What is the best way to transport a baby veiled for 5 hours?

[jannb]

I guess it all depends on how you keep your animals. Mine are kept free and not use to being confined to a small area no cages much less a box. It killed me to have to even ship the babies. My guys turn dark and get depressed when put them in a cage so I'm not about to freak them out by putting them in a box. I guess if a chameleon is use to being cramped in a small cage all it's life it's not a big deal for it to be put in a box. Even my little babies kicked and tore at the bags when I packed them to ship. I could still hear them when I left them at the UPS crying my heart out.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

I would not transport them in a cage. Especially a screen cage due to traveling he could have significant nail loss and nose rubbing in a screen over a long traveling time.

I would make a transport box with a screen top out of a good sized plastic tupper ware container and put a towel in the bottom for something your chameleon can hold on to.

 

[fluxlizard]

I use paper bags, size determined by size of chameleon. They are not abrasive like cloth bags, and they aren't hard so the lizard can't get bounced off the walls, like deli cups. A wadded up paper towel provides something for the cham to hold onto.

Too much room = chameleon bounced around in transport.

take a paper punch for notebooks and punch some holes in the bag for ventilation before putting the lizard in there.

Roll the top of the bag sack-lunch style and clip it so the lizard cannot get out.

Tape it securely inside a cooler to the walls so the bag cannot move/slide/bounce/swing during transit.

Keep things dark- if it's a styrophome cooler put it in a cardboard box. Close the lid and open every few hours for air exchange.

Don't leave the cooler in the car unattended. It's surprising how hot how fast a car can heat up.

If you tape your chameleon bag up high, you can put a juice jug of cold water with a couple ice cubes in it on the bottom of the cooler where it won't touch the bag to help with temp control. Just make sure everything is secure so there is no possibility of the bag coming loose or the cooler overturning and crushing the cham with the jug. If your ac in the car works, there is really no need- just put the cham in a dark part of the care near the front. The cooler will keep the ac from being too much for the cham.

Darkness = chameleon falling asleep = least stress. Cooler = stable safe temperature.

I would not allow my chameleon to have access to light during the trip or too much room where it can get bounced around. Both = plenty of stress.

 

[withlime]

I'm going to have to agree with all of the people that say to put your chameleon in a small dark environment, such as a shoe box or paper bag, with paper towels. This way your chameleon can sleep through the trip and be safe.

 

[summoner12]

I use paper bags, size determined by size of chameleon. They are not abrasive like cloth bags, and they aren't hard so the lizard can't get bounced off the walls, like deli cups. A wadded up paper towel provides something for the cham to hold onto.

Too much room = chameleon bounced around in transport.

take a paper punch for notebooks and punch some holes in the bag for ventilation before putting the lizard in there.

Roll the top of the bag sack-lunch style and clip it so the lizard cannot get out.

Tape it securely inside a cooler to the walls so the bag cannot move/slide/bounce/swing during transit.

Keep things dark- if it's a styrophome cooler put it in a cardboard box. Close the lid and open every few hours for air exchange.

Don't leave the cooler in the car unattended. It's surprising how hot how fast a car can heat up.

If you tape your chameleon bag up high, you can put a juice jug of cold water with a couple ice cubes in it on the bottom of the cooler where it won't touch the bag to help with temp control. Just make sure everything is secure so there is no possibility of the bag coming loose or the cooler overturning and crushing the cham with the jug. If your ac in the car works, there is really no need- just put the cham in a dark part of the care near the front. The cooler will keep the ac from being too much for the cham.

Darkness = chameleon falling asleep = least stress. Cooler = stable safe temperature.

I would not allow my chameleon to have access to light during the trip or too much room where it can get bounced around. Both = plenty of stress.

The way you shipped my melleri to me was very well thought out and executed. I was very impressed and am keeping the box for when I might need to ship an animal.

 

[Elizadolots]

His light cycle is from 8 am-8 pm and I'm moving probably around 7 am. If he is awake, should I put him in the container and attempt to make it dark or should I just let him hang on his plant and do his thing?

Make it dark and let him go back to sleep.

I think you need to treat this like "shipping" just as has been suggested. Someone (and, I really thought it was jann, I guess I'm wrong) posted a series of pictures on "best way to pack for shipping". I'll try to find it. You can probably skip some of the big padding because, if you're like me at all, your chameleon in a box will be in your lap the whole time.

 

[summoner12]

your chameleon in a box will be in your lap the whole time.

This isn't such a good idea.... the mass of your body over bumps will create more movement than if the animal were on the floor of the car. your body amplifies the movements of the car.

But this is still better than using a cage.

 

[Zimmey05]

a few months ago i moved over 1200 miles. i drove 20 hours with my jackson in the passenger seat seat belted in. of course his cage was a small one at the time and he did fine. he was even eating on the way. id say, if the cage will fit in a seat, then just secure it and watch the temps. they WILL get crazy hot to too cold before you know it.

 

[dreamforthedead]

I moved a week ago today and was also worrying about the journey. I only had to travel half an hour with my cham tho (still felt like a life time) anyway i just put mine in a good size box with a branch and kept her on my knee. She was fine, when i opened the box she puffed her neck up a little saw it was me then put it back in. I've had no trouble with her, she's been perfectly fine. Good luck with your move.

 

[beeze]

a few months ago i moved over 1200 miles. i drove 20 hours with my jackson in the passenger seat seat belted in. of course his cage was a small one at the time and he did fine. he was even eating on the way. id say, if the cage will fit in a seat, then just secure it and watch the temps. they WILL get crazy hot to too cold before you know it.

This is exactly what I did when I moved. I also took along a plant and stopped at rest stops on the way and let her stretch her legs and have some time on her plant and a good misting. For vet visits I have a small carrier like for a small dog or cat and I put a branch about an inch off the bottom and have never had a problem.

 

[Jonah S]

So my move is tomorrow and from reading various posts, I'm going to put Larry in a little to go container thing and place that in a brown bag so its dark. I'm going to have my digital thermometer probe in the brown bag so I can monitor the temperatures. I think my two remaining questions are:

1) Should I put a damp paper towel so Larry has some humidity?
2) Whats my ideal temperature range?

Also, thank you everyone who has contributed, I greatly appreciate it.

 

[beeze]

Take a small mist bottle for mistings and that will help to keep the temps down too. At his age he should stay no more than low 80's.

 

[summoner12]

So my move is tomorrow and from reading various posts, I'm going to put Larry in a little to go container thing and place that in a brown bag so its dark. I'm going to have my digital thermometer probe in the brown bag so I can monitor the temperatures. I think my two remaining questions are:

1) Should I put a damp paper towel so Larry has some humidity?
2) Whats my ideal temperature range?

Also, thank you everyone who has contributed, I greatly appreciate it.

yes a wet/damp paper towel is a good idea and keep the temps cool... say around 70-75. If it gets down to 65- or even 60 you'll be OK.


have a safe trip!

 

[Jonah S]

Would I need to worry about waking him up? One of the posters said that he will probably fall asleep and I would hate to spray him, wake him up, and stress him out again.

 

[summoner12]

Would I need to worry about waking him up? One of the posters said that he will probably fall asleep and I would hate to spray him, wake him up, and stress him out again.

you won't need to spray him if you have a damp piece of paper towel in the container. just keep it dark until you are ready to put him in a cage.

 

[Jonah S]

Hes gonna be pissed when I take him out of his house. Hope he gets over it