Travelling with Rabbits

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12354somebunny

12354somebunny

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Hi everyone,

Just wondering whether its ok for rabbits to travel about 3-4hours in a car? Would the long journey stress them out?
 
I've had buns travel that far in a car. It depends on the animal as to whether it will stress them out, mine became pro travellers because we did it twice a week.

Make sure that there is unlimited hay to lie on and snuggle in. I don't know what to suggest about water,but I attached a bottle to the side and had a small bowel under it so that if they got desperate for a drink they could drink.

If you are worried about your bun stressing, then maybe start getitng him/her used to a carrier and also short journeys in the car.
 
Flashy is right, short car rides help the rabbit to get accustomed to car travelling (always depending on each individual rabbit). My bunny hates cars, but has absolutely no fear for ships, he has repeatedly travelled for 12 and 14 hrs. in a ship cabin and was hopping around like a skipper, even with rough seas! The car, though, is a most uncomfortable place for him, not so much for the fact that it moves (a ship is not a stable place, either), I think he gets scared from the traffic noises and the sound of the car engine itself.

However, he has travelled with us in a car during numerous vacations (I never leave him back, no matter where I go) and 3 or 4 times he spent 7 to 9 hrs. in a car, without a problem. Of course in long trips, I pet him and hug him a lot, it makes him calm and happy. I also keep a bottle of water and pellets at hand, and he also travels in a small dog travel cage (a hard plastic one) filled with hay and a newspaper on the floor, which is changed during the travel whenever it gets wet or dirty.

Generally, if there is a choice (to travel by car or not) it's always best for the rabbit to avoid the travel, as, in some cases, rabbits have even gotten ill by excess travelling stress (if travelling during summertime heat stroke is another major danger).


Marietta
 
You can acclimate your bunny to car travel, by taking him for short rides. Start with short trips and rewarding him with small treats. You don't want to make every trip in the car a trip to the vets... or they will associate it with unpleasant memories. Make it a happy experience.

Our show rabbits ride 6-8 hours in their carriers with no problems. I give them a good bed of straw and a big handful of fresh hay. I do not give them water while traveling mostly due to concern over spillage. I stop every 3-4 hours to give them water.

I suggest a carrier properly sized for your rabbit. Not too big, not to small. The rabbit should be able to turn around and lay down comfortably. Too big and, heaven forbid, you jam on the brakes or have an accident, the rabbit could be badly hurt. I prefer to restrain the carrier with a seatbelt through the handle. A smaller carrier, properly restrained, will protect the rabbit (and may make the bunny feel more secure).
 
JadeIcing wrote:
That is just fine. My first set of guinea pigs drove 10+ hours. :biggrin2:
Click to expand...
Wow, those are talented guinea pigs :p
 
my Tony has done a bit of travelling in the car. home from college in mid-june was 6hrs, from home to new city in mid-august was 7hrs, and from new city to home and back for thanksgiving was 8hrs one way and 6hrs the other.

for this latest trip, Tony did just fine, although i was very worried about him. i kept him in his carrier on my lap when i wasn't the one driving, and petted him constantly. this was good because he chilled out and even fell asleep! however, he didn't potty at all during that time, so i was worried about him. luckily, he did when i got him out at the destination and set up his litter box! he also had a few uneaten cecals, probably from the stress of the trip.

so from my experience travelling with a bun, keep him in a small carrier--not much bigger than he is--so he feels secure. pet and comfort him while driving so he isn't as worried. keep the music to a reasonable level. make sure he eats something during the trip, and make sure he's pottying not long after you arrive at your destination. don't worry too much if he doesn't eat all his cecals. most of all, limit the time of the trip as much as possible. i'm sure it also depends on the bunny.
:biggrin2:
 
I've done a couple of rabbit transports now through the Bunderground (the first was Fiver), both a bit longer than that time period. Yes, they do seem a bit stressed during the ride, but they're just fine once they're at their destination and able to go into their cage and sleep it off. Both car rides were about five hours.

I've not had a problem yet, and even the Bunderground regulations call for car rides 4hrs or longer to have breaks where they can run around on solid ground to get exercise...so considering that, a 3-4hr car ride should be no problem! :)

Just be sure to provide plenty of water and food and hay...and don't worry yourself too much if they don't eat or drink during the ride, as most bunnies don't. Give them a couple hours after they come home, and they'll be calm enough to eat.

Let us know if you need any further help on this! :D

Hugs!

Rosie*
 
Thanks for the tips, everyone! phew! its a relief to know that most rabbits can take the travelling.. i was afraid of stressing my rabbits out and causing them to go through GI stasis and what not! lol i know, i know, i'm being too paranoid, rite :p its my first time keeping rabbits and i just want to make sure i do everything right by them

i have 2 bunnies, so i think i will get a big box which fits the both of them and maybe i'll make a small litter box which fits into the box as well. and i have to bring along play pen fences, litter boxes, toys, food... haha i can picture my car stuffed full just with my bunnies' things!
 
Sparky and Scooter are veteran travelers - not to say that they enjoy it though. I traveled cross-county from California to Florida with them in the middle of the summer. We traveled about 5 hours a day and then they got free run of our hotel room every night. I was very careful to make sure that they stayed cool and would stop frequently to see if they wanted food or water and to play a little. I also had the travel cage strapped into the passenger seat with the door facing me so I could open it and pet them while I was driving.
 
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