Heat Pack Testing Thread.

I've decided to test a standard shipping box with a 72 hour heat pack.

I'll be updating photos as the experiment progresses. This is the first photo. The air temperature here, as you can see, is close to 80F. I have given the heat pack just enough time to start to warm, then taped it to the lid of the box. The heat probe is on top of some crumpled newspaper, and beneath another piece of crumpled newspaper, inside of the box (the box is filled with newspaper as though a snake were being shipped, and the probe is where the snake would be sitting). I taped the probe in place so it couldn't shift. The box does have 4 small air holes, as it was a test box, but I covered them with tape for this experiment.

This is a standard Superior shipping box.

Start time: 4 PM.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...periment_1.jpg

Very neat experiment! Can't wait to see the outcome!

Another interesting experiment (if one doesn't mind spending the money) is to pack the thermometer inside the box...maybe put it in a snake bag or deli cup that an animal would be in...then ship it overnight to someplace cold. Those particular thermometers will save the max and min temps that it recorded within the last 24 hours. It would be interesting to see if any extreme temps made it into the box, or if the heat pack and insulation were enough to maintain steady, healthy temps.

4:50 PM. As you can see, the interior of the box has now exceeded a safe temperature.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...periment_2.jpg

Lesson: Never keep a packed box with a 72 hour heat pack in it, in an 80F room for longer than 10 to 15 minutes, tops.

I have now moved the box upstairs, where it is 74F, and I will check on it in a half hour and see if the interior temperature has gone up, or down.

5:20 PM:

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...periment_3.jpg

The temperature within the box has continued to rise, but seems to have slowed down. I will check again in a half hour to see whether or not it has stabilized. Obviously this temperature is not ideal. I don't believe we have a dead theoretical ball python yet, but it's uncomfortable in there.

Very interesting! Good job!

I have a question that is something to think about. If you were thinking of shipping have you given thought to the ambient temps of the shipping service? I know that plane compartments are heated but to what temperature? 72 seems fair for a truck with a heated space but a quick googling returns that plane 'heated' cargo can be 64ºF it might be interesting to repeat your experiment at something like 60-5 to see what happens at cooler temps.

Actually, I think what I'm finding here is important for everyone to know, since a lot of people pack this way.

6 PM

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...periment_4.jpg

6:30 PM

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...periment_5.jpg

Obviously now, at this point, we don't want the animal in that box anymore! At a normal room temperature of just 71 F, this box is now far too hot inside. We simply can't pack a box this way, regardless of the outside temperatures, because just a few hours at room temperature are causing overheating.

I have opened the box to cool it, and I'm going to repack it again, to see if the initial high temperature of 80F for the room was responsible for the overheating, or if it's going to do the same thing even starting off at 71.

Cooled off. The interior when I repacked was 70.6 F. Here is a couple minutes later.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...periment_6.jpg

What made you choose a 72 hour heat pack? It would be interesting to see what results you would get using one rated for less hours.

7:30 PM

Experiment 1: Total failure.
This is the most common way people pack animals, and it has shown that it's just plain dangerous. Animals that are shipped this way have probably been subjected to heat stress.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...periment_7.jpg

Have you seen this?

http://www.chameleonpages.com/winter_shipping.htm