8 replies to this topic

[Pugwinkle]

What is the safest way to transport a turtle in the car to get him home?

[LisaD]

Hey Pugs how far are your traveling? What species is the turtle and how old/what size in SCL is it?  Normally when moving mine in a car for short trips its damp (not soaking wet) paper towels lining a small-mid size Sterilite containe, however for longer trips (such as hurricane evacuations) I'll use some substrate or damp cotton towels in the same or larger sized containers. Lids are on the containers ecurely to prevent escapes but large holes are also in sides and/or lid or air.

[Pieter]

To most important things for those species for traveling in my opnion is this..

- Never transport them in water. As Lisa already says.. moist is needed but never transport them in a tank filled with some water. I always use sort of paper substrate wich keeps moist.

- The box you put them into must be small. How larger the box is, to more the turtle can get stressed and turned over. The box must just be a little big bigger then the turtle, so that it can move.. but not walk.

- The temperature must stay about the same. Overheat or coldness can cause sickness, so make sure they are not transported in extreme temperatures or extreme variations in temperaturechanchings.

- Make sure the box is DARK. When it is completely dark, the turtle will be relaxt. For long trips I often use simple grass or leafs or something to coffer the turtle a bit above hem/her.

- And very importand... rest. The turtle must be on the part of the car where the box doesn't move with the car. Also, don't look at your turtle every ten minuts.. just leave hem/her be they really don;t feel lonely or something.. they just are the most relaxt when you keep distance.

In that way I have transported wether big turtles as very little ones across western Europe.. without any problem.

[turtlemann2]

like the post above a small box just larger then the turt with either moist paper towls or as i like moist leaves or straw close the box (dont forget air holes) and place somwhere where the box wont slide, dont allow to get super cold or super warm

[Cheloniphile]

Hey, Turtlemann2 -

Glad you resurrected this thread.  I answer this question a lot and focus on the container size.  As you and Pieter indicate, a small container is key.

I like flat containers barely deeper than the plastron-to-carapace height of the turtle so it can't turn over.
No water so that the little guy doesn't slosh around.
Something like terry cloth or at least heavy paper towels on the bottom of a plastic container so that he can sink his claws in for stability.
I use leaves to cover the turtle and keep things dark.
And air holes - as many as can be made - punched from the inside-out so as not to leave burrs which can scratch the turtle.
Front seat floor of the car is not a good place if travelling in very cold or hot weather - that's where heat and airco come into the car's passenger compartment.

Paul (Cheloniphile)

[portsample]

We took our 3 adolecent North American Wood Turtles on an unexpected week long trip in winter last year. I had them in a clean cooler with a  towel and a heavy sweatshirt in the bottom and the remote to our household weather station duct taped to the inside of the lid. The base station stayed on the dashboard. The temperature remained in the 60s in their cooler. The cooler rode in the back seat of the car and was blocked in place. The lid stayed closed when we were driving. The cooler is about 2 feet long, 1 foot across and perhaps 18 inches tall.

In the hotel, we kept them either in the cooler with the lid open, or in the bathtub with a few inches of water in the bottom. When we left the hotel we always took the turtles in their cooler with us. They seemed to do fine, were willing to eat and generally appeared unstressed.

Edited by portsample, 26 January 2012 - 12:11 AM.

[turtlemann2]

man, i didnt know i brought it up from the dead : 0 opps not somthing i havnt done before : )

[Cheloniphile]

Yeah, Pieter's post, before yours was back in 2007.  But it is a good thing to bring up, probably more often than every 4 or 5 years.

We take in a number of "rescues" and unwanted turtles every year and it is amazing how many people will bring a turtle to my door in a plastic container half filled with water.  The unfortunate turtle has been sloshing around with every turn the car makes.  I don't think I've ever seen one that was physically hurt by the trip, but how stressful was it?

Paul (Cheloniphile)

[Cheloniphile]

portsample, on 26 January 2012 - 12:06 AM, said:

...and the remote to our household weather station duct taped to the inside of the lid. The base station stayed on the dashboard

I've had turtles in the bathtub, too - 4 adult musks a few years ago in DC.  Strange breed, we turtle keepers.

But what is this weather station device?  It sounds like something that could have some really good potential for remote monitoring, but I've never heard of it before.

Paul (Cheloniphile)

Oops - nevermind.  I saw the wireless indoor / outdoor thermometer devices online.  Great idea to use it while travelling to know what's happening in the turtle carrier.

Paul (Cheloniphile)

Edited by Cheloniphile, 26 January 2012 - 09:54 AM.