Do some bunnies do better with travel than others??

[lunavenus]

Hi,

So I was supposed to leave my bunnies with a friend to take care of them, but plans changed LAST MINUTE and something came up so she couldn’t watch my rabbits. I ended up having to take them with me on vacation. Thankfully, the hotel (a real good one too) that we are reserved WAY ahead of time allowed animals and they were totally cool with me keeping my rabbits in our two reserved rooms even unattended because they don’t cause a ruckus or any trouble for the neighboring guests/housekeepers (plus they aren’t stinky since I clean their playpen very often). I brought some toys (wood blocks, jingle balls, etc), a bag full of hay, blankets that smell like home, a litterbox, hay rack, some puppy pads, pellets, food/water bowls, and a HUGE playpen I bought off amazon. I put them in a (soft) carrier, and headed off with my family to our vacation spots. They were totally fine in the car (sniffing around all curious) and poking their head out whenever my lil sis opened the top carrier zipper. They totally love my lil sis while she held their carrier on her lap throughout the car ride (they have never met any of my family members before as my family don’t live in the US so this was a huge surprise for me). We got to the hotel room, I just popped open their playpen, fixed up some hay on their hay rack, fixed up their litter box and scattered their toys. I then put the carrier down, opened the door and let them come out on their own terms. I was really scared they were too stressed to come out but they just popped out without fear and got used to their surroundings ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. I kept a close eye on them throughout the day and night yesterday (up till 3 am) because I was so worried bout their stress levels BUT they are Pooping fine, eating tons of hay/pellets, running around binkies everywhere, peeing great, still come to me (and now my sis) for cuddles and pets. Thought this was amazing because I thought rabbits HATED travel and being put in new surroundings???  Do some rabbits do better with travel than others?? Is this weird behavior for rabbits or are they possibly like natural travelers haha 
Just wanted to know if anybody else have rabbits who do really well with traveling?? 

[Azerane]

It certainly differs between rabbits. As a general rule I don’t think Bandit was frightened of car rides because he moved around quite a bit rather than sitting hunched in fear, but he would never eat while in the car. The two times we moved house he adapted extremely quickly to new surroundings and was eager and curious to explore everything. Other rabbits hide in fear for days before they are brave enough to explore their surroundings. So it really does depend on the rabbit, though I imagine it also probably helps having two bonded rabbits so that they can feel secure together.

[lunavenus]

Oh I see. Both my rabbits moved around quite a bit and were eating the lil stack of hay i left in the carrier for them to munch on while we drive to our hotel.
They seem happy to travel with us haha

[Mikey]

All of my buns are used to travel since we take all three to the vet whenever one needs to go unless its for neutering. Blue is more used to it than my other two, as he is my support animal. He is fine on a harness and leash, fine in a cat carrier, fine in a carrier crate, fine even in a flat bottomed bag. My other two only feel comfortable if they are transported in the cat carrier

[Mel94]

I’ve seen one bunny on Instagram who falls into GI Stasis whenever he has to travel in the car, yet there’s others that can go for a few hour long drive in the car (with stops) with no problem.

[Bam]

Last time I took Bam to the vet he flopped in his carrier. He hated being at the vet though, jumped into my arms and tried to climb over my shoulder. Then flopped again in the carrier on the way home.

[lunavenus]

Both my buns do super well as travelers for such fragile creatures. They don’t mind being in their carriers for long periods of times like driving 2 hours or more as long as I let them pop their head out of their carrier and look around the car. Just thought it was odd that they do so well traveling because I read many times that bunnies don’t like to travel. I was really worried they would go into GI stasis but I’d rather risk that than leaving them home alone!! Least I can rush them to the hospital if anything like that were to happen. They don’t mind traveling at all. Every time we moved hotels, they’d just poop and eat like normal once I put them in their playpen haha.

[Author]

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