23 Oct 2020
If you are moving home with pets then it can be a difficult process making sure that they are safe and relaxed during the move. Pets can get stressed during a move if they are not in a familiar environment and this can be damaging for their health. If you have a reptile, it is likely that you will not have moved home with them before and might be wondering what the best process for this is. However, reptiles are quite easy to move and many breeders often ship reptiles with a parcel service so they should be fine travelling in cars or trucks. We do have some top tips though for moving with reptiles to make sure that everything arrives in one piece.
Health Check
One thing you should do before travelling is take your reptile to a veterinarian within 10 days of moving so that you can get a health check done and a certificate of health. This way you will know that your pet is in good health before travelling and that they have not suffered due to the travelling process. However, if the vet declares your pet as healthy and then they don’t seem well after the moving process, you will know this could have been because of the handling. It is likely that you will keep your reptile with you when moving unless you have to get a flight or train to your new home though so this shouldn't be an issue.
Monitor Temperature
Reptiles are cold blooded animals as you will likely know, which means that they need to be kept at a certain temperature when travelling. If you are moving home during the winter then this could present some problems and it is best to keep your pet with you. You should add heating or cooling elements to your pets environment when travelling, whether they are staying with you or going on a moving van. If your pet reptile gets too hot or too cold then it could be damaging for their health so you should be checking their temperature regularly on the journey.
Mark the Reptile Box
One of the most important things when you arrive at your new home is making sure that you get your reptile tank set up and ready for them to live in again. For that reason, it is important that you have everything you need clearly marked and that you can find the box quickly when you arrive. If possible, it is best to keep this box with you when travelling so that you can get it set up without having to sort through all your other belongings. Keeping it with you when you move also means if there are any issues such as traffic, you can keep pet food to hand to make sure your reptile has everything they need on the journey.
Transport on a Separate Day
One tip that can help to reduce the stress of moving with reptiles is to take your pet to your new home separately from all your other belongings. This might involve leaving early in the morning on moving day so that you can safely transport your pet without worrying about everything else at the same time. However, if you are moving several hours to a new part of the country then this may not be possible of course. If you are worrying about the logistics of moving everything then you should consider hiring a removal company to take care of your household belongings. They will come and pack all your belongings and move everything if needed, which leaves you to focus on pets, children or any other important details.
