redstrike]

Tortoises do not like to be moved. Leave them at home.

Like I said in my previous post, I do this with mine now even when I go somewhere for 3-4 days. I'm with Tom. I don't bring them with me unless I absolutely have to.

Could you purchase some young cactus pads? I grow mine and often leave those for my redfoots as food while I'm away. It allows them to chew on something. I also provide 2-3 water dishes while I'm gone.

I don't see how someone coming in after a couple days of your absence to provide more water and maybe some food would hurt? Just ask them not to handle the tortoises if you have concerns.