Traveling for 5 days

[rach119]

Hello,

I googled to try to find my answers and read what I could on here via search but I still don't feel fully confident I know what I need to know.

We are moving from WI to AZ soon and that means we'll be traveling with my daughter's snake in the car for 5 days. Based on searching, this is what I've put together to travel safely (snake's safety) with it:

Purchased this for the snake to travel in the car (it will be put in a pillowcase and placed in the container during car rides, which can be up to 7 hrs a day):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I bought these to put in the container to keep snake warm and will put a towel over them:
https://www.lllreptile.com/products/...hour-heat-pack

I was thinking she'd let the snake out once at hotel room and she can mist the tank before and put bowl of water in there and small hide box in case it wants to use it.

My questions:
1. Does this all sound adequate?
2. Should she even let the snake out at all during the 5 days or just leave in pillow case inside tank? If snake will be fine left in case, that would save me hassle of the hide box and water bowl (just one less situation to be doing).

On day 6, we'll be in our new home and she can put the snake back in it's typical home.

Appreciate any input!

[Bogertophis]

What makes it hard to answer is not knowing what the temperature of your car will be, or the temperature of the rooms you stay in. Because MOST of the heat provided by those heat packs will NOT remain in that ventilated & UN-insulated plastic container where the snake is. So no, that's not how I would do it, & I have in the past moved across country with many snakes & no problem.

Yes, bag the snake in the pillow case, making SURE it cannot get loose*, then transport that in a padded well-insulated ice chest or a thick styro-foam box (the kind perishable food or snakes are air-shipped in). I'd put an old towel under the snake too, just for comfort/padding, so at one side you'd also put your heat pack under the towel, so there's no direct contact or excessive warmth that your snake cannot get away from. Double check the temperatures for safety.

*I hate trying to untie pillow cases! So I use a twist-wire first to close the open end, then double that part over on itself & secure with a rubber band. It works very well, but take a few extra rubber bands in case one breaks.

Air (ventilation)- if using an ice chest, open it now & then for air-flow, or if you fear you'll forget, put a little wad of tape in the lid so it doesn't quite close tightly. Styro-foam box, just put a hole in it.

When I traveled with (15!) snakes, I NEVER mentioned them when I stayed in hotels- they were happy that I paid a deposit for my well-behaved & kenneled dog, & everyone assumes that an ice chest is merely YOUR food snacks for the trip that you take into the room each night.

All my snakes were relaxed & snoozed most of the way in comfort- in the rooms, I opened each bag for a short visit & to offer a drink of water- usually not taken. You'll want an extra pillow case in case your snake defecates on the way, & for best results, feed well in advance of your trip so that doesn't happen. They were actually quite content in their cloth "sleeping bags". But you don't want a snake trying to digest a meal enroute- they'll likely regurgitate- for the trip, you want them "empty".

You do not need to take hides... But when traveling in a car with a snake, even if you only intend a short trip, the best (safest) way is for that bagged snake to ONLY be in an insulated carrier as described above. Snakes have died from excessive heat too, when sun comes streaming into the car & no one's paying attention- snakes cannot cry out for help- they're just stuck. And vehicles can break down or get stuck in traffic- so plan for that & protect your pets.

[Malum Argenteum]

I was going to add something, but it was already mentioned -- oops. Great advice all around.

[rach119]

Thank you! The detailed answers specific to my situation is what I was looking for. What I googled before didn't really feel it fit right for us. Thanks again!

[Bogertophis]

Happy Trails! Snakes travel surprisingly well. BTW, when you close the pillow case, another reason that my way is better than tying the end of the bag is that tying it takes away more of the length. You want the snake to have some room to move around inside the bag, not be tightened into a curled up position the whole way. And this way, if the bag should slide over where the heat pack is under the towel, they'll still be able to move away if they want to be cooler. See? You'll do fine- you're asking the right things ahead of time- it's all about prep.


BTW- about that plastic ventilated container that you bought- I use those all the time for my snakes, & I have for years, as temporary containment when I clean, etc.- I do like them, but just not good for travel. Insulation is what you need & they have none.

[Armiyana]

I would also add on-
Do not feed your snake right before travelling. Make sure there's at least 3-5 days to digest before the move. Even though they'll have a heat pack, it's not the same as how they digest when settled in at home. You don't want to have a regurged rodent baking in the car with you for sure.

When you do get to your destination, while you're waiting for the new habitat to get to temps, I would give them a nice warm soak. This will give them a chance to rehydrate a little after the trip especially since they usually won't drink along the way. A nice tub in a dark room for a little bit. Just make sure the water level isn't too high and you can leave a washcloth or something for them to climb on if need be.

[Kingofspades]

Your plan looks solid! When I moved, I traveled with my snake too and stayed at these hotels. I kept my snake in a secure container with heat packs and a towel, just like you’re planning. I did let it out at hotel stops to hydrate and stretch, using a hide box and water bowl to keep it comfortable. It worked well for us!