How to reduce stress in the car

[spartybassoon]

My spring break is coming up and wouldn't you know it, the person who had previously agreed to watch all our reptiles is now backing out and saying no. Long story short, I tried everyone I knew, and no one is available to help out. I'm not giving my key to a stranger, so I'm stuck taking my new veiled (and 2 cresteds) home. The car trip is 4.5 hours, and he just came up the same way two weeks ago. He is adjusting to his current cage, and I'm worried that taking him home next weekend, then back the following weekend, may kill him (hopefully I'm being too paranoid here). I always had a mental idea that chams were the most fragile creatures (I still don't know if that's true, seeing as how they can be mailed), and I don't want him to be too stressed. Can anyone give me some tips on how to make travel safer and less stressful for my cham?

 

[Justin Carl]

Try the search option:

https://www.chameleonforums.com/transporting-chameleons-6990/

Also when you get done reading this, try taking a paper towel and spin it into a tube/string.
He will hold onto it much easier

 

[spartybassoon]

Thanks, Justin Carl, sorry its late I admit i did not search first....

 

[Eric Adrignola]

I haven't read the above article, but I can tell you what I do.

I travel with them quite a bit. In 96, I brought all of them from NJ - that was about a 10 hour trip. I moved them across NC in 2006 - about a 5 hour trip, and I've brought them back and forth to Raleigh a few times for a lecture.

Simple is best, in my opinion. A cardboard box, sturdy, but not big - just big enough for them to turn around in if they had to. Line it with slightly moistened paper towels, add torn up paper towels for them to climb on and to cusion them, and close it up. I add a few small holes, but I doubt it's necessary. Keep them out of the sun, heat or cold.

It's simply lights out for them - almost always, they're asleep when you open the box. If not, they're usually relaxed and still. I never have them rub themselves on traveling boxes. It's actually pretty stress-free.

Use an open cage and you'll see some stress!

 

[chamlover]

Pleaze be careful. Unfortunely i lost 1 cham in the car. Even though i checked on him every hour it wasn't enough. Keep them out of the sun. Even if it isn't too hot out the sun hitting their cage is enough to overheat them. Ask me i know. I cried for hours. We had just purchased him at a reptile show when we were on vacation and instead of keeping them in the front of the truck with us, we thought they would be more comfortable in a bigger cage.We covered it but never paid attention as to whether the sun was on them. We had 2 others next to him that were fine so we still don't know exactly what happened, but watch out for the sun and stress. Keep them covered. Good luck. If you lived in NH i would gladly watch them for you.

Debby

 

[spartybassoon]

Thanks, all. I'm curious, though, as to why a paper bag is recommended? Is it just to block out light, or could any small, dark, padded enclosure work just as well?

 

[Zoey]

When I was going to move mine across state I was told to place them in a paper lunch bag or a shoe box. Someplace dark. Wait for a while to make sure chameleon fell asleep and then go.

 

[Zoey]

You also want to make sure that if its cold, you have the car heater on so the chameleon and other reptiles don't freeze from the cold

 

[Dankmeleon]

i was told to use a brown lunch bag with some damp paper towels and it worked very well, you can roll it up poke a few holes and place it into a box and it won't stress trying to get out because it won't be able to see, and good chance it will be green at its resting colors inside the bag when you check on it every few hrs to exchange its air and bags should you need to

 

[Cainschams]

I recieved both of my panthers in the mail. They came in a paper lunch bag with a few holes in it. Inside there were about2 inches of shredded paper and the bag was stapled shut and put into the delivery box. They both were a sleep when I opened it up but as soon as they saw light they were right on my arm crawling around. Its kinda funny because this was the only easy time I had getting my male where I need him to be hahaha. I think he was hanging with the veileds till I got him hahahah there bad attitude rubbed of on him.

 

[summoner12]

I recieved both of my panthers in the mail. They came in a paper lunch bag with a few holes in it. Inside there were about2 inches of shredded paper and the bag was stapled shut and put into the delivery box. They both were a sleep when I opened it up but as soon as they saw light they were right on my arm crawling around. Its kinda funny because this was the only easy time I had getting my male where I need him to be hahaha. I think he was hanging with the veileds till I got him hahahah there bad attitude rubbed of on him.

lol hey now.. not all veileds have a chip. My boy Fred will come out and play every day of the week.

Here he is spying on me like Tom Cruise from Mission Impossible... so i came over and snapped some pics. (funny thing is he is only holding on with his one foot.)

When I took my boy Jake to the vet I put him in a shoe box with paper towels. I set him on the floor of the car. When I got to the vet and they were ready to see Jake I opened the box and he was knocked out cold. He was all green as if he were asleep in his tree. Once he saw light he perked up and looked confused.. did his exam and back into the box for the ride home. It was dark when I got home so I kept the lights off in the house. I picked him up and set him in his tree. I don't think he really even woke up. Next day he seemed normal.