First off congrats on the PhD acceptance. Im getting my PhD in Toxicology. Yes! You definitely can bring your reptiles. You can basically pack them up just as if they were being shipped. I recommend placing them in bags, and then in a box that has something soft to cushion them, like packing peanuts. You can add some of those 48 hr heat packs to up the temps. Just be cognizant of what the temps are in the car if you are using those.