Long car ride-UPDATE

[SirThumpsey]

We may be moving from Northern PA to the beach area in S.Carolina and my question is How should we transport Bud? Should I leave him in his cage or put him in a pet carrier? We are driving down so its gonna be a loooong trip and we haven’t worked out all the details. Most of the places dont consider rabbits pets…and the one lady I spoke to didnt know you could nueter rabbits >.< (and we havw had trouble finding a place allowing his daughters dog which is a pit bull mix)

Anyway…Id be there in the back seat with our daughter so in theory Id be able to keep him close by….but the cage is so big i dont know if it will fit in the back of the car. Any ideas?

[Sarita]

I would use a carrier as it is safer for a long car ride. You’ll just need to make a lot of stops, but you may have to do that anyway with your daughter :~)

[KytKattin]

I use a large crate for weekend trips with my bunny. It would fit a dog that weighs around 25-35lbs, so not very large, but enough room for a litterbox, and a bowl of wet greens (I use this instead of water until I reach my destination). The one thing I do recommend is a pelleted paper pellet for a travel litterbox. I am not sure what you normally use, but I use wood stove pellets and they just disintegrate and make a mess after a few hours (because she basically has to sit in the litterbox, normally she can just hop out instead of mixing them all together).

One suggestion for the dog: Is s/he well trained and good with people and other animals? If you can pass the Canine Good Citizen test, many apartments will be more likely to accept him/her because they know s/he can be obedient, and safe with other animals and people. It is not an easy test to pass, but it also isn’t terribly hard if you put the hours into training and she already has a good disposition.

[SirThumpsey]

He is a really big softie…but whoever does the renters insurance for most of the people I have called wont allow pits because they are “aggressive” Yeah, whatever. In my mind that’s like being racist and saying someone is this or that because of the color of their skin. It’s just dumb. It could also be a state thing, I’m not sure…

As far as him being friendly, he is the kind of dog that will lick you to death…I’m a little wary about him around bud (he has sniffed the buns one time he was over but got a little too excited so we pulled him away from the cage…) and of course my daughter who he could easily knock over or injure just because he doesnt know his own strength. He’s still a puppy…but I’m sure he’ll grow out of that a little bit.

We did find one community that allows pits just as long as they aren’t purebred and the lady I spoke with told me she knows its not the breed but the owner. I LOVE HER! My hubby is going down there to check it out…so hopefully we can get the place. I’m gonna ask about painting it cause I want to decorate our daughters room…

We will have to get a crate for Bud then…I do have a smaller cage that would probably fit in the back of the van. I’m not sure if the cage we have now is collapseable. We used to use kiln dried cedar shavings but we ran out and got pine. Would that work or should we get a small bag of yesterdays news?

[KytKattin]

Good luck with the pup! People are the same way with Chihuahuas. Obviously they don’t think they are deadly like pits, but they always consider them annoying, yappy dogs until they meet my girl. I have put a lot of training into her, and she breaks those stereotypes all the time when I take her out! I feel your need to decorate! I have my dorm plastered with artwork because I can’t paint the actual walls.

I really recommend getting a small bag of YN, depending on how long the trip is. When I had my girl in the crate she pretty much sat in the litterbox the whole time and when the pine pellets started to fall apart because they got wet, it just made a huge mess. That being said, she was in her crate for 12+ hours, and more than 48 hours over a (3 day) weekend’s time.

[Stickerbunny]

Since the dog is a pit, be sure to check the county / city laws concerning them, don’t just take a landlords word on that they are OK. Heard way too many horror stories of people losing their babies because they took the real estate / land lords word and the county or city didn’t allow them, so they were taken away. The Carolinas have passed a lot of laws against them.

For the bun, a small crate or carrier and if you can’t fit a litter box, towels work fine – just take a plastic bag and change the towel out when it gets too soiled and throw it in the bag and tie it up.  

[SirThumpsey]

Stickerbunny, I have actually thought about looking that up but I’ve ben having trouble finding what I’m looking for. I have a friend who lives in south carolina and a some family who live in North carolina… From what they have told me it seems like it is a very conservative place..I don’t understand how they can illegalize a breed but there are a lot of things I don’t really understand. The lady said that it was okay if it was a mix but I’ll have to double check with the laws.

Are there any ways to make sure Bud doesn’t get too stressed out on the way down? Cause honestly we are kinda afraid he can’t handle the trip…

[Rei]

I am getting ready to go through this ordeal. In a couple months I will be moving from western PA to Massachusettes. Thats a 10 hour drive :/ Let me know how the drive goes for you!

[Monkeybun]

I have driven bunnies from Portland to Redding California a few times now, an 8 hour trip both ways. But the bunnies I have driven down came from Canada, heading to San Diego. Long car rides are definitely doable. All them were in normal carriers with litter boxes, and I took breaks every 2 hours to let them settle for a few minutes.

[Pandorachik]

Use a carrier 🙂 And maybe every hour or so, when u stop, let your bunny hop aroundf the car. Plus make sure he has plenty of water. Try to put a blanket under his carrier. For twists and turns :o) Also strap the carrier in, so that it does not jerk around. Another tip is to make sure the carrier is place lengthwise on the seat. For this might prevent the bunny from being jerked to the front at a stop.If he did get jerked to the front with the NIC grid door thing, he might break a tooth. It would also be a good idea for you (or someone else) to sit and just put your hand on the cage and talk to the bunny in a soft voice. This mays calm the bunny a little. Before you take this long trip, you may want to get your rabbit used to riding in the card for long periods of time. Maybe bring him on a drive around the neighborhood or gas station (never leave your bun alone in the car!) Small tripsd like this will get him wared up to the feeling of the car moovviinnggg! If your rabbit isn’t in his/her carrier much then you need to gete him used to it. Put treats in his carrier and close the dor. Wait 5 minutes or so, then when he comes out, give him a treat along with some verbal praise. If he panics go back to square one. Once he is in ther carrier for about a half an hour, he is used to his carrier enough thaat he won’t freak out when he is in it in the car.

Edit: Bunnies don’t excactly like to watch moving images out the window thru to holes in their carrier. In fact some have panic attacks and we don’t want that! Put a light blanket or towel over the carrier- and skip the scenery!! And while your in the car – on the loong way there, keep the air fresh, don’t open the windows in traffic, but keep the windows rolled up, and put the air conditioning on if it’s warm.
Good luck on the trip!!

[Pandorachik]

Sorry for spelling mistakes!! If you have trouble reading some words, just ask what they mean to say!! LOL

[SirThumpsey]

Not a problem at all, i actually didn’t notice any lol.
When we go down we are gonna tow the truck and my hubby suggested we put him in the from seat of the truck….That’s a bad idea, right?
I’m thinking hes gonna get a carrier (he gets a discount where he works) and we’ll put buds cage in the truck but have him in the carrier in the van with me so I can keep an eye on him and babykid. And then I think her big sister is gonna drive her car and Diesel (the big lovable softie pitbull mix, maybe not such a great name lol)

The two of them are going down this week to get everything worked out and then im gonna stay behind and pack up the house as much as I can with a little one….she likes to “help”

[SirThumpsey]

I have driven bunnies from Portland to Redding California a few times now, an 8 hour trip both ways. But the bunnies I have driven down came from Canada, heading to San Diego. Long car rides are definitely doable. All them were in normal carriers with litter boxes, and I took breaks every 2 hours to let them settle for a few minutes.

What did you do during the breaks? Did you pet them or give them treats? I’m worried that the stress will make him reluctant to eat…

[Stickerbunny]

It isn’t a statewide thing, it will be usually a county or city ordinance. There are a few places you can call to check – city hall, the local police department, animal control offices. They are allowed to outlaw the breed because they are considered a public health hazard in certain areas. *shrug* The poor Staffordshire has gone a long way from being the “nanny dog” it used to have the reputation of being.

Yes you want him in the van with you, not in the truck being towed – if you’re there to help comfort him by talking to him and maybe giving some nose rubs through the trip, he’ll be a lot less stressed.

[Pandorachik]

SirThumpsey: You need to put him in the van with you. That’s the best choice I wish you luck on this trip, if any questios, just ask!

[Monkeybun]

When I stop I give them water, and some snacks. And 15-20 minutes rest

I wouldn’t put a blanket or towel over the carrier, it could get WAY too hot in there.

[SirThumpsey]

Alright sounds like a plan, I’ll let you know how it goes…Hopefully we will be all moved down by the end of March.

[Pandorachik]

Posted By Monkeybun on 02/16/2012 06:47 PM

I wouldn’t put a blanket or towel over the carrier, it could get WAY too hot in there.

 

With the ar conditioning on?

[Stickerbunny]

Pandora, yeah, even with a/c – my rabbits both prefer if I turn the A/C right on them when in the car and they move to get closest to the cold air. lol

[longhairmike]

if you have room, build the biggest NIC grid cage you can fit in the vehichle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANbeMXFI9ow&hd=1&t=30s

we threw a big conforter over the top so they couldnt see out the windows and they probably never knew they left hom. they slept half the trip
https://binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/54/aft/116051/Default.aspx

[Pandorachik]

awh! I can just imagine that, Mike! I bet they were so cute! :o)

[SirThumpsey]

Okay so…We are definitely moving down. In less than a week. We got a carrier for bud and we are gonna take his cage down in the truck and he is gonna sit up front with me and my daughter while Hubby drives the UHAUL down with the truck on a hitch while his older daughter drives the car down with her pitbull mix in the car. (hes still a pup so hes pretty hyper yet…but I’m sure he will calm down a bit when we get down there)

Now there is some concern cause it is a really long drive. Hubby left from down there when he went to look at apartments…he left around 10am…and didnt get home until 1am. He’s thinking we might try to go down halfway and stop somewhere in Va and then leave again in the morning…bu I don’t know how we’d swing the animal thing…He said we can just leave them in the car…(separate cars of course) but I know that leaving bud in the car for a long time, isn’t really a good idea. Since he’ll be in a carrier, I was thinking I’ll just sneak him in and put him in the bathroom (assuming the door shuts)
the plan is to put a small towel on the bottom of the carrier and stuff lots of hay in there….and I’ll have pellets for him…and some treats for him incase he doesnt feel like eating hay or pellets. I’ll also have a blanket or something to put over his carrier…

Anything else?

We still have a ton of shtuff to pack…and we are running out of time…so I better get on that!

Jo.

[Pandorachik]

Well, keeping him in the car is not a good idea. How long would he be in there?
And you should bring a liter bottle of fresh water in a cooler full of ice and put veggies in a zippy bag and put them in there. If you have a big cooler put 2 liters. If it’s hot wrap a frozen bottle in a towel and put it in the cooler. When you bun needs it give it to him and he can cool off on it.

[SirThumpsey]

We are actually discussing bringing a small cooler since my daughter will need some snacks on the way down…so I’ll put a couple bottles of water in there…and I was worried about veggies keeping…but I’ll do that….and I’ll wet hem a little before i give them to him in-case he doesn’t feel like drinking from his water bottle….after we get there he’s getting switched to a crock cause I can’t seem to find a single bottle that doesn’t leak all over the place. (even when they promise they dont leak…they lie.)

Frozen bottle is a good idea…I’ll bring two just in case. I dont think it is gonna be too warm….not over 60 anyway.

My hubby (even though I have tried to teach and train him) is not as bunny savvy as I am….I dont know if he doesnt believe me…or just doesnt listen… but he doesnt seem to understand why he cant just leave bud in the car. I’m like why I dont just leave you in the car to sleep overnight away from the comfort of your family. He just got this look and stopped talking.

Men, I swear. Drives me crazy.

[Pandorachik]

SirThumpsey: Ok, good idea about the cooler and snacks. And while you’re on the road, you could just talk to your bunny, using his name, so he knows he’s not in danger. Lol, I read it was a good idea. Also, make sure to have the AC on all the time, and no need to open the windows while your driving. Sometime in traffic, pollution from the air could cause problems, harming the bunny.

Oh,tell me about it, men. Ugh

[SirThumpsey]

Sometime in traffic, pollution from the air could cause problems, harming the bunny.

EEK

Oh,tell me about it, men. Ugh

Almost makes me wonder why I got married….And then he does something really sweet or I see him playing with our daughter and then I’m like “oh yeah, that’s right”

And I’m sure we get on their nerves sometimes too…. at least once a month.

[Pandorachik]

Lol xD I understand where you’re coming from, even tho I’m not married. Boy, I know!

[Author]

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