stress of moving?

[Vacado]

Hi all,

I just picked up a couple 08s at a show on Sunday and got them set up in their new tubs Monday. Now I have a three day weekend for the holiday and am wanting to go out of town Fri-Mon. I am nervous about leaving my BPs here (the two new babies and my 07 girl) all alone, and was wanting to take them with me to get photos of them in a light studio. However, I don't want to stress them out since the babies were just moved here. The babies had a small meal in the middle of last week before I got them, and the 07 has been off feed since early December. Would it be too stressful to take them with me? It's a 5.5 hour drive, but they would be set up in their tubs in a reptile room once we arrived. I hate to leave them, but I would hate even more to cause them harm!

v

[Slim]

Trust me, your new additions will be much better off staying put where they are. They are already decompressing from the move to your house. No need to further stress them with a weekend trip. Just make sure they have fresh water before you bail out the door, and I'm willing to bet that you'll find much more well adjusted BPs when you get back home.

I regularly travel for 3-5 days at a time, and I think my guys see it as a break. LOL

[Vacado]

Hahaha, you know, I was thinking the same thing! If I put some rats in the fridge tonight to let them thaw a bit, and set them out tomorrow, I can probably feed them tomorrow night and they can have the whole weekend to digest and chill without being bothered. I was going to wait another week to feed them but all three of them are peeking their heads out of their hides when I open the lids, looking for food, so I might give it a shot.

Thanks for the response. I think I'll probably leave them here, then, as much as I hate to. It's all about what's best for them

v

[Bruce Whitehead]

Personally... if you just got them I would just let them chill without the food.

If you are not going to be home and they are new snakes, then it might be best (is best) to hold off on the feed.

If something did happen (regurg, etc.) you don't want them sitting in it for 3 days. I would not feed a new snake if I was not home to be able to monitor them over the next 72 hours.

In my limited experience, feeding before the first 5 days tends to result in a less consistent feeding pattern early on. Just give them the 5-7 days to hang out. Worst case scenario is that that they will build hunger.

The snake does not *need* to eat so early in, so err on the side of caution.

Bruce