getting buns in their carrier

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 18sd replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 11 months ago by Dee.

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- 04/26/2011 at 1:20 PM
  Misskaruhl
  Participant
  32 posts
  I need to get PB & J into their carrier on Friday because they’re spending the weekend at my apartment (they live with my boyfriend in NYC) so we’re all going to NJ together on Friday because we have a play date scheduled for them with another bun, among other things. How the heck am I going to get them into the carrier?
  
  SUGGESTIONS… PLEASE!!!
- 04/26/2011 at 1:23 PM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  I’m going to delete your other post since you started a new topic.
  
  What kind of carrier do you have?
- 04/26/2011 at 1:26 PM
  Elrohwen
  Participant
  7318 posts
  I usually put the carrier on the floor with the open door aimed at the bunnies, then I kind of corner them and shove them inside from behind. Usually they just kind of give up and go in. Sometimes Otto decides he doesn’t want to do it and runs around trying to avoid me, so I throw a little blanket over him and pick him up, then drop him in through the top. Hannah is usually curious enough to walk right in, and then realizes she doesn’t want to be there and tries to get back out.
  
  With two bunnies, I sometimes find that two carriers is much easier. When I try to get them into one, one bun is always trying to escape while I put the other one in. Sometimes I’ll get them each into separate carriers, then open both doors (with the open doors together) and push one bunny from one carrier into the other (I put my hand in through the top door). It’s quite a process, but much easier than the alternative when they’re being fussy. You could probably use a box or something for the same technique.
- 04/26/2011 at 1:31 PM
  peppypoo
  Participant
  1945 posts
  Bribery should work…maybe you can put a tasty treat in the carrier and wait until they are halfway in to shove their little behinds in (gently!) and close the door. I actually keep my carrier in the cage…my bunnies love napping in it so I just catch them inside some time and close the door.
- 04/26/2011 at 1:33 PM
  Misskaruhl
  Participant
  32 posts
  I have a classic kennel carrier for dogs – 24″ L X 16.25″ W X 14.75″ – I wanted them to travel together so they would be less nervous. We tried a box already and that was an epic failure. I’m going to line the carrier with a towel and put some banana chips/raisins in there so that perhaps they go in willingly.
  
  But in any case I will try the blanket trick.
  
  Thanks,
- 04/26/2011 at 1:37 PM
  Misskaruhl
  Participant
  32 posts
  @ peppy – genius! I’m going to put the carrier in the cage tomorrow night and leave it there for them to explore and sleep in!
- 04/26/2011 at 1:40 PM
  Elrohwen
  Participant
  7318 posts
  Definitely have them in the same carrier – my description probably wasn’t clear, but mine do eventually end up in one carrier, I just find it easier to get them into individual ones, then put the doors together and get them both into the bigger carrier. When I try to get them both into one carrier at the same time, Hannah is always trying to jump out while I’m trying to push Otto in. lol
  
  I haven’t found that bribery works very well – they know what happens in the carrier and I’ve never been able to get Otto to go in willingly when I’m close enough to close it. I think leaving it in their cage for an extended time would work welll, I just don’t have the space for it. Strangely, Hannah goes in willingly almost always with no bribes – she never learns. Haha
- 04/26/2011 at 1:41 PM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  Elrohwen it sounds like musical carriers at your house LOL.
- 04/26/2011 at 1:42 PM
  peppypoo
  Participant
  1945 posts
  At first, we just put the carrier in the cage for lack of anywhere else to put it, but we decided to permanently leave it in there after we realized they liked to sleep in it. It’s on the top floor of the cage…we call it their “penthouse apartment” . Now, they sleep up there every night, so we just sneakily close the door on them during naptime whenever we need to take them somewhere.
- 04/26/2011 at 1:43 PM
  Elrohwen
  Participant
  7318 posts
  Lol. It is! So much easier than pushing Hannah’s head down while throwing Otto in on top of her. When we left them with a friend we even brought both carriers in case he needed to take them to the vet and couldn’t get them into one.
- 04/26/2011 at 1:45 PM
  Elrohwen
  Participant
  7318 posts
  Peppy, that’s such a good idea. I wish there was room for the carrier in their pen! I’d definitely do that.
  
  One time when we took Otto out of town, we left his carrier in the cage so we didn’t have to bring another place for him to sleep. That’s the only time I’ve seen him willingly go in there and he did learn to use it as a bed.
- 04/26/2011 at 2:30 PM
  Joyfull_music
  Participant
  506 posts
  I guess I am slightly more unceremonious about it. I never remove Momo from her pen unless I have to. (ie. meds or for a carrier) We have a really large cat carrier with some old towels in it. I just pick her up and put her in. No problems what-so-ever.
- 04/26/2011 at 2:36 PM
  Monkeybun
  Participant
  10479 posts
  I just pick my buns up and plop em in I have carriers that have top doors as well as the front ones, so its easy enough to drop em in.
- 04/26/2011 at 3:23 PM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  Top doors all the way. I can also usually just pick ’em up and plop ’em in…
- 04/26/2011 at 3:35 PM
  mocha200
  Participant
  4486 posts
  I plop them in after a few minutes of chasing them around first. As soon as they here the carrier door open, they go crazy, running around thumping until I herd them in a corner or they give up.
  
  Elrohwen: that sounds like a good idea, when ever I put one in the other hops out too. Now I have a top loader though.
- 04/27/2011 at 5:56 AM
  Elrohwen
  Participant
  7318 posts
  Mocha, mine has top doors too, but as soon as I open the top Hannah has her head out and is trying to escape. lol She goes in so easily, but always wants to get right back out!
- 04/27/2011 at 10:53 AM
  mocha200
  Participant
  4486 posts
  I just got this carrier so they don’t know they can jump out the top yet I hope they never learn
- 04/27/2011 at 11:25 AM
  Elrohwen
  Participant
  7318 posts
  Hahaha. Nice! Otto doesn’t know he can jump out either, which is helpful. Though I can’t pick Hannah up, so I have to open the front door and let her in that way, and Otto does try to escape from there. It’s like a three ring circus trying to get them both in the carrier at the same time.
- 04/27/2011 at 11:54 AM
  Dee
  Participant
  704 posts
  I’ve had the same problem as Elrohwen! They must travel in the same carrier, so as I stuff one in, the other pops out. And I can’t pick Nelli up either . She’s a wildwoman. Even with her groomer, she struggles crazily at first, then every one in a while she suddenly launches herself toward the ceiling! Diane (my groomer) has lightning reflexes not to lose her- it’s amazing. Anyway, I’m scared that Nell would break her back if I tried to pick her up. BunBun is easier to handle, so I can just plop him in there. My buns hide even before they see the carrier. I swear they’re phsycic- hmmm, there’s a “get rich quick” idea- Nelli would look great with lots of jewelry and one of those turban things- Bun’s ears would poke out though. Oh well. I think I need to get out more…
  The using 2 carriers, then putting them together, is a great idea. I did find that keeping the carrier in the living room was somewhat effective, but once I pick the carrier up, they’re on to me. I have given up on taking them to the vet for grooming- I went through the House Rabbit Society and found someone that comes to my house. She’s awesome with bunnies and they don’t get the stress of a car ride . If Nell ever needs the vet (hope she doesn’t) I will just have to use the blanket trick and be brave.
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