traveling 20 hours with snake and have questions

redline23 · 05-25-13, 10:10 PM

Hi guys just want to make sure i am doing things right before i go on this trip. I am moving up north and I have bought a travel tank for my snake..the biggest one they had but still pretty small honestly. i have it packed with paper towels on the bottom so its soft for him. I will be stopping at a hotel for one night and I am wondering should i take his tank in the hotel and switch him out of the travel tank and into his big tank for the night or will he get all confused and freaked out if i have in in the small one then the big one then back in the small one the next day for the second half of the drive. Any other suggestions on how to ensure he is comfortable the whole time. I really don't want to stress him out anymore than he naturally will be with the traveling. should i cover his tank with something so its a little darker? I just feel concerned about lack of air through the top then. Sorry for all these questions It's just a huge trip and I don't want to upset him. Please let me know anything you guys would suggest or do differently please. Thanks guys!

rmfsnakes32 · 05-25-13, 10:35 PM

He should be fine in the travel container as long as you hook up a heat pad controlled NY thermostat at nite and buy the travel hand Warner's for during the day. Its best for travel containers to be shall and secure also put him in a pillow case he will be fine without water for s day it will end up getting splashed all over cage anyway with motion and bumps of the cat

redline23 · 05-25-13, 10:39 PM

is the pillow case thing not a little traumatizing for them? everyone recommends it but is it not a little scary plus is it easy to breath through once it is tied?

KORBIN5895 · 05-25-13, 10:42 PM

I would purchase a shipping kit and pack him just like I was shipping him. I would then leave him alone til you got to the hotel. I would check home then repack and leave him till you get to your destination.

rmfsnakes32 · 05-25-13, 10:42 PM

No it helps them feel secure the snug darkness of the pillowcase is good

redline23 · 05-25-13, 10:46 PM

and it is ok for him to stay in the dark pillowcase in the small container for up to 12 hours without opening it or taking him out to move around a bit??

KORBIN5895 · 05-26-13, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redline23

and it is ok for him to stay in the dark pillowcase in the small container for up to 12 hours without opening it or taking him out to move around a bit??

Yes. That's why we recommended it.

possum · 05-26-13, 01:01 AM

When I moved across country I had 15 snakes in the car with me: each one was secured in a pillowcase/'snake-bag', then placed in padded styrofoam containers. We stayed in motels that allowed my dog but I did NOT mention my snakes (or rodents, LOL!) as we'd have been sleeping in the car. I took all the snakes (in the styros) into the motel each night & checked on them, gave them a drink of water. They were fine. I also carried those heat packs/chemical hand-warmers in case, but it was summertime & I never needed them.

It's really important not to stress your snake with temperature fluctuations, and some have died on trips when overheated. That can happen with sun coming in thru car windows...with a/c on you may not notice but parts inside the car still get hot. I also know a guy whose boa was in a snake bag on the floor of his truck without being insulated...& it died from being overheated by the engine & road heat coming thru the floor & he was really sick about it, it was one of his favorites...so PLEASE use an ice chest/styrofoam box for travel. Snakes do very well in bags and insulation.

A styro box you can poke a few pinholes for air if you want, probably not necessary...or an ice chest, just put a little wad of tape to push the lid up slightly, or open every 6-8 hours...I'd rather "air on the side of caution" (pun intended-sorry). Anyway, carrying in an ice chest also doesn't look like a snake, btw! Truly he'll be better off in a pillowcase (be sure it's secured & has no holes) and don't feed him for at least a week, 2 is better, before the trip so he's not chucking his lunch or making a mess.

possum · 05-26-13, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redline23

is the pillow case thing not a little traumatizing for them? everyone recommends it but is it not a little scary plus is it easy to breath through once it is tied?

And btw, all my snakes once spent 4+ days in cloth bags inside ice chests to survive our power being off after an ice storm. (I put 3-4 per ice chest, not crowded or on top of each other) I have a gas hot water heater so every 9 hours I put in a couple fresh jars of hot water & took out the ones that had cooled off...surprised to see it stayed a balmy 75-83* in there, & none got sick or anything. It's a really good plan for emergencies, not just travel.