My fiancee and I are going to move soon. He has a reticulated desert tortoise in a dry tank with gravel, and a snapping turtle in a tank 1/2 full of water, 1/2 full of rocks
It's mid winter in New England. What's the safest, least stressful (for the critters) way to move my step-reptiles?
Thanks!
DaveInAZ
Favorite Answer
They have different needs, so it would be best to handle them separately. The snapper should have his tank drained. He'll be perfectly fine out of the water for a day, although it does make them grumpier. A wet towel in the bottom of a picnic cooler will give him a little moisture, a little warmth, and something to keep him from sliding around too much. If it's not too long a trip, that should be all he needs, assuming you can take him in the car from one place to the next, and not leave him in a cold truck for hours. Even then, he'd probably survive. The desert tortoise would not.
For the tortoise, you'll want the same kind of setup, but dry, and with a chemical "heat pack" wrapped in a towel and taped so he can't get to it and burn himself or puncture it. A second towel in the bottom of the cooler for traction, and he's good to go. Be sure to check on him about once an hour, to make sure he's not getting overheated or too cold, but beware of drafts. They're prone to respiratory infections.
Never transport any animals in glass aquariums. If it's going to take you more than a day to move, you'll need to make arrangements to get the snapper into some water of a reasonable temperature at least once per day. And the chemical heat packs have a limited useful life, usually two to four hours, so plan accordingly.
Anonymous
if the turtle is small you could put it in a chinese container with a little water but so it can stand and then in a polystyrene box... i have never moved a tortoise before but the turtle method is a good one...
gemma c
you can put them in seperate polystirene boxes which will help keep the temperature constant. that is the best way to transport them.
Abbie T
take them in a car they should be in a box with airholes that has bedding and blankets to keep them warm, Hope I helped.