Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My aunt is a second grade teacher and has ask me to bring in my snakes to show her class. I want to help and educate others but I need some advise on how to take my snakes in and not stress them out too much.

I will have to travel about 1 hour to where she teaches. What should I do to move my snakes to where she teaches? I know pillow cases is a common way to transport, but how do I know how to regulate the temp to keep my snakes in good shape? I have a keeper for my small snake and one for the large but I wan too keep the stress as low as possible.

Is this safe for my snakes or should I not bother with moving them? I really would like to use them to educate others but I don't want to do anything to hurt my snakes either.

Any advise or suggestions is appreciated.
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0.0.1 Amel Motley Corn (Cosmo '03)
0.1 Baird's ratsnake (Sugaree '04)
1.1 Shepherd mix (Dylan 5yrs, Porter 7 months)

its great to teach people snakes aren't evil things and 2nd grade is a great age to start i travel with my corns all the time but i live in Al so temp and hum is perfect for them most the time just use common sence (don't leave them in the car, don't have them somwhere they can roll around, ect...) i put mine in pillow cases and then in a card board box to keep them from rolling around and plan my trip with min stops most taco bells don't like you bringin snakes in but hey i have had a few ask me to bring them in for kids to ouu and awww at

i hope i've been a help and if you you have other ??s feel free to ask i'll do my best to help

It is very rewarding to introduce children to snakes. Couple things~

I put mine in pillow cases (tight knot yanked in the top) and use an ice chest to move them. As long as I load the chest in the house where the temp is good it maintains a reasonably good temp when we go outside. Don't open and close the chest too much~ and don't leave them in there too long~ an hour shouldn't be a problem~ but I would open it for fresh air exchange if any longer.

Bring a back pack if you have to make any stops. Just put the pillow cases in the back pack~ and run your errands. No one is likely to ask what is in the back pack (Just sling it over your shoulder~ don't act liek it is full of snakes!)~ and if they do ask~ I usually tell they should not ask if they didn't want to know!

Make all the kids sit down BEFORE you bring out the snakes. Explain that if there is any horseplay the snakes will go back in their bag and go home. Have prepared some interesting facts~ you know~ explain that snakes "smell the air" with their tongues by using the jacobsons organ in the rood of their mouths~ that snakes have no ears but can "Feel" sounds (Vibrations)~ that they are dicephelous with two of each organ like us but only use one of each~ bring a shed skin to pass around and point out the eye caps.

Be sure to bring some hand sanitizer with you. Make everyone use it before they touch the snakes (you don't know what they touched last)and make everyone use it after handling the snakes (explain that snakes have no legs to step over any feces in their enclosure so you should always wash up after handling)

It will be fun!
Good Luck
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Cheryl Marchek
AKA JM
Check out my website at:
The Red Dragons Den

Cheryl made some excellent points. I do shows for the kids at the school I work at. I dont live very far away so travel isnt much of a problem. A couple of things to think about are feeding schedule and shedding. I always wait several days after feeding before I take them anywhere. I never bring a snake that is blue or near shedding. I am bringing the snakes next week for the sixth grade science class. They are studing genetics. It is really cool to show the kids real life examples of what they are discussing in class. Good luck with your class. You and the kids will enjoy it Im sure.
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1,0 snow
1,0 amel
1,0 kisatchie
1,0 aney stripe motley
0,1 normal
0,1 charcoal
0,1 motley
1,1 oketee
0,1 tx rat
4,5 ball python
1,1 dumerils boa
1,1 columbian red tail boa
1,1 green iguana
1,0 leopard gecko
1,2 dogs
freezer full of mice & rats

Rember each one of those kids having fun is also a future customer. Its all about the marketing. lol
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1,0 snow
1,0 amel
1,0 kisatchie
1,0 aney stripe motley
0,1 normal
0,1 charcoal
0,1 motley
1,1 oketee
0,1 tx rat
4,5 ball python
1,1 dumerils boa
1,1 columbian red tail boa
1,1 green iguana
1,0 leopard gecko
1,2 dogs
freezer full of mice & rats