Moving Cross Country...how to?

[usmcfamily]

We are relocating this summer and will be driving about 8 hours per day for three days (1750 miles total). We have one dragon, Spencer, who is three and will come with us. I need to know the best way to handle this. We intend to travel with his tank but I'm not sure if its safe for him? Its a 36' viv with sliding glass doors. I assume we could purchase an cigarette lighter adapter of some sort to run his lights and heat on? Again, no clue if this is safe for our vehicle either.

If there is another option, I'm all ears. We will be staying in hotels for three nights and I want to have everything prepared for him. Break it down for me- supplies needed and how we could set him up to be comfy and safe for the duration if the tank isn't a good idea.

Thanks in advance!

 

[CooperDragon]

In most cases this is no problem at all. I have traveled with my guys quite a bit and they seem to do quite well with road trips fortunately. I can help you prepare by having some helpful equipment ready to go. For the car, you'll want a carrier. A box with a towel at the bottom will do but I prefer having one that zips up and can strap into a seatbelt to secure it. I use this one and it works really well https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EW2WKZU/. I advise putting some towels or fleece blanket down over the built in bottom (which is detachable) so it doesn't get too dirty. The side pockets are good for holding things like hand warmers and a temp gun.

I would limit the amount of food you offer during the trip (and the changes may halt his appetite anyway). I usually carry a can of black soldier fly larvae and I keep some greens & chopped veges in a ziploc bag w/paper towel inside a cooler. I would also carry a bag that has paper towels, small plastic bags, a spray bottle of vinegar, and a spray bottle of F10 to clean up any accidents. If the weather is nice stop at rest areas (somewhat) frequently and allow time for basking and a poop if needed.

They do just fine at normal car temps so you don't need to use any lighting during the trip (I advise against it). Having a leash on hand so he can be out of the crate and not get underfoot or under a seat is helpful too. If you stop for a meal, just crack the windows to prevent the car from overheating (in winter I usually slip a hand warmer under a towel). He can stay in the carrier and it's not a big deal for a while.

For hotel stays he can stay in his carrier overnight and it will be fine. I've even set Darwin up on a dog bed and it worked out well too. I suggest having an adjustable lamp stand, dome fixture, and a MVB (100w MegaRay or a PowerSun). Give him some time to bask and warm up while you get ready in the morning and he should be ready to go for the day. Please let me know if you have any questions or want clarification on anything I'll be glad to help.

 

[usmcfamily]

In most cases this is no problem at all. I have traveled with my guys quite a bit and they seem to do quite well with road trips fortunately. I can help you prepare by having some helpful equipment ready to go. For the car, you'll want a carrier. A box with a towel at the bottom will do but I prefer having one that zips up and can strap into a seatbelt to secure it. I use this one and it works really well https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EW2WKZU/. I advise putting some towels or fleece blanket down over the built in bottom (which is detachable) so it doesn't get too dirty. The side pockets are good for holding things like hand warmers and a temp gun.

I would limit the amount of food you offer during the trip (and the changes may halt his appetite anyway). I usually carry a can of black soldier fly larvae and I keep some greens & chopped veges in a ziploc bag w/paper towel inside a cooler. I would also carry a bag that has paper towels, small plastic bags, a spray bottle of vinegar, and a spray bottle of F10 to clean up any accidents. If the weather is nice stop at rest areas (somewhat) frequently and allow time for basking and a poop if needed.

They do just fine at normal car temps so you don't need to use any lighting during the trip (I advise against it). Having a leash on hand so he can be out of the crate and not get underfoot or under a seat is helpful too. If you stop for a meal, just crack the windows to prevent the car from overheating (in winter I usually slip a hand warmer under a towel). He can stay in the carrier and it's not a big deal for a while.

For hotel stays he can stay in his carrier overnight and it will be fine. I've even set Darwin up on a dog bed and it worked out well too. I suggest having an adjustable lamp stand, dome fixture, and a MVB (100w MegaRay or a PowerSun). Give him some time to bask and warm up while you get ready in the morning and he should be ready to go for the day. Please let me know if you have any questions or want clarification on anything I'll be glad to help.

Awesome info..can definitely work with this! Regarding the lamp stand...can this just be a basic adjustable desk lamp that I can put a hot bulb into?

 

[CooperDragon]

You could do that if it's rated to handle the wattage and you can set it at a distance that produces a proper basking temperature. This is what I have and what I had in mind https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Reptile-Lamp-Stand/dp/B000255OUO You can easily raise/lower it which is nice. It breaks down into relatively small pieces for travel/storage. They aren't especially high quality construction though so if you can build something similar it might be a good option. It's a somewhat heavy base and then metal poles that are held together with thumb screws causing the poles to clamp into place. The fixture just hangs from a hook on the top which is also adjustable and held with a thumb screw.

 

[Tarbie]

We did a 1000 mile, cross country relocation with Tony when he was a year old and he was fine. It was summer here and the temperature was good. We just limited what we fed him and put him in a pet carrier with a blanket. It really was no problem at all.