Travel vs. Bunny-Sitter

[Somebunny78]

I am a college student, and in a couple of weeks when the Spring semester ends I need to go home for three weeks before I return to campus for the summer session. The issue is, I live a 7-hour drive away from campus, which I know is a lot for a rabbit. I have a close friend who lives only an hour away who is willing to take care of Charlie, my 2.5 month old holland lop. He has experience with Charlie as well as the space and time to play with him, so I think it would be a good situation.

The issue is that when I had to travel last weekend and have a friend look after Charlie, when I got home on Sunday night I found he had still not eaten his breakfast from Sunday morning. Usually he demolishes his pellets within 5 minutes of me feeding him, so this made me very nervous. But he showed no other behavioral differences and the next morning was eating normally again. I’m wondering if that was just because his routine was thrown off, or even if he missed me (by now he knows who I am and shows preference to spending time with me than to anyone else, including our roommate). It is also worth noting that she only let him out for playtime once that whole weekend, while I usually let him out for an hour or two every day, so that could have decreased his appetite. 

If he were to come home with me, I would continue the normal routine and play time (although he would of course be in a different setting, but Charlie is so hyper and is always trying to get into new parts of the room so I do not foresee this being an issue). However, He would have a 7+ hour drive each direction, which is a lot for only three weeks. The only other time he has been in a car, the day I got him, was for about an hour and a half drive. After a little exploring of his carrier he slept most of the way, so he could be fine I’m just nervous it’s such a long time.

The moral of the story is that, as much as I’d like to keep him with me, I want to do what is best for Charlie. He could stay with my friend, who is only an hour away, but the routine might be a little different and he will be staying with someone he does not know as well. Or, he could spend upwards of 14 hours in the car in a span of 3 weeks so he would be with me. Any recommendations on what would be best?

[BanditCamp]

Having a bunny is a relationship. I’m perfectly ok with letting a person watch my bun for 2 days max, however a full three weeks? Personally I wouldent and if you eat to drive try planning your start trip during his wake hours and he’ll eventually get tired and fall asleep. Schedule 2 feeding and potty breaks where he can stretch in some grass and eat some hay and drink some water, car rides are stressful but they can be overcome.

Lennon the bunny has some good videos on car trips so try watching this to get some ideas along with the wabbit wiki on car travel.

http://rabbit.org/faq-vacations-and-travel/

https://youtu.be/RC3FkDOeGHg

[Muchelle]

I take my bun for a 6 hour drive to reach summer location (so 2 long car rides in 3 weeks) and he does fine. Just need to stop every hour and a half or two hours to let him drink and eat something ^^

[Azerane]

I would personally bring him with me. I would make 2 stops to break up your journey (which you might make anyway for food/toilet breaks) to give him a chance to eat/drink if he wants to. But 7 hours isn’t so bad, I would prefer to have him with me for 3 weeks than have someone else looking after him.

[vanessa]

Id take him with. Iv traveled on many an occasion with one of my four bunnies. We are out of state as i write. I brought him with in thr airplane. Yes car rides are stressful – at first. Lancelot is happy to sleep on my lap in a car, eats and everything. 3 weeks is a long time to b separated. He will miss you. Bring him along, plan rest stops as bunnies typically dont like to eat:drink while the vehicle is rolling. Keep him shaded.

[Somebunny78]

Thank you all for the advice! I’m relieved I’ll be able to keep him with me, I would have really missed him for those three weeks I just wanted to make sure I was making the right decision for him and not just myself. I will be sure to make lots of snack stops, and hopefully he will just sleep anyways. Thank you

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