4 hour car ride for my bunny - Advice?

[addy]

Hi guys, my 1 year old bunny, Panda, is going to move with me from DC to NJ (4 hour car ride). I've been back and forth for about a year and I'm finally moving up there! I'm going to try my best to hit an odd time to avoid traffic so that it is exactly 4 hours to save both of us traffic stress. For me personally I take one stop at the 2 hour mark to use the rest facilities off the freeway.

My plan that I picked up from online and my own experience - please provide feedback as she hasn't gone on a long trip like this with me yet:
-make the bottom of the carrier like her litter box (line with newspaper and litter)
-provide hay in the litter box
-put her in the passenger seat with seatbelt fastened on the carrier
-stop as usual at the 2 hour mark, provide a bowl of water and veggies. If she doesn't drink, feed her water with a syringe (how much)?
-once I arrive at my new home, unload her first, not my household goods!

Panda is used to going on 30 min trips in a cardboard enclosed box I got for cheap at a pet store. Yesterday I just got a hardshell carrier that can have the top open and also the top can be removed. I put it in her space with her towel and veggies in there so she can get used to it. She has had bad experiences with carriers so I think that's why she's been getting her veggies in there quickly and eating them outside the carrier. I used to have a carrier that doesn't have the top opened so I had to force her in at times by scooting her butt in. I'm glad I got an open top so I could drop her in.

Any thoughts? Advice? We are leaving Sun night or Mon morning. Thank you!

 

[Watermelons]

Hard sided carrier is the way to go.
and great that youre getting her used to it.
I would line the bottom with a nice thick towel and not litter, especially in the event of an accident you dont need anything hard being thrown around with her. and the towel stays at the bottom better then lighter litter which just gets mixed with the hay and makez a bigger mess. Yes lots of hay in there . You can also leave in fresh herbs like cilantro, dill, etc. Lettuce.
Give her a water bottle strapped to the front. have her get used to that being there too.
2 hours in is not a dire enough timeline to stress her by force feeding anything. 4 hours isnt either. you will cause more stress by doing this. offer her food and if she doesnt eat the extras fine, leave her be.

 

[addy]

Thanks guys for the tips! Is there a recommended minimum amount of car time that I need to feed her with a syringe? Unfortunately with my schedule at the moment, I'm afraid that I'll have to leave when the rest of the world is wide awake, which means there might be traffic. At worst, the ride can be up to 6 hours.

Aunt Mary - your rabbit was not enclosed and was just directly on a seat with a dog cushion? Hm, I wonder if I should leave the top cover of the carrier open and have my right hand on her for parts of my drive? I think she will be too scared to hop out? And thankfully I am a lefty and drive with my left hand.

 

[Watermelons]

Aunt Mary I am removing your post. that is honestly some of the most unsafe advice I have seen lately and I am not going to have people who read our forum think that is acceptable.

Please NEVER EVER leave your animal on just a bed. Never travel with them not SECURELY enclosed in something!
Nevermind how unsafe that is for the rabbit should something happen... Do you honestly think your hand can keep the rabbit inplace in event of an accident?
That rabbit will be dead.
I have seen hundreds of accidents in my line of work. Stuff always goes flying through the vehicle and unsecured animals can and will end up dead.

Addy please keep the top on that carrier and keep it seatbelted in place.

6 hours is not long enough to need to syring anything.
If she went 12 hours with out eating or drinking then maybe i would consider it but there is zero need to stress her out further.
ensure she eats well before being tucked inside the carrier. and make sure she is the first to be setup at the new place.
being able to see you or have you touch them does not change anything. focus on driving and not the distractions in your car please.

 

[Blue eyes]

Here's a good guide with photos on transporting a rabbit. It basically reiterates what Watermelons has already stated.
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Transport/Car/Car.htm

I've gone on trips as long as 6 hours with my rabbits. Best is to just get there. I stop when I need a bathroom break but don't stop extra for the rabbits. I think it stresses them more to keep stopping and going. Once the car is running, they get accustomed to the humm.

Mine never eat or drink on a trip. Some would munch on hay during the ride. (I always have hay in the carrier for long rides.)

 

[Aunt Mary]

Thank you for your concern.

 

[jamesewaller]

hi,addy..just the normal concerns for any travel-ie weather,other drivers.!-I had to travel with my cottontail 34miles-one way through very heavy traffic-to get to an exotic vet-for rabbits{none local}-it was hectic,and nerve racking,-even thou-these trips went well,-all you can do is {like with a child is} anchor down the carrier and pray..-joseph r cottontail- had to have surgery for a facial abscess-I slept in my car until I could take him home.he had all the convienences of being at home-in the carrier..i think he enjoyed the ride home better..sincerely james waller-my avatar is joseph r cottontail

 

[addy]

Thank you all. The only thing I don't have is a water feeder. Panda is not trained to drink out of that, just a bowl. But she normally drinks a lot of water compared to the average rabbit from my experience. I will make sure she is adequately nourished before the ride. Will let you all know how it goes if I remember to post here despite the craziness of moving!

 

[Blue eyes]

My rabbits only use a bowl too. I've attached a bowl to the carrier door on trips before. If any spills, it just gets on the towel (which is folded over several times).

 

[addy]

Thanks again for your advice. I am wondering based off your experience, how long would it take for after the car ride and moving to a new home for my rabbit's personality to return to normal? I hope her personality doesn't change. She is so sweet. She is extra hyper following me, joining me on the couch when I sit down, and dancing for food haha. I really hope she doesn't get too traumatized.

 

[Popsicles]

It completely depends on the individual bunny, can take some bunnies weeks or months to adjust to new surroundings, some can just be days. Her personality should stay the same, she just might be a bit worried a first, and maybe less sociable. Give her a chance to settle in before expecting too much from her. Good luck!

 

[rabbit_friend]

I realize you're probably busy packing and may not check this, but here is what has worked well for us. We take our 4 buns with us when we travel twice a year, and the drive is 5-8 hours to our destinations.

- Wet parsley and green leaf lettuce or romaine every couple of hours -- no syringeing, since I agree it would just add unnecessary stress. None of mine will drink on the way, even when we stop, so I just set up their water bowls as soon as we get there, and they drink up then.

- Towels instead of litter in the bottom of the carrier -- gives more secure footing and feeling. I put two folded towels in the bottom of the carrier and take extras readily accessible to switch out if they get soaked in pee. I also take a litter box to set bunnies in when we stop, because some are so well trained they will just "hold it" the whole trip otherwise.

- Fleece or "stuffy" that smells familiar, added to carrier. (In your case, since you're moving, I'd also avoid washing her towels, fleece, etc. if she has them, for several weeks, so she has something that smells familiar.)

- Carrier in passenger seat with door facing me so bunny can see me and I can see bun (if I'm traveling with just one carrier). Seat belt secures carrier. I do think it is helpful for the bun to be able to see you. If they can see that you're there with them and that you're unconcerned about all the things whizzing by and the noise, I do think it helps them calm down. Definitely keep your eyes on the road though, and hands on the wheel!

- Talking to them frequently, and minimizing other noises such as radio or music that they aren't accustomed to.

- Touch and check within the first 5 minutes (stop driving, of course). I actually think touch is very important, and I'm sure it saved the life of one of my newer bunnies once when he hyperventilated at the start of a trip and started turning blue. I now always stop after the first 5 minutes of driving, when their anxiety is the highest, to pet and soothe them and check their vitals. I check ear and body temperature and tone (rigid or relaxed), eyes, heartrate and breathing, and mouth and nose color. If a bunny seems very stressed, I will stop again in 10 minutes and check and pet and soothe them some more. By "stop" I mean pulling over in a safe place where I can take as long as I need to calm the bun.

- Room thermometer to monitor temperature near the bunny -- sun shining in may make their side warmer than yours. Also lightweight cover for carrier that can block sun but still let most air through.

- On hot days, frozen water bottles in cooler and plenty of water. You never know when you'll get stopped in traffic, with the AC not working well, or have the car break down. Having frozen water bottles to slip under the towel around the bunny and water to wet the ears with may save a bun's life, since they are very susceptible to heat stroke.

- Alfalfa hay, kale and other special treats, to get appetite going if a bun doesn't resume eating upon arrival. Most of our buns are old hands at traveling now, and settle in and eat right away at their "new" place. As you no doubt know, it is critical for bunnies to eat, and stress can upset their gut. Treats can lure them into eating. Benebac can also help.

Your bunny will take its cues from you. If you are calm and non-stressed, it is more likely the bun will be too. So relax (as much as possible during a move) and enjoy the trip. Good luck!

 

[Blue eyes]

- On hot days, frozen water bottles in cooler and plenty of water. You never know when you'll get stopped in traffic, with the AC not working well, or have the car break down. Having frozen water bottles to slip under the towel around the bunny and water to wet the ears with may save a bun's life, since they are very susceptible to heat stroke.

Just wanted to stress what a good point this one is! I live in the desert and temps can soar.
We had our car overheat once when driving the hour to our petsitter's. We had our dogs and rabbits in the car in mid-summer when temps were over 105F. Thankfully I had frozen water bottles for the rabbits' carrier. Can't imagine if I didn't have those frozen bottles.

 

[addy]

Hi all,

I arrived a little more than an hour ago safely with Panda. It was a 4 hour ride without traffic. She ended up not going to the bathroom at all during the ride. We are at our new home now and she just pooped! Now she's eating hay from her feeder. Yay!

Thanks all for your help. It looks like she is adjusting quickly.

 

[addy]

Also thanks for the great tips about car rides when it is hot. I did not feel the need since it was 70-75F when we drove but I will keep that in mind for the summer!

 

[Popsicles]

Glad your journey went well and you both got there safely! Good luck to both of you settling in

 

[Maryhall45]

FYI I also use a disposable cat litter box just in case he needed to potty. Keeps his carrier cleaner and still gives him room to sit by the door of the carrier.