Temporarily moving with bunnies & other pets?

[Mimzy]

I may be having to move from TX up to TN for family matters for 3-6 months. Of course for that span of time, the bunnies will be going with me & we’ll be driving because I need to have my car up there.

Question 1:

Would it be more stressful for the bunnies to drive straight through? Or to get a hotel along the way?
None of this temporary move will be happening until around June, so about 4 months from now.
It’s a 16 hour drive & I’m trying to plan the least stressful trip for the buns. We will either be taking turns driving/sleeping & drive all the way through, or obviously stop along the way & get a hotel. I feel like it’s better to get a hotel but I also wonder if making them get in the car, then out of the car for 1 night, then back in the car, that would be more stress than just going straight through?

Question 2:
Last thing…I apologize if this part sounds ridiculous …
I work at a pet store & a hamster was recently returned to us after being bought in December. According to the mom, it was biting her kids. I was surprised when I learned the story of why it was back because I’ve been interacting with her & she’s super sweet & I kinda want her.
I just learned that my manager is getting rid of a 40 gallon tank that would be a perfect size for the hamster, & is also willing to give me the hamster for free. I really want this hamster, but I wanted to get other’s opinions on it if they think it would be a bad idea with my move coming up. The hamster will be about a year old by the time I do this move.
Keep in mind the move is temporary, I would be living in TN for let’s say 5 months, & then moving back to TX after that. I would definitely make a safe enclosed & covered space for the hamster in the car. Would the hamster be a bad idea at this time? At the very least, I’ll be taking the free tank either way, because why not .
I know there’s other hamsters, I just got excited about this one because it was the first hamster we’ve gotten at the store that has been completely fine with being pet lol

[Azerane]

Hi there, what a long journey you have planned!

I would definitely recommend stopping overnight along the way, and I would also recommend stopping every 4 hours for the rabbits. It depends on the bun. My current pair and my previous rabbit Bandit, not a single one of them eats while in the car, they don’t like car rides so simply will not eat, no matter what the food is. If this is the case for your buns. You’ll need to stop reasonably often to turn off the car, and give them time to relax enough to eat something. Keep in mind also that if your rabbits aren’t used to drinking out of a bottle, then you’ll need to also be stopping to offer them water as it’s not safe to leave a water bowl in the carrier with them during a drive.

Consider taking some critical care and syringes etc with in case they refuse to eat at all because they’re too stressed, at least you can then be sure that they’re getting something into their system and it’s not going to go into total shutdown. If you drove straight through all 16 hours and they weren’t eating, they would likely go into gut stasis.

In regards to the hamster, I don’t really think that’s a problem. They’re a small enough animal to be able to easily move from A to B. I’m not sure how they handle long car rides, but providing there’s plenty of bedding in the carrier I’m sure it would probably be a pretty comfy ride for a little hamster

[Mimzy]

I think mine will be the same way as yours are about not eating in the car, I hadn’t even thought of that, I’m glad you brought that up! I always offer food to them in car rides but doesn’t seem like they take to it at all.
My manager today had suggested lavender scent like essential oils as long as it’s safe for bunnies since it’s a calming aid. Do you know if it’s safe?

& with the hamster, that’s kind of what I was thinking; it seems like as long as they have a safe & covered place to hide, it should probably be ok. My manager actually just told me that our hamsters come from Florida, so they have to make a long drive anyway! I think it’s also nerve wrecking getting a new type of pet you’ve never owned before as you don’t know what to expect, but I think this might work ^-^

[Azerane]

I’m not sure about essential oils for rabbits, I’ve seen a lot of things saying they’re not really safe around pets but I’m not sure on the actual science and safety of them.

[pinknfwuffy]

I agree with everything Az said! Breaks, hydration, and being prepared for medical intervention with critical care and baby gas drops will be helpful in case you notice they are having trouble during/immediately following the trip. I just made a move with my rabbit (shorter than your adventure) and I found it helpful to have a plan for where the rabbits will be while you pack, when you travel/take breaks, and where they will be temporarily housed until you can get their space setup upon arrival. Logistics are everything! Good luck.

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