Moving With a Mini Zoo!
The Situation:
Our car is pulling a trailer with the necessities for our new home, we have stored a few essential food items as well as our bags of clothes and a box of pet related items. The gecko enclosures are also packed well and are in the trailer, towed behind, all this was done to:
As for the pets, in the back we have a 10 gallon tank with Dubia Roaches (This was left in the car whilst we went to the hotels due to temps being safe levels of 60°F-70°F range. ALWAYS CHECK THE WEATHER FIRST.). We also stored mealworms in their bins, also left in the car. Then we had pet carriers and a cat litter box*. The total amount of animals is 3 cats, 2 Leopard Geckos and 1 Crested Gecko (6 Pets).
*The cats were allowed to free roam only during the times we were driving down a mostly secluded highway. They always stay in the back (Away from the geckos and drivers!) and mostly settle down to sleep.
Prepping:
Leopard geckos - Cohabitating Females
Crested Gecko - 8 Grams Unsexed
To begin I popped them into some old cheese cake containers, which were washed prior to use (They also had holes for air). The bottom had a layer of paper towel for easy cleanup. They stayed in a dark place, away from any drafts, in their containers for the duration of the drive and moved to the temporary, larger containers during overnight stays at the hotel. At all stops we either had one person in the car with air conditioning, or we moved the geckos out of the cats reach, or vice versa, and left for 3 minutes tops (Only if temperatures outside did not exceed 80°F).
At the hotel they stayed in the closet (In their temporary enclosures) to provide darkness and quiet as well as safety from the cats as they wandered the hotel room. They were given fresh, purified water as well. The two of them mostly wandered their enclosure during the night, I doubt they slept, but this means they are quite sleep deprived as I was watching them all day in the car and I didn’t see them sleep either (Understandable since this is very stressful). There has been no signs of poop yet either, all poops were on time and looking perfect prior to my departure so I am not too worried yet. I have been keeping handling to a minimum, only to one enclosure to another as I don’t want to stress them out any further.
First I put him in his mini travel container and misted once or twice as humidity will remain longer in an enclosed space. He was near the Leopard Geckos however I have practiced quarantine prior to this, he hasn’t seemed to mind them as they are quiet and mostly sit still the entire drive. I set up his little container same as the Leopard Geckos and paid special attention to the temperatures with him since he more sensitive.
Upon moving him to his temporary enclosure at the hotel I did notice a small white blob which I believe is urate. I provided food and water although I didn’t see him eat and there was no lick marks in his food dish (I put in the usual amount, which is small, but I like to know he eats, usually it is 3/4ths of the way clean). Although he is active, I am sure the lack of appetite is due to stress. Other than that everyone is fine.
Thanks for reading if you did!
Edit: Special thanks to [MENTION=55860]Zux[/MENTION] for helping me out with enclosures during our trip!
Hello everyone! I’m in the process of moving from Utah to Western New York, and thought I would share the journey. A few months before this move I searched the internet and found an underwhelming amount of sources dealing with driving their animals cross country. This drive will take us 4-5 days, I would much rather fly all of my animals but I do have a cat that has severe anxiety and would not do well on planes (Not to mention people would hate us after all the crying and panting). Shipping reptiles is not an option for us either, and thus we drive. I hope this serves as a guideline for others in the same boat as us, as this is also only a few days into the trip I am open to criticism and/or questions!
Day One - [8/17/2017]
Day One - [8/17/2017]
The Situation:
Our car is pulling a trailer with the necessities for our new home, we have stored a few essential food items as well as our bags of clothes and a box of pet related items. The gecko enclosures are also packed well and are in the trailer, towed behind, all this was done to:
A.) Free up space in the car for geckos and cats.
B.) Tow our trailer which needed to get here somehow.
B.) Tow our trailer which needed to get here somehow.
As for the pets, in the back we have a 10 gallon tank with Dubia Roaches (This was left in the car whilst we went to the hotels due to temps being safe levels of 60°F-70°F range. ALWAYS CHECK THE WEATHER FIRST.). We also stored mealworms in their bins, also left in the car. Then we had pet carriers and a cat litter box*. The total amount of animals is 3 cats, 2 Leopard Geckos and 1 Crested Gecko (6 Pets).
*The cats were allowed to free roam only during the times we were driving down a mostly secluded highway. They always stay in the back (Away from the geckos and drivers!) and mostly settle down to sleep.
Prepping:
Leopard geckos - Cohabitating Females
•Cage was cleaned completely the night before cages were packed, the substrate changed to paper towels for easy cleanup. The day after cleaning all hides were wrapped and packed inside the cages (Which were put into boxes) and then packed into the trailer.
•Fed 2 nights before we left to allow for digestion. (Crossing my fingers, no regurgitations yet!)
•It is worth noting I am not feeding them at all until we get to our destination as I am sure it will only stress them out further if they regurgitate due to them getting motion sick.
•Finding pet friendly hotels, though I doubt this would be a huge risk to not go to a pet friendly hotel IF you only bring geckos/small reptiles.
•Air conditioned the car to maintain roughly 70°F.
•Setting up up a critter carrier with 2 hides, paper towel substrate and water bowl. (Although we ended up using a large box, giving them more room.)
•Fed 2 nights before we left to allow for digestion. (Crossing my fingers, no regurgitations yet!)
•It is worth noting I am not feeding them at all until we get to our destination as I am sure it will only stress them out further if they regurgitate due to them getting motion sick.
•Finding pet friendly hotels, though I doubt this would be a huge risk to not go to a pet friendly hotel IF you only bring geckos/small reptiles.
•Air conditioned the car to maintain roughly 70°F.
•Setting up up a critter carrier with 2 hides, paper towel substrate and water bowl. (Although we ended up using a large box, giving them more room.)
Crested Gecko - 8 Grams Unsexed
•Cage was cleaned completely the night before cages were packed. The day after cleaning all hides were wrapped and packed inside the cages (Which were put into boxes) and then packed into the trailer.
•Feeding and misting schedule was left as normal due to Crested Gecko’s being a little less tolerant of lack of food than other geckos. The food and water/misting is still provided at hotel stays.
•Finding pet friendly hotels, though I doubt this would be a huge risk to not go to a pet friendly hotel IF you only bring geckos/small reptiles.
•Air conditioned the car to maintain roughly 70°F.
•Setting up a large critter carrier with a long plant as well as a water and food bowl.
•Feeding and misting schedule was left as normal due to Crested Gecko’s being a little less tolerant of lack of food than other geckos. The food and water/misting is still provided at hotel stays.
•Finding pet friendly hotels, though I doubt this would be a huge risk to not go to a pet friendly hotel IF you only bring geckos/small reptiles.
•Air conditioned the car to maintain roughly 70°F.
•Setting up a large critter carrier with a long plant as well as a water and food bowl.
Leopard Geckos - Arcalis & Lizzie
To begin I popped them into some old cheese cake containers, which were washed prior to use (They also had holes for air). The bottom had a layer of paper towel for easy cleanup. They stayed in a dark place, away from any drafts, in their containers for the duration of the drive and moved to the temporary, larger containers during overnight stays at the hotel. At all stops we either had one person in the car with air conditioning, or we moved the geckos out of the cats reach, or vice versa, and left for 3 minutes tops (Only if temperatures outside did not exceed 80°F).
At the hotel they stayed in the closet (In their temporary enclosures) to provide darkness and quiet as well as safety from the cats as they wandered the hotel room. They were given fresh, purified water as well. The two of them mostly wandered their enclosure during the night, I doubt they slept, but this means they are quite sleep deprived as I was watching them all day in the car and I didn’t see them sleep either (Understandable since this is very stressful). There has been no signs of poop yet either, all poops were on time and looking perfect prior to my departure so I am not too worried yet. I have been keeping handling to a minimum, only to one enclosure to another as I don’t want to stress them out any further.
Crested Gecko - Bongo
First I put him in his mini travel container and misted once or twice as humidity will remain longer in an enclosed space. He was near the Leopard Geckos however I have practiced quarantine prior to this, he hasn’t seemed to mind them as they are quiet and mostly sit still the entire drive. I set up his little container same as the Leopard Geckos and paid special attention to the temperatures with him since he more sensitive.
Upon moving him to his temporary enclosure at the hotel I did notice a small white blob which I believe is urate. I provided food and water although I didn’t see him eat and there was no lick marks in his food dish (I put in the usual amount, which is small, but I like to know he eats, usually it is 3/4ths of the way clean). Although he is active, I am sure the lack of appetite is due to stress. Other than that everyone is fine.
Thanks for reading if you did!
Edit: Special thanks to [MENTION=55860]Zux[/MENTION] for helping me out with enclosures during our trip!
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