Heat Pack Testing Thread.

Today, we try thicker foam in the boxes. I'm going to find a safe configuration for this, one that's actually reliable when it's a 70 degree room, or in 30 F outside. It's become clear that a standard Superior shipping box with a 72 hour heat pack taped to the lid will A) cook the snake if you put it in before it peaks, and B) not hold the temperature at a life-sustaining level if the temperatures outside are in the 30s. It's just not good enough.

What range in temp would you say is acceptable for shipping?

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Originally Posted by kitedemon

What range in temp would you say is acceptable for shipping?

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Ive safely shipped snakes in the low 30s and in the 90s. All snakes arrived either warm in the cold days and cool in the warm days.


If packed right id say 30-90 is your cut off. If holding at a hub you can push it lil more

Thanks Rich I was actually thinking internal temp range. Starting at 90ºF and dropping to 75ºF for a ball python that is what I would guess as an acceptable range. Maybe a bit warmer would be ok? This seems to be a thorny issue as upon further reading the air cargo cabins vary a lot but I have been told that figure on 10ºC (50ºF) for live animals. Warm terminal to cold plane to warm terminal. Heavy range there.

electrical socks? do they have a built in thermostat?

Like i said i have shipped ball pythons in the mid to low 30s and 90s. Both arrived healthy and are to this day doing great.

90-70 you wouldn't need any heat pack

65-40 one heat pack
40-30 1-2 heat packs depending

Hold at hub will reduce exposure. I drop off all my shipments at FedEx Hub

Rich I get that, but the op's point is that the hub is heated and the transport is not. If you plan for the trasport but then the shipping box is moved to a warm room the snake over heats. If you plan for a warm room the snake freezes during transport.

My question is what is the internal range that is tolerable? I'd guess that 90 to 75 internal temps would be ok. The problem is one of thermal loss and gain. I don't actually ship but I find the problem of thermal regulation very interesting.

I actually believe that what ever ppl have been doing works as snakes are shipped safely all the time. I do know of snakes arriving with a temp of 64ºF that ended up fine but that is one cold ball and is certainly not ideal.

I am wondering if there is some cheap system that would allow a bit of temperature control inside the shipping container. A bi-metal vent was my first thought.

I've achieved interesting results by custom-cutting a piece of insanely thick wall insulation foam board, and using it to replace the bottom piece in the box, then re-cutting the side pieces and leaving the top alone. The box has a lot less head-room, but it spent an hour outside at 12 F and held the temperature at 50 F inside the box. If the outside temp is over 30 F, instead of 12, we're back in a survivable temperature range. Best of all, it used one heat pack, and didn't overheat at room temperature.

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Originally Posted by kitedemon

I actually believe that what ever ppl have been doing works as snakes are shipped safely all the time.

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I agree, no need to re-invent the wheel. If there were scores of animals reported arriving with neurological issues, then I'd be concerned. But thousands of animals are shipped every year, and very few reported problems.

While true, it's also true that many people won't ship at temps below 50F. I'm trying to figure out a way to do so safely. It appears I have succeeded in getting it down to 30 F, which was my goal. I think some different shipping boxes may work better--Uline boxes, for example, may produce different results than the Superior boxes.