Reptile & Amphibian Forums

When you buy heat packs to use, open one and test it with a digital probe inside the box, just like you would pack for shipping. Put it in a garage or an area that is not weather controled to test.

We have found that Uniheat 40 hour heat pack are the most reliable for shipping dragons, their peak temp is 105-110F around the 16th hour. Every 10 degrees colder outside from 80F drops the overall inside the box temp about 4 degrees... Coldest air temps are between 3 am and 5 am usually so if you know peak temp is 16 hours into shipping(for the uniheat 40 hour packs), you time it for that span of time.

Syro Insulated boxes with several types of heat packs where tested by us. And this is what we found with the UniHeat Packs

If you open a 40 hour heat pack at 12 noon, It will start in about an hour at 80F and slowly increase to 105-110 around at peak time. If you ship the reptile out at 5 PM they will be around 90F, and reach peak heat 105-110 at 4am and start declining after that for the next 6 hours to around 80F. Remebmber, the outside temps each 10 degrees below 80F drops the heat pack about 4 degrees in the box..... so 40F outside, drops the inside about 16 degrees... so peak time would be 89-94F

Prep the Dragon for shipping, no food the night before or day of shipping, offer water in a dropper or diluted gatorade several times the day of shipping. Really good hydration is very important.

Put a layer of egg carton in the bottom and the heat pack under it and off to the side, you can poke holes in the top of the egg cartons, this protects the animal from direct heat and allows a good air flow for the heat pack and the dragon.

Never use 20 hour packs, to ship, they hit 120 fast, and that is too hot for most reptiles, especially if coming out of a moderate temperature zone. If shipped during the day (which most carriers pick up time is) that is way too warm and will dehydrate and dragon very fast.

If coming and going into an area that is under 50 degrees, we use 2 40 hour packs opened a few hours apart and placed on the sides or one side and the lid (heat rises). Make sure there is padding, shredded paper or bunch newspaper between the packs and the animals, you can even wrapp them in newspaper and they still provide ample heat.

Just some suggestion, we have used this for many years and had good success with it.

We also always Add some holes around the sides of the box... just some extra insurance.
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www.reptilerooms.com

Th
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AlphaDragonZ
www.AlphaDragonZ.com

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Stacey

Thanks for the info. When I ship I take reptiles directly to the airport at around 7PM so they are not boxed very long. In most cases it is less than 17 hours in the box. According to your info I need to open my heat packs much earlier.
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Jaremy Douglas

Great info Cheri! I hope that no one else has to experience what Stacey went through. Is this info located on your website too? It's a great article!

Hugs,
Veronica
www.BeautifulDragons.com
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Beautiful Dragons

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Signature file edited; [phw 8/31/04]

To get some info out to people selling and buying. We know of 2 other people that had small reptiles arrive dead. (two snakes and another beardie) Its winter time and people are so concerned about the reptiles getting to cold in the flight, they think more heat/ higher heat packs is a good idea. Or they wait to open them just before shipping.

We have to remember where they come from and where they go, a reptile coming from and going to a warmer area, needs not heat packs normally for the flight if in a insulated box and onw that is a 40 hour is pleanty, but from what we tested, never more... as long as they are placed properly and not in direct contact.

All the reptiles were lost due to being in direct contact with the heat packs or coming from a warm area/going to a warm area. Its just something that new winter shippers often learn the hard way
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www.reptilerooms.com