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I would like to ask how many weeks can a turtle survive without food? I don't have any neighbors I can trust to pet sit for me, when I go for a 3 weeks vacation.

Three weeks is much too long to leave your turtle unattended. Besides water quality issues, feeding is extremely important. I wouldn't leave a mature turtle more than a few days at most.

How big is your turtle (shell length from tip to tip not including curve)? And what is your set up like?

One idea, do you have a family vet? If so sometimes they will board animals. This would be worth checking on.

I believe someone mentioned that some pet stores will board animals as well. I don't know which ones, or the stipulations though.

It's not acceptable to leave your turtle unattended and unfed for three weeks. A couple of days at most, but never weeks at a time. Hire a petsitter to come every couple days to feed and check up on them. Make sure the pet sitter is bonded and insured, and check thier references. If you take the proper precautions when choosing a petsitter there shouldn't be a problem.

Welcome. Make sure also that anyone who cares for your turtle knows how the equipment works just in case there's a problem. If you haven't done so, put your lights on timers. Leave detailed instructions about how your turtle is to be cared for.

welcome unfortunatly you wont get much sympathy in here iltier. when you got your turt you took on deckades of responsibality. i have canceled trips because i wasnt able to find someone to watch my critters. it sux but that is just the way it goes sometimes when you have pets. and i know it is sometimes hard to spend 75$ per visit from a sitter for a 10$ turt. but it is worth it in the long run. i had a frind that had a 3year old turt that was healthy that died after 2 weeks of not being fed. so 3 weeks is a death sentance.

please come to the right (responsiable) decision. and find a sitter or cancel the trip.

fish

I have actually taken some of my smaller critters to someone's house & set up the tank there. It's a lot of work for the owner, but that's what we signed up for when we got the animals.

For my upcoming vacation, I will be gone for 11 days. The frog & fish are going to a friend's house so she can feed them daily & make sure the water is good. I have another friend coming in to feed Sheba (RES) twice while I am gone (and to make sure everything is ok). I am making little food packets (in plastic bags) so that my friend doesn't have to measure food. All they do is come in, dump the food in Sheba's tank, and leave.

I don't have any neighbors who can watch my animals either, but I have a couple of trusted friends who have a key to my house & they will drive over to make sure everything is ok. I always give them a very nice gift for watching my kids when I am away ($50 gas card or a really nice souvenier from my vacation locale). My pets are worth it!

I have done the same as Industrial_girl, and it was a lot of work as well. Once I lucked out with a friend who cared enough to follow my instructions. Once I didn't and came back to find my turtle in less than adequate conditions...

Thanks guys for all your advise. I guess its either I cancel my trips or find and hire a pet sitter for my res. I cannnot take any chances of leaving my res unattended, for me that will be cruelty.

you would be 100% correct

I like the suggestion of leaving them with someone to watch over them. Using a plastic storage container and putting in a basic setup should work well.