How to transport?

Rosie42892

Rosie42892

New Member
My Ambilobe Panther is approx a year old and has always been in the same enclosure. He has grown out of his current enclosure and I am in the process of setting up a new, larger enclosure for him in my new apartment. After I have the humidity and temperature stable I will be moving him.

I assume I should move him at night while he is sleeping... other then that I am not sure what to do. What should I transport him in? Any thoughts are appreciated.
 
on the contrary, do not move while he is sleeping. You will just startle him and stress him if you awaken him out of a sleep. Are you saying you just want to move him from cage to another? Have you never held him or handled him before?:confused:
 
carol5208 said:
on the contrary, do not move while he is sleeping. You will just startle him and stress him if you awaken him out of a sleep. Are you saying you just want to move him from cage to another? Have you never held him or handled him before?:confused:
Click to expand...

Yes he is handled every few weeks. I have to transport him from one apartment to another which is a 30 minute car ride. I have been informed in the past that it is best to move him at night because he will expect the temperature to be lower, and he will be more likely to be relaxed during transport. My main question is what to transport him in?
 
carol5208 said:
on the contrary, do not move while he is sleeping. You will just startle him and stress him if you awaken him out of a sleep. Are you saying you just want to move him from cage to another? Have you never held him or handled him before?:confused:
Click to expand...

What time of day do you suggest I move him during?
 
ok, now you are making sense. Your first post was a little vague and you did not say you had to drive him in a car for 30 minutes!! Can the old cage just fit in the car? If so, why not just use that If not what about putting a plant in the car for him to ride on? Or some people use a small shoe box with a stick in it.
 
carol5208 said:
ok, now you are making sense. Your first post was a little vague and you did not say you had to drive him in a car for 30 minutes!! Can the old cage just fit in the car? If so, why not just use that If not what about putting a plant in the car for him to ride on? Or some people use a small shoe box with a stick in it.
Click to expand...

His old cage cannot fit in my little car. I am weary of simply moving him on a plant because there are just too many opportunities for him to jump/fall. So I guess my best option is a shoe box with a stick? Should I put something in there to hold humidity or temperature?
 
well i would just completely have my car warmed up with the heat cranking for the ride! I have never used a box but have read on here people who have and they seem to think the cham will stay calmer if in the dark. I think I have read where people use a damp towel in there also. Makes sense I guess. I am not sure if you can find the right size stick so maybe just something he can cling to in the box. there is not much you can do about the humidity that I can think of and it is really only for 30 minutes so you should be ok. What about just riding on someones shoulder in the car? Or is he not that tame? Mine sits on my shoulder all the time.
 
carol5208 said:
well i would just completely have my car warmed up with the heat cranking for the ride! I have never used a box but have read on here people who have and they seem to think the cham will stay calmer if in the dark. I think I have read where people use a damp towel in there also. Makes sense I guess. I am not sure if you can find the right size stick so maybe just something he can cling to in the box. there is not much you can do about the humidity that I can think of and it is really only for 30 minutes so you should be ok. What about just riding on someones shoulder in the car? Or is he not that tame? Mine sits on my shoulder all the time.
Click to expand...


He can be handled but he has never been transported since he was shipped to me. No doubt that a stressful situation will make him nervous. I would not risk injury to him by just hoping that he stays calm on someones shoulder or a plant. I assume the damp towel would be to keep humidity up in the box?
 
It will be fine for the humidity and temp to not be perfect for an hour or so. Chams are not so sensitive to changes that it would be a problem. Just don't let it get too cold and it will be fine. :)
 
Rosie42892 said:
He can be handled but he has never been transported since he was shipped to me. No doubt that a stressful situation will make him nervous. I would not risk injury to him by just hoping that he stays calm on someones shoulder or a plant. I assume the damp towel would be to keep humidity up in the box?
Click to expand...

I understand your concern. Not every cham is the same. Yes, on the damp towel but as Ferret said, you are only going a short distance and I would not worry that much about the humdity. I mean you don't want the temp freezing but if you have heat in your car you should be fine. If you were taking him cross country that would be a different story.
 
Based on what I've read here, this is my advice: If you can get the new cage set up at your current place, then transporting him in the cage to the new place would probably be best done at night. Make sure it's stable and drive slowly! Even if you don't usually wrap his cage up, do it this night so that if he does wake, all he sees is his stuff in the dark. He'll never know he was moved. If the new cage is in the new place, then put him in something like a shipping box with a stick or something to cling to. Secure that so it won't bounce around in the car.
 
Elizadolots said:
Based on what I've read here, this is my advice: If you can get the new cage set up at your current place, then transporting him in the cage to the new place would probably be best done at night. Make sure it's stable and drive slowly! Even if you don't usually wrap his cage up, do it this night so that if he does wake, all he sees is his stuff in the dark. He'll never know he was moved. If the new cage is in the new place, then put him in something like a shipping box with a stick or something to cling to. Secure that so it won't bounce around in the car.
Click to expand...

I was thinking just the opposite no? I have read on here to not wake your chams when they are sleeping. Oh well, I guess there is nothing set in stone on how to transport a chameleon and what time of day to do it!
 
They don't wake easily. Several people have posted stories of moving their chameleons at night. The big thing is to not jostle them much. That's why I said drive slowly. But they are really good sleepers. If they were human babies they would be the most prized babies around...Noise doesn't bother them. If you wrap them up, then lights won't bother them. All that leaves is movement and driving very slowly can make that not an issue.
 
I suppose you are right but I know I have tried to take pics of cham sleeping and as soon as I start to open the door(as quiet as a mouse), his eyes are still closed but he starts to turn green from yellow, so he knows something is going on! I know if I Moved his cage at night he would surely wake up, but then maybe that is just my cham!!!
 
I think you need to wait an hour or two. I've read about chameleons who completely ignored major construction projects in their homes.
 
Elizadolots said:
Based on what I've read here, this is my advice: If you can get the new cage set up at your current place, then transporting him in the cage to the new place would probably be best done at night. Make sure it's stable and drive slowly! Even if you don't usually wrap his cage up, do it this night so that if he does wake, all he sees is his stuff in the dark. He'll never know he was moved. If the new cage is in the new place, then put him in something like a shipping box with a stick or something to cling to. Secure that so it won't bounce around in the car.
Click to expand...

Thankyou for your advice, it is greatly appreciated!
 
I have a collapsable cage which I just put a few branches in, I oredered it online but you might be able to find one at a pet store. They aren't that big and my veiled was fine in it in the car.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
Veiled going to bed too early
Replies
5
Views
224
Tkrd69
Tkrd69
A
Mold Concerns with Screen Cages for Chameleons - Advice Needed
Replies
13
Views
410
Beman
Beman
O
How to transport Veiled Chameleon
Replies
5
Views
630
absolutbill
absolutbill
chloe_bongo
Tips to get my humidity higher?
Replies
8
Views
225
Beman
Beman
lallalaura
Rescued a chameleon
Replies
5
Views
461
MissSkittles
MissSkittles
Back
Top Bottom