Other Turtle Discussion :: Traveling Turtles!

Non-care related topics here.

Post Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2014 11:37 pm   Traveling Turtles!

So I'm a new turtle mom. My best friend asked me to take in her Common Musk until she can get her own place (probably once she finishes med school in 8 million years) otherwise her parents were going to release him. Then my husband bought me a RES to keep the Musk company.

The thing is, my husband lives in a different state (yay Army) and I often (at least once a month) go to see him. I plan to take my Archers with me so my parents don't have to "Turtle Sit". They both seem to do okay in the car, and since my car has a wall outlet I can keep a light on them that corresponds to the time of day I'm driving. The first time I drove with them they weren't cohabiting yet, but they desperately tried to get at each other. They've been together ever since and are great friends. Both are still really skittish and shy and adjusting as I've changed around their home a bit trying to get the best set up for a swimming turtle and a bottom walker, but the RES is coming along.

My question to y'all is, how do you travel with your turtles, and how can I make is easier on my sweet babies?
missvalkyrie
 
Posts: 4
Joined: Aug 4, 2014
Location: Seguin, Tx
Gender: Female

Post Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 12:11 am   Re: Traveling Turtles!

Welcome to the forum! How long are your monthly visits and travels?
User avatar
steve
Site Admin
 
Posts: 31430
Joined: Apr 11, 2005
Location: New York, NY
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 12:19 am   Re: Traveling Turtles!

It's usually for two to three days, but I have occasionally been afforded the opportunity to stay with Hubby for a week. In those events I'd take their full set up. The drive itself is 7 hours and they both did fine both ways and ate normally on the road since it was feeding day, but I was just curious for some tips.

For example, tomorrow I am taking the RES to work with me to discuss with the campers turtles they may see while we're at the river/lake this week, turtle conservation, and the importance of doing research before you acquire an exotic pet. I've been looking into adopting a turtle for years now and am finally glad to have two, and I want to share that joy with my girls. The trouble is the ride to the bus from my house is 45 minutes, then an hour on the bus, and then the same back home. After nosing around I've decided a cardboard box with a towel will be best for the bumpy bus, but I want to make the journey as easy on my Apollo as I can! She'll have her normal "travel tub" once we get to camp.
missvalkyrie
 
Posts: 4
Joined: Aug 4, 2014
Location: Seguin, Tx
Gender: Female

Post Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 9:39 am   Re: Traveling Turtles!

Two days is fine to be left alone. If it were 3 days, I'd have someone pop in over the middle day or even use an automatic feeder. I wouldn't trust those things for longer than that. If the box provides complete darkness, they might calm down for the duration of the trip. Not my RES though, they like to perch on my shoulder and look out the window (of course it's closed and my hand is inches away or resting over them).
User avatar
steve
Site Admin
 
Posts: 31430
Joined: Apr 11, 2005
Location: New York, NY
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 3:37 pm   Re: Traveling Turtles!

I decided not to take her to camp today, but I think it'll calm me down to not have to take them if I only go for the weekend. When I first got my RES I set her on the dash, but she quickly tried to jump off. I just think she wasn't used to me yet. About how long did it take for yours to get comfy with you handling her?
missvalkyrie
 
Posts: 4
Joined: Aug 4, 2014
Location: Seguin, Tx
Gender: Female

Post Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 8:39 pm   Re: Traveling Turtles!

They are never too comfortable. As they get older, they are pretty strong with sharp claws, so you might not handle them very long. My turtles will urinate if I hold them for several minutes (which is "too long").
User avatar
steve
Site Admin
 
Posts: 31430
Joined: Apr 11, 2005
Location: New York, NY
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 10:48 am   Re: Traveling Turtles!

Sorry if I'm answering too late, but I thought I'd share my traveling routine with Bobo. I took her home to my parents several times, in both summer and winter, it used to be a 7-8 hour drive, now it's only 4-5 (I moved to another city). She travels is a big plastic box (she's a big girl and she'd shred the cardboard easily) without any towels, because I noticed that she just piled them in one corner and then tried to get out, which usually resulted in her flipping over, then I had to get her up while I was driving. The box is on the floor, on my right, between the passenger's seat and the lower dash. The AC is set to 22 degrees Celsius, and I make sure that it doesn't blow on her box. After a few journeys, she got used to the whole thing, now she doesn't squirmish a lot anymore, and after the first hour or so she settles down in the closest corner and just looks at me. She gets restless again when I stop the car.
I only take her with me when I'm gone less than a week or so. However, I remember leaving her at home for 8 days once, everything was ok, I just fed her more the last two meals or so before we left. Needless to say she was thrilled to see us back home, she begged like crazy even if it was midnight! :lol: (I have both lamps on a timer and a trustworthy canister filter...and heater).
Bobo - 7 1/2 year old female RES
80 gallon tank, JBL CristalProfi e1501 Greenline canister filter, Eheim Jager 200W heater, Reptile UVB 100 25W bulb (former ReptiGlo 5.0 26W)
User avatar
xcristina
 
Posts: 114
Joined: Dec 1, 2013
Location: Targu Mures, Romania
Gender: Female


Return to Other Turtle Discussion

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests