ok, so I'm getting a holland lop soon and my family goes on long term trips occasionally, my mom and I, I mean, and we'll go for 2-5 day trips like 2 times a year. But I was wondering if a should get a soft-sided carrier or a hard-sided carrier. I was personally into the soft ones, but my choice doesn't matter if it is not good the bunny, and since I haven't gotten him yet, I don't know if he's a fabric chewer.... help? and what do I do if he pees in it on a plane...
Carriers...
- Thread starter zkeaton
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Get a hard carrier, if your holland lop is a chewer the soft won’t last. I had a soft once but one of my bunnies bit through the zipper and jumped out.
The hard ones is easier to clean and will hold better
The hard ones is easier to clean and will hold better
For trips that are less than 2 weeks in length, it is best to get a petsitter for a rabbit. Travel itself is quite stressful for a rabbit --just bringing a rabbit home for the first time in the car can cause major stress. A car ride followed by airplane boarding and airport commotion would be terrifying. In addition, when a rabbit is moved to a new location/home it can take them several days to a couple weeks to de-stress and get comfortable in their new surroundings. With such a short trip, bunny would never get that chance to de-stress. The entire trip would be nothing but complete, possibly dangerous levels of stress.
It would be better for the rabbit to stay home and have someone come to the house daily to take care of him. Second best option would be to take them to a nearby friend's to be looked after.
As for carriers, it's a good idea to have one anyway for bringing him home the first time and for any vet visits, if needed. Hard-sided are safest.
It would be better for the rabbit to stay home and have someone come to the house daily to take care of him. Second best option would be to take them to a nearby friend's to be looked after.
As for carriers, it's a good idea to have one anyway for bringing him home the first time and for any vet visits, if needed. Hard-sided are safest.
Get a hard carrier, if your holland lop is a chewer the soft won’t last. I had a soft once but one of my bunnies bit through the zipper and jumped out.
The hard ones is easier to clean and will hold better
tysm!! I will get the hard one. I just liked the soft one more because I thought it might be able to travel easier, and it would hurt less to hold, but if a have to buy a new one every month its not worth it like at all... thank you for your help!
thinking about it that way I don't want to hurt the poor thing! I thought we would take it with us because my mom and I normally go on trips ourselves. However, sometimes the whole family comes, so I thought maybe it would start to like traveling. I've learned that's not that case.. If my mom and I went on a trip though, I wouldn't want to trust my siblings with her, or my stepdad to give the bun its daily needs, looking through videos, It looks like a lot of work. Do you have any sites or anything for pet sitters, I don't want to stress it out even more than a new home like you said...
Apollo’s Slave
Well-Known Member
I use a hard sided cat carrier.
As for a pet sitter, I'd see if a neighbour could watch the rabbit. I'm quite lucky because my aunt lives a few minutes away, so I usually drop my rabbit to her house. But if you have any friends in your neighbourhood that you trust, or if your mum has any friends that she trusts to look after your rabbit, I'd see if they would be okay with watching her. It would be quite a bit cheaper than getting an actual pet sitter. But vets usually do boarding for a few days and if you google 'rabbit sitters in my area', you'd get a few options.
As for a pet sitter, I'd see if a neighbour could watch the rabbit. I'm quite lucky because my aunt lives a few minutes away, so I usually drop my rabbit to her house. But if you have any friends in your neighbourhood that you trust, or if your mum has any friends that she trusts to look after your rabbit, I'd see if they would be okay with watching her. It would be quite a bit cheaper than getting an actual pet sitter. But vets usually do boarding for a few days and if you google 'rabbit sitters in my area', you'd get a few options.
For such a short time with you being gone, bunny won't need to follow the exact schedule you develop with her. It wouldn't even hurt if she had to stay confined to her (roomy) cage while you are gone. A few days without exercise won't hurt. If there is someone in the household that you can trust to be sure she gets water and hay every day, she will be fine. That would still be better than having to re-locate her.
If that just won't work, some rabbit rescues will board a rabbit. Some vets will too. A trusted friend would be cheaper.
If that just won't work, some rabbit rescues will board a rabbit. Some vets will too. A trusted friend would be cheaper.
that would work, but we moved into our house about 2 months ago, as we just built it... i don't know anyone here and i don't think anyone would watch my rabbit, or me trust anyone i don't know to take good care of her, the vet thing may work, but i might just have to get a pet sitter... Thank you soo soo much for your help though!
yeah, I thought maybe she would start to like traveling... but yeah yall taught me that won't work, I wouldn't want to leave her at home with my siblings as they are really little and my stepdad isn't always/ever on top of them and I've always told them they can come in my room whenever they want, and if I'm being honest, I wouldn't trust my stepdad to give the bun all of its needs... I think I will have the vet pet sit her for me, as we only ever go for the weekend (not very often) or maybe to our ranch for spring break or something. Again, thank you so much for your help!
Myself always took one of bunnies with me when going on trip. He easily adapted and knew the travel cage where his home. So he was used with weekend trips and staying at new places.
But it all depend on the bunny and their personality. My bunny felt safe with his travel cage and never was scared at new places, he will always explore and later start to binky all over the place. While my other buck would be frightened to no end and will be better staying home
So the personality will have the impact if the bunny would enjoy going out.
But it all depend on the bunny and their personality. My bunny felt safe with his travel cage and never was scared at new places, he will always explore and later start to binky all over the place. While my other buck would be frightened to no end and will be better staying home
So the personality will have the impact if the bunny would enjoy going out.
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Myself always took one of bunnies with me when going on trip. He easily adapted and knew the travel cage where his home. So he was used with weekend trips and staying at new places.
But it all depend on the bunny and their personality. My bunny felt safe with his travel cage and never was scared at new places, he will always explore and later start to binky all over the place. While my other buck would be frightened to no end and will be better staying home
So the personality will have the impact if the bunny would enjoy going out.
I will think about that! I just hope that she will be ok with me even going in her area to change her water... some other people on here have given me sites about traveling an bonding with you're bunny ,so i will try to see if she will travel with us! Thank you for your help!
Myself always took one of bunnies with me when going on trip. He easily adapted and knew the travel cage where his home. So he was used with weekend trips and staying at new places.
But it all depend on the bunny and their personality. My bunny felt safe with his travel cage and never was scared at new places, he will always explore and later start to binky all over the place. While my other buck would be frightened to no end and will be better staying home
So the personality will have the impact if the bunny would enjoy going out.
Were these car trips? OP mentioned flying.
Missed the flying part, I have only done the train, car and boat trips with him. Myself hate flying so I avoid it if I’m not going to another country which I wouldn’t take my bunny with me.
If it’s flying its better to let the bunny stay at home.
The only reason I would fly is for Disney (for a cheer comp) and I would find him a pet sitter. I personally hate boats they scare me so I won't have to worry about that. We don't have trains here, so it would only be long car trips that I would maybe want to take him with us... not for cheer comps but if we go to the family ranch for a few weeks or something. But I don't know what ill do then cause its an 8-hour trip and with babies, so we'll be stopping a lot, so I don't know... Thank you for your help!
8 hours car trip work with bunnies that feel safe in the carrier. Myself have done those trips many times. If it a few weeks to stay it will work but it will also depend if your bunny can relax in the carrier. Longest trip was a train trip that was delayed and I shared the space with a barking dog. My bunny just begged for treats and wonder when he would be let out. It should have been a 4 hour train trip but ended up to being a 12 hour trip
Long car trips the bunny will feel best to stay in the carrier, you can fill up with wet veggies and when stopping give a bowl of water. The carrier just need to be filled with hay and have a bit of yummy treats. The yummy treats will often make the trip more fun.
8 hours car trip work with bunnies that feel safe in the carrier. Myself have done those trips many times. If it a few weeks to stay it will work but it will also depend if your bunny can relax in the carrier. Longest trip was a train trip that was delayed and I shared the space with a barking dog. My bunny just begged for treats and wonder when he would be let out. It should have been a 4 hour train trip but ended up to being a 12 hour trip
Long car trips the bunny will feel best to stay in the carrier, you can fill up with wet veggies and when stopping give a bowl of water. The carrier just need to be filled with hay and have a bit of yummy treats. The yummy treats will often make the trip more fun.
good to know! thank you for your help!
Welcome to the forum. I would say get a hard carrier. If you have to take him, make sure its padded enough so he isn't sliding around. That would be very stressful for a rabbit.
I'd only use hard carrier, rabbits are more comfortable there and you can line it with wood pellets and hay so you don't have to worry if he pees or poops wood pellets would absorb it and smell too, but as other people said I wouldn't suggest taking him everywhere on a plane etc, it would give so much stress just leave him home unless it is absolutely necessary
i was thinking about if he pees or not that's good to know. so i can like put stuff in there as if it was a litter box almost... Thank you for your help!
A folded towel will work on the bottom of the carrier and absorb urine. It also will keep bunny from slipping around inside the carrier. The following link explains more.
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Transport/Car/Car.htm
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Transport/Car/Car.htm
