Long Distance Move

[jcandbinkey]

Hi Everyone!

I am making a big move next month from Reno, NV to Austin, TX. It is about 1,750 miles driving, which would take 3-4 days with my bunny, Coconut. I am also considering flying him out (it is my understanding he can fly in the cabin on United) which would take around 5-6 hours, including the layover.

I have been taking him on drives around town, to try to get him used to being out of the house and stuck in his carrier. He doesn't particularly enjoy this, but he will eat little pieces of carrots, parsly, etc. I just want him to make it to Austin safely, and want opinions on what option would be better. I feel like the drive will be so long that it will stress him out, but then again, while driving I can stop, take him out of the carrier, and play with him. On the plane, this is not possible.

Any advice is appreciated!

Thank you!

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

I'd say that flying would probably be less stressful. It is much shorter and he can then settle in faster at the new place. However, if he is a larger rabbit (even 5-6 pounds), he might not fit well in a carrier that fits under the seat and that won't be comfortable for 5-6 hours. Airlines may require a soft carrier as well and some rabbits don't do well in those. Flying is also more expensive, it can cost anywhere from $50-200 to fly plus your ticket which would be a few hundred.

Driving can be more stressful since you are travelling for probably 8-10 hours a day for 3-4 days. You are not really limited on the carrier size, so can use a larger carrier or a small cage to make him feel more comfortable. You can stop as often as you need to to give him a break from the car moving. An x-pen or a harness and leash (or both) can be used to give him some exercise. You will need to have something in the hotel to keep any mess to a minimum and make sure you stay at a pet friendly hotel (say he's a cat if it helps, not all will allow rabbits, but allow cats). There are some risks with him not eating or drinking, so you may want to take supplies to force feed or syringe water if needed. Driving for 3-4 days can cost as much or maybe more than flying with hotels, gas and food. But if you are moving you might be taking other stuff that you would have to pay to have moved out, so that can save some money.

Both have pros and cons and it's hard to recommend one without knowing the full situation. If it is just you and your rabbit going and you have all the other stuff moved out another way, then flying would probably be better. If you have other stuff to take, then driving could be better.

 

[LakeCondo]

If he can travel in the cabin, that'd probably be best. But even then it depends how much before the flight you'd have to leave home & the likelihood of a delay in either segment of the trip. And if the driving involved an suv that you could use as a camper & avoid motels altogether that'd make driving look more attractive.

 

[luvthempigs]

Flying an animal scares me unless it is in a carrier and I'm allowed to have it with me at all times. I personally would not trust the people working at the airlines to handle my pet with proper care. They tend to treat them as a piece of luggage rather than a living breathing being.