General Care Discussion :: transporting your turtle

[tammi]

What is the least stressful way to transport a turtle? My 2 RES have vet appts today
And 1 is ill and I don't want to stress him any more then necessary.
Thanks

[queenjane]

Cardboard box with holes for air.
Keep it dark inside.
Wet a bunch of newspaper/paper towel strips with warm water.

Don't let the turtle bounce around the car in his box. There shouldn't be a lot of shuffling around or sliding.

I duct taped the box to the floorboard when I transported Tank.

[Sniffa]

you could maybe put the box in a seat belt

[tammi]

I was think putting each in a seperate bucket with warm towels and then into a small animal carrier
Straped into a seatbelt.

[Caphits]

I used a large "throwaway" tupperware container, with a towel in it, with holes in the lid, and a heating pad underneath. (You have to have a 110 converter to do this though)

[TheComputerGremlin]

I used a critter carrier with a towel set inside for a 7 hour drive. She was in a dark, cooler place on the floor of my car, and she just wrapped herself in the dry towel and slept the whole time. If it's just a short distance, you can transport them dry (if the towels are wet, they can become chilled too easily) without heating packs. And depending on where you are, you may want the air conditioning on too. The key concern about the container is making sure they can't walk out.

[jozzep]

How long is this drive?
No disrespect to all the suggestions, but is all that really necessary for a short drive?Heating pads and seatbelts?
Unless it's a dirt road or a 2 hour drive, all i would think you need is a small bucket or tupperware container with an inch of slightly warm water or a damp towel.
The driver of the car should pay extra attention on the road and not make last minute short stoppings or turns.

[theartbook35]

I'm taking my turtles to an educational thing tomorrow. I tried out the trip down to the bus stop last week, to see how they'd react. I had them in their carrier, with a bag tied loosely around it so they can't see anyone, and no one can see them. They were pretty calm after a few minutes. As long as they are hidden, they're cool.

They've met young children before, and they don't care if people stare at them, so, I'm not worried. As long as the kids follow my directions, and if they don't, I'll put the turtles in the office and no one will see them.

Edit: Have the girls at with me right now, and the college where I work. (The pre-school I teach in is inside the college where I just got my degree by the way). I put them in their carrier, then put the whole thing in a plastic bag. They didn't mind the ride on the buses at all. I took their bag off, too, and they are hanging out staring at me like nothing exciting is going on. I swear to god, the only thing that bothers them in screaming/yelling/shouting. But, they did put up with my nephew for a month, and he's the loudest kid I've ever met. They are used to being stared at, so, I don't expect them to be bother by this at all. I'll let ya'll know later how they, and the kids, did.

[TheComputerGremlin]

From the main site: http://redearslider.com/transportation.html

Transporting a Turtle
It may become necessary to transport your turtles. If the turtle is traveling by car and accompanied by you, here are some suggestions:

* Use a sturdy, clean cardboard or plastic box not a hard, rigid container, such as a glass tank. Line the box with shredded newspaper and towels for substrate. Never transport your turtle in a container filled with water.
* Make sure there is a lid or a way you can close the box to prevent escape, to keep drafts out, and to keep it dark. The turtle will likely borrow under and sleep. You still need to make sure air can get inside the box.
* Keep ambient air temperatures around 70F-85F and bring a thermometer. A wired digital thermometer would allow you to check the temperature without opening the box.
* Regularly check to make sure they have not flipped over and clean up any waste that may be present.


If air temperatures exceed 85F and you cannot cool the vehicle with air conditioning, here are some suggestions:

* Keep a thermometer with the turtle and check every 15 minutes. A digital thermometer with a wired probe will allow you to check without having to open the box.
* Keep the box out of direct sunlight.
* Mist the turtle if you cannot cool the air down. You can also wipe it down with a cool towel.
* If you are traveling a long distance in hot weather, then you could wait to travel in the evening.


If air temperatures drop below 65F and you cannot heat the vehicle, here are some ideas:

* Keep a thermometer with the turtle and check every 15 minutes. A digital thermometer with a wired probe will allow you to check without having to open the box.
* Place the box into a large plastic tub or a Styrofoam container. Add a hot water bottle or use a heat pack, with neither in nor near direct contact with the turtle. Make sure that these heat sources are securely wrapped and protected.

jozzep - NEVER transport your turtle in water or on a damp cloth. If the water is too shallow and the turtle flips over and cannot flip back, s/he can drown. Shallow water and damp clothes cause the water to evaporate too quickly off of the reptile's skin, which can cause a chill and further injury/infection.

[jozzep]

From the main site: http://redearslider.com/transportation.html

Transporting a Turtle
It may become necessary to transport your turtles. If the turtle is traveling by car and accompanied by you, here are some suggestions:

* Use a sturdy, clean cardboard or plastic box not a hard, rigid container, such as a glass tank. Line the box with shredded newspaper and towels for substrate. Never transport your turtle in a container filled with water.
* Make sure there is a lid or a way you can close the box to prevent escape, to keep drafts out, and to keep it dark. The turtle will likely borrow under and sleep. You still need to make sure air can get inside the box.
* Keep ambient air temperatures around 70F-85F and bring a thermometer. A wired digital thermometer would allow you to check the temperature without opening the box.
* Regularly check to make sure they have not flipped over and clean up any waste that may be present.


If air temperatures exceed 85F and you cannot cool the vehicle with air conditioning, here are some suggestions:

* Keep a thermometer with the turtle and check every 15 minutes. A digital thermometer with a wired probe will allow you to check without having to open the box.
* Keep the box out of direct sunlight.
* Mist the turtle if you cannot cool the air down. You can also wipe it down with a cool towel.
* If you are traveling a long distance in hot weather, then you could wait to travel in the evening.


If air temperatures drop below 65F and you cannot heat the vehicle, here are some ideas:

* Keep a thermometer with the turtle and check every 15 minutes. A digital thermometer with a wired probe will allow you to check without having to open the box.
* Place the box into a large plastic tub or a Styrofoam container. Add a hot water bottle or use a heat pack, with neither in nor near direct contact with the turtle. Make sure that these heat sources are securely wrapped and protected.

jozzep - NEVER transport your turtle in water or on a damp cloth. If the water is too shallow and the turtle flips over and cannot flip back, s/he can drown. Shallow water and damp clothes cause the water to evaporate too quickly off of the reptile's skin, which can cause a chill and further injury/infection.

I'm sorry gremlin.....You can pull up all the info you want, in my IMO this is excessive.I have transported my turtles "lots of times" in a bucket with "1 INCH" of warm water in the front floor on the passenger side, i didn't go offroading so they didn't flip over and drown lol, and they are fine and healthy to date.I will keep doing it my way, and you keep doing it yours

[Caphits]

How is a box with a towel and thermometer excessive?

It is DUMB to do it your way though... The water will cool down VERY VERY VERY quickly (unless it is way hot out). Also, there is the RISK of drowning. That alone should be enough of a reason not to do it.

A cold turtle is a sick turtle.


Also, I think it is stupid to only feed a few pellets a day. I just let him eat as much as he wants, all day long. He hasnt died yet, so it isnt a problem. Ill just keep doing it my way, even though I know it is best for the turtle's health that I only let him eat its head's volume of pellets every day for turts < 4", and every other day for turts > 4". [/sarcasm]

Sorry, I think it is really dumb to do it your way jozzep...

[theartbook35]

How is a box with a towel and thermometer excessive?

It is DUMB to do it your way though... The water will cool down VERY VERY VERY quickly (unless it is way hot out). Also, there is the RISK of drowning. That alone should be enough of a reason not to do it.

A cold turtle is a sick turtle.


Also, I think it is stupid to only feed a few pellets a day. I just let him eat as much as he wants, all day long. He hasnt died yet, so it isnt a problem. Ill just keep doing it my way, even though I know it is best for the turtle's health that I only let him eat its head's volume of pellets every day for turts < 4", and every other day for turts > 4". [/sarcasm]

Sorry, I think it is really dumb to do it your way jozzep...

I agree with you on a lot of points.

I didn't go to those lengths, because the trip I was making today was fairly short. I did transport them in water, about an inch and a half deep the first time, in their plastic carrier, and nothing happened to them. They don't really try to crawl up the walls like they used to do, so, I wasn't that concerned about them flipping over. The trip back home, I had them in about three inches of water, which they seemed to like much better. I recognize the seriousness, if they were different turtles I would've transported them dry. Hurricane could live with being dry, Typhoon has to have water at all times. She associates no water with being moved somewhere, and she hates to be moved. (You should see the way I have to carry her. She does NOT like handling if there is no water present).

Lol, to minimize the chance any stress when coming home, I held off on cleaning the tank today, and I'll do it tomorrow morning. They were moved and stared at and moved again, and having to go into a sparkly clean tank would actually irritate them.

[jozzep]

Sorry, I think it is really dumb to do it your way jozzep...

You gotta be really stupid to think a turtle would drown in 1" of water lol

[jozzep]

How is a box with a towel and thermometer excessive?

It is DUMB to do it your way though... The water will cool down VERY VERY VERY quickly (unless it is way hot out). Also, there is the RISK of drowning. That alone should be enough of a reason not to do it.

A cold turtle is a sick turtle.


Sorry, I think it is really dumb to do it your way jozzep...

I've transported my turtles MY WAY numerous times and non of them got "VERY VERY VERY COLD" or flipped over and died lol
So i think YOU are "dumb" for going through all that trouble!

I like the site, but i notice a lot of people here need to lighten up a little with all these "rules" and "book theories" they throw at people.

A cold turtle is a sick turtle.

That's not true either....Turtles live in cold water and in harsh weather all around the world!Are they all sick?!
Try leaving your house and observe turtles in the wild once in a while!

[tammi]

Well I took mine in two seperate small buckets with towels in the bottom. Slider (5" male)
Buried himself. Luckie (1") flipped himself over 3 times. I drove with out any sharp turns or any sudden
Stops. Yet I had to stop and turn him back over. But we made it to the vets safe and sound.