moving with reptiles (advice needed)
when we move back to oklahoma we're each driving separate cars. brittney is going to have the reptiles (boa constrictor and bearded dragon) and kitties since they can all be in a warmer environment (she's rolling her windows down instead of using her ac). i'm going to have the bunnies with my ac on super cold since they have to be cold and i don't want them to be too stressed.
any tips on traveling with the reptiles? is it okay for them to go three or four days without heat other than the heat of the car or are we going to need to come up with a plan to provide them with heat? i cannot find anything online, really, about it. anyone on here with experience?
we're thinking about putting them in the kittie pet carriers. we're going to test it out, but the holes look too small for them to sneak out. if they are able to squeeze through it, we'll just use one of our reusable mesh produce bags as a barrier around the door of the carrier (make sense? like, we'll close it in the door so that it is pulled tight against the door and they won't be able to get out but it will still breathe).
rainbow (beardie) is full grown and although harvey is a baby (boa) he is a big baby and is already larger than a lot of pet snakes get when full grown. i would say he's about one year old (he was a rescue and we don't know his exact age, but judging from his size, i'd say about a year) and he's between three and four feet long. not super thick yet, but he's big enough to eat rats, so i don't think he can slip through the holes in the pet carriers.
we were researching it... some people recommend using those one time use heat packs (like "toasty toes" and the hand warmers). we'll certainly do this if we have to (but funds ARE quite limited). before reading that suggestion, we were just going to make sure to take them out on our gas/potty/food breaks and hold them so they can get sunlight and our body heat.
please, any help from people with experience in traveling with their reptiles in the car would be greatly appreciated. we won't be able to use an adaptor to set up heat lamps in the car because our cars will be PACKED! their habitats will be in the uhaul trailer being pulled behind brittney's car. we figured the pet carriers are roomier and more comfy than cramming them in small critter keepers.
oww, thank's so much! it's summer and quite hot and it's going to be getting hotter the closer we get to oklahoma, so that makes me feel so relieved. maybe it will end up being the normal hot during the day and cold during the night that he's used to living?
maybe we can use my sock full of rice that i microwave when i have period-cramps? if we have the extra money i think we're getting heat packs. but maybe we'll only need them the first day (through the mountains). once we get past the mountains and into the midwest, it's going to be hothothot.
thank you to everyone!
i'm feeling better about this trip with each step that we accomplish. today we had the hitch installed on brittney's car for pulling the trailer that will carry all of the pet supplies and the few personal items we'll be bringing with us.
i'm nervous about the driving, but brittney is doing a good job of making it as easy for me as she can. since we won't have cell phone reception through the mountains, she's getting us walky talkies so that i can talk to her if i get too scared. she also printed off many maps and directions along with every single motel/hotel/rest stop along the way! she has been a little busy bee!
i'm so fortunate. :)>>>
I am new to this site but have been working with herps for a long time I rehab domestics and wild reptiles so here goes. As long as the reptile has not just recenly eaten and is gradually reduced in heat (snake) it is most humane to put into a pillow case that it is familier with I uses them when I clean my tanks. check all over for rips and tears and push against the seems.ROLL the top of you case a few times before tying,then put in a ventalated box, this keeps them from getting squeshed, I like shoe boxes as they won't creat suffacating humidty levels also watch that the snake does not over heat.The dragon ?probably the same other then no pillow case .The dark places like boxes helps to reduce stress,unlike a clear container which WILL stress them out,I have seen injuries due to extreem stress in trying to escape when freaked out. I would still consult a vet to see what they think is best and drastic changes can and will stress the animal and if food is not properly digested before heat reduction it will rot resualting in gut rot so becareful and good luck (sorry about the spelling)
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