Question: Transporting axies

Hello
I've read all the details for transporting new tanks and axolotyls. I was just wondering if it is safe to transport an axolotyl on a 2-2.5 hour drive?
If so, what would be required? Just a plastic bag or tub and maybe some ice incase it gets hot?
Also, for two full grown axolotyls, would a 2ft long tank be enough? Its also 1ft high and wide
I cant afford to get more than what I need but I dont want to squish them together too much

Hi Spartacus,

Not sure if you read this link. http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/shipping.shtml

I suppose if you can avoid it, avoid transporting your axies.

However, if you really had to, perhaps you might like to use an esky. The esky should provide insulation against the heat and keep them cool inside. Get fresh cool dechlorinated bottles of water on standby incase of spillage etc and you don't want to be hunting for water while an axie dessicates. Prepare ice cubes from dechlorinated clean water in advance. Prepare as much as you can and put them in another esky. You can drop one or two ice cubes into the axie's esky if it gets too hot. Do not put anything in with the axies, including plants.

Yes your tank is way to small for 2 adult axies. I would aim at least for a 3 foot tank.

Cheers.

Thanks alot
Damn, I found a cheap tank in my city on trademe, guess I better keep hunting though. It's harder than I thought, but I havent checked every pet store yet.
I dont think eskys are sold in New Zealand but I'll hunt around for similar alternatives
Thanks so much, I'd be lost without this forum

Spartacus said:

Thanks alot
Damn, I found a cheap tank in my city on trademe, guess I better keep hunting though. It's harder than I thought, but I havent checked every pet store yet.
I dont think eskys are sold in New Zealand but I'll hunt around for similar alternatives
Thanks so much, I'd be lost without this forum

Click to expand...

go down to your fish moungers, try and find a big enough foam packing box (used for sea food transportation)

i would also suggest before closing the box you, try and get some holes in the lid, help the lil guys breath,

also check out that link, lots of help and knowledge in there

Hi again,

You can try ebay for cheap tanks and ask around aquarium shops for 'preloved' tanks. As long as they are working properly, a good old clean and scrub will get it in glistening splendour again.

I am pretty sure you can get eskys in NZ. They are the coolers with handles that you can use to keep beer/soft drink cans cold for summer drinking. Try places like bunnings warehouse, coles and k mart.

Styrofoam boxes like aaron suggested can be useful although personlly i don't really like exposing axies to styrofoam for prolonged periods. Some kinds of synthetic latex/plastic can have toxic effects on axies.

Cheers

My axie survived a 2hr drive just fine, so don't worry too much. I think the worst thing about the journey was how paranoid I got. I got so bad I was preparing to find a floating axolotl when I put the tub down at home.

Mine was a juvie of about 4 inches. I put him in a large tupperware box, and every ten minutes or so I lifted the lid to make sure the oxygen in there was ok. I draped the box in a towel to block out the light, but made sure not to wrap the box in case it warmed up.
My friend was driving so I held the box in my arms and tilted it to compensate for sudden stops and big corners. The roads are awful in the UK, bumpy as hell, so that didn't help my paranoia!

I'm a bit of an Axie noob so don't take my advice verbatim, i'm just mentioning what I did, and it worked for me. I hope you don't get as paranoid as I did too. It's not healthy!