Moving T's from Oregon to Wyoming in the worse winter in recent memory

[Kibosh]

So I just made a two day trip over the Rockies in the U.S. in arctic weather conditions. Highs of 45 degrees and lows of -15 degrees. I made the trip with:

Avicularia avicularia
2x (Aphonopelma Bicoloratum) Mexican Blood Leg
2x (Aphonopelma Burica) Costa Rican Blue Front
2x (Aphonopelma sp. Diamondback)
(Brachypelma Emelia) Mexican Red Leg
(Brachypelma Klaasi) Mexican Pink
(Chilobrachys Fimbriatus) Indian Violet
(Hysterocrates Gigas) Cameroon Red
(Idiothele Mira) Blue Foot Baboon
(Nhandu Chromatus) Brazilian Red & White
2x(Ornithoctonus Aureotibialis) Thailand golden fringe
2x(Orphnaecus sp.) ‘Blue’ Panay
(Poecilotheria Formosa) Salem Ornamental

Most are slings, a couple adults.

Just want to share my experience and how I got them to my new home safe and alive.

Most important part: Due diligence!

Plan ahead. I left all my T's in their enclosures, but insulated them all in a large box with towels, foam, and heat packs. I kept them and my reptiles in the nice warm cab of my rented moving truck and they were ONLY exposed to the cold moving them to either the hotel room I was staying for the night (which I once again scheduled ahead for) or moving it into my new home that was already pre heated. Total they're insulated boxes were never exposed to the cold more then 60 seconds. Even pulled the truck up the the entrance of the doors and moved the animals then moved the vehicle.

People can complain about an awkwardly parked truck if they want, my animals lives mean more to me than their inconvience.

I had road side assistance pre arranged in case of vehicle problems and in fact my check engine light did pop on about halfway through my trip, but it was a simple catalytic converter issue and we cleared the code and pushed on. It was quite a harrowing trip none the less and my father spun 360 degrees on a sheet of ice in front of me and slid off the road with his truck and trailer. Luckily there was no damages and once again we pushed on.

Once I made it to my new place I unpacked and checked on my T's immediately. All were well, but you could tell some were lethargic and dehydrated and I gave them all water immediately.

Few days later I am about to give them their weekly feeding and they all seem to be acting normal and thriving.

Sorry for the lack of details and specifics. If anyone would like some advice or has any questions about making a trip like this please ask.

It seems daunting and is difficult, but it can be done. Sometimes life doesn't let us move at the times that are most convenient for us or our pets, but with proper planning you and them can make it there safe and sound.

Cheers

 

[viper69]

45 is artic weather? I’ve been in less than -15 and weather wasn’t called artic. These weather men are weenies

 

[Kibosh]

45 is artic weather? I’ve been in less than -15 and weather wasn’t called artic. These weather men are weenies

Polar Vortex = Arctic weather according to meteorologists.

-15 is pretty cold for most of the US unless you live in the NE.

45 isn't cold by anyones standard, but that was the high.

If only the rest of us mortals had your ice age fortitude where -15 is a cool breeze

 

[Iamconstantlyhappy]

I used to work in northern Canada. -40 wasn't abnormal at all for this time of year. That is what I call yummy weather.

 

[Kibosh]

I used to work in northern Canada. -40 wasn't abnormal at all for this time of year. That is what I call yummy weather.

Sounds about right. Were you moving T's in -40? If so how?

Just so people know I was not trying to make a post about a "what is cold to you" pissing contest.

I was trying to give advice and generate discussion about moving T's in cold weather.

But I mean if you want to tell us all how cold of weather you've been in... Go ahead I guess? Lol

 

[Iamconstantlyhappy]

Sounds about right. Were you moving T's in -40? If so how?

Just so people know I was not trying to make a post about a "what is cold to you" pissing contest.

I was trying to give advice and generate discussion about moving T's in cold weather.

But I mean if you want to tell us all how cold of weather you've been in... Go ahead I guess? Lol

LOL! I love pissing contests. Anyway, no I wasn't, but I was moving a whole roomful of snakes. So I placed them all in much smaller containers/bags and wrapped them up in winter sleeping blankets when moving them from the inside to the heated vehicle. They would have spent a maximum of 30 seconds in the cold.

 

[Kibosh]

LOL! I love pissing contests. Anyway, no I wasn't, but I was moving a whole roomful of snakes. So I placed them all in much smaller containers/bags and wrapped them up in winter sleeping blankets when moving them from the inside to the heated vehicle. They would have spent a maximum of 30 seconds in the cold.

Sounds very similar to what I did. Are "sleeping blankets" the same thing as "sleeping bags" here in the US? Like for camping? If so that is a brilliant idea and I wish I thought of it as I own several and would have been really easy to pack containers into them with heat packs.

 

[Iamconstantlyhappy]

Sounds very similar to what I did. Are "sleeping blankets" the same thing as "sleeping bags" here in the US? Like for camping? If so that is actually a brilliant idea and I wish I thought of it as I actually own several and would have been really easy to pack containers into them with heat packs.

They are the same thing.

 

[Smotzer]

Sounds about right, I moved my T’s in the cold weather, not as cold as it was recently, but you did everything right. Mine was a 3day trip though.

to be honest moving all my plants was far more stressful than my T’s. May sound funny but when you’ve had plants for all 10-15yrs and started them from seed and or are 30yrs old given as a gift it’s very stressful it’s like starting a super slow growing NW terrestrial from 2i until adult hood and having all that time invested. The T’s were more mobile than 40plants packed in a car, I could move the T’s into the hotel at night but I couldn’t with the plants. horticulture problems

 

[viper69]

Polar Vortex = Arctic weather according to meteorologists.

-15 is pretty cold for most of the US unless you live in the NE.

45 isn't cold by anyones standard, but that was the high.

If only the rest of us mortals had your ice age fortitude where -15 is a cool breeze

I'm no expert in weather at all. However, I've lived in 5 major geographic regions of the US; -15 is cold for sure, but nothing close what I have experienced. Glad your Ts are OK.

 

[mack1855]

Cold?...try the Bighorn Basin in Wyoming or Palisades Idaho/Wyoming border.Wiliston North Dakota.-40,then throw in 30MPH winds.

 

[Crazyarachnoguy]

Temps were -35 here in Minnesota two days ago, glad you’re spiders are safe!

 

[Kibosh]

Cold?...try the Bighorn Basin in Wyoming or Palisades Idaho/Wyoming border.Wiliston North Dakota.-40,then throw in 30MPH winds.

Lmao. As I said earlier you seem to have clearly missed my point.

Anecdotal ideas of "cold" was not what I was looking for.

We get it your all a bunch of polar bears who know what "real" cold is.

ONCE AGAIN... The point I am trying to make is providing useful information for those trying to transport T's in weather that would be harmful to their pets.

Make another thread if you all want to compare how long your... Errrr... Sorry... how much you can all tolerate the cold.

"Pffft -15?! I once crossed the Donner pass in -40 with nothing but my T's in my bare arms and their acrylic cages!!!" Lmao

 

[LucN]

Glad that your animals were safe and sound at the end of the trip. I hope this is something I'll never have to do, despite that I have tiny collection (4 AF). I just think of the stress of them being slightly shaken through the trip and occasional cold breezes as they're transferred from point A to point B. Again, you've given yourself a challenge and overcame it nicely. Way to go !

 

[Matt Man]

You nailed the 7 Ps and had a successful move. Without joining the piss match, yes it shows, research and planning reduces risk. Well done, and congrats(?) on the move