[Noxz]

I am moving from Ohio to California within a week or two and I am planning on taking the train (Amtrak) to get there. I may actually pick the train up at Chicago Union Station, wince my father is going that route this weekend and was always the first transfer for any tickets I found in Ohio... 2 days on this train to LAX then a transfer to SJC...

I have 2 tincs (1 yr old) that I obviously either have to give away, or take with me...

According to baggage guidelines you can have 2 carryon bags plus a 12x12x12 that is not counted towards this limit of 2. I am considering using my morphing containers, which are tupperwares of decent size (two next to each other are about 12" wide.. I forget the exact dimensions though) .. and because I need to feed them I will obviously need to bring some FF cultures with me, and I have plenty ready to go, and just made 3 more jars yesterday. I say jars because I use canning jars and not plastic containers, so they should be verry durable during the trip. I might need to find a decent bag/cooler that can fit these guys plus some FF jars, or construct a bag, maybe out of canvas and wood edges. They will be on my lap the entire time so no need to worry about too much or too little heat..

Does anyone know with the recent arrival of TSA at CUS how easy I might be able to slip past "security" and bring them aboard? apparently they dont have xray or anything, but could the drug/bomb sniffing tool (like a digital k9) might find my banana+vinegear+oats+instant potato jars as something else?
What would really happen if I get caught with little frogs in a container?
If I get caught before bringing them onbaord, anyone in Chicago that might be able to pick them up at a moments notice?

I would love to take them... and on a side note, I might need a vivarium ready to go as soon as I get to San Jose... or else I have to build one up...

Thanks!

 

[Deanos]

Amtrak has a no-pets policy. See here:

Amtrak - Plan - Accessible Travel Services - Service Animals and Pet Policy

 

[Noxz]

right, that's why they are going to be in a 12x12x12 bag/box .. the point is that they dont have enough man power/equipment to search everyone

 

[ForbiddenFrogs]

i live in so cal i could have a temp 10 gallon ready for you if you like

 

[Noxz]

ForbiddenFrogs, Thanks, very interesting.. Possibly someone closser to the (south) Bay area though... honestly it wouldnt be that difficult for me to get a temp tank going.. I have to get there first, so I'm more interested about sneaking them aboard.

 

[carola1155]

Your best bet might be to find a trusted member on the board to ship them to... Then when you get there, pick them up.

If you are going to try sneaking them on the train, I wouldnt bother with fruit fly cultures or anything. The more stuff like that you have, the more potential there is for eyebrows to be raised. The frogs will be fine for a few days without food, just feed heavily before you leave. Just set something up with a local ahead of time to grab a couple cultures when you get there.

The reality is that this is most likely one of those situations where you are going to need to rely on the generosity of the board to make it work. Luckily, this board is pretty awesome... and you already even have an offer for help with a tank as it is.

 

[Noxz]

Beyond my 2 carry-ons and 1 checked in baggage, I will also be transporting my race bicycle, and in that I plan on taking many bicycle tools... I could possibly throw quite a few cultures in there for the arrival.

Myabe a small salt shaker or something with a hundred flies or so might work out just fine.. I figure the least amount of metal as possible.

It is a bit nerve wracking to figure out... I will actually still have my place here since it might only be for 6 months, and I know of atleast one person that can take care of them when I'm gone, but I'd rather not...

I've never traveled on train before, and especially not in a busy station like Chicago's ... does any one have expierence with the station and possible security?

 

[ForbiddenFrogs]

my brother takes the train from Phoenix Az to here and he sneaks things all the time on there, especially when he was moving back from college, you should be fine, the dogs wouldnt pick up the frog scent, but flys/cultures will be a dead give away, u should send them to the address your moving to, how long is your train ride

 

[Noxz]

~66 hrs on trains, I think from Ohio, not sure from Chicago.. basically 3 days
3pm departure time in Chicago... two nights on the train, xfer at LAX, arrive at midnight at SJC

 

[Noxz]

I would also go to the bathroom to feed them. No sleeping car.

 

[jacobi]

Why are you transporting cultures? Why don't you just buy new ones when you arrive?

 

[Noxz]

Why are you transporting cultures? Why don't you just buy new ones when you arrive?

Because a 3 day journey might(should?) require food, so why not bring atleast one jar?

Also, I am moving with two of my other buddies, but they are driving there like a week after, I'm sure they have enough space to put a few of the newer jars..

And I suppose I could buy some once I get there. I just dont know what is around, but I'm sure plenty people on this board live in the Bay area

edit: my vivarium is currently installed in a bookshelf and cannot come out, so my buddies would not be able to take it with them, and it's fairly large and his car just isn't

 

[ForbiddenFrogs]

u should send them to the address your goin to, or have a friend send them the day after you leave, the train is ok as well but if u get caught youll lose your frogs....or you can send them to me here and pick up when you get to cali but i live in upland ca 91786 see how close your path is to mine maybe there a bus/train stop we could meet up at, it sux tryn to move long distance and tryn keep the things you love (pet/animal wise), let me know ill help as much as i can, takin the cultures will get you caught by the k9 for sure take something that doesnt put out such a potent scent, like 2day pin head crickets, spring tales

 

[Noxz]

u should send them to the address your goin to, or have a friend send them the day after you leave, the train is ok as well but if u get caught youll lose your frogs....or you can send them to me here and pick up when you get to cali but i live in upland ca 91786 see how close your path is to mine maybe there a bus/train stop we could meet up at, it sux tryn to move long distance and tryn keep the things you love (pet/animal wise), let me know ill help as much as i can, takin the cultures will get you caught by the k9 for sure take something that doesnt put out such a potent scent, like 2day pin head crickets, spring tales

Thanks for the offer...

I do have a springtail culture...
Will a k9/electronic sniffing device detect banana as bad? maybe the vinegear, but I can make a small salt shaker or so of jsut banana to keep them going for a few days...

I read one account on another forum of successfully going on a 12 hr train ride with his frogs.

I have a few days to figure it out...

 

[Noxz]

.... Maybe I should ask my buddies to take care of them for the week... that never really dawned on me... I think we're meeting up tonight so I'll ask then...

 

[ForbiddenFrogs]

askin your buddies is prob your best bet

 

[Noxz]

they got the job offer after I did, and so I was sort of stuck on going on the train at the start, and still plan to go on it, just prob without the little dudes... they just have to keep an eye on them and practice feeding them(including dusting)...

 

[VenomR00]

Really you could just tubaware them for 3 days and they would be fine. Most frogs are fat and overweight anyway. Just over feed three days before hand and by the time you get their they will be perfectly fine. No need to even open it as long as it is moist.

Also the no pet guideline is for domestic pets really. They, as the OP said don't have the power to check every bag. I never once was check when I would travel from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale.

 

[johnachilli]

Really you could just tubaware them for 3 days and they would be fine. Most frogs are fat and overweight anyway. Just over feed three days before hand and by the time you get their they will be perfectly fine. No need to even open it as long as it is moist.e.

Agreed don't worry about feeding them, they will be fine for the 3 days, most froggers don't feed their adults at home that often. The added stress of having fruitflies crawling all over them during the transport is unneeded.

 

[scoy]

I've never smuggled anything before, but if I did I wouldnt broadcast on the internet what, where, and when I was going to do it. You might wanna go another route.