How to bring a cham home from a show?

[Olimpia]

I know that when I've gotten animals from shows they've always come in their own little tupperware things or bags if they're snakes. But I always take small critterkeepers with me in the car with moist tissues so that I can trasfer my geckos or whatever into those for the long ride home (the shows are always at least an hour or more from home) so they have a little more room and some tissues to hide under for less stress.

And since I've never gotten a cham before, I'm not sure what the drill is. Should I take something like a bigger critterkeeper with some fake plant cover to keep it in for the ride home? Or what do they usually sell them to you in? What do you guys recommend? I don't want to kill my cham from stress before I even get home! lol

Thanks!

 

[jannb]

Take a small cage if you have one.

 

[jeffro]

I use Reptariums its a softsided cage they sell at LLL they come in all diff sizes

 

[Zen Reptiles]

I always put everything into a cooler. Not with an ice pack, but if it's really hot
then I will use a 'cooled' ice pack, or put them in the cooler in an airconditioned place
so the temp remains somewhat similar for the ride home.

 

[Olimpia]

Ok, and basically just put some plants in there and a mister, and just keep it humid for the ride home? What's a good size to buy (considering I don't know the age/size of the animal I'm gettin yet)?


haha I like the cooler idea.

 

[Zen Reptiles]

I use a cooler because I had a few very stressed out geckos one time on a 12 hour ride home, and I actually lost a frog while filling up for gas for just 2-3 minutes.

 

[jeffro]

wheres the show?

 

[cushcameleon]

You don't really need a mister or live plants. Many of us have to take long road trips with our chams from time to time. For trips in the car, I put each chameleon into a thin cotton pillowcase and then I ziptie them closed. Then I just place each pillowcase into a large styrofoam cooler. Then I place the cooler on the passenger seat or floor of the car. Make sure you keep the car cool and the box out of direct sunlight and you should be good to go.

 

[summoner12]

I don't use anything but a shoe box with some paper towels and maybe a wet paper towel balled up in the corner. If it is a short car ride (less than two or three hours) you don't need anything more than this (maybe wetting the towel if needed). I take my chams to the vet this way and never have any issue.

Putting the box by your feet (passenger foot well) with the A/C running and the vents pointed to the floor and dash, you'll be fine. The floor is the best place in case you need to stop abruptly... they won't slide off the seat and pop open.

Before I move them to the car I put them in a cool room with the lights off and/or covered to make them sleep. then move them to the car covered so they light doesn't wake them. Sometimes I put them in one of my dark grey totes.

 

[jannb]

wheres the show?

There's a BIG show in Daytona Aug. 22nd and 23rd. A bunch of us are going. You should try to go if you can. Jann

https://www.chameleonforums.com/daytona-meet-up-idea-27198/

 

[PantherVeileD]

Just brought my cham home in a chinese take out box with wet moist paper on the bottom. Drive home was about an hour.

 

[Olimpia]

Yep, I'm going to the Daytona show.

I think the ride is only an hour, maybe hour and a half. Alright then, I think I'll just find some sort of box or bin and try to keep it dark and cool. It gets really hot in Florida, especially if your car has been sitting out in the sun for a few hours. I also lost a gecko once because there was NO way to get the car cool. It was a freak day where the temp outside was over 100 F and even with the AC on high there was no way to bring it down enough, so (that and the fact it was also a sick animal, we found out later) it didn't make it. I've never had a problem besides that day, but I don't want to take a shy animal and stress it out more than I have to.

Thanks for the tips so far everyone!

 

[summoner12]

Yep, I'm going to the Daytona show.

I think the ride is only an hour, maybe hour and a half. Alright then, I think I'll just find some sort of box or bin and try to keep it dark and cool. It gets really hot in Florida, especially if your car has been sitting out in the sun for a few hours. I also lost a gecko once because there was NO way to get the car cool. It was a freak day where the temp outside was over 100 F and even with the AC on high there was no way to bring it down enough, so (that and the fact it was also a sick animal, we found out later) it didn't make it. I've never had a problem besides that day, but I don't want to take a shy animal and stress it out more than I have to.

Thanks for the tips so far everyone!

most venders that sell chams, like a breeder will have good packaging for the ride home. If you buy from LLL the might put the Cham in a bag or box. Either way it's not a bad idea to being something just in case. If you have your own package and the breeder or seller wasn't on the ball, you have backup.

 

[xanthoman]

I use Reptariums its a softsided cage they sell at LLL they come in all diff sizes

i agree , i personally dont feel retariums are good for much, but that is one thing a smaller reptarium is good for. also walgreens sells a collapsable laundry hamper for about $5 has a cloth mesh side with about 1/8"spacing , come in two shapes horizontally rectangular and vertically rectangular,it is very similar to a collapsble mantis cage sold on ebay for $30 except its about 4 times bigger. i recomend the vertical type, you can just twist tie window screen or square of plastic mesh to cover the top or you could twist tie two of the horizontal models together (openings facing each other) i think they are 2 for $7