Moving/Roadtrip with rabbits…

[MissBunns]

Hi, I will be moving to Florida with my family and our pets fairly soon… We’re moving from Colorado to Florida and will be driving the entire way; since the rabbits are mine, they’ll be coming with me while the cats and dog and other family members stay home for a little while longer.

What is the best way to keep them comfortable during a long road trip?
 

Jack and Bunny won’t eat in unfamiliar places, so should I bring Critical Care and force feed it to them at regular intervals if they aren’t eating? Or would that be even more stressful (I’ve never force fed Jack, so I’m not sure how he would take it. Bunny tolerates it) How can I get water into them?

What is the best way to let them stretch, harnesses or pens? The pen will be coming anyway, I’m having to sell their condo because it’s far too big to bring..

Any of you in/around Tampa know of any great vets? I’m willing to drive for a good one.  Also, will they be able to run around outside in their pen like they do here, or is it too hot there? And I’ve heard fleas are a HUGE issue, is this true?

 

I’m sorry for all the crazy questions, I’m sure I’ll have more… I just want to make sure they aren’t stressed out anymore than they have to be.

I love you all I feel like I know you all so well since I lurk constantly. Thanks for any help, I really appreciate it.

[longhairmike]

get some giant carriers just for the road trip, the largest that will fit in your car. keep their condo, but just put it fully assembled in the moving truck/pod.

We’re doing a Chicago to Mesa, AZ move in 5 weeks, and my 2 buns aren’t bonded, so i ordered the biggest carriers that i could fit 2 of in the back a Ford Escape with the rear seats down.

take a few cases of bottled water in the car,, not just for the buns, im sure you’ll need some too. Tampain summer will be way too hot and humid to even consider bringing them outside. wait until winter.

[RabbitPam]

I only have my own experience with Spockie several years ago, but it went well, just he and I, moving from Massachusetts to South Florida. I had him in his cage that fit across the back seat of my car at the time, with it outfitted with his litter pan, tons of hay, a deep bowl for pellets and a water bottle that I think I tried to situate over a crock to catch drips. That was impossible, and his little feet got damp, so be sure to scatter that litter around the bottom so it will soak up the drips and spills. I packed a duffle bag of supplies including trash bags, then brought him in his carrier into the hotel rooms. I let him roam around the bathrooms, but he really didn’t get much exercise for the trip. It’s not so hard on them to be in a confined area for a few days as long as you can let them out at night for a while indoors. The pen is best, but not outside. If you can set it up in the room you’re in, that’s nice for sleeping and exercise. With 2, it’s harder to control them both, so even harnesses are a bit tricky.

I wouldn’t worry about them refusing to eat. Keep the hay and pellets and water always available in their space in the car, then give them some fresh greens, or something firmer like washed carrots or the less wilty greens like kale bunches if you want to keep it handy in a baggie in a cooler. They can have the litter pan changed out at night or even rest stops if you just bring fresh along with you. The mid-sized or even the smaller versions of Carefresh travel well, absorbing moisture and odor in the car. A smallish cooler, like for the beach, with bottled water and ice packs can keep all of you in good shape. I would take Spockie in his carrier into rest stops with me, for fresh air, A/C and safety, but there were other people and pets around so I didn’t want him out among them. They will be afraid if too exposed. The hotel rooms were more secure feeling.

You really don’t want them outside at all in Florida. It is already in the 90s here midday, plus there are some seriously experienced hawks in the air at all times, and the risk of capture by a predator is very, very high in FL. I saw a crow take a baby duckling last year right near my apartment. The mother had wandered away briefly. It’s pretty humid, and unlike their wild rabbit counterparts, they cannot burrow into cool ground and protected cover when out in a covered hutch or cage. It’s just brutal for them, so it’s a good place to be a House Rabbit.
Welcome to FL! I have not regretted the move, and hope to never have to shovel again.

[Monkeybun]

Take frequent stops, every 2 hours or so to give the buns a break. Offer food and water to them then, even if they have some already int eh carrier.

[MissBunns]

Oh my gosh! The litter to absorb spills is a great idea! My car isn’t very big, and I’ll be carrying my clothes and basics too so I’m hoping I can fit my dogs kennel in and use that instead! Jack’s a big boy too, so I’d feel bad having them cramped the whole way in something tiny.

As far as hotels…I’m not sure yet (I’ll need to ask mom, who is driving separate) if we plan on driving the whole thing straight through. I’ll be sure to let them stretch at rest stops (I’m blessed that they’re so used to being exposed and trust me more than anything.) and hopefully that will be enough, then they can go crazy and thump their opinions out once we finally arrive.

I wish I could bring the condo, it would just be too much of a hassle, so I’ll just sell it and then build a new one (which is fun anyway!) I also doubt it would fit in the tiny apartment we’d be in for the time being anyway. It was a big enough pain moving it a few blocks with the last move. Bummer.

I had never even thought about hawks..I’ve never seen them down there, yikes! Thanks for the warning. I would hate for that to happen.. I’m going to have to figure something out though because they both enjoy being outside too much :/ Maybe on a cooler day…

And thanks, RabbitPam. We’re all hoping we won’t regret it either We hate the cold and snow, but are worried about the humidity…

[BinkyBunny]

 I haven’t had to travel long distances with my rabbits before so I don’t have any personal tips from experience to give, but here are some additional tips from the House Rabbit Society http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/travel.html#THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT CAR TRAVEL

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I folded down the seats in my car so that the trunk went into the back seat (if that makes sense)-and then I put bags between the front and back seats-so there was a large area. I put the bottom of a carrier in there with a water bottle, and taped sheets to the windows (to prevent too much heat from coming in)-I brought veggies that they liked because I knew they wouldn’t eat hay. I force fed apple juice with mashed pellets or CC (I can’t remember which) at four hour intervals. And I never left them in the car without it running with full AC on.
And we had a great trip besides Kahlua peeing on my moms good suitcase I had borrowed. That was a 12/14 hour drive one way and we did it twice in about three days or so.

We also drove across country-from southern ontario to Alberta with our guinea pig and dog. Spark the GP was in his cage in the car and just did fine lol-thats like a 48 hour or so drive…we did it in five days and he was probably the first pig in a few hotels lol

[RabbitPam]

Au contraire, K&K. One of my mother’s favorite stories was when we moved from mid-state New York to Southern Ohio when I was 9. One of my brothers, our 2 guinea pigs and I went by car via Niagara Falls, where we snuck the piggies into the motel at night. My mother loved to tell people she had a delayed honeymoon in Niagara Falls…with 2 kids and 2 guinea pigs.

[armynurse]

Hey, i’m in a similar situation as you. I’m in Washington State but I’m moving back to Jacksonville, FL in the fall. Mine have been in the car with me several times and usually do pretty well. They automatically get a little stressed because of the changes, but usually handle it well. I just take them out on their leash on a grassy area when we stop for breaks. They tend to not eat during the road trip part, but usually eat once we stop for the night or stop for a couple hours. Good luck. Hope you have a good trip.

[Juli]

If they won’t drink any water then you can use a syringe and give it to them. Also bring some Critical Care just in case you need it. Be sure you bring plenty of Timothy hay and pellets and water. Also a few greens. Bring their pen and their harnesses, they are both great sources of exercise. Since it will probably be very hot in Florida, try looking in the Binky Bunny cooling tips. You can make some ice cubesicles or some of those frozen water bottles (I mae those for Dakota since it is Summer and it’s been getting really hot outside). I hope this answers most of your questions. Good Luck!

[Author]

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