Moving - Help me figure out the best way to transport?

[OatBoii]

Hello everyone!

To make it short and sweet, hooray, my Fiancé and I are finally moving! Yippee! We have a month until the move-out deadline, and I want to make sure I have plans for all of the animals. I've moved my cat and aquariums before, so I know what I'm doing for them, but I'm not certain what to do for Ziggy.

INFO: Ziggy is a morelia bredli just shy of 3 years old, about 4' long, and about ~220g. I don't handle him much, as he isn't very comfortable with that (he's head shy, and doesn't like to be touched/picked up), but he has only ever slithered away, never hissed/struck at me. He isn't typically defensive, but he is definitely shy, and my cat wants to eat his guts, so the less they can see/interact with each other during the drive over, the better.

I have a snake bag + a small travel carrier (think the little plastic ones, with a lid that pops on and off).

I want to make sure I keep any kind of distress down to a minimum for Ziggy, but I have a few concerns about the move.

1. His pvc cage doesn't come apart (silicone), and as a result, most of his hardware like the thermostat, temp probes, under-tank heat are all firmly in place. It wouldn't be impossible to remove them, but they're likely to be transported in the tank (once emptied) in the UHaul. Due to timelines, it will be at LEAST 24 hours before I can access that tank and get it set up again, and it's likely to be closer to 36-48 hours. I'd also like to use the opportunity to do a major deep clean and remodel.

2. The drive- it's short, but temps here are reaching upwards of 100°F, so we keep the AC on Low to keep the car cool, likely cooler than Ziggy would be comfortable with. Should he be in his snake bag? The carrier? Both in one? Would he be okay wrapped in towels/placed in a backpack to prevent any snake-cat sightings?

3. What can I keep him in for 24-48 hours? I read the UHaul thread, but much of it didn't seem to apply, as shipping isn't viable. Would I be able to perhaps set up a cheap temporary bin with a $5 heat pad once we arrive at the new place? Or should he stay in the bag/tiny carrier until I can move him back to his full set up?

4. Where would be a good place to keep him while we're moving things in and out? I know reptiles can sense all of the movement/lifting/shoving, but would he be OK if I just stuck him, say, in the pantry? I don't think it would be a good idea for him to be sitting in the middle of the living room while we go in and out, but maybe I'm just being a helicopter snake parent xD

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

[jmcrook]

For secure keeping while in transit: Snake in bag/pillow case, bag in a box or appropriately sized foam cooler (both securely tied/closed), in the air conditioned vehicle with you during the drive. Basically a similar size box and bag as though he were being shipped. Bredli are pretty tolerant of cooler temps and should be fine. If you're comfortable with the temp in the car the snake should be fine too. I'd get the car cooled with the AC before loading in the snake.

Temporary setup while resettling: I personally keep 100qt latching tubs from lowes on hand for these scenarios with the size animal you're describing. The ones I have latch on 4 sides. That setup with heat tape on a thermostat should be fine for a few days if needed. If you're worried about foot traffic disturbing him then drape a towel/sheet/something over the tub. I'd also stop any feeding at least a week before the move to prevent the chance of a regurge or the snake making a mess in transit.

[Bogertophis]

I highly recommend bagging your snakes (cloth "snake bags" or pillowcases), then keeping them in foam cooler boxes (or "ice chests") with some padding (like a towel or crumpled paper) under the bagged snakes. Don't crowd them, & never put small snakes in bags in the same box as larger ones, as the larger ones can end up on top of the smaller ones, causing their demise.

If using a foam box, put a small air hole in it- if using an ice chest, put a bit of tape in the top opening so the top doesn't shut quite tight. I moved with 16 snakes halfway across the country some years back this way, & the snakes were relaxed & safe. When I stopped for the nights, I'd offer them a drink of water, but all stayed calm & mostly slept.

It's essential to protect snakes from excess heat & cold- sun streaming in thru car windows can kill a snake, or cause permanent neurological damage. They NEED the insulation of a "cooler"- even for a "short ride in the car" because you never know when you might get a flat tire, or have other travel set-backs. They're easy travelers with just a bit of planning.

[OatBoii]

Thank you both for your advice! I didn't even think of cooling the car first- I'll also be moving fish and my cat, so that's definitely a good idea.

I have acquired a foam insulated box. I'll be putting Ziggy inside a snake bag, then his critter keeper, then the larger box as a whole. The new plan is to empty out his entire enclosure- all wood, bedding, foliage, etc.- the day before. He'll spend one evening in the emptied enclosure (with two hides and some paper towel for bedding), then the day of I'll pack him up and disconnect all the tech. The tech goes in a separate box with all the rest of the pre-packed snake stuff, we move the viv whole and store the other pet stuff in it so it can stay in the car with us, and I set it back up as soon as I can in the same simple state. Here's hoping that the tech is nice to me, and comes apart easy...

The hope is that by doing this, we can get the viv "set up" and get him back into a temperature controlled environment ASAP. We've been having a heat wave so crazy, we can't even keep our current place cool, and I don't want to take chances with heat damage or Ziggy not having enough space to regulate as he needs (in a tub). Then, when I can in the next 1-2 days, I can remove him for a shorter period of time to (hopefully) install a new bar across the enclosure, and reset everything else. This should also allow me to thoroughly deep clean/soak, sanitize, and dry all of his decor before it goes back in.

His last feeding was July 29th- Ziggy should be good for the move this weekend, but is there a certain amount of time I should wait after the move to offer food again as well?

[Bogertophis]

You know your snake pretty well...if he seems hungry after a few days (after his new home is set-up) I see no reason not to feed him- as long as you're sure everything is working right & stable. It sounds to me like you've got this. I'd rather move in cold weather than very hot, but we don't usually get a choice- either way has risks but with good planning, all should be fine.

[Kingofspades]

When I moved with my snake, I found that keeping him in the snake bag inside the carrier worked best—felt more secure and kept him calm. For the drive, I'd say keep the AC on but not too cold, and wrapping the carrier in a towel might help with that and hide him from the cat. Once you’re at the new place, setting up a temporary bin with a cheap heat pad is a good idea, especially since it might take a while to get his main setup going. And yeah, I’d definitely put him somewhere quiet like the pantry while you’re moving in. I did something similar, and it seemed to keep the stress levels down.

[Mike41793]

in the wild bredli see temps over 100F and as low as in the 50s. The temps over those 2 days will not phase the snake nearly as much as the bagging and moving stress will. I would just put the bagged snake in a closet or somewhere dark and quiet while you unpack the truck. Setup the cage as soon as you can and the snake will be fine. They're significantly hardier than people give them credit for and won't remember the 2 days of stress a few weeks after they settle in.