Traveling w/ Dragon

[whistler]

I know this question has been asked before, read through several threads, but I wanted to seek clarification re: traveling w/ a beardie.

We are going on a 5 day vacation which includes a 7.5 hr car ride each way. I have found 2 places that board reptiles but have concerns. Option 1 requires a vet eval by their doc (not the vet we will be using) which is $85. They also charge $28, per night :shock:!! Option 2 means Ned (7 mos) will be in the boarding facility w/ a bunch of barking dogs. Our dogs don't bark much nor are allowed around Ned. I think the kennel type environment will stress him out? IDK. I do not have in home care options.

If we take Ned w/ us, I can keep him warm in the car, via something, because I do have an outlet; however, we can't take his house. It's way too big, especially w/ 3 kids & 2 dogs traveling as well. I would have to put together a vacation house, and Ned would endure the car ride in some type of carrier. Would traveling or boarding be more stressful? How long can a beardie go without proper lighting in the car?

Assuming we take Ned, what's the best temporary home set-up? I see screen cages on Amazon. Would that work w/dome lighting on top? If I went the plastic tub route, what brand and size? Do you cut out the top out and fix screen to keep them from escaping? Any other suggestions?

Thank you very much for any advice!

 

[CooperDragon]

I've traveled with my guys quite a bit. They handle car rides pretty well (I've taken them as far as 9hr with no problem) and they're OK at warm car temps. If the weather is good it's nice to stop at a rest area for a bit and give them some natural sunshine but it's not necessary. They'll travel well just in a soccer style duffel bag or a big shoebox with a fleece blanket or towel at the bottom. For winter travel I keep hand warmers that I can put under the towel if needed but I don't use them unless we stop for food or something. They work really well in that case. Just make sure he has a secure place to be in the car. He may want to look out the window (some do some don't) but just make sure he's supervised and can't run under the seats or under foot.

For travel I've used a 20g long tank. Others use large rubbermaid bins. I don't bother with tops. He'll be OK with just proper heat but for 5 days if no outside time can happen a UVB tube light may be a good idea to have along as well. I bring an adjustable lamp stand and my temp gun so I can get the basking area set up to temp. I bring a few pieces of wood furniture to create a climb and a hide but it's not elaborate. On my most recent trip I brought a kids play pen and that worked out really well. It's much bigger than a tank and it's lighter and collapses into a small bag so it's really easy to carry around. Otherwise it makes sense to pack all of his accessories right into the tank so it acts as a holder in the car. Here is a photo of the playpen setup I've used.

And sitting on a towel watching out the window during the car ride:

 

[CooperDragon]

When we go on trips that require flights, we can't bring him along. We just keep him in his tank and have one of our friends stop by every few days to check on him, refresh his food, clean his tank, give him some time to run around etc. and that works pretty well too.

 

[DaisyDragon123]

You weren't afraid he would climb up the sides of the playpen and escape? Aren't the sides made out of some type of mesh?

To the poster, I think your dragon would be more stressed in a kennel environment than on the road. I don't know when you are leaving but I would go ahead and get his temp set up and introduce it to him now and let him stay 15 or 20 minutes in it a day so he gets used to it. Maybe give him some worm treats once inside to let him know good things happen in there.

 

[CooperDragon]

The playpen is a fine mesh but his nails are so worn down (I'm not sure why) he isn't able to climb very well so it wasn't an issue. With a climber it may be best to get a pen with solid plastic walls at least around the bottom to prevent escape.

 

[whistler]

Thanks y'all for the great information!

I think I'd have to leave Ned in his carrier for most of the trip. I'm afraid he'd be too skittish in the car. I probably need to start handling him more. I get him out everyday for small spurts, because he always seems to be in shed! Ned is never aggressive, but he's not a laid back lounger when I get him out either. Age?

I love the idea of a playpen, but I would worry he would climb; however, I'm still going to investigate. Great idea. I was also considering a collapsible dog kennel or bird cage w/ small spacing between bars to prevent escape. Whatever I do, I think I'll need to buy a dome fixture, light stand, and mercury vapor bulb. The mercury bulbs cover the UV and heat, right? What's a good brand? Do they need a ceramic socket? All of Ned's lights are fixed inside his cage at home, so I would have to buy the aforementioned. No biggie, considering we'll use it for future trips and save board costs.

Thanks again! I've been stressing over this.

 

[CooperDragon]

A dog crate may work too if you can rig the lighting properly. A mercury vapor bulb will provide uva and uvb but may not provide adequate heat at safe uvb distances. A second bulb *may* be needed. I'd go with a Megaray or Arcadia MVB.

 

[whistler]

Ok. So if I did the mercury bulb, I'd need to get a double dome in order to provide enough heat? Can I hang a double dome on one of those lamp stands? Also, is 12" above the basking spot correct for a MVB?

Much thanks, Cooper!

 

[CooperDragon]

It's not a given that you'd need a second light. You would want to set up the bulb first and then test temps. The distance you mount it at depends on the model and wattage of the bulb as they vary quite a bit. Generally speaking it's usually around 12'' above the basking area though, yes. You can hang the fixtures from the adjustable stands. I would go with a single fixture that is rated for the MVB and add a second fixture with a CHE or heat projector if additional light is needed. You'd want a second lamp stand for it or use it as a clamp lamp so you can adjust the height of the second heat source to get temps just right.

 

[whistler]

It turns out we won't be taking Ned on our trip. I found a sitter. She's a vet tech at the exotic animal hospital we'll use for Ned's needs & a beardie owner as well. She lives a little ways from us, so we'll take Ned to her which means he can stay in his normal housing ?. Yay!

Before I found Emily, I got to work on travel housing using some of the suggestions. I wanted to post a picture in case anyone else finds themselves looking for temp housing ideas.

The tote is a space hog (36.5x18x19), but you can pack a lot of stuff inside to offset. I drilled 2 holes on each side and several in the back for extra ventilation. I purchased some of the aforementioned lighting, and we are ready to travel in the future if the sitter isn't available.

Thanks, again, for your help!

 

[CooperDragon]

That's good news! Having an experienced sitter will be great. You did a nice job with the travel tote bin too.

 

[beardiegurl1988]

Hey guys....I am stuck. I have traveled with Honey since she was a 2-3 months old. She really LOVES to go for rides. With that bein said, I am havin a heck of a time figuring out what to put her in while we make a long distance ride. I am goin from Arizona to Texas with my husband, son, and Honey. Honey and I have this relationship that only few may understand. I have a clip light dome, I have a heat rock for at night, but I know she NEEDS her UVB/UVA light as well. I am nervous considering that this will be her first long distance ride. I want her to be safe in the car with all of us. She can snuggle with me so I can keep her warm while we are in the vehicle. She already loves to snuggle as it is. She is 18.5 inches long. She is in a 150 gallon tank that my husband made for me for her for Christmas. I am unsure what type of substrate to even use. Please help!