24 our car ride, moving out of state. worried about what to with bun while at hotel

[heatherv]

My husband and are a moving to ND from WA. I'll be moving ahead of time, a few months early, to find a place for us to live. He's coming in June with the car and our bun buster. The drive is 24 hours and it's just him driving so we planned on him making at least 3 over night stops at hotels on the way.

During the time in the car traveling Buster will stay in his clamshell carrier. But how often should my husband stop to feed water Buster....willl Buster even eat or drink (or should Mark wait till at the hotel possibly an eight hour stretch of driving). Then when he's at the hotel what should we do with Buster. If their a "pet" friendly hotel does that only mean cats and dogs....would they even allow a rabbit. Lets say he gets a room, our plan is for Buster to be let out of his clam shell carrier into a puppy crate. Not very big but he'll have room to comfortable stretch out and hop a little.

He'd get food and water at this time of course...but that's another concern. I was thinking if Mark gives him hay won't that get everywhere? The hotel might get upset.

 

[Watermelons]

How big is this carrier? Start putting it out now with a water bottle and hay in it so he gets used to eating and drinking in it with free acess to come and go from it. Then maybe take him for small rides in it.
He needs 24 hour access to his hay/food and water. Thats needs to be provided while in transit.

 

[heatherv]

it's a small clamshell carrier that does not have an way to hook a water bottle on. I've read that during car rides rabbits don't eat drink as much if at all. What if I gave him hay and at stops I provided water. also he does not drink from a water bottle.

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

When I travel with my show rabbits, I don't offer them water while the vehicle is moving. There is really no good way to do it. Water will slosh out of a bowl, and bumpy roads shakes all the water out of bottles.

I DO put hay in all the carriers. Especially for a rabbit that isn't used to travel, it gives him something to chew on and take his mind off of what's going on.

Offer pellets and water when you get to the hotel. He'll be more likely to eat/drink then anyway. If you're on the road for more than 4-5 hours at a time, I would offer water at stops just incase he wants it. But he'll most likely wait until you're settled in for the night. That's okay; he'll be alright.

Pet friendly hotels should be okay with a rabbit. I've also occasionally stayed in a not-pet-friendly hotel. Fortunately, rabbits are quiet...if you know what I mean.

 

[heatherv]

I've heard of ppl offer their rabbit electrolytes after a long trip? Where can I find those what is the brand? What about vitadrops?

 

[heatherv]

I've heard of ppl offer their rabbit electrolytes after a long trip? Where can I find those what is the brand? What about vitadrops?

forgot to add What about vitadrops or oxbow natural science small animal health digestive support supplement or vitamin C supplement...Any of these options would be for after the long car drive/over night stays...I'm sure he will be quite stressed at first upon arrive at our destination

 

[Baron]

The hotel might get upset.

I would dress him up as a child and sneak him in... meh, what they don't know won't hurt them.

 

[Blue eyes]

I wouldn't add anything new (electrolytes or vita drops) to his diet during a trip. You could provide very wet greens during pit stops (if bunny is interested) so that he gets some water that way. Mine usually don't drink while traveling but they will munch on hay in the carrier.

I use an x-pen in hotels. You can put down a plastic tarp with a cheap fleece blanket on top. That is the way I have it set up in that photo below. The cardboard box is collapsible, so easy to transport, but provides a comfort factor for bunnies in a strange place.

Any pet friendly hotels I've dealt with are fine with rabbits.

The padded mat is also from their cage to give them a 'smell' of home.

 

[brassbunny]

Could your husband request a handicapped accessible room? They usually have larger bathrooms and he could put the crate in there for ease of cleaning up the hay. And I would definitely let Buster have a run around the room each night before bed, under close supervision, of course. Motel rooms are not very bunny proof.

 

[heatherv]

thanks for the help. Alot of advice or tips given I hadn't even thought of

 

[missyscove]

Definitely recommend giving your rabbit frequent access to the carrier starting now so he gets used to it and finds it familiar and comforting when you start to travel. If you know the basic route you'll be taking, you can try calling hotels now and see what their policies are on rabbits.

 

[heatherv]

Yep a couple weeks ago I was sure the make a list of pet friendly hotels along the way...that do allow a rabbit (I called to verify) and have no pet fee.

He has been in his carrier to the vets...a 30 min car ride on way. But definetaly not a 24 hour car ride (broke up into 5-8 hour car rides at once depending on how many times my husband stops at a hotel on the way, and the pit stops)

So since the car ride coming up going from state to state may be 3-8 hours depending...should I get him used to this by having him sit in his closed clamshell carrier for 3-5 hours a day or should I take him out for longer car rides...an hour vs 30 min trip one way?
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[missyscove]

Has he been good on car rides in the past? You might try feeding him in his carrier (at least in the house if not in the car) to help him get more comfortable in there and make it more likely he'll eat in there on the trip.

 

[heatherv]

Has he been good on car rides in the past? You might try feeding him in his carrier (at least in the house if not in the car) to help him get more comfortable in there and make it more likely he'll eat in there on the trip.

He's done fine in the carrier in the car once I've set his carrier on the car floor and he's no longer off the ground. But giving him treats in the car will probably help. I mentioned to my husband today that we should take him on short trips or even when we have to run a quick errand just to get him comfortable being in his carrier and in the car.

 

[Watermelons]

He really needs to get as used to his carrier as possible. Which is why it was suggested you allow him access to it when hes not traveling. Put his hay and food in there. He needs to be comfortable eating in it. Its not like youre going to a rabbit show and back this is a LONG drive over multiple days. That is way too long for a rabbit to not eat/drink for which is why they need to be able to do so during the trip and be comfortable doing it.

 

[heatherv]

He really needs to get as used to his carrier as possible. Which is why it was suggested you allow him access to it when hes not traveling. Put his hay and food in there. He needs to be comfortable eating in it. Its not like youre going to a rabbit show and back this is a LONG drive over multiple days. That is way too long for a rabbit to not eat/drink for which is why they need to be able to do so during the trip and be comfortable doing it.

Good advice, thank you.

 

[Watermelons]

or better yet, do you have a petsmart near by where you are now and where you're moving too?
Buy a new carrier, a slightly larger one maybe that has a front door, allow him access to it to come and go and eat and drink in it. then when you're done return it.