shipping question

[dmreptiles]

I have only had one mishap happen from shipping. I even have packages be delayed for a day and still arrive with healthy animals. But i still have a question and maybe someone can help me on this one. So if i were to ship an animal and my temps were a high of about 85 degrees and a nighttime low of about 50 degrees and the destination temps are about the same do you use a heat pack for th cold night or a cold pack for the warm day? or avoid it shipping at all?

 

[fallen_angel]

Heat pack, it's better for the box to be a little too warm than to be too cold. We were shipping with temps in the low 90s to a place with lows in the mid-40s. We used two 40 hour heat packs and they raised the box (12x9x6) temp 16 degrees. So let's just say your box gets 20 degrees warmer, the temp will be around 105, but it's only for a few hours and won't hurt them. Also keep in mind that heat packs don't reach their peak until about 4 hours after activation. Just get your box ready, activate the heat packs and make sure they're working, then put them into the box and send the package on its way

 

[Jeremy Letkey]

Duvon, I would not personally use a heat pack or an ice pack in that situation.

Also, not to start an argument but it always better to be too cool, rather than too hot.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Heat pack, it's better for the box to be a little too warm than to be too cold.

Also, not to start an argument but it always better to be too cool, rather than too hot.

I have to agree with Jeremy. When shipping, it is always better to err on the side to too cool than too hot. Geckos will slow down and even shut off their metabolism when they are too cold, and will even go into 'suspended animation'. As long as their body teperatures do not reach freezing, they will usually recover from a cold coma after a few hours at stable room temperature.

When they are too hot and have no place to cool off, their parathyroid gland goes into overdrive which can leach all the blood calcium in their bodies. Also, excessive heat exposure can cause serious permanant neurological and brain damage, and even death.

A 30-hour heat pack can reach temperatures as high at 150 degrees F on it's surface. Keep in mind that using a heat pack is not so the gecko can be warm, it is to create warmth in the surrounding air temperature in the box to prevent the gecko from getting too cold.

 

[Sunrise Reptile]

Duvon, I would not personally use a heat pack or an ice pack in that situation.

Also, not to start an argument but it always better to be too cool, rather than too hot.

I agree whole-heartedly! :main_thumbsup:

 

[Gecko Ranch]

The erring on the cool side is absolutely correct. This is from 15 years of shipping geckos. Geckos can often recover from being exposed to cold temps. From hot temps exceeding safe parameters there is little hope.

For the situation above, how much time spent in the different temps is important. If it is 1-2 hours small cool pack or zip lock with a few ice cubes will do - these will melt quickly and act as insulation for the cooler temps which are like the rest of the trip. Another thing you can do is mist the deli-cup you are shipping the gecko in well to provide evaporative cooling. At 50f I would not put in a heat pack with 85F exit temps.

I would encourage everyone to test their heat packs using temp probes every winter in simulated shipping conditions outside your home, on a porch, etc. Not everyone's heat packs are the same and they work differently in different temps and combinations, try as many as you can. Get up during hours of the night to check. The more data points you have the more accurate your data set will be.

Here's a shipping clinic I did for folks:

http://www.geckoranch.com/shippingclinic.html

 

[dmreptiles]

thanks

I did what you said gecko ranch test my supplies and it told me alot. I have tested it in the heat and cold. But i still had that question bugging me what does everyone else do in those situations? thanks everyone

 

[fallen_angel]

I was basing my answer on the lower end temps. Two heat packs would raise the box to the high-60s or low 70s on the inside while it is around 50 degree weather. If it got a little too warm while it was leaving the warmer destination, which would theoretically only be up to 100 *maybe 105* degrees inside the box for a very short period of time, I figured it would be okay. I do understand that geckos can hibernate and that really high temps are dangerous; and obviosuly you guys know what you are talking about because you've been shipping geckos for far much more time than I have, I just thought it would be better to avoid the gecko going into hibernation if possible.

 

[Snowy & Petra de Gecko]

Good Advice

Oh my, Julie Bergman ... I have visited your website and have read your Leopard Gecko Book.

I also like the Mealworm Raising Posting that you have out there on the internet.

And I like the fact that you are giving advice here on the GeckoForums.:main_thumbsup:

 

[Gecko Ranch]

Oh my, Julie Bergman ... I have visited your website and have read your Leopard Gecko Book.

I also like the Mealworm Raising Posting that you have out there on the internet.

And I like the fact that you are giving advice here on the GeckoForums.:main_thumbsup:

Thank you :sweetheart: You made my day! :grin2:

 

[Snowy & Petra de Gecko]

Made Your Day

Well I am glad that I made your day.

I have recently acquired (a several of months ago) a Leopard Gecko for my Son's Boy Scout Merit Badge. Then, the race was on to learn about Leopard Geckos. I bought three or four books and search the internet high and low.

I have learned about Leopard Geckos, Day Geckos, Crested Geckos and other Geckos.

I have learned about what they eat ... I have learned more about crickets, mealworms, waxworms, butterworms, silkworms, goliathworms, roaches and phonix worms than I would have thought possible.

I have looked at various websites and thought to contact you about a Super Mack Snow Leopard Gecko to see if you knew of a breeder. But, I found one at the Repitle Show in Anaheim. For those participants that went to the show, I visited everyone of their websites to see what they were selling and to learn more about them.

So now we have two Leopard Geckos. I am trying to keep it simple and to stay with desert dwellers. I like the Day's that you have but, at this time I cannot take on that type of responsibility.

I enjoyed your website and was excited that I even knew your name when I acquired one of the books.

I find it great that on this forum, I see either names of individuals or websites/companies that work with Leopard Geckos that I recognize.

Have a Great Day and you do good work.:main_thumbsup: