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Should Snakes Be Taken With You On Trips?

E

Em Wright

The Ice Queen
Frequently?

Back over Christmas we went to visit my Mom in Arkansas (it's a 13-14 hour drive) and since she hasn't seen any of my snakes we took the most laid back and easy going of them with us. This is the only time I have ever done anything like this and only because I really wanted my Mom (this is the first time I've ever really lived apart from her) to see one of her "gransnakes" in person.

But what if you do this frequently? I took Mali with me just once, she seemed fine, continued eating properly, etc. There were no ill effects. But what if you were to do this sort of thing like every month? Take the snakes with you on vacations, take them out and let strangers handle them? Is this bad for them? I know that some people take display animals to shows or work it so that they can use their snakes to teach people about them and whatnot...

I'm just curious. I would be afraid that taking them around too much could cause illness. But I could be wrong, too.

Thanks folks!
 
Excellent post Em. Excellent post. I'm curious to see the responses.
I go home to North Louisiana every six months for two weeks at a time, in June (Mom's birthday) and December (my birthday and Christmas). This last December trip I took all 8 babies with me, too paranoid to leave them alone 2 weeks. Too...picky...to let someone see to them. This June there will be about twice as many snakes. And I'm still paranoid, protective, and picky. But I feel like it will be a lot of trouble and trauma (for snakes and me) to all travel.
I've heard others advise against the risk of regurge (when leaving them at home), although all of mine are eating well. I'm wondering if turning the thermostat to a little cooler (not on a full stomach of course) would keep them from losing too much weight over a two week period. Doggone, I'm going to miss my babies.
 
OK, everybody, listen up!

DON'T LICK THE BROWN SNAKES.


Um, wait...........wrong trip. Sorry.



Dale
(Sheesh, between this and Justine's "fatty/420" post, I'm sure y'all think I need an intervention.)
 
Do you know any members that are local to you to watch over them? If I lived closer I'd gladly volunteer to come in and feed them and check water, etc while you were away. :shrugs:
 
Dale, I don't mean to post stupid questions... I'm just curious. I want to know what everyone's opinions on this matter are. That's it. :)
 
I guess my opinion is every time you transport them, you take a risk. Someone just this winter lost snakes on a car trip, for no apparent reason. So if they can be just as safely left home, that's probably best.
 
Oh my that's terrible. :(

I don't think I'll be transporting my snakes anywhere else unless I'm moving and they HAVE to go. But just to take them along for the fun of it? I don't want to lose any of my babies.
 
Em Wright said:
Dale, I don't mean to post stupid questions... I'm just curious. I want to know what everyone's opinions on this matter are. That's it. :)
Click to expand...

They're NOT stupid questions.

Now, my answers.....there's yer stupid!


(Just riffin'......there's a reason for the first syllable of my s/n.)


Dale
 
Nanci said:
I guess my opinion is every time you transport them, you take a risk. Someone just this winter lost snakes on a car trip, for no apparent reason. So if they can be just as safely left home, that's probably best.
Click to expand...

I got lucky when I moved. You dont realize how much your car jimmies around when you are driving until you transport snakes.

One of the tops to the containers came off and Suri just sat there. I think she was tramautized from the movement.
 
I have taken my geckos to the kids school many times for demonstrations, but the school is a 3 minute car ride away. When we go away I have my neighbor care for everyone to make it easier on me and less stressful on them.
 
I try not to because it stresses the snake a bit sometimes. But if it is a week or two it is USUALLY ok if some one can come and water. My grandpa does that or me
 
Okay, what if you're only going to be gone a few days and there's really no reason to take them along? :shrugs:

I'm being hypothetcial, btw.
 
Leave them at home. Even if it is a two week stay. By the time they get used to the environment that you're moving them in to, you're rooting them up and dragging them back again. That kind of readjustment is very stressful on a snake. Not to mention the car trip without heat. I only take my snakes with me when I move.
Other than a permanent move, leave them at home. Have a VERY trusted friend or relative come and check in on them to make sure they have water, and that the heat is functioning properly. If there's a member on here that's close enough, invite them over a few times, and see if you would be comfortable having them in your house and caring for your snakes.
 
Thanks, Robbie, you worded that perfectly. LOL. Like you know me. Issues included. But seriously, that (meaning leaving them at home) was about the decision to which I was arriving, I just wanted someone with more experience to say it well. Thanks again.
 
vetusvates said:
Thanks, Robbie, you worded that perfectly. LOL. Like you know me. Issues included. But seriously, that (meaning leaving them at home) was about the decision to which I was arriving, I just wanted someone with more experience to say it well. Thanks again.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I've seen the ramifications it can have on "show snakes". There was an animal show that came here recently, and one of the animals was an 8 year old 6 FOOT Burmese python. It was right in the middle of a bad shed, and it was obviously not its first one (stub tail, probably caused by retained sheds). It had multiple burns on it. A burm should be at least 10 feet by the time it's 8 years old. I felt so bad for the snake. I called Fish and Wildlife and reported them, but I don't know if anything came of it.

The point of that whole rant is, animals like stability. They don't have the mental capacity to know what's happening when they're up and moved. They don't know if they're going to have a safe place at night. They don't know if there's going to be ample food and water. The unnecessary stress it causes the animal is not worth the convenience of taking them with you.

While I do understand that expo vendors transport snakes for shows, it is a necessity for business, and the animals they bring are usually moving into a new home that very day (if sales are good). I can forgive expo vendors for doing what's necessary to keep producing the animals they do. Most vendors also have the experience to make sure that the trip is as stress free as possible as well.

Just my $.02 on the whole matter.
 
Just my two cents...

If I HAD to take my snakes with me, I would have them all in locking containers with air holes melted through (or drilled) and then I would place them in a very large chest type cooler (without the ice - of course). That way temp changes would be kept to a minimum. Of course, you'd have to open the cooler every once in a while to get air in, but it beats exposing them to massive temp changes and drafty a/c conditions. Plus, I think that in the dark, they'd be a little more comfortable and secure.

Of course, be smart about it... don't FORGET to give them more air and remember to close and open the container where the air temp is at an acceptable level (ie, don't air them out at 32 degrees and then close the lid... because it would now be about 32 degrees IN the cooler (same for 110 degree weather).

That's just the way I WOULD do it if I had to take my snakes with me on a long road trip. Otherwise... they'd stay home with someone - who isn't afraid of snakes - to at least look in on them periodically.
 
The_Thunderer said:
then I would place them in a very large chest type cooler
Click to expand...

Most of those coolers have a little drainage hole that, if left open, can allow for limited air circulation in a temperature controlled environment. :D Not to mention, if it's 110F out, you might want to be putting in a cool pack with them.
 
I have to say that I don't think I would be taking any snakes with me anywhere... I don't think it's worth it. Sure my snake did fine once, but next time I may not be so lucky. I transported her in her regular tub and made sure she was in a safe, secure, warm (not too warm) location when riding.

If I had it to do over, I probably would have just left her. Especially since I see from an outsider's perspective how stupid it is.
 
Excellent point, Robbie! Thanks!

That being said... and with the warnings about everything... I would not be "afraid" to take my snakes (or a snake or two) with me. I'd just be very smart about it.
 
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