best container and tips for transporting a mostly-decayed turtle shell?
i need to get it home before i can clean it, which means a 2-3 hour drive in the car. i don’t wanna make anyone uncomfortable so how do i best do this? mainly what sort of container would be best to transport it safely and in the least smelly way possible?
The only dead turtles I've experienced were incredibly smelly, so personally these would be my recommendations:
Attaching it to the outside of the vehicle. This is BY FAR my number one recommendation. If you have a roof rack, a shelf-type cargo rack, a truck bed, or any other way to attach it to the vehicle on the outside definitely do that. I drive an SUV myself and have just used bungee cords to strap animal parts to my roof with great success, many times driving for hours without issue. I would recommend covering/wrapping the shell up with a small tarp or using other types of containment (such as a bin or a sturdy bag) as a precaution. This can help with tying down, and hides what you're transporting if you don't want to broadcast what you're doing. Just make sure it's secured very well (check on it regularly for the first few miles, or if there's any big shifts like sudden stops or hairpin turns), you're careful about where you park and what/who you park next to, for the employees' sake avoid any drive-thru places, be mindful of what other drivers can see, and maybe don't attract any unwanted attention from cops who might have to ask awkward questions.
If putting the shell on the outside of your vehicle isn't an option you could use a very tight closing bin with something else inside that smells pleasant. This could be something like wood chips (which you can bury the shell in!) or scented drawer sachets. Just make sure it's something you like the smell of. When it comes to plastic storage bins I prefer ones that have a rubber or soft lining around the rim for holding in bad smells. Tupperware-type containers also work great if you have/can find any that are big enough for the turtle shell. Another surprisingly good option is a plastic ice chest. I once accidentally macerated two raccoons in one for two years and honestly the smell was very minimal while the lid was closed. If you use a plastic ice chest tape it shut, just in case. I can speak from experience that if it tips over and opens up you'll wish you taped it.
To go hand-in-hand with the last suggestion, use multiple forms of containment, preferably with something good smelling to go with it. For example, put the turtle shell in a couple of sealed plastic baggies, then in a container, or a container inside a container. You can also cover everything with a blanket (preferably thick) or a sheet or towels. Just don't use anything you're really attached to, unless you really love cleaning bad smells out of things.
Bring air fresheners with you, if you like those. This can be plug-ins or sprays. If you're sensitive to those like I am you could try surrounding the shell with baking soda.
Understand how air flow works in your vehicle, and how you can use the vehicle's features to off-set it. Cracking the windows on opposite sides can help pull in fresh air (but sometimes it can also cause the air to circulate in your car and make the smell worse), running the air in your vehicle pulling from outside, or stopping to air things out by opening and closing the doors several times ("fanning" the doors) can be helpful when traveling with something smelly. If you don't know the best ways to vent out your vehicle you can practice with something pleasant smelling before you go grab the turtle.
They also make portable mini air purifiers. I've never personally used one and can't attest to how well they work, but I've seen people online say it has worked for them with smelly car situations.
Whatever you end up going with, I wish you the best of luck! As an aside, make sure you bring along other supplies as well such as gloves (double-glove for a turtle, they STINK!), hand sanitizer, sanitary wipes and/or soap/water, napkins and/or towels, any other basic cleaning supplies you'd use in your vehicle just in case, and a backup plan in case things go wrong. If you use any form of containment inside your vehicle I strongly suggest putting a towel, blanket, or sheets under it that you're not attached to just in case. When it comes to stinky situation it's better to do too much than not enough.
If anyone else has recommendations please bring them up in comments or reblogs!
