moving across the summer desert with corn snake

I'll be moving soon from sunny SoCal to sunnier AZ. As one might expect of the desert in summer, it will be hot.

Any recommendations for making sure my pet (adult) corn snake makes it to the other side no worse for wear?


I have the option to fly or drive. It's about an 8 hour drive, doable in a day so long as there's no trouble. And it will easily be 100F+.

I'm considering shipping using a service, but since it is overnight shipping I could see potential difficulties coordinating between shipping the snake and myself and making sure I arrive before the snake.

Alternately, I'm considering roping a family member into driving out with me to keep the car and AC running during bathroom/gas breaks, and packing the snake in a snake bag/styro box with cooling/heating pad (probably cooling, not sure how well they work though). Given that option, I think my main hurdle is keeping the temperature acceptable and consistent, knowing that the car gets super hot super fast. I can avoid stopping the AC for planned events, but in the unlikely event of car trouble for example, then what?

I'd drive with the snake packed in a cooler with a cold pack. You can always buy more ice on the trip if necessary. You would be surprised how cool the inside of the cooler will be for an extended period. If you are still concerned buy one of the probe thermometers and insert the probe inside the cooler. If the temps inside get over 82 degrees stop and buy more ice.

Originally Posted by Twolunger

I'd drive with the snake packed in a cooler with a cold pack. You can always buy more ice on the trip if necessary. You would be surprised how cool the inside of the cooler will be for an extended period. If you are still concerned buy one of the probe thermometers and insert the probe inside the cooler. If the temps inside get over 82 degrees stop and buy more ice.

There's really no need to worry about the temp getting over 82 degrees inside your cooler.

Corn snakes come from the southeastern USA where temperatures in the winter frequently fall below zero, and in the summer frequently hit over 100. The corn snakes thrive here. I'm not suggesting you do nothing, but if the temp in your car is comfortable to you on the drive, then the snake will be ok. You probably won't need any heat or ice at all, unless the A/C in your car does not work. If that's the case you might need some ice. But if the temp inside your cooler is anywhere between 70 and 90 the snake will be fine.

For some reason a lot of people have 82 degrees as the "It Must Be Temp" for corn snakes and that's just not true. That's an ok temp for "All the time Living" but if it creeps down or up it's not going to hurt the snake at all.

Although snakes survive quite nicely in the 90's here in Florida, they are able to seek cooler hides during the day, under leaf litter or in tortoise dens. They are said to be nocturnal during our hot summer months. There's no reason for the corn to be subjected to temps over 82 or 88 for that matter, when ice is available at every gas station. If it were my snake I'd want to make it as comfortable as possible during the long ride, not accept that it could survive harsher temps. Kudos to the OP for being concerned. I've driven the southern route a few times and I'd never travel without a cooler for my snakes.

I also consider a cooler or foam insulated box a must for summer snake transport. You might want to look into phase change packs. You can buy them lots of places but here's a link to show what I mean:

https://shipyourreptiles.com/shop/phase22/product

Originally Posted by Karl_Mcknight

There's really no need to worry about the temp getting over 82 degrees inside your cooler.

Corn snakes come from the southeastern USA where temperatures in the winter frequently fall below zero, and in the summer frequently hit over 100. The corn snakes thrive here. I'm not suggesting you do nothing, but if the temp in your car is comfortable to you on the drive, then the snake will be ok. You probably won't need any heat or ice at all, unless the A/C in your car does not work. If that's the case you might need some ice. But if the temp inside your cooler is anywhere between 70 and 90 the snake will be fine.

For some reason a lot of people have 82 degrees as the "It Must Be Temp" for corn snakes and that's just not true. That's an ok temp for "All the time Living" but if it creeps down or up it's not going to hurt the snake at all.

Thanks for your input, but I think I'm going with the cooler approach others have suggested. I'm plenty comfortable at 110F and regularly drive the summer desert with no AC...but I'm a self-thermo-regulating mammal and I'm pretty sure that's a bad idea for the snake who isn't.

While corns do live in areas that get excessively hot at times, when the temperatures spike too high they most likely either head underground or find damp shade near or in a water source or risk overheating.