Traveling with Green Anoles and Long-Tailed Lizards

Question
6 years old Anoles and Long- Tailed
29-Gallon Tank
UVB Lighting
85 Degree Day Temp. 70 Degree Night Temp.
80% Humidity
Goat Loaded Crickets

My husband and I own two Green Anoles and two Long-Tailed Lizards. We are taking a 12 hour road trip from Colorado to Arizona in July. We would like to know one is it safe to travel with our lizards and if so how do we travel with them in the car? What kind of housing should we use and lighting?

Answer
For a 12 hour car trip, I recommend herding them into deli cups with slightly damp paper towel (to prevent dehydration) in them, for safety, and putting them in a box.  Darkness will make the ordeal less stressful.  It is vitally important that you keep your car's interior temperature in a safe range--if it's comfortable for you, it's probably fine for them.  Never leave them unattended in the car with the air conditioning off, even for a couple of minutes (you'll have to take turns for bathroom breaks, and get food on the go, unless you take your box of lizards into a place with you, lol).  Car interiors can heat up remarkably fast, and tiny lizards will heat up just as fast.

Reptiles are routinely shipped by express overnight inside deli cups, in insulated boxes.  They will be fine with no care until you reach your destination, and then you can set them back up in their own enclosure, and give them water.

If putting them into deli cups is impossible, then remove all branches or other things that might shift or fall from the cage, and and transport them in their cage.  It is vitally important that their cage NEVER be in direct sunlight during the trip, so you may have to move it around inside the car, or get protective shades (like those made for infants).  Glass tanks trap heat, and can quickly become lethal if they're in the sun.

If your vehicle's air conditioning is questionable, take along some cold packs, like the type you would put into a cooler to keep drinks cold, and place them in proximity to the deli cups (or around the cage).  A digital thermometer or temp gun is a good thing to bring with you, just to make sure that the temperatures are between 70F and 88F at all times.