Will my skink be fine in a hotel for a day?

[kmay5612]

I’m going to a reptile expo this weekend and I’m unsure about whether or not my skink will be okay with staying the night at a hotel. I’ve been reading and I think they will be fine as long as we keep the room warm and wait to feed them until their comfortable in their enclosure, but I don’t want to do anything wrong. Will it harm them if I stay in a hotel for one night?

[mb606587]

Are you vending the show and that's why you need to bring your skink or skinks along? If not, then I'd leave it at home. I may be stating the obvious but if you aren't vending, you won't be able to bring your animals into the expo. I leave my skinks at home sometimes for several days at a time. Lights and heat on timers and if gone for more than a night, I'll have somebody just check on them to make sure the heat lights haven't failed with plenty of spare bulbs available. Even if you are able to bring a heated enclosure with you to the hotel, there is still risk in transporting and these skinks generally don't appreciate change. But if you must, what would you be keeping your skink in and for how long?

[kmay5612]

Are you vending the show and that's why you need to bring your skink or skinks along? If not, then I'd leave it at home. I may be stating the obvious but if you aren't vending, you won't be able to bring your animals into the expo. I leave my skinks at home sometimes for several days at a time. Lights and heat on timers and if gone for more than a night, I'll have somebody just check on them to make sure the heat lights haven't failed with plenty of spare bulbs available. Even if you are able to bring a heated enclosure with you to the hotel, there is still risk in transporting and these skinks generally don't appreciate change. But if you must, what would you be keeping your skink in and for how long?

Are you vending the show and that's why you need to bring your skink or skinks along? If not, then I'd leave it at home. I may be stating the obvious but if you aren't vending, you won't be able to bring your animals into the expo. I leave my skinks at home sometimes for several days at a time. Lights and heat on timers and if gone for more than a night, I'll have somebody just check on them to make sure the heat lights haven't failed with plenty of spare bulbs available. Even if you are able to bring a heated enclosure with you to the hotel, there is still risk in transporting and these skinks generally don't appreciate change. But if you must, what would you be keeping your skink in and for how long?

Are you vending the show and that's why you need to bring your skink or skinks along? If not, then I'd leave it at home. I may be stating the obvious but if you aren't vending, you won't be able to bring your animals into the expo. I leave my skinks at home sometimes for several days at a time. Lights and heat on timers and if gone for more than a night, I'll have somebody just check on them to make sure the heat lights haven't failed with plenty of spare bulbs available. Even if you are able to bring a heated enclosure with you to the hotel, there is still risk in transporting and these skinks generally don't appreciate change. But if you must, what would you be keeping your skink in and for how long?

I’ll be going to an expo to buy a skink and we’re planning on staying in a hotel for the night. I’m wondering if the skink would be fine sleeping in the hotel for a night without a heating pad or anything like that.

[kingofnobbys]

A big clickclack ( tote or tub with lid and ventilation (made my melting holes in the sides with an electric soldering iron) ) would be the best way to
> transport the skink
> temporarily house in the motel

Make sure nothing can fall over or fall on the skink and it's made safe for travelling from the show/motel to home.

[mb606587]

Okay that makes much more sense. Yes your skink will be fine without heat overnight. Just don't feed it until you get home and it's in its permanent enclosure as they need proper heat to digest. As far as temporary enclosures go, I agree with kingofnobbys on a secure storage tote with lid as the best option. You could actually even cut a square portion out of the lid and staple a sheet of chicken wire to cover. This way you could even set a heat lamp on top but I'd only consider that if you were getting in and out of the expo early in the morning and your new skink would then be spending a large portion of the day and then overnight in the room.

[kmay5612]

Okay that makes much more sense. Yes your skink will be fine without heat overnight. Just don't feed it until you get home and it's in its permanent enclosure as they need proper heat to digest. As far as temporary enclosures go, I agree with kingofnobbys on a secure storage tote with lid as the best option. You could actually even cut a square portion out of the lid and staple a sheet of chicken wire to cover. This way you could even set a heat lamp on top but I'd only consider that if you were getting in and out of the expo early in the morning and your new skink would then be spending a large portion of the day and then overnight in the room.

It would be sometime in the afternoon. Would they need a heat lamp if it were after three when we arrived at the hotel?

[mb606587]

No worries. He'll be okay at room temperature for the afternoon and over night.