Travel Tips?

[Cheapfuzz]

Hi everyone! Next week I will be going home for Thanksgiving break and it dawned on me that if I am unable to get a ride home I will have to take public transit! My tortoise is still very small (5 months old, about 4in) and I have a smaller travel enclosure I've been using when I take him home. However, it's going to be much colder this time and I don't think I'll be able to use that one. I'm hoping to not have to take the train home, but if I do does anyone have any tips for a safe and stress free travel enclosure that will keep him warm? Also, it will not be a long ride, an hour/hour and a half at most, and its a last resort if I can't drive home but id like to be prepared just in case. As always thanks for your help

 

[Tom]

Best to leave the tortoise home in its own enclosure and have someone check on it daily, or use webcams to keep an eye on it yourself.

If you must carry it with you, hand warmers or hot water bottles will work for that short duration.

Something is off on the size/age. Did you buy this tortoise at a pet store and they told you the age? It is impossible for a 5 month old Russian to be 4 inches. Can we see a picture? To reach four inches would take at least two years under optimal conditions with no brumation, and lots of high protein foods. And this would be on the high end of growth rates. They would grow slower than that under "normal" housing and feeding conditions.

 

[Cheapfuzz]

Best to leave the tortoise home in its own enclosure and have someone check on it daily, or use webcams to keep an eye on it yourself.

If you must carry it with you, hand warmers or hot water bottles will work for that short duration.

Something is off on the size/age. Did you buy this tortoise at a pet store and they told you the age? It is impossible for a 5 month old Russian to be 4 inches. Can we see a picture? To reach four inches would take at least two years under optimal conditions with no brumation, and lots of high protein foods. And this would be on the high end of growth rates. They would grow slower than that under "normal" housing and feeding conditions.

Sorry, I miscounted! I hadn't measured him this month yet, he is in between 3 and 4 inches. I purchased him from the Arizona tortoise compound and was told that he was 1 month old when I got him in July. Here is a picture from today! And I agree, keeping him here is a better idea. I will see if i can find someone to check on him

 

[Tom]

Sorry, I miscounted! I hadn't measured him this month yet, he is in between 3 and 4 inches. I purchased him from the Arizona tortoise compound and was told that he was 1 month old when I got him in July. Here is a picture from today! And I agree, keeping him here is a better idea. I will see if i can find someone to check on him View attachment 351874

That is a fantastic looking Russian. You're doing a good job of raising him/her.

How many day will you be gone? We can give you some tips depending on the duration of your trip. For example: If you will only be gone 2 or three days:
1. Soak daily for an hour for at least a few days before you leave.
2. Remove the water bowl the morning you leave so he/she can't drown in it or foul it and drink nasty water days later. Your tortoise could probably survive months with no water bowl if fed correctly, so don't worry about no water for a few days.
3. Leave a couple of opuntia pads in the enclosure so the tortoise can nibble when it wants to. Opuntia can last for weeks without going bad, so its a good one, and it has a very high water content too.
4. All your heating and lighting should be on thermostats and timers, so it should all operate normally in your absence.
5. Upon your return, soak the tortoise, replace the water bowl and put food out, while he/she soaks.

 

[Cheapfuzz]

Thank you!! That made my day,I am so happy that he is doing great :*) I will most likely be gone for 5 days. All of my heat/lighting is already set up on some timers, and I will look into ordering some of those opuntia pads! If i cant find a safe way of bringing him home I will soak him well before i go and set him up for the weekend, and i will ask a friend to check in once or twice. Thank you again for all of your help, I really appreciate it!