Advice needed: 42hr car ride w/ bunny

[Rae]

Hello!

I am moving cross country in about a month, taking my two cats and one rabbit with me.

(Sidenote: in case anyone recalls, I had two bunnies, but my ex and I split and he decided to take Maxwell so it is just Gus now).

I’m looking for any advice at all on how to go about this car ride in the safest way possible. Here is my plan:

• Put Gus in a large carrier with a soft towel and a large chunk of hay.
• Drive as long as I can, stopping every four hours and letting Gus roam in a pop up playpen that has a top and bottom. Offer wet greens, hay, water, and treats.
• If Gustavo does not eat, push Critical Care. I will be bringing a large packet, a water jug, differently sized syringes, and something to mix it in the car with. I am also bringing baby gas drops, but I forget what they are called – simethicone?
• I have not made up my mind on getting a hotel or not, it would mainly be for the pets – is it better to just get to the destination as fast as possible, or get a hotel for a night?
• If I don’t get a hotel, I plan on pulling into truck stops whenever I get tired and taking a nap in the parking lot. I don’t think I will be able to sleep due to stress of moving, but in case I do get tired this is my plan. Drowsy driving is not something I will do.

So – any advice, should I change my plan? And opinions on getting a hotel vs not – again, solely for the purpose of the pets?

Thanks in advance!

– Raelinn (human), and bunny overlord Gustavo

[BrunosMama]

Hello!

Sorry to hear that you have to travel with cats lol! And that you have to make such a long move.

Your plan for Gustavo’s setup sounds pretty solid. It sounds like you have all bases covered!

I made a 17 hour drive with my bun Georgia when she was a baby. I was worried how she would do, but she honestly just slept most of it. When I pulled over to rest/eat, she would eat and drink, but otherwise, didn’t seem too fussed. I also had her set up with a soft towel, some hay, and a water bottle (she was in a small dog kennel type thing).

As for a hotel room, you could just kind of play it by ear as you go. My guess is the cats will be getting more fidgety and cooped up than Gus, so you may want to get one for them, but you will just need to just see how it goes. 🙂

It all sounds very stressful, though, so take your time and get rest when you can. Get plenty to drink and eat along the way.

Best of luck on your journey! I hope you get to your destination safe and sound. :)<!–/data/user/0/com.samsung.android.app.notes/files/clipdata/clipdata_bodytext_250608_104218_392.sdocx–>

[Rae]

Thank you!

I just desperately wanted a second opinion to make sure my plan was solid, appreciate the input! I’m so scared over this drive, probably more so than Gus will be during it, lol. He’s had stasis once before and it was awful, nothing was working, I just don’t want to see my little guy in that position ever again.

I will play it by ear! I think you and LBJ are completely right that if I need a hotel it’ll probably be due to the cats as opposed to Gustavo. I’ll make a plan for a hotel around the halfway/slightly less than halfway point just in case!

Thanks again!

[BrunosMama]

I know not all hotels accept pets, so it may help to look them up ahead of time. I always use Trivago when we travel to search for hotels because they list rooms from all sorts of sites, so you can see the various price differences all in one place. You could scope ahead for your travel dates at prices and places that accept pets near the halfway point of your trip. That way, you don’t have to try to figure it out with three pissed off fluffs in the car lol!

[LBJ10]

I have heard of people doing both (trying to stop as little as possible vs. staying at a hotel halfway through). I have never tried this personally. But, from what I have heard, bunnies tend to sleep during long trips. Stress level varies though. Some bunnies start to chill out once they realize ordeal is going to be for an extended period of time, some not so much. I agree that the cats would probably be more upset than the bunny where being cooped up inside a carrier is concerned.

[Rae]

Gus did a plane ride with me, the same journey I am taking now just backwards, and after awhile he started to eat on the plane – hoping the same will be true for the car ride. Generally, he is a very stressed little guy when it comes to car rides but chills right out as soon as his paws touch solid ground.

Overall, I think you both are right about the hotel most likely being needed by the cats if anything. I’ll play it by ear and have a hotel plan for around the halfway/little less than halfway point!

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