sulcata tortoises

Question
QUESTION: I have two 11 year old sulcata tortoises. I live in UAE and am planning to move to
Nepal permanently in 18 months. Can I ship them? How do they cope with a long
flight?

ANSWER: Hi Carol,

If they will allow them into Nepal they can be shipped, but you'll have to determine the shipping and paperwork requirements.  I would contact the Nepalese consul and the airline you are planning to take and find out what would be required--and get it in writing so you don't arrive at the airport and find out something else is required.  You'll probably at least need a health certificate and some kind of crate (dog kennels suitable for the airlines would work), but requirements vary by country.

You'll also need adequate outdoor housing for your tortoises if the area you're moving to drops below 60 degrees F, because sulcata are warmer climate tortoises and don't hibernate.  Due to their size, that means a heated shed or barn that can be maintained at a suitable temperature throughout the winter (70-75 degrees ambient temperature with a 90 degree basking spot and adequate UVB).

Good luck with your move!

Revised to add:

Hi Carol,

I read your comments and I'm glad to hear you're already aware of the temperature issue in Nepal.  I think they will be fine with the flight and airport time, with a few precautions.  You might want to have individual wooden crates built for them so they can be packed in comfortably and securely with hay.  The dog crates will also work, but they do have wire doors and if you're worried about them being stressed a closed container would be better.  I ship tortoise hatchlings in the U.S., overnight delivery, and they're usually in their boxes for about 18 hours without problems.  If it's dark they'll spend most of their time asleep.  The one thing you will need to be careful of is the heat, depending on when you move.  Any temperatures over 90 degrees F will be risky for them because they'll have no way to cool themselves down by burrowing, etc.  If you have to move when it's hot, you'll have to make sure that the tortoises are in a temperature controlled area at all times and not left out in the open where they can overheat.  Other than that, I don't think you'll have a problem shipping them and they should recover within a day or two.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------


tortoise tunnel   QUESTION: Very good point about the temperature when I move them. I'll aim for early
summer or mid Autumn when the temperature difference won't be too drastic
and I'll check on temperatures on the plane. Many thanks for your help, this is a
great service. C

Answer
You are very welcome.  I hear about people transporting and shipping tortoises all the time, but you're the first going from UAE to Nepal!  I have to commend you for your dedication to your tortoises, as here in the US sulcata are often abandoned or given to rescues because they grow so large and people don't want to deal with them.  It's wonderful to hear from someone who really cares about their welfare.  I wish you an easy and uneventful move.