Travelling with my Mediterranean Spur Thigh

[Zoeee2426]

Hi all! I am just going to start off by saying I know it is never optimal to travel with animals as it can be extremely stressful for them but in this situation I really have no choice but to take my tortoise along with me.
Now that you know I have got good intentions, let me explain my situation.
I am travelling with my 14 month old Mediterranean Spur Thighed Tortoise due to the fact that I cannot get a sitter for her. We are leaving next Tuesday and the journey is approximately 6 hours long. We will then stay at our location for two days and travel back the third day with another 6 hour journey; making the trip a total of 4 days. I have prepared everything she needs for her apon arrival but as I have never travelled with her before I need some help with what her travelling setup should look like for the journey. My questions are as follows:
•Should I keep her cool (not cold!) or warm? •Should it be dark or light? (If dark would placing a towel over her travel bin prevent correct air flow?) •Is it safe to keep her travel bin on the floor? (Ensuring there is no extreme heating or cooling blasting right onto her) •Should her travel bin be a cat carrier size or small animal (e.g hamster) size?
That last question is a big one for me as I can see perks to having the different sizes and as far as my research has stretched, the results are inconclusive. Thanks for all the help! Sorry its long ?.

 

[Golden Greek Tortoise 567]

If you are gone only 4 days she should be fine by herself. Just provide a larger amount of food, and some growing plants will allow her sufficient food sources.

 

[Zoeee2426]

If you are gone only 4 days she should be fine by herself. Just provide a larger amount of food, and some growing plants will allow her sufficient food sources.

Hi! I am sure she would be fine but my concern would be that her heating and lighting system doesn’t go on and off automatically in the morning and evening so somebody has to be there to turn it on and off each day and she also has a big appetite and would just eat and eat and eat if I gave her that option and we are trying to restrict and closely monitor what she is consuming right now which wouldn’t really be possible while I’m away. I know taking her away isn’t optimal but I am also a big worrier and wouldn’t be able to properly enjoy my trip so I really want her with me for her own safety and well-being. If you could just give me a few tips on how to keep her calm on the journey then that would be great! Thanks much

 

[Golden Greek Tortoise 567]

Hi! I am sure she would be fine but my concern would be that her heating and lighting system doesn’t go on and off automatically in the morning and evening so somebody has to be there to turn it on and off each day and she also has a big appetite and would just eat and eat and eat if I gave her that option and we are trying to restrict and closely monitor what she is consuming right now which wouldn’t really be possible while I’m away. I know taking her away isn’t optimal but I am also a big worrier and wouldn’t be able to properly enjoy my trip so I really want her with me for her own safety and well-being. If you could just give me a few tips on how to keep her calm on the journey then that would be great! Thanks much

I would recommend getting a CHE bulb and opening the windows, you can hook the CHE up to a thermostat and keep it on the whole time, while getting light. Your tort will be fine without tons of uvb for 4 days, they can go extenuated periods of time without it.

 

[Zoeee2426]

I would recommend getting a CHE bulb and opening the windows, you can hook the CHE up to a thermostat and keep it on the whole time, while getting light. Your tort will be fine without tons of uvb for 4 days, they can go extenuated periods of time without it.

Hi again, thanks for the advice will be something I will have a look into but trying to budget my spending on things like equipment lately as I am running out of money but it will be something I check out.

 

[Golden Greek Tortoise 567]

Hi! I am sure she would be fine but my concern would be that her heating and lighting system doesn’t go on and off automatically in the morning and evening so somebody has to be there to turn it on and off each day and she also has a big appetite and would just eat and eat and eat if I gave her that option and we are trying to restrict and closely monitor what she is consuming right now which wouldn’t really be possible while I’m away. I know taking her away isn’t optimal but I am also a big worrier and wouldn’t be able to properly enjoy my trip so I really want her with me for her own safety and well-being. If you could just give me a few tips on how to keep her calm on the journey then that would be great! Thanks much

Tortoises are natural grazers in the wild, they eat when they want to. As long as she has enough space to move around she will not become overweight. Your tortoise will be very stressed during the journey, having to adjust to new surroundings a lot, but if you insist. I would keep her in a small rubbermaid tub with substrate, and some food during your journey. When you get to where you are going, bring something large, preferably as large as her actual enclosure, and either put her inside or put her outside. If she will be inside be sure to bring her heating bulbs like a CHE hooked up to a thermostat.

 

[Zoeee2426]

Tortoises are natural grazers in the wild, they eat when they want to. As long as she has enough space to move around she will not become overweight. Your tortoise will be very stressed during the journey, having to adjust to new surroundings a lot, but if you insist. I would keep her in a small rubbermaid tub with substrate, and some food during your journey. When you get to where you are going, bring something large, preferably as large as her actual enclosure, and either put her inside or put her outside. If she will be inside be sure to bring her heating bulbs like a CHE hooked up to a thermostat.

Thanks for the help! I am spending time acclimating her to her travel box and enclosure she will be in apon arrival (also checking she is happy to eat in both). She is also familiar with the carrier box as the one you have guided me to select, she has travelled in before. Will be doing my best to reduce stress by limiting handling to only when needed, etc.

 

[Minority2]

Putting your tortoise in a car where it'll constantly rattle on about for hours on end is going stress the hell outta them. Even the slightest vibration is going to keep them from being able to relax.

The best thing to do is leave them at home. Leave as much food and water as you can. Keep your lighting and heating fixtures on digital timers and see them again when you come back. Taking them away from their enclosure to a road trip without constant adequate heating to keep them regulated during those four days you'll be gone would be worse than leaving them at home without no food or water.

 

[Tom]

I know taking her away isn’t optimal but I am also a big worrier and wouldn’t be able to properly enjoy my trip so I really want her with me for her own safety and well-being.

You are not going to be able to enjoy yourself if the tortoise goes off food or gets sick either. This isn't about your comfort level. Its about the tortoise's.

Set the enclosure up on timers and a thermostat (This should be the case already), take the water dish out, leave some spineless opuntia pads, and go enjoy yourself.