Well on your end it's unlikely that the snake will be out in the heat (assuming you are dropping it at the hub). However, tomorrow AM it will be on a truck in the cold. In my opinion you need the heat pack for that leg of the trip. I like to put a hold in the box and styro on 2 sides anyway to keep the heat from building up. You want to just warm the air inside the box, not create a sauna. Good luck!