Does anyone have advice about moving with a rabbit?

[borya01]

Hey guys, I am preparing for a move. The drive is not too long, maybe 6 hours. It will be in a uhaul. It’s only me and the rabbit. Does anyone have any advice regarding this? At first I was going to get her a cage or something, something big so she’d have space (she is a free roam rabbit), but I actually read it’s better to keep her in a smaller, dark space like her carrier, so that she’ll feel safe. Any thoughts? I also read to keep the carrier on the floor itself rather than up on the seat because it’s safer, but I do not know if this was reliable, I will look in to it. She is a really skittish bun and gets upset easily. I am sorry to put this stress on her but it’s going to be better for her once we move anyway. I was going to put her in the carrier and line it with pee pads. I hope she does not decide to eat them to show her displeasure… But else she will pee all over the carrier.

[Moonlightbunny66]

I agree that she should be kept in a small carrier, big enough for her body space though. This should protect her from bumps or turns. In a larger carrier or cage, if a sharp turn is made, it could send her sliding really hard against the side of it. Which would not be fun! I haven’t travelled with my bunnies before so hopefully someone else with experience could give you some good tips. Maybe it would be better to line the carrier with litter and lots of hay if you think she’d be chewing on the puppy pads. You could also put a towel or blanket around the top of the carrier to make her feel more secure (if it won’t be too hot). I do think it is safer to keep the carrier on the floor since the carrier won’t have room to toss around or fall in the drive. And at rest stops when you need to get out to do something, you could give her some wet veggies to hydrate her and make her a little happier. These are just tips I’ve read about and heard of, but I would use them if I had to take my bunnies on a long drive. 🙂

[borya01]

Oh, that’s a really good point about keeping it on the floor so it doesn’t bump and move around. I don’t know why, but I had not even thought about that part. Thank you for that advice, because I will not forget that. Unfortunately I do not have any litter for her at the moment, only the pee pads. I wonder if it’s very harmful if she chews on them? It’s the same story with a towel. I always used to line her carrier with a towel if I had to put her in the car, but she gets angry and starts scratching it up and chewing it. I’ve just read that towel threads in the stomach can cause blockage so I think I can’t do it. I know she’s angry but I wish she knew I’m trying to help her 🙂

 

 

I read some other useful advice the other day regarding moving with a bunny. I hadn’t thought about it before. Will share it in case it helps anyone else. Guess, I had not been thinking about how stressful things are for her just going up to the move. Things are changing and I’m having to do extra things around the house so in general her routine is off. This is just stressful for her. They said try and keep her own space as normal as possible up until the move. Putting boxes away from her, etc. Maybe it’s small but hopefully this just helps reduce her stress, so that things are normal as possible right up until the actual move.

[Becker1116]

Have something available to cover your bun’s carrier with! I flew on a plane for several hours with my bun when I moved several states over, and I covered her with my jacket most of the time. When I peeked in, she was completely chill. More curious than anything. I think helping her feel like she was safe in a tunnel did a lot to ease her anxiety.

And take your bun to the vet soon after you arrive at your new home! (Maybe a week or two later.) A checkup after that stress is a good idea. Good luck!

[borya01]

Thanks, that is also a great idea and I will do it!

[DanaNM]

Agree with putting litter and hay in the bottom of the carrier. Ideally you could even sit a litter box in the bottom of the carrier to keep everything contained. Having some fresh veggies on hand will help keep her hydrated as well.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[borya01]

Hey I just saw this @DanaNM. I hate to say this but I have no access to fresh veg, but I’m glad you mention this because I need to keep her hydrated. I wonder if one of those water bottles that clips on a door would work for her? She has never used one before, she drinks out of a bowl. Thanks for bringing this up.

I have to use pee pads with her rather than litter as it aggravates my asthma, and I’m a little worried about her trying to eat the pee pads. I hope this all works out.

[DanaNM]

You could just do a very thick fluffly layer of hay, maybe with some newspaper under it if you are worried she will eat the pee pads.

My experience with bottles in cars is that they just leak all over the place. Prob would be best to just offer her the bowl during some breaks every couple hours.

Just to give you some comfort, I had to drive 5.5 hours with my buns a couple years ago when we evacuated due to a wildfire, and they did just fine with hay. When you get to your destination, just make sure she starts acting normally (pooping and eating) within a couple hours of arriving, and be prepared to syringe feed her a bit if needed. Sometimes a bit of critical care is all you need to perk a bun right up after a stressful situation.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[borya01]

thanks a lot for this. she has never had a drink from a water bottle and worried she wouldn’t even do it. i was trying to buy one today but it’s really difficult to figure out if it would even fit on the carrier. will just go with a bowl i guess and give her some on stops. i think she will not drink from it unfortunately.  i will try and get a syringe because i should just have that anyway to be honest. thanks for the advice.

 

the situation with hay is i can’t give her any due to my asthma at the moment. it’s one reason i am moving in an attempt to help abate my asthma. right now if i am even around her hay i will get an asthma attack. i think i just have very little options at the moment and i’ll just have to keep watch she’s not eating it. but your idea about the newspaper is actually really good – i might just put a layer of newspaper over the pee pad itself!

[Wick & Fable]

My approach has always been have a syringe handy to force feed a bit of water during the car ride, just to make sure they aren’t overly parched. I think most rabbits don’t like eating or doing much of anything during a car ride.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[DanaNM]

Ok, just do make sure she has food available on the journey, whether that be hay cubes or whatever pellet is making up the bulk of her diet currently.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[BigJ111]

If you have access to it or find something similar, Pet Remedy wipes or spray makes wonder. It’s all natural and the scent is naturally calming (i think a mix of valerian and vetiver). Helped my rabbit last time i moved, which involved a 8h trip (including 3h on a ferry). Otherwise yes, like everyone said, small space with a cover blocking his view, and yes, bunnies usually don’t eat or drink much on the road, but it’s good to have both hay in the box (the familiar smell will help as well even if bunny doesn’t eat) and offer water from time to time.

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