Relocating interstate - 5 day trip (driving)

[Maddison]

Hi all!

I will be relocating in August from Perth to Adelaide, and will be making the trip by car.

Looking for advice and recommendations for making the trip with my 12-15 y/o Stimmy.

I have a Prado with a power outlet in the back so can plug heat mats/lamps during the drive, however during the evenings I will be staying in roadhouse motels and cabins so I’m not sure how best to go about this.

I’ve done a bit of research but can’t find much that really suits my situation. There are recommendations to put her in a sack or smaller box for the drive but that’s for shorter durations i.e. 24-48hr max.

Would it be advisable leaving her as-is in her enclosure with the usual set up during the drive? And in the evenings I can ensure she has sources of heat (such as the pocket hand warmers or a hot water bottle) when the car is not running and there’s no power available.

Or do I need to have her in a sack or smaller box for the drive so she feels more secure? If so, how would I do that to maintain a safe temp?

What about feeding before the drive so - for want of a better expression - she doesn’t feel car sick?

I also worry about the vibrations of the car stressing her out so I’d love to hear your advice or other options.

Thank you

 

[Herpetology]

keep it in a pillow case for 5 days in a box somewhere it wont rattle around too much

do NOT feed before leaving... this is going to cause issues bigger than "being car sick"

 

[Maddison]

keep it in a pillow case for 5 days in a box somewhere it wont rattle around too much

do NOT feed before leaving... this is going to cause issues bigger than "being car sick"

Thanks for the advice.

What about maintaining temperatures? It will be the middle of winter. How do I best control that while she is in a box?

 

[dragonlover1]

As Herpetology said, a pillowslip inside a click clack ( with air holes). Personally I wouldn't worry about the heat mat ( not lamp) but if you must, then you can also plug it in , in your hotel room but not in your car. No food before or during the trip but maybe offer a drink daily.
We import/export reptiles across the country all the time by plane and they are in the hold with no heat so you should have no problems

 

[Maddison]

As Herpetology said, a pillowslip inside a click clack ( with air holes). Personally I wouldn't worry about the heat mat ( not lamp) but if you must, then you can also plug it in , in your hotel room but not in your car. No food before or during the trip but maybe offer a drink daily.
We import/export reptiles across the country all the time by plane and they are in the hold with no heat so you should have no problems

Thanks so much for your reply! That puts me at ease a lot.

She has always had a very gentle temperament and never bitten, but has recently got more snappy since she went through a really long period of not eating (shedding, then gravid and laid unfertilised eggs, then another shed!) so I avoided handling her for about 10 months as she wasn’t taking to food for that whole time.

She’s really active now and has been eating well for the last 2 months, but every time I go toward her enclosure with or without food she is ready to pounce and sometimes will strike the glass before I even open it. Is this something I should take into consideration before handling her and confining her to a pillowcase and container?

 

[dragonlover1]

She’s really active now and has been eating well for the last 2 months, but every time I go toward her enclosure with or without food she is ready to pounce and sometimes will strike the glass before I even open it. Is this something I should take into consideration before handling her and confining her to a pillowcase and container?

I assume she is still trying to catch up on the feeding she missed , as stimmys aren't aggressive as a rule. When you get to your new home try feeding extra.