Preparing for transport. Traveling frogs! How the heck do YOU do it?

[Shade38]

Hey all.

I'm going away next weekend (2 hr drive or so) and I have to bring my 2 young red eyes with me. I don't trust a pet-sitter and my husband doesn't wanna do it. Sooo....here's my plan. Please offer your opinions:

Buying a tall plastic tub, going to cut a big square hole in one side and hot glue a screen onto it. Bringing their favorite plants and hoping they stay asleep on them during the drive. The tub has a "flip" top on it, it's basically a tub for storing dog food, maybe 4 or 5 gallons? It has to be small enough to sneak into the housing lodge AND tall enough to fit their favorite plant.

Of course I will bring a few crickets, spray bottle, de-chlor water, soaking dish, etc....My main issue is how do I keep the plants from shifting around in the enclosure during the drive? I could put the frogs in a small enclosure for the drive, then put them in my makeshift vacation plastic tub when I get there. I'd rather not move them from enclosure to enclosure BUT also want them safe. I'm worried the plants they sleep on might tip over in the enclosure or something.

I dunno. I'm confused on how to do this safely, the logistics of it are giving me a headache. Is it too stressful for them to be put in a small container for the drive, then the temporary one at the lodge, then back again for the drive home? I'm sure they won't appreciate all the handling/moving. Trying to figure this out so it's least stressful for all 3 of us!!!


Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Bolisnide]

and my husband doesn't wanna do it.

LOL!

I just got back from a week vacation, and was trying to figure out the same thing (my husband didn't want to take care of the frogs either
This is what I did, and it worked great:
Bought a timer for the light cycle.
Bought a zoo-med hygrotherm (found on amazon) and attached my heat source and reptifogger, this successfully regulated the heat and humidity.
The only two things my husband had to do was make sure the reptifogger had water in the container, and pour some crickets in the viv about twice. And I did remind him so he wouldn't forget. Oh, and of course change out the water bowl every other day.

If getting this set up ready before your trip isn't possible, then your plan sounds ok to me... as far as making sure the plants don't topple over, maybe some floral tape and tape to walls of tub?

Good luck!

[IrishRonin]

well I agree that they probably wont like all the moving, My suggestion is to wedge the plants in the container with Styrofoam or cardboard then wedge the container behind your seat so it cant move too. Or you caan go the safer/more stressful way and put them in smaller cups and then back into there vacation home. good luck!

[Shade38]

LOL!

I just got back from a week vacation, and was trying to figure out the same thing (my husband didn't want to take care of the frogs either
This is what I did, and it worked great:
Bought a timer for the light cycle.
Bought a zoo-med hygrotherm (found on amazon) and attached my heat source and reptifogger, this successfully regulated the heat and humidity.
The only two things my husband had to do was make sure the reptifogger had water in the container, and pour some crickets in the viv about twice. And I did remind him so he wouldn't forget. Oh, and of course change out the water bowl every other day.

If getting this set up ready before your trip isn't possible, then your plan sounds ok to me... as far as making sure the plants don't topple over, maybe some floral tape and tape to walls of tub?

Good luck!

Your husband is nice to do all that!! My man's reaction when I got the frogs was pretty much, "you're not leaving me with them."

Yeah I have a fogger and timer and stuff, but the paper towel substrate has to be checked that it doesn't dry out. Maybe I will just try another substrate? I have 4 more days to figure it out.

Funny you mention floral tape. I was considering floral clay to stick the pots to the bottom of the temporary 'vacation tank.'

[Bolisnide]

Yeah, my husband was pretty nice to do all that! If this were my situation, I would beg your husband to help you out... The frogs would not be happy to be moved.
If you have the timer, fogger, and hygrotherm already, then he really doesn't have to do a whole lot. Dump some crickets in maybe 3 times, change the water bowl, and make sure the fogger has water. You could have the de-chlorinated water in a gallon ready to go, and the distilled for the fogger in easy access.
If you're gonna take them along with you, I would bring your thermometer and hygrometer as well. Maybe not put the climbing stuff in the tank until you get to your hotel/lodge? I do not have red-eyes, only white's. My understanding is that red-eyes are very easily stressed. My first choice would be to leave them aat home. Your husband can handle a little bit of frog maintenance, expecially if there is some sort of prize when you get back home

[Heatheranne]

You could also use a potter with heavy rocks in it and than pack the substrate tight around it. We seat belt our tanks to the seats when we travel and cover with a dark blanket. Our retf's and pacs did fine .

[Heatheranne]

Our plants stayed in fine just by packing substrate snug around their potters and/or in the substrate.

[Shade38]

Well the hubby relented and said he would keep their water bowl clean and check the temps and crickets for me! It's a good thing because I feel like they are FINALLY settling in to their new home and being more active. I'm so relieved not to have to disturb them.

I can still use all these suggestions in the future though! Thanks everyone, I do appreciate it.

[Heatheranne]

That's great! So much easier for both them and you.