How to travel with a rabbit? (Flying?)

[Mimzy]

I’m currently in a serious relationship long distance, & we’ve had to discuss the real possibility of me moving if we were to get married. I have 3 pets that would be going with me, my cat, my 60lb dog, & Mimzy.
Mimzy is my priority over all of them as if it so needed to happen, the cat & dog could stay with my mom until I was able to move them up.

I’m in Texas, he’s in TN, so it’s only a 2 hour flight. I read an article that said it is safe for rabbits to fly on a plane & just make sure they have water, hay, & maybe some lettuce or pellets. (I would maybe just make sure she ate prior to the flight & just give her hay??)
However, Mimzy on a plane kind of brings out the paranoid bun-mom in me.

So questions…

1. Has anyone actually flown with a rabbit before? Or what is anyone’s opinion on flying a rabbit?
2. If so, what was your experience?
3. Is there any form of sedative or some kind of a relaxant that a vet can prescribe for her to keep her more calmed during the flight?
4. If it is safe to fly her, in attempt to sort of prepare her for a plane flight, would any of you recommend more frequent car rides & working up to a 2 hour car drive?

I imagine I would feel much less paranoid if I were to just drive her & the other pets up (not like I can get a 60lb dog on a plane anyway…) But, the drive would potentially be 14-15 hours, so essentially, 2 days of driving as opposed to 2 hour flight.

NOTE: This potential move would not be happening until August of this year at the very least or later.

[Wick & Fable]

I have no experience, however I know you’ll definitely need to figure out the airline you’re taking and find out their guidelines on what carriers are acceptable to have with you on cabin. Some places sell their own approved, and others have dimensional restrictions and comments about hard versus fabric carriers.

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.

[Paige]

Rabbits usually don’t eat when they are traveling, so I think feeding her before the flight would be best. Also I think you need so kind of permission to bring food(hay) on the airplane. I have no experience. But maybe flying is smoother than a car ride.
Personally I think flying is fine if it’s once or twice because the rabbit is your/their responsibility. But if you are gone for only a small time, it might be easier to have someone watch her. Also if anyone is constantly traveling it might cause stress on your rabbit, if it is noticeably causing stress, but travelling is your lifestyle then maybe a rabbit isn’t the best for you. ☺

[ownedbybunnies315]

I have flown a couple times with my girl bun, and she was totally fine. The shorter you can keep the trip, the better; so a 2-hour flight would be much better than a 2-day car ride. Just make sure you plan ahead with how you want to take her through security (carrying her through the metal detector and sending her carrier through x-ray, or asking for a quiet room to have everything checked by a TSA agent), and book a flight on an airline that permits rabbits on board as carry-ons (most don’t, but there are a couple that do…I flew United Airlines when I took my bun). You can totally pack hay in the carrier, they won’t care about that as long as it’s a domestic flight, and not international. I also packed greens, which was the only thing mine would eat while we were sitting at the airport. My only concern would be the idea of flying in August. I flew with my bun in December, and the plane did get warm while it was sitting at the gate. I would be very concerned about the heat, even on board the airplane in August. Once you take off, the plane would cool down, but after you board, while it’s still at the gate, it tends to be very hot under the seats. If you could plan your move later in the year, into fall or winter, that would probably be much safer.

[Mimzy]

I’ve been taking Southwest Airlines since they’re cheapest, but they unfortunately only allow cats & dogs :/ So I will definitely do some looking around to see which other airlines allow rabbits. I believe we found one that was an extra $95 to have a live animal on board with you.

Paige- I will be moving to Tennessee so unfortunately I’ll need to bring her with me  But thankfully it will only be 1 plane flight for her, otherwise she would definitely be staying at home with my mom as usual!

Ownedbybunnies – Thanks for the info! I didn’t take the heat into consideration. The plane itself is always quite chilly, but I forget how warm it is at the gate. I’m thinking she may do alright though for the short time as the summers get pretty warm in my room, though I do give her options to cool down. I can possibly also try taking a flight during the night, perhaps it will be cooler around that time.

I still have a lot of planning to do if this does happen! I may end up having to get a U-Haul from Tx to Tn anyway to move some of my things, which is also why I mentioned the 2 day drive. So, kinda of just brainstorming atm until we figure out what makes most sense. Still haven’t figured out how to move the other 2 pets either! So much to think about (I just HAD to choose someone in another state! )

Thanks!

[Hanna Banana]

When I moved to Arizona from Philadelphia, I had to fly with my 2 mini Rex rabbits. They did really well. Make sure to feed, have water handy and even put fresh veggies in the carrier to try to keep the bunny eating. I personally used Rescue Remedy (it’s a natural anti anxiety supplement). This was suggested by the rabbit rescue that I had volunteered at. The rabbits did just fine. Just make sure that you research airlines prior to ensure that they allow rabbits. You may be required to get a certificate of health from your veterinarian as well. Also be prepared that you will likely need to remove the rabbit from the carrier to go through security and put the carrier through the x-ray machine.
About a year after moving to Arizona, I flew back to Philadelphia to adopt another bun that I had fallen in love with while volunteering. A year after moving, she had still not been adopted so I went back to Philly to get her. She flew back to AZ with me and had no problems.
Don’t stress it too much. You and your bun will do just fine 🙂 Good luck!

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