Moving Cross Country

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Originally Posted by digizure

Portable generator will not work because they usually require either gas or electricity. The article does help but I am not sure about keeping the snakes in bags for 5 days (I figure the trip should take 3 days but I want to plan for 5 - in case).

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It's certainly not ideal, but it CAN be done if there's no other option. Just make sure the containers stay in environmentally controlled space at all times. Keep the jostling and movement to a minimum as much as possible.

I think, what I would do in your shoes, with so many snakes to care for on such a journey:

Pack as many as I safely can into multiple sweater boxes (the long, flat ones that are meant to slide under a bed) so that I have as few of those tubs to move as possible, but each snake has it's own little spot of floor and isn't lying on top of any other. They'll all be in individual bags, and they can have their sides touching through the bags, just no overlapping.

Carry a bunch of extra bags in case of big messes. And carry about ten empty tubs with lids...they don't have to be big ones, just big enough for your average sized snake to rest in with a small dish of water. If all these tubs are the same size, then they can stack together while empty and not take up too much space.

Every other night on the road, I would get each snake out of its bag and give it some time in the tubs with a chance to get a drink of water if it wants. Rotate the snakes through the holding tubs and then snuggle them back into their bags and their travel tubs. Bigger snakes such as boa constrictors might need to just be held by hand for a few minutes, see if they'll be interested in drinking from a bowl on the floor or out of the sink. Chances are, no one will drink, but you'll feel better for having given them the chance. Change out heavily soiled bags for fresh ones during this rotation.

With that many snakes, it would be a tedious process, but you'll have peace of mind knowing they're ok.

I would also not make plans to linger ANYwhere along the road for longer than it takes to get a few hours of sleep. I've done these cross-country trips with animals many times, and it's stressful on EVERYone involved. There's no benefit to meandering or loitering.

I may have to make a similar trip in a few years :angered:

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Originally Posted by JLC

Here's an article I wrote awhile back that may have some ideas and insights for you:
http://thereptilereport.com/u-haulin-reptiles/

However, the article doesn't address moving with THAT many snakes. Things do get tricky when you are working with that many. Lots of big breeders will haul large loads of snakes and other reptiles and equipment across the country to attend shows, so I know it can safely be done, but I doubt any of them use a typical box truck to do it. They MUST be in a climate-controlled vehicle. As mentioned before, a large van should work. You might have to go with two drivers if you need the box truck for moving furniture or whatnot. If you have the truck for all the big stuff, you wouldn't need a giant van to move 100 snakes. A regular mini-van or small SUV could work well if it's just the snakes.

You can pack multiple snakes into large, flat sweater-box type tubs....each animal carefully secured in its own snake bag. Keep like-sized animals together so bigger snakes don't risk smushing smaller snakes. I describe how that's done in the article I linked to.

And you don't have to sweat yourself out of the vehicle during the cross-country drive. Keeping temperatures around 75 degrees would be quite sufficient for the snakes.

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Thank you JLC for all that info. Great article with very useful tips!!!!!!!! :cool:

Wow, why leave sunny California for the ravages of the East coast? I am going to California this coming summer. Northern Cali, Yuba city, Marysville. Fortunately I have a very small collection though. Six bps and six garters. Thanks. Stay in peace and not pieces. Good luck. A.C. :)

Here's my plan. I am going to keep the snakes in their tubs (racks). Day time temp is around 80 degrees so they should be fine. Night time temp is around 60 degrees which means that at 6 pm, I will pull over, put 72 hour heat packs in a small container and place them in each tub. At 8/9 am, I will remove them. I have a friend flying in so we will drive non-stop and figure it should take 2-3 days to arrive Maryland.