Too stressful for Koda to move so much?

[Rayndance]

So I got Koda a few days ago and the poor fella has been moving around a lot, only to be moving with me again in a few days to a new apartment. However, I just found out my work schedule is allowing me to go visit my parents who live a few hours away from me. Because I am protective and just got him, I don't really trust anyone right now to take care of Koda for the 2 days I will be gone. Should I be able to trust someone to take care of him while I'm gone, or should Koda come with me and go through a few hours in the car? Would it stress him out to a great amount? I already feel like a terrible owner for this, but I want to figure out something as soon as possible before I have to do emergency boarding, which I can't afford.

Thanks for all of your advice, guys! You have been so helpful the couple days I have been here.

 

[Imbrium]

I think it depends on his personality, but most bunns are ok with moving around - there are people here who move back and forth on a weekly basis, taking their bunnies with them, and the bunns are totally cool with it.

leaving him with a sitter would spare him the stress of the car ride and a new place for a bit... but the other side of it is that he's just starting to bond with YOU and then suddenly he'd have someone else taking care of him.

since you're going to be moving soon anyway, I'm inclined to say that it's more important to keep him with you so that while he's changing locations a lot, the one constant is that his bunny-momma is always with him (rather than still having a lot of environmental changes AND having you come and go).

 

[funnybunnymummy]

How old is he? I wouldn't recommend moving a young bunny (8-12 week age range) around a whole lot just because they can be quite sensitive to environment changes. Older rabbits, though, adapt quite well. And if you take him on car rides regularly (and not just to the vet... :wink), he should get used to it and possibly even begin to enjoy the trips.

Hope that helps!

Rue

 

[Rayndance]

Awesome guys, this is great news! I will be taking my bunny to my parent's house on Thanksgiving, thanks so this info. Since we are starting to bond with each other, it'll be a good experience for the both of us. Since he's 1 year old I'm sure it'll be fine and he's so used to moving around now.

Do you guys have any advice for a traveling bunny? The car ride will be 5-6 hours each way.

 

[Imbrium]

if you're traveling in the late morning/afternoon, he'll probably be mostly comatose as they like to sleep through the hot part of the day.

definitely stuff a decent amount of hay in the carrier for him - he'll potty on some of it and eat from other areas if he feels like eating. make sure he's not in a sunbeam, since they can't regulate body temp very well, especially when it comes to heat. stop every 2-3h and offer him some fresh water and maybe a nibble of damp greens if you feel like bringing along a bag lunch for him... mine don't like to eat in the car, but he might eat some at stops. it depends on the rabbit.

since I'm a paranoid bunny-momma, I always put the carrier in the back seat. I have a 1x2x1 grid carrier made from NIC grids for my two, which gives them a little moving around space. it can fit in the front seat if I push it all the way back, but barely, and I worry about what would happen if I got into an accident and the airbag went off. I also always fuss with the stereo and set it so all the sound comes out of the front speakers (which I hate 'cause my front speakers are crappy - I like to have it 7/8 of the way to being only the back speakers) so it's less noisy back there and I keep the radio low.

 

[Rayndance]

We will be traveling late at night since I get off of work in the evening and we probably won't be on the road until 7 or 8 PM. I'm going to make sure I keep him busy with toys and food. He seemed to be totally okay with eating his hay and pellets in his travel kennel on the way home from the adoption agency when I got him, so that's good news. We'll just have to see!

I found out he really likes it when I have music constantly playing in my room when I'm gone at work. He seems to like country - I guess I'll tolerate it for him, since he likes it so much.

 

[Imbrium]

aww, that's cute! he may be a little more alert at night.... some bunnies simmer down really fast when the car starts moving, others aren't bothered by it at all. it's definitely good news that you know he'll eat on the move

 

[woahlookitsme]

When I had my bunny Rocky at college he would travel to and forth every weekend when I went home. His first big trip was going from indiana to texas at 5months old. He took it pretty rough but bounced back fine once he got home. Then I could take him too and from my parents house (an hour drive one way) and no problems. I only took him in a carrying cage that we used for our show bunnies