Bringing snake back home...

[lookout4theyeti]

I just thought of this today, but I'm in Toledo while at school, and obviously the snake is here. However, during our christmas break I'll be at home near east cleveland. How should I go about bringing him home? Its about a 2 hour drive.

My other question, is what should I house him in at home for the few weeks I'll be there? I have an extra 10 gallon tank at home, but no uth for it. I could take home my basking light, for heat on the warm side, but I dont know what to do about the cool side. Would I be better off just getting a tub and using newspaper while I'm at home? Lets hear your opinions on this

[tweets_4611]

How long is your Christmas break? If possible I would say to leave him at school, or take the whole tank with you. I took my girl home for spring break last year, had her in a temperary home while I was there,and she got out and was gone for 3 weeks. But, IMO, he'd be better off just missing a meal or two than being kept in a home that isn't as good as the one he is in now. If you have to take him home, the two hour drive won't be too bad, just make sure you escape proof what ever it is that you take him home in.

[hoo-t]

I don't know what kind of enclosure your snake lives in. If its a tub, you might think about just duplicating the whole setup to keep at home for extended stays. If you decide to leave him at school, there is at least one thing to consider.... will they be leaving the heat on in the dorm??? He'll be fine without food for two weeks. He'll need water and heat. If you take him home, make sure that what you have him in for the trip is out of direct sunlight. Heat from the sun going through a glass car window can cook a snake. Probably less of a concern in the winter, but take precautions. Also, make sure that he doesn't get too cold on the trip. 75 - 80 degrees for two hours won't hurt him. 45 - 50 degrees could. You could even bag him and just keep him in your lap and let your body heat keep him warm for the trip. I've bought several snakes that have involved 1 to 2 hour road trips to get them home, and they've all made the trips without problems. Just check on him frequently.

Steve

[kc261]

I think it is great that you are considering this so far in advance! You have plenty of time to consider your options and make a plan so everything will go smoothly and with a minimum amount of stress for your snake!

I'm probably less of an expert than you considering I only brought my baby bp home 2 days ago! However, having one more person to bounce ideas around is usually not harmful, and my experiences when I was in college with a 29 gallon fish tank seem at least somewhat relevant. Here are my thoughts.

With my fish, which normally needed to be fed daily and a partial water change weekly, I'd leave them for up to a week. I figured going a little hungry was better than all the stress of moving twice in such a short time. A snake can probably be left safely for even longer periods as long as there is an adequate water supply and as long as you are sure the temps will be stable. In fact, as long as the humidity is good, the snake might survive without water since they don't drink a lot, but unless someone far more qualified than me says it is ok, I don't recommend trying that. If you live in a dorm, it is likely that the heat will be turned down and they may even turn off the power, so ask about that before you decide to leave your snake behind.

I checked your other posts which say you are using a 20 gallon glass tank. While this isn't exactly easy to move, it isn't all that hard either, as long as you have room in your vehicle. So one possibility is to disconnect everything, pile all the accessories in a box, put snakey in a safe place for travel, and reassemble when you get home. You'll have to pay close attention to the temps until you are sure they are stable, because of the different environment outside the tank may mean you need more or less heat added to get the desired temps. But, your familiarity with the setup will probably help you get the temps stabilized faster than with a whole new setup. Plus the snake will probably be less stressed cuz it will have familiar surroundings.

If you decide against both of these options, I'd recommend going with some sort of plastic tub. I say this only because there seems to be a very strong concensus on this board and across the web that it is easier to keep BPs at the proper temps and humidity in bins than in glass tanks. I have no personal experience with this, but there is plenty of information out there, and it seems relatively inexpensive and easier to do compared to a glass tank. I think the extra effort is worth it for the pretty displayof a glass tank, but maybe not for a short term situation.

As far as actually transporting the snake during the drive, it seems that 2 hours is not a big concern if you use common sense. Make sure you avoid extreme temperatures (hot or cold), don't make any extra stops which will lengthen the time, help the snake feel secure by keeping it dark, etc. An insulated lunch bag can help keep your snake's temperature more stable, but don't make it air tight. I used to use an ice chest for transporting my fish. I also like the lap idea someone suggested, but I'd say not the driver's lap! Acceptable travel containers that were suggested to me when I was asking about bringing my baby home ranged from a pillow case or similar bag, to a rubbermaid/tupperware type container. Something that fits it snuggly will probably help it feel more secure, just like with hides. Make sure you are all ready to go before you pack up the snake, and get it in its new enclosure as soon as possible when you arrive.

One more thing to think about is that both the move home and back to college will be stressful to the snake and you should probably follow the rules about not handling it or feeding it right away.

Hope all this helps you think it through and make the best decision!

[lookout4theyeti]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I actually have an apartment here, and I could easily stay if I wanted to, but I like going home and seeing my family and all that. Most likely we'll turn the heat off just to save our electric bill since we won't be here. Though now that I think of it, were renting one of the bedrooms to a kid that probably won't be going home for break. I'll have a talk with him and see what he says about me leaving him, and just having him check the temps for me. If i do have to bring him home though, I drive a camaro and the 20 gallon tank takes up just about the whole back seat, so i'll have to see if i wanna pack that up. We already have a tub back home i could use, and I could take his hides and water dish with me so I atleast have that for him to hang out in when he gets home if i take him.

[Purrrfect9]

I don't see any problem with housing your BP in a tub during christmas break. I personally would rather have my snakes with me during long vacations like that instead of worrying if everything is going fine with my snake. Your heat lamp should work well with the tub, but if you have a termostat ( which you should if you don't) bring that with you as well so you can monitor the temps.
As far as transportation goes, a snake will do fine in a 2hr+ car ride. If they can handle overnight shipping (with the correct temps) then they can handle a 2 hr car ride with the heater on at 70-80*. Whenever I transport my reptiles, I usually always place them in a paper bag with soft paper towels inside, to make them feel more secure, then fold & staple the top shut in 3 places, the two sides and middle. Then I place them in either a tub with a lid, or in an ice chest with 1 or 2 disposible heat packs (or cool packs depending on the season/weather) on the inside so the temps don't fluctuate on the inside. They all go in underneath/in front of the front passenger seat so direct sunlight doesn't hit the cooler.

[frankykeno]

If you get stuck let me know. It's not the first time Mike and I have snake sat for someone LOL.

[lookout4theyeti]

Sorry to bring back an old thread of mine, but I'll be heading back on thursday.

I decided I'm going to bring his tank home that he's in now, because it will be less of a hassle for me to get correct temps and such while at home. I'm going to put him in a plastic container (like a decent sized tupperware, same size as what snakes come in from breeders) and put some of his coconut fiber in there, and then put him in a paper bag to help hold some warmth. Im gonna be gone till the beginning of january, so i definitally want to have him at home with me.

[plummer]

i live in logan and when we buy our snakes form the columbus show, there in the car for abuot an hour. but i would leave the lil guy in his tank while you are gone for x-mas break.

then feed him when you get home

[lookout4theyeti]

i live in logan and when we buy our snakes form the columbus show, there in the car for abuot an hour. but i would leave the lil guy in his tank while you are gone for x-mas break.

then feed him when you get home

Well im gonna be gone for about 3 weeks, with no one to check on him, or change his water or anything. I also feel more comfortable having his heat pad/light with me, rather than leaving him it school with that on and me not there, just in case something happened to either.