If you must take your cold-blooded pet with you when you travel you will need to find reptile friendly accommodations. Failure to prepare for your trip can result in a difficult time for both you and your pet.
Before you travel, well in advance, take your pet to the veterinarian. Let him know where you will be traveling and by what method you will travel, as well as the route you will take. If you are driving, remember that you will not only have to meet the health requirements of your destination, but also every city and state along the way. Some places do not allow certain types of reptiles within their city limits, so plan accordingly. Make sure that you have all the tests necessary run on the timeline your vet provides to ensure your pet’s health certificate will be ready in time for you to travel. If you don’t do this, you could be in violation of the law.
If you will be staying in a hotel, call ahead to make sure they will allow your animal to room with you. Some pet friendly hotels require you to take your pet with you when you leave the room. If this is not feasible for you, look elsewhere. Other large hotel chains are happy to accommodate pet owners of all sorts as long as you make your pets known at the front desk at check-in. You may be asked to keep them in their enclosures while you are out of the room (which is a good idea when traveling with a reptile anyway) for the safety of the hotel guests and staff. Exotic pets may require extra deposits or procedures.
Make sure to carry your pet’s health certificate (and maybe a copy or two extra), your contact information and travel itinerary, your veterinarian’s contact information, the contact information of a friend or family member who can make decisions for your pet if you cannot be reached, and the name and number of a veterinarian who treats your animal’s species in the area you are visiting. It seems like a lot of work, but it will guarantee you have all you need in the event of an emergency and it may be required by your hotel. Keep the information close to your reptile’s cage, preferably affixed to it in a large envelope, so your pet will be taken care of if there is an emergency or disaster. You can never be too prepared when dealing with animals.
Traveling with reptiles is not easy, but can be done. Keeping comfort and preparedness in mind will make things much more uncomplicated when finding reptile friendly accommodations.
