Heat pack Q

malt_geckos

Don't Say It's Impossible
Messages
3,971
Location
Gainesville, Fl
Hey all!
I am shipping out three boxes of geckos Wednesday. One is going to Texas and doesn't need a heat pack. The other two are going to Wisconsin and New Jersey. I am thinking they are going to need heat packs. However, the hub here will be about 70 at night and they should be in florida for a good 6 hours I think with the heat pack. Is it ok to use the heat pack as long as there is a good layer of packing material in between the geckos and the heat pack? And as long as the heat pack is wrapped in a layer of news paper and taped to the inside top of the box? I only need about a 10 degree increase in temperature. Should it be ok? Still new to shipping in these odd conditions. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Mal
 
T

The Sunset Gang

Guest
Hey Mallorie, although I don't ship, I have received a few boxes with heat packs in them. From talking with one of the breeders on here, I would rather have it be a little cold then too hot. Two weeks ago, I got a shipment from Marcia, at GoldenGateGeckos and it was a bit nippy here. It was right at 40 I think and the heat pack took it up to 55-60 inside the box. If you feel the temps will get too warm in Florida, I wouldn't use a heat pack because I believe a gecko can probably recover better from a little cool weather then it being too hot. Just use your judgement and also see if any other people respond. Good Luck!!
 

david13

New Member
Messages
2,276
Location
USA
I live right next to wisconsin..(upper michigan). I don'tknow where in winsconsin you are shipping and when but it is pretty warm and sunny out and inside a box it will be a little warmer. I would say not to use a heatpad. It's warming up and there probably isnt too many cold places that it would go through or stay at. I never shipped leos before though thats just my 2 cents
 

malt_geckos

Don't Say It's Impossible
Messages
3,971
Location
Gainesville, Fl
alrighty, I am looking at the weather and the extended forcast was wrong. Go figure. lol. So it's now saying it's warmer than it was supposed to be.
 

fallen_angel

Fallen Angel's Geckos
Messages
7,937
Location
Stockton, CA
The only thing - don't wrap the heat pack. The side with the red line needs to be facing outwards and uncovered, otherwise the heat pack won't work as well, if at all (they're supposed to tell you that when you buy them). Cold packs, however, should be wrapped.
 

malt_geckos

Don't Say It's Impossible
Messages
3,971
Location
Gainesville, Fl
Wrapping the heat pack is fine. It should be wrapped if you only want about a 10 degree increase in temp. That's why I would wrap it. They can also get way too hot. I have received quite a few shipments from experienced shippers and the heat packs have been wrapped a few times.
 

GeckoRing

New Member
Messages
366
Location
Northern California
Make sure you check the overnight temperatures at the hub it will be passing through. while it is better to ere on the side of cool....it is even better to have a healthy gecko after shipping! I personally will not ship if it will be below freezing
at the hub. Weather.com is a great resource!
 

GeckoRing

New Member
Messages
366
Location
Northern California
Just looking at the temperatures in Kentucky, seems like a heat pack would be a good idea. One thing I do is to drop off the packages at the last possible moment. They end up sitting at the local hub for about a half an hour. That might help with the difference in temperatures. Also wait on activating the pack till the last possible moment, just long enough to make sure it really is activated, and not a dead pack. Good luck, I know it is nerve racking.
 

fallen_angel

Fallen Angel's Geckos
Messages
7,937
Location
Stockton, CA
malt_geckos said:
Wrapping the heat pack is fine. It should be wrapped if you only want about a 10 degree increase in temp. That's why I would wrap it. They can also get way too hot. I have received quite a few shipments from experienced shippers and the heat packs have been wrapped a few times.


Oh okay, I was told never to wrap it! and I was told that not wrapping it would only make it increase 10 degrees.. I'll take your word for it though, you sound like you know what you're talking about :)
 

GeckoJunkie

Junkie
Messages
819
Location
Georgia
I think move that asking a general group about this subject you should take it up with the person you are shipping the gecko to. It should be something that you both agree on. Heat pack or not.
 

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