Travelling

[Alfihaer]

So I have to take my rabbit with me in a total 4 hour round trip with me due to reasons I don't really want to say. And no she cannot stay with someone. Otherwise I would.

I have a mesh pet carrier or should I use our plastic one to attach a water bottle to ? I will supply hay and food without issues.

She doesn't get stressed during car rides and rather enjoys looking out the window.

How else should I prepare for the drive ?

 

[FuzzyBunny ph]

Will you be the one driving or are there other people with you? I think it would be better if you have someone who will be driving so you could attend to your bunny in the car.

When you mean mesh carrier, is that the cloth type? If so, I'd suggest using the plastic one and attach a waterbottle to it as she could chew on the mesh one. She would be safer in the plastic one also

Here's a video from House Rabbit Society about taking your bunny with you in a trip. Hope it helps!

 

[Alfihaer]

Will you be the one driving or are there other people with you? I think it would be better if you have someone who will be driving so you could attend to your bunny in the car.

When you mean mesh carrier, is that the cloth type? If so, I'd suggest using the plastic one and attach a waterbottle to it as she could chew on the mesh one. She would be safer in the plastic one also

Here's a video from House Rabbit Society about taking your bunny with you in a trip. Hope it helps!

I will be the passenger as I don't drive, and alright I'll have the plastic one dropped off.

But given the day I may leave situations may change and I can have my sister baby sit her. But it's up in the air. I won't know till the day of.

 

[FuzzyBunny ph]

travel safe! <3

 

[Alfihaer]

travel safe! <3

Thankfully its just a 4 hour round trip and not 4 hours each way

 

[TreasuredFriend]

We did a four to five hour trip with these Boys in their travel-safe cage unit. They didn't seem interested in eating or drinking, only one boy attempted to nibble hay briefly. Hub drove. Was a very windy day and they were tuned into road noises (semi-trucks) and weather sounds and basically just huddled near each other.

My rescue acquaintance i.e. foster mom and I have done 4-hour r/t travels to high-vol shelters to pick-up jeopardized, over-capacity occupants. The plastic k/c are the only carriers we used.

Hopefully you won't be accessible to RHVD2 areas.

 

[TreasuredFriend]

From rescues we've transitioned from high-vol shelters they rarely showed huge interest in drinking or eating. The guinea pig caging unit with Flemish brothers was partially draped with a towel for hidey concerns. Towel taken off for photo.

Personally, if you have a reliable, educated sister to bun-sit, that is a smart cjoice should any mishap occur on your travel route. We also do not leave our quiet, vulnerable dependents unattended as malicious persons can steal pets.

An adopter drove straight through from WI to NY with his two buns in a plastic carrier.

- Ditto. Please travel safe.

What every concerned bun parent is watching (also): EDUCATION | RHDV2 RABBIT HEMORRHAGIC DISEASE : USA INFORMATION

 

[TreasuredFriend]

Right on, Mary Cotter, HRS educator. They will tremble when traveling. They can be stressed. @FuzzyBunny ph , thanks for posting the Howcast video.

Our vet trip is about an hour one way depending on traffic volume. I like the idea of soft bedding or a small litter pan with hay so they can toilet instead of peeing on a soft carrier towel.

 

[Mac189]

From past experience, you may want to skip the water bottle and offer water in a dish that the water is kept pretty low in. I've had to do quite a few 12-hour drives straight through with my bunnies, and the first time I also used a water bottle. Unfortunately, the motion of the car bounced the bulb enough to totally soak the towel in the crate. I was lucky to have plenty of towels so Willa didn't have to be wet, but I found that a bowl generally prevents this problem for future trips. Safe travels!!

 

[Alfihaer]

From rescues we've transitioned from high-vol shelters they rarely showed huge interest in drinking or eating. The guinea pig caging unit with Flemish brothers was partially draped with a towel for hidey concerns. Towel taken off for photo.

Personally, if you have a reliable, educated sister to bun-sit, that is a smart cjoice should any mishap occur on your travel route. We also do not leave our quiet, vulnerable dependents unattended as malicious persons can steal pets.

An adopter drove straight through from WI to NY with his two buns in a plastic carrier.

- Ditto. Please travel safe.

What every concerned bun parent is watching (also): EDUCATION | RHDV2 RABBIT HEMORRHAGIC DISEASE : USA INFORMATION

Yeahh she isn't very reliable. That's why I worry

Kupo has never been stressed about car rides and actually rather sit on my lap or cuddled up watching things going on outside. Or sleeps in the pen. I've done 2 hours of driving with her before. I've taken her on busses and such when she was younger as I had to take her places before but didn't have a rise.

 

[Alfihaer]

From rescues we've transitioned from high-vol shelters they rarely showed huge interest in drinking or eating. The guinea pig caging unit with Flemish brothers was partially draped with a towel for hidey concerns. Towel taken off for photo.

Personally, if you have a reliable, educated sister to bun-sit, that is a smart cjoice should any mishap occur on your travel route. We also do not leave our quiet, vulnerable dependents unattended as malicious persons can steal pets.

An adopter drove straight through from WI to NY with his two buns in a plastic carrier.

- Ditto. Please travel safe.

What every concerned bun parent is watching (also): EDUCATION | RHDV2 RABBIT HEMORRHAGIC DISEASE : USA INFORMATION

We will not be going to anyone where RHDV2, she won't even be outside the car touching anything.

 

[Button]

Here is what I did. I bought a cat/dog run with a cover, but a litter box, toys, hay, a little bit of pellets in there with him. Stopping every now and then to give him water. He was fine and didn’t care he was in the car at all. Here is a picture of one just to give you an idea of what it looks like. I like that it’s mesh so they can still breathe easily unlike small pet carriers that are plastic.

 

[Alfihaer]

Here is what I did. I bought a cat/dog run with a cover, but a litter box, toys, hay, a little bit of pellets in there with him. Stopping every now and then to give him water. He was fine and didn’t care he was in the car at all. Here is a picture of one just to give you an idea of what it looks like. I like that it’s mesh so they can still breathe easily unlike small pet carriers that are plastic.

Yeah I can't afford to buy a whole new carrier right now.

 

[Button]

That’s totally understandable. they are expensive. My thought then is to leave the mesh carrier you have open. My emmi does not like it closed and emit doesn’t care at all. That way your bun can still see you. You could sit in the back seat with the carrier next to you. That way if she does anything like try to run off you are there to catch her. What I did when my buns seemed to get stressed I would do positive reinforcement tell them good boy or girl and give a few pellets. Also make sure you are making the carrier be a positive thing for your bunny. Maybe set her in for a few minutes and gradually increase the time she’s in there everyday or so.that is if she isn’t used to it already.

 

[Alfihaer]

That’s totally understandable. they are expensive. My thought then is to leave the mesh carrier you have open. My emmi does not like it closed and emit doesn’t care at all. That way your bun can still see you. You could sit in the back seat with the carrier next to you. That way if she does anything like try to run off you are there to catch her. What I did when my buns seemed to get stressed I would do positive reinforcement tell them good boy or girl and give a few pellets. Also make sure you are making the carrier be a positive thing for your bunny. Maybe set her in for a few minutes and gradually increase the time she’s in there everyday or so.that is if she isn’t used to it already.

If anything she may be able to sit freely on my lap up front for a bit.

I cannot sir I the back of cars, I get car sick and then it triggers cluster headaches.

No issues going in the pen or anything, that isn't a worry. I made sure of that a very long time ago. She knows we're going someplace and settles in

 

[Button]

Understandable. Do What you think is best as you know her better than any of us here.

 

[Blue eyes]

Using a mesh pen instead of a carrier is quite unsafe. Having a rabbit sit on your lap is also unsafe. The purpose of a designated carrier is to keep your pet safe. If there is an accident (even a minor one), the rabbit is more likely to get severely injured if not constrained to a small carrier. A pen would offer no protection from getting tossed about. Loose in the car or in any pen or carrier that is left open, a rabbit could escape the car if a window is broken or a door comes a jar or aid needs to be rendered to a passenger.

Actual pet carriers (as opposed to a pen) can be found as plastic (most common), metal, or cloth/mesh. The cloth ones are subject to chewing and are not as sturdy or protective (in case of accident). The plastic ones have plenty of openings and do not in any way inhibit breathing (they should not be covered with a towel or cloth). Never leave a carrier open while driving.

 

[Mac189]

Inexpensive, lightly used pet carriers are often found very cheaply on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. I have one similar to this for shorter journeys that works very well (It would also work for long trips, but I have a larger one so the duo can be more comfortable and have their full litterbox inside as well)
https://www.chewy.com/midwest-spree-two-door-dog-carrier/dp/323249

 

[SableSteel]

Never have a carrier open or animal in your lap while driving. While we might have seatbelts to protect us rabbits do not, and if there were an accident and unrestrained rabbit is likely to have injury (that is the same reason that I don't recommend having travel carriers that are larger than necessary; you want the animal secure and not able to slide around). I highly prefer metal carriers, with a wire floor so that the rabbit stays dry during travel and can grip the floor; also metal carriers have good airflow (if you only have one carrier and temperature/airflow isn't an issue you can partially cover it with a towel as long as a rabbit does not chew it). 4 hours round trip is really not a long travel at all. My rabbits regularly travel that distance and more for shows. Rabbits don't usually eat or drink in cars. Water bottles will spill because of the vibration- if you do provide water (I usually only do water if the trip is more than 6 hours) Id advise giving a dish and filling the dish no more than half way. You can give hay for the rabbits to nibble on; even then they don't each much and this hay provides entertainment and comfort more than it does nutrition. One of the best things you can do during travel is to leave the rabbit alone. They are likely going to be at least marginally stressed; readjusting their carrier and messing with them all the time does not help.

 

[JBun]

The best thing I found that helped keep my rabbits hydrated on a trip, was offering them their usual leafy greens and veggies though out the trip. A bottle will leak out, and water dishes tend to spill even when not filled very full. Though if your rabbit isn't used to eating veggies, then a sudden intro of new foods isn't usually a good idea and this wouldn't work for you.