What do you do when you go out of town?

[Amajoy]

Hi everyone, I have to go out of town the 18th through the 22nd of this month. I was just wondering what you all do for your torts while away? Do you have someone look after them or just stock them up with plenty of foods?

I purchased some 10x20 seed trays and was planning on planting the tortoise seed mix I have so Dezzi will have plenty to eat. He is used to eating off his food dish, I noticed he hasn't really touched the small container of grasses I have in his new enclosure but I figure if hungry enough he will, hopefully.

I will probably add an extra water dish.

Today Dezzi had managed to get turned over on his back, luckily I wasn't far but this has me concerned. I am going to flatten out the area where this happened but I wouldn't be able to stay away that long not knowing he was ok. SO on that note I am buying a wifi security camera so I can keep an eye on him. If for some reason he flips again I can always send my mom over to help but she is a good 25mins away.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Amajoy]

Oh and I am trying to root/grow some romaine that I can plant in his enclosure to give him some lettuce while away

 

[Jodie]

I always have someone come take care of my tortoises. I am paranoid as soon as I leave a thermostat will fail or something. A camera would help to not worry though. In theory he should absolutely be fine.

 

[wellington]

I used to leave mine alone for no more then two days when he was young and living in the house enclosure. Lights on timers and heat on thermostat. Extra food and two water dishes. He liked to poop in his water dish. Now that he is living outside in a shed and I have more then Just the one now, I have someone come every day.
BTW, most leopards won't eat grass until much larger unless they were started out on it from hatching.

 

[Amajoy]

Thank you. Dezzi would eat the grass mix when it was topped on his salad or if I gave him some by hand, but hasn't touched it much since I planted the mini tray... hmmm...

 

[Tactical Tort]

When Sherman was younger his enclosure, lights on timers etc all went to my sisters. They LOVE spoiling him rotten. All according to his approved schedule and diet of course.
Now that he's bigger they will be caring for him here on the ranch. They already come 1-2x daily to check the cows, horses, goats, sheep, cats, dogs, chickens and whatever rescues are here at the time. Mostly depends on what time of year it is, as to how many times a day they come. Helps she's a 30 year vet tech .
I don't trust that the power won't go out or Sherman flips over or is attacked by something or water runs dry or or or. It always happens when we leave that something goes wrong with one of the animals. So for us we ALWAYS have someone at least check once a day minimum.
I wouldn't be able to live with myself if his water dish cracked and he died of dehydration or his lights/heater went out during freezing.

 

[Amajoy]

Yeah, I am already worried. I bought a security camera which will arrive today. Dezzi's new enclosure is too big to move anywhere. I COULD put him back in his 20gal tank and take him to my moms but idk... He probably won't like that very much.

 

[Yvonne G]

"Out of town"??? What's that?

 

[Amajoy]

Testing out the new camera!! Great quality even has night vision!

 

[Amajoy]

Well I am happy to report that Dezzi did okay while I was out of town. I kept an eye on him with the camera. He seemed to walk a lot throughout the enclosure, more than usual. Although it was much warmer in there from what he was used to. The spot right under the MVB usually reads 94-97, while I was gone it got up to 106 because my AC was set at 85. Something to keep in mind for next time. The two "bowls" of water wasn't enough and were dry when I got home. The humidity didn't keep up like I was hoping for from saturating the substrate, another lesson. As soon as I walked in the door I got my baby and woke him up to soak him, his poor eyes were closed shut and as soon as I put him in the water he rubbed them and got them unstuck (thank god). He got a huge helping of dandelion greens and romaine which he gorged on. I did seem him eating the planted grass trays and planted romain on camera however he is used to being fed every day from his dish. He lost 2 grams of weight, hopefully he'll gain that back now that mommy's home. I felt so bad leaving him.

 

[MillerJ]

Testing out the new camera!! Great quality even has night vision!

View attachment 147951

Well now I need a camera for all my enclosures there goes all my money. Did the camera hold up over time to temps and humidity?