Moving the Little Guys in the Cold of Winter?!

[crazypeachs]

Hi!

We live in the midwest, and it's turned to a wicked cold winter suddenly. It looks like a very real possibility that we may be moving to a town about an hour or so away within the next couple weeks to a month. In mentally preparing we're brainstorming ideas to move our 5 little guys as safely and non-traumatically as possible, and I thought, the more brains I could get storming would be better. What we've come up with so far:

[*]Move them last - like, make a special, final trip to move them only. Have the truck unloaded and furniture placed for the most part, then come to the original home, get them and their set up and move it as quickly and smoothly as possible.
[*]Put them in the iso tank, inside a food cooler (as used for camping) with heated rice bags to help maintain warmth
[*]Wrap the iso tank in towels or blankets (NOT covering the lid and air holes) to help steady it and hold in heat
[*]Warm the inside of the cooler as much as possible

Do we need to give them water and food while we transport them? Or just get it over with as soon as possible? I'm afraid of it just spilling and being pointless, but I don't want them to be stressed, either.

What do we do if someone decides to go for a molt at the moment/day we have to move them?

I'm hoping for a warm spell the weekend/day we move them, but I don't think that's likely. The 'warm spell' this last couple weeks was up to about 15 degrees F.

Does anyone have any experience with a similar situation? I'm really nervous about it, but I want to get this figured out in my head to not give them nervous vibes. I'm sure, from past experience, that they can sense that.

Thanks for any suggestions!

[GotButterflies]

Hello! So sorry you are having to move in this cold spell!! How long will they be in the iso tank? If only for a few hours then water is not necessary.

Some people move their crabs in individual tupperware containers - you can purchase them in the dollar store. This will prevent fights.

If you type moving into the search bar, there will be several threads that pop up about moving

[crazypeachs]

I did search moving before posting, and tried again just now - I only get threads about the crabs moving (i.e. moving their bodies), not about changing their crabitat's home location. Please let me know what phrase gave you success?

I hadn't thought about individual tupperware containers, but was concerned about fights due to the stress. I'm guessing punch holes in the lids, and give them substrate in each container? They're about medium sized. They'll only be out of their home for about a half hour for loading them and their equipment, about an hour and a quarter traveling (barring car problems or inclement weather), and I would imagine we can get them set up again in about another half hour or so - maybe 2-3 hours total, tops.

Thank you for your suggestions!

[GotButterflies]

Okay, try typing moving with crabs You will have to scroll down a bit, but you will come across some threads.

Punching holes isn't necessary. Especially just for a few hours. Yes, just put a little substrate in the containers, with a little moss for the humidity.

[wodesorel]

The heated cooler works wonders! I use a snuggle safe to hold temp, and use plastic containers with moss. Have done many adoptions this way in extremely cold weather with no trouble. (Also works for transporting reptiles to the vet.)

If you are in doubt, set it all up minus the crabs a few days before and monitor the temp to make sure it won't be too hot or too cold. My setup holds between 86 and 78 for over 12 hours! You should have plenty of time.

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[GotButterflies]

Snuggle Safes are awesome!!! Always good to have on hand!

[LadyJinglyJones]

Snuggle Safes are awesome!!! Always good to have on hand!

What is this mysterious "Snuggle Safe", and is it, in fact, both safe and snuggly?

[wodesorel]

https://www.chewy.com/snuggle-safe-dog- ... /dp/153940

It's a plastic core microwavable heat pad, so it's indestructible, able to be sterilised, has no chewable cords, and provides even heating for several hours. We have nursed so many sick cats and bottle babies on these things!

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[LadyJinglyJones]

Oh man, that is great.... would have been so useful when we were evolving the bf's mum's Ditch Kitty into his Catasaurus form. (He was about 2 weeks old when a neighbor found him. So smol! )

[wodesorel]

My Gracie was about 4 days old, we still keep in touch with her fairy godfather who found her four years ago. My last one from last summer was at most 24 hours old, courtesy of my neighbor's friend. I look at them sometimes and it's like, how did you once fit in my palm?!

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[Kermie16]

Ok, those snuggle safes look pretty awesome! So u just put them around the outside of the cooler and wrap the cooler up to keep in the heat? How long do the snuggle safes keep their heat?


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[wodesorel]

I put mine inside the cooler, usually with a towel between it and the container with the animal so it is an even heat throughout rather than a hot spot. Depends on how long I need it to stay warm. If it's just a quick trip I won't heat it as long and forgo the towel. If it's several hours (round trip to the reptile vet is 4 to 6 hours) I'll cook it a bit and pad it up with towels on the ride out and then unbury it on the way back so the temp stays more even.

In a sealed Igloo hardsided lunchbox I have had them stay warm 20 hours. With normal use for kittens/cats its more like 4 to 8 hours.

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[GotButterflies]

I've used mine for kitties, puppies, squirrels, opossums, bunnies and birds...it is great!