help- Moving!

Starbuck · 07-14-13, 01:33 PM

Hi all,
so i am moving to Florida from upstate NY later this week, and i was hoping to get some opinions on the best way to move my 6 snakes.
right now they are in tub enclosures with lots of furniture, hides etc.

im planning for 4 days of travel;
day 1 i leave from my house and go to my parents house (3 hours by car)
day 2 is spent at my parents house, packing etc (no travel)
day 3 leave early am drive to NC (10 hours of travel), stay overnight at hotel
day 4 leave early am drive to FL (~8 hours of travel), arrive at new apartment, set up tubs and be happy

my question is this: i have ziploc travel containers (about the size of what you see snakes for sale at expos) and pillowcases. What do you think would be the best option? How should i offer them water (and how often?)? I currently have some aspen in the bottom of their containers, should i use paper towel instead?

The snakes will all be in 'people' area of the cars, wont be left unattended/in the sun, etc. Any advice on traveling with snakes?
maybe do expo vendors have any tips or tricks?

Bonus question: I also have an axolotl... and am completely stumped as to how to move him. right now im think cooler in the fridge/in the ice chest with my frozen mice/rats, with 50% water changes 2x daily. ither than that, completly lost....

help!

alessia55 · 07-14-13, 04:17 PM

Ship the snakes and have someone already in FL able to receive them?

smy_749 · 07-14-13, 05:31 PM

I'm with alessia. If you have any friends, I think shipping might be easier on them. 4 Days is a long time.

sweatshirt · 07-14-13, 06:21 PM

I have nothing to say... but welcome to Florida [almost] =)

Starbuck · 07-14-13, 08:18 PM

unfortunately i have no friends in gainesville (YET!), and no one i trust enough here in ithaca to ship them properly :/ they will be in their tupperwares on damp paper towels, all the tupperwares in a backpack/duffel, places securely on the floor or the vehicle for the rides. The truck I'm driving has no ac, so they shouldnt get too cold, and i will use an extra large chilled waterbottle if they get too warm. I will have a thermometer probe to monitor temps in the backpack and will offer them water dishes in their travel containers overnight (all night). i plan to feed everyone tuesday am, so they have time to settle pre-moving. if all goes according to plan, they will be back in their vivs sunday by 3pm.

to fellow floridians; are there regular expos near central florida where i would be able to stock up on F/T mice?

sweatshirt · 07-14-13, 09:08 PM

There seems to be a lot of expos in Florida. There's a Repticon coming up on August 10th & 11th in New Port Richey.

Nataku · 07-19-13, 03:54 PM

Starbuck - welcome to Florida.
There are many expos here in which you can get your frozen feeders, as well as quite a few local feeder breeders - you can find many of them either through craigslist or through local area facebook groups. Not sure if any of them are on this forum or not.

As for the soonest upcoming expos:
August 3 - 4 : Repticon (Jacksonville)
August 10 - 11 : Repticon (New Port Richey)
August 16 - 18 : National Reptile Breeders Expo (Daytona Beach) - this is the big one.

Of those three, Jacksonville and Daytona Beach will be the closest ones to you if you will be living in Gainesville. You can hit both well inside of two hours driving. However we have Repticons all over Florida pretty much year 'round. There's at least two in the Orlando area. Check their calendar to see all of their dates and locations.

Starbuck · 07-19-13, 05:10 PM

thanks!

I am planning to go to the jacksonville expo, hoping to find some AP-style cages and bulk up on feeders before school starts.
So far everyone is weathering the move well; its ungodly hot, so the snakes are about 8- degrees 24/7 now :/
we just have one more full day and then we'll be in Gainesville

**Aaron_S** · 07-19-13, 07:18 PM

You're doing it wrong. Far more chances of problems doing it your way.

Skip feeding them so it's highly unlikely they will regurge or pass anything during travel. They will be fine.

Use pillow cases. Snakes, all of them, like enclosed spaces and these do it well. It collapses on them and it cuts off senses and they just sit in the dark.

Place them all in a styrofoam shipping container. Maybe keep the rosy boa separate in another one due to needing different temps.

At night, allow them out if you like with paper towel in smaller than normal bins. Offer water is all.

I would NEVER travel with snakes in general tubs as they will slide around and feel more bumps and the like. You should have them packed like they are being shipped. Far more secure.

Starbuck · 07-19-13, 08:31 PM

i have 4 3-foot snakes each in 6x10 inch tupperwares, in a dark closed back pack. I chose not to use pillowcases because my kingsnake has bitten my other snakes through their pillowcases in the past. i am actually in the process of moving now, so its a little too late to change most of the above. If i had more time and resources i should have invested in styrofoam containers, but for the next 2 days i will have to make due with the back pack. i am monitoring their temps and they are close to 80 (+/- 5 degrees) at all times.

**EL Ziggy** · 07-20-13, 09:38 AM

Best wishes with the move Starbuck and welcome to the Southeast. Trust me, you haven't seen hot yet. You're gonna love FL during the winter season though when you're on the beach and the folks back home are in a deep freeze! I always tease my family back in the Midwest. Doesn't sound like ideal travel conditions for your snakes but I'm pretty sure they'll be ok especially once they get settled into their new home. Keep us posted on your progress and ROLL TIDE!!