General Care Discussion :: Turtles and Planes

[Deon]

I might be moving and im wondering how i'd get to move my turtle as well.

I doubt i can find a new home for her, because i reckon she'd end up in a 1 gal container as no one i know really cares much for turtles, and i dont want that to happen.

Would the turtle have any problems being on a plane? Does anyone know if turtles can suffer in planes, (like ears popping for humans), would they have problems with their ears?

Thanks

[Kemul]

This might get you started:
http://www.redearslider.com/transportation.html

Sorry, I have no experience transporting a turtle by plane, perhaps others can help you better. I just want to emphasize that you must make sure all the paperworks clear before you take the turtle with you.

[Dash8FlyGirl]

I don't know if their ears will bother them or not, but when I bought my two RES I transported them home by plane. I bought them in South Carolina and took them home to Maryland. I'm a flight attendant and actually bought them on one of my overnights. The next day they came to work with me and flew for six flights. They were fine the whole day and when I finally got them home they were also fine.

When you do transport them, make sure they are not in water. For one, TSA won't let you through security. It will also be hard on them if you encounter any sort of turbulence. And it would be very hard to keep their water regulated. I would recommend that you put a soft towel in the bottom of the container so that if you do get some turbulence the turtle doesn't get hurt on something hard. It will also help to keep him warm. Placing a towel over the container or keeping him in a container that he can't see out of is also a good idea. If he can't see everyone walking around the plane, he will be less stressed.

You should also call your airline ahead of time and make sure they allow reptiles in the cabin. Some airlines don't. Mine only allows dogs or cats in the cabin. Even if your airline doesn't allow reptiles, sometimes the flight attendant will. I've never had a reptile brought on by a passenger, but I did have a little boy bring a hermit crab. The gate agent came to me before loading the passengers and asked if he could bring it on. I told him that was fine and to let the boy bring his pet. Your best bet though is to just book with an airline that will let you bring reptiles.

My boyfriend is a pilot and he also bought two RES from the same place, just a week ahead of me. I was with him on that trip and he had them on the plane for six flights also. They did great and were fine when they got home. Both our sets of turtles are healthy and thriving.

Hope that helps!

[megcornell]

The cabins of airplanes are pressurized so the turtles shouldn't experience any discomfort.
You can transport them as it's outlined in the link kemul gave you. I transported my turtle across the US twice in a small container with a damp towel and she was fine. Making sure that they don't encounter drafts or overheating is the biggest concern with traveling.
I personally could not find an airline that would allow me to bring my turtle with me (so I drove across country). Be sure that you call ahead and make sure if it is allowed that you have the proper container (most airlines tell you what to keep your pet in) and that you have the proper paperwork to get through security, customs... etc.

[joeybsmooth]

I am just putting this out there , I am not sure about it. But does anyone know if Deon can take hi turtle as a carry on.

[blackforces get you]

well i heard its possible you could. i asked a pilot from a delta flgiht and they said how much it would cost depending on the weight. i also remember him saying it costs about 75 dollars but it depends. you might have to check before you take it

[Deon]

Wow thanks for all the advice!
Ill make sure to check the airlines to see if they allow pets and other details. Im taking singapore airlines and i think they do allow .
What do you think of just holding her in the plane if it's allowed? Otherwise it might get too cold in a container and she's still only 2.8 inches i think. It is stressful? just curious.

ty again!!

[TheComputerGremlin]

I would say that if you can take her as a carry on, that is the best option. You can get one of those critter carriers (that are otherwise forbidden for turtle use!) and as others have mentioned, put a damp towel at the bottom and try to line the sides as well. You can put some heating packs in there, too, just water the temp. I'd get a stick on thermometer for the carrier. I think you'd want the temps to be between 65-75 for travel. And make sure you have some antibacterial wipes or Purell or something in case you have to handle her during the flight. You don't want Salmonella potentially left on your seat handle and the next person to get sick!

[Dash8FlyGirl]

Wow thanks for all the advice!
Ill make sure to check the airlines to see if they allow pets and other details. Im taking singapore airlines and i think they do allow .
What do you think of just holding her in the plane if it's allowed? Otherwise it might get too cold in a container and she's still only 2.8 inches i think. It is stressful? just curious.

ty again!!

As far as holding her on your lap goes, I don't know about Singapore Airlines, but my company doesn't allow animals to be out of their container unless they are a comfort animal. You can have your animal become a comfort animal by going to your doctor. They'll give you a paper that says your pet is a comfort animal. People use these if they get stressed by plane travel. If you just tell your doctor you are uncomfortable flying then it shouldn't be a problem getting the paperwork.

If you do get the paperwork, I still wouldn't recommend taking your turtle out too much. Being on an airplane can be pretty stressful to an animal. The flight attendants are always constantly moving around and sometimes so are passengers. Plus if there are any kids on the plane, they always want to go see the animal. Being out of her tank is going to be stressful anyway, so I'd try to keep her from seeing people as little as possible.

I really hope you'll be able to take your turtle with you!

[marisa]

Unless things have changed, I've never found an international airline that would knowingly allow turtles to be brought into the cabin as carry on. (I brought my RES from Tokyo to the U.S., but without the airline knowing it.) You don't want your turtle put into cargo, though. The "comfort animal " route is one avenue you might explore.

Are you returning from China to the U.S.? If so, you might want to check into U.S. Fish and Wildlife regulations for admitting your turtle into the U.S. This is a separate issue from the airline, and is relatively easy to do, especially for a RES.

[joeybsmooth]

"(I brought my RES from Tokyo to the U.S., but without the airline knowing it."

How ?

[Deon]

And make sure you have some antibacterial wipes or Purell or something in case you have to handle her during the flight. You don't want Salmonella potentially left on your seat handle and the next person to get sick!

Hmm that's true i never thought of that! ill have to be careful.

You can have your animal become a comfort animal by going to your doctor. They'll give you a paper that says your pet is a comfort animal. People use these if they get stressed by plane travel. If you just tell your doctor you are uncomfortable flying then it shouldn't be a problem getting the paperwork.

If you do get the paperwork, I still wouldn't recommend taking your turtle out too much. Being on an airplane can be pretty stressful to an animal. The flight attendants are always constantly moving around and sometimes so are passengers. Plus if there are any kids on the plane, they always want to go see the animal. Being out of her tank is going to be stressful anyway, so I'd try to keep her from seeing people as little as possible.

I really hope you'll be able to take your turtle with you!

That's a really good idea!(the comfort animal) Thanks. although, kids and other people seeing it may cause some problems, so i might use a container in the end.

Are you returning from China to the U.S.? If so, you might want to check into U.S. Fish and Wildlife regulations for admitting your turtle into the U.S. This is a separate issue from the airline, and is relatively easy to do, especially for a RES.

Nope im going to singapore (maybe only) so ill check their regulations, ty!

[evlock]

Unless things have changed, I've never found an international airline that would knowingly allow turtles to be brought into the cabin as carry on. (I brought my RES from Tokyo to the U.S., but without the airline knowing it.)

I also would like to know how you were able to bring your turtle on board without the airline knowing...was it long enough ago that they were not x-raying all carry on bags? I would really like to take our turtle with us when we move back to the US from Saudi, and have already been giving this much thought...even though it is 8 years in the future.

Evalie

[mighty mouse]

When we got our turtles a few years ago, we were headed to California for a Spring Break. We thought we'd take the turtles with us so they would be cared for - we almost missed our flight, as the attendant wouldn't let us on the plane with them, and we had to wait for another friend to come and pick them up to watch them for the week. I also don't know of any airline that allows reptiles to be on board.