I couldn't post blogs at the time so this blog will be from memory, my trip home for christmas/new years holidays.
the trip was just under 1600 miles and took me about 2 and 3/4 days (I stayed 2 nights "on the road" in hotels)
Day 1
12/15/10
We got a late start (after 9am), I had been packing most the night so I was pretty tired to start with I put Max in last, strapped his "Travel Cage" to the front seat, I also affixed his Home made UVB/ heat lamp stand into the front seat to allow him to get some UVB and bask (200w AC/DC power inverter suplied power to both lights) I put his thrmo/hygro meter into his cage and put the lcd where I could easily glance at it and his spray bottle where I could mist him regularly.
he didn't really care for the travel cage but he had also just woke up.
I stoped befor lunch and offered him some crickets, he seemed to be more interested in geting out to explore than eating so I left a few crickets in his cage in hopes he would eat and got back on the road.
I checked on him each time I had to stop for gas or what ever and tried to get him to eat, he wasn't having it.
I mostly adjusted his temps with the AC/heat because I couldn't get his basking lamp to near due to the mesh on the top of the travel cage. (tried to keep it mid 70s)
we stoped early because I was tired and I wanted to try to get max to eat befor lights out. ( about 6pm while his lights where set for 9-9). I brought in his ficus (the one thats normally in his "big" cage) after getting on it he seemed alot happier and ate a few crickets, so I desided to let him chill in the tree over night on the dresser. he slept normally.
Day 2
12/16/10
I got a bit more rest this night and headed out earlier (about 7 am) it was cold so I let the truck warm up befor putting max in last, I hated to put him in his cage but decided to as I didn't really have any thing else setup.
I checked on him alot, he seemed to be hanging out up top and was dark. not sure if it was stress or he was just trying to sun but each time I'd open the top he'd try coming out.
the last time I opened the top he came out and I didn't have the heart to put him back in at that time so I truned off his lights and swung the heat lamp (so he couldn't climb on it). he free ranged the seat head rest a bit till he found my pop up clothes hamper (which was popped out) he climbed all over that.
he seemed much happier out but I was some what worried about where he was climbing so the next chance I got I stopped.
I lined my back seat with trash bags (over the top of my cases ect) and wedged 2 of his trees in, and also weaved in some bamboo for him to climb between the two, I still had his lights up front so I tried to keep the temps good with the heater. I started out ranging from 69 to uper 70s but after talking to lancecham (breeder) I tried to hold closer to the uper 70s
I misted alot because of running the heater but with the trash bags my stuff stayed dry, even with misting keeping humidity up was near impossible.
my next stop I got him to hand feed a few crickets, he seemed much more at home this way, he explored a lot but over all seemed to show more light colors or "urban camo" I'm not sure if this means he was happy or just due to being more active and not sunning.
at some point in this day I stoped and was able to set up his lights. he seemed to do some short basking but mostly he just roamed around
each stop I tryed to get him to eat, and through out the day he ate pretty much his normal amount of food.
we drove pretty late this night (was about 11pm by time we stoped) and Max had been asleep awhile, I carried him in on his tree (he did wake up but went back to sleep quickly once I shut off the lights.
Day 3
12/17/10
I covered my seats abit better and added in his 3rd plant, heated up the truck and we got on the road pretty early (again 6-7 am) he seemed to do good, abit less active but not napping, ate good and even pooped (white urate) he did find his way back onto my clothes hamper again (twice, frist time I moved him back, next time I just let him chill then he went back on his own).
a time or 2 I glanced in the mirror and had lost sight of him so I pulled over only the find him hiding in plan sight. for the most part he stuck to his trees, only going for the higher clothes hamper ( never got down on the seat/trash bags) We got home about 6pm. put him in his normal cage and he slept normally.
I may have missed a few things since I am posting this from memory, next time I'll try and post sooner so it's fresher.
since we have been home he has been doing well, I also got his mistking setup which helps out when I have to be out for the day visting family. he's eating well and had his first shed (with me), he's also showing more color while he sleeps (and in general)
so looks like he'll have the back seat next trip, I'll keep y'all posted.
Thanks for reading, Phil.
the trip was just under 1600 miles and took me about 2 and 3/4 days (I stayed 2 nights "on the road" in hotels)
Day 1
12/15/10
We got a late start (after 9am), I had been packing most the night so I was pretty tired to start with I put Max in last, strapped his "Travel Cage" to the front seat, I also affixed his Home made UVB/ heat lamp stand into the front seat to allow him to get some UVB and bask (200w AC/DC power inverter suplied power to both lights) I put his thrmo/hygro meter into his cage and put the lcd where I could easily glance at it and his spray bottle where I could mist him regularly.
he didn't really care for the travel cage but he had also just woke up.
I stoped befor lunch and offered him some crickets, he seemed to be more interested in geting out to explore than eating so I left a few crickets in his cage in hopes he would eat and got back on the road.
I checked on him each time I had to stop for gas or what ever and tried to get him to eat, he wasn't having it.
I mostly adjusted his temps with the AC/heat because I couldn't get his basking lamp to near due to the mesh on the top of the travel cage. (tried to keep it mid 70s)
we stoped early because I was tired and I wanted to try to get max to eat befor lights out. ( about 6pm while his lights where set for 9-9). I brought in his ficus (the one thats normally in his "big" cage) after getting on it he seemed alot happier and ate a few crickets, so I desided to let him chill in the tree over night on the dresser. he slept normally.
Day 2
12/16/10
I got a bit more rest this night and headed out earlier (about 7 am) it was cold so I let the truck warm up befor putting max in last, I hated to put him in his cage but decided to as I didn't really have any thing else setup.
I checked on him alot, he seemed to be hanging out up top and was dark. not sure if it was stress or he was just trying to sun but each time I'd open the top he'd try coming out.
the last time I opened the top he came out and I didn't have the heart to put him back in at that time so I truned off his lights and swung the heat lamp (so he couldn't climb on it). he free ranged the seat head rest a bit till he found my pop up clothes hamper (which was popped out) he climbed all over that.
he seemed much happier out but I was some what worried about where he was climbing so the next chance I got I stopped.
I lined my back seat with trash bags (over the top of my cases ect) and wedged 2 of his trees in, and also weaved in some bamboo for him to climb between the two, I still had his lights up front so I tried to keep the temps good with the heater. I started out ranging from 69 to uper 70s but after talking to lancecham (breeder) I tried to hold closer to the uper 70s
I misted alot because of running the heater but with the trash bags my stuff stayed dry, even with misting keeping humidity up was near impossible.
my next stop I got him to hand feed a few crickets, he seemed much more at home this way, he explored a lot but over all seemed to show more light colors or "urban camo" I'm not sure if this means he was happy or just due to being more active and not sunning.
at some point in this day I stoped and was able to set up his lights. he seemed to do some short basking but mostly he just roamed around
each stop I tryed to get him to eat, and through out the day he ate pretty much his normal amount of food.
we drove pretty late this night (was about 11pm by time we stoped) and Max had been asleep awhile, I carried him in on his tree (he did wake up but went back to sleep quickly once I shut off the lights.
Day 3
12/17/10
I covered my seats abit better and added in his 3rd plant, heated up the truck and we got on the road pretty early (again 6-7 am) he seemed to do good, abit less active but not napping, ate good and even pooped (white urate) he did find his way back onto my clothes hamper again (twice, frist time I moved him back, next time I just let him chill then he went back on his own).
a time or 2 I glanced in the mirror and had lost sight of him so I pulled over only the find him hiding in plan sight. for the most part he stuck to his trees, only going for the higher clothes hamper ( never got down on the seat/trash bags) We got home about 6pm. put him in his normal cage and he slept normally.
I may have missed a few things since I am posting this from memory, next time I'll try and post sooner so it's fresher.
since we have been home he has been doing well, I also got his mistking setup which helps out when I have to be out for the day visting family. he's eating well and had his first shed (with me), he's also showing more color while he sleeps (and in general)
so looks like he'll have the back seat next trip, I'll keep y'all posted.
Thanks for reading, Phil.
