We would like to buy a Herman tortoise but after some advice about travelling in a car with them. We have a holiday home we frequently go to for a weekend once or twice a month which is 2hrs in the car. We would have the same set up at both houses so the tortoise would be comfortable but would like any advice if the tortoise would be ok to travel.
We have been told we could leave on its own for a weekend but that would concern us in case it ended up on its back etc so really want to know if we could bring it back and to with us?
Any suggestions or advice very much appreciated.
travelling in a car with Herman tortoise
Re: travelling in a car with Herman tortoise
Hi Shousho, and thanks for contacting us.
This is a difficult one, and different people will have different opinions. Many people would say that a 2 hr journey in a car, there and back, twice a month is a bit too much, as a tortoise will find that stressful. If it were the odd journey, and not very often then personally I think it would be OK, but twice a month is quite a lot. The problem is that if you are travelling with a tortoise and it is cool and dark then they will be less active and experience less stress, but if it's summer and warm, and you are transporting them in a box (don't use cardboard as they can dig their way out of that), then they will be frustrated trying to get out of the box. So if you do have to travel then you want to keep them as dark and cool as possible to minimise the stress.
Regarding leaving them at home for the weekend -- you could do that, and it wouldn't hurt them to go without food for a day or so. Most tortoises can right themselves if they overturn on their backs -- they wiggle about until one of their legs touches something solid and then give a push (or a couple of pushes) and get rightside up again. But it's possible to not be able to right themselves, and if they overturn directly under their heat lamp and are there for any length of time then they can dehydrate and that is dangerous. Is there a neighbour or someone who could come in once a day to check on the tortoise when you are away? I've gone away for four or five days and left little bags of fresh food in the fridge for mine, and a neighbour has come in and fed them. I also have my lights on timers, so there is no need for someone to come and turn on and turn off the lights each day.
So that is the indoor set-up. Tortoises should have an outdoor as well as an indoor enclosure, but personally I wouldn't leave mine outdoors while I was away for several days, because of the dangers that rats and foxes can pose to them (but perhaps I am just being overcautious).
Hermann's tortoises are a lovely species, and if you are considering getting one, here's a link to a good care sheet in case you need one.
https://www.tortoise-protection-group.o ... 014New.pdf
Finally, if you do buy a tortoise, it's far better to get one from a breeder: the tortoises they sell won't have been imported and will have experienced less stress, you''ll probably get good after-sales advice (breeders really want to see their tortoises get good care in their new homes), it will probably be cheaper than from a shop, and you might even get to meet your tortoise's parents
. There are lists of recommended breeders that we can point you to. Also, if you buy a tortoise from a reputable shop, that is fine, but whatever you do, please don't let them sell you a vivarium (a glass and wood enclosed box with ventilation). These are good for snakes and lizards but very bad for tortoises, and what you will need is an open topped tortoise table (which is easy to make or to buy online), and I can give you more information on that if you like.
I hope that helps, and please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any more questions or problems.
Nina
This is a difficult one, and different people will have different opinions. Many people would say that a 2 hr journey in a car, there and back, twice a month is a bit too much, as a tortoise will find that stressful. If it were the odd journey, and not very often then personally I think it would be OK, but twice a month is quite a lot. The problem is that if you are travelling with a tortoise and it is cool and dark then they will be less active and experience less stress, but if it's summer and warm, and you are transporting them in a box (don't use cardboard as they can dig their way out of that), then they will be frustrated trying to get out of the box. So if you do have to travel then you want to keep them as dark and cool as possible to minimise the stress.
Regarding leaving them at home for the weekend -- you could do that, and it wouldn't hurt them to go without food for a day or so. Most tortoises can right themselves if they overturn on their backs -- they wiggle about until one of their legs touches something solid and then give a push (or a couple of pushes) and get rightside up again. But it's possible to not be able to right themselves, and if they overturn directly under their heat lamp and are there for any length of time then they can dehydrate and that is dangerous. Is there a neighbour or someone who could come in once a day to check on the tortoise when you are away? I've gone away for four or five days and left little bags of fresh food in the fridge for mine, and a neighbour has come in and fed them. I also have my lights on timers, so there is no need for someone to come and turn on and turn off the lights each day.
So that is the indoor set-up. Tortoises should have an outdoor as well as an indoor enclosure, but personally I wouldn't leave mine outdoors while I was away for several days, because of the dangers that rats and foxes can pose to them (but perhaps I am just being overcautious).
Hermann's tortoises are a lovely species, and if you are considering getting one, here's a link to a good care sheet in case you need one.
https://www.tortoise-protection-group.o ... 014New.pdf
Finally, if you do buy a tortoise, it's far better to get one from a breeder: the tortoises they sell won't have been imported and will have experienced less stress, you''ll probably get good after-sales advice (breeders really want to see their tortoises get good care in their new homes), it will probably be cheaper than from a shop, and you might even get to meet your tortoise's parents
. There are lists of recommended breeders that we can point you to. Also, if you buy a tortoise from a reputable shop, that is fine, but whatever you do, please don't let them sell you a vivarium (a glass and wood enclosed box with ventilation). These are good for snakes and lizards but very bad for tortoises, and what you will need is an open topped tortoise table (which is easy to make or to buy online), and I can give you more information on that if you like.I hope that helps, and please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any more questions or problems.
Nina
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