Rabbits and travel

A while back on another thread I posted that OH and I had decided not to get bunnies as there's the likelihood we'll be moving abroad at some point and we didn't feel it was right to take some on knowing that we'd most likely have to rehome them once we decided we were moving.

At the time that decision was made Canada was on our list of possible places to move to, obviously a definite no-no for taking buns to!!!! However, we've been really going over what we want from life recently and we've decided that when we do move it'll be to Europe or Scandanavia.

I'm probably clutching at straws here but I want to make sure, is there any chance rabbits could make such a journey and be alright? I'm guessing the main factor would be stress-induced stasis and I obviously wouldn't want to even attempt it if it was likely to be in any way detrimental for the buns.

I've got a feeling I already know the answer to this one but I thought it was worth just making sure!!! I have given some thought to fostering but, selfish as it sounds, I don't think I could cope with having so many rabbits come and go and know I'd never be able to keep any no matter how much I loved them

there is a woman on another forum who has moved her bunnies from England to holland with no ill effects from the journey

Hi:wave: A friend on mine living in Sweden with her bun moved to Poland and she brought the bun back and forth - by car and boat as she couldn't find an airline that would take the bunny... But the bunny was all fine with travelling between Sweden and Poland and back I am Swedish and at the moment I live in Iceland with my OH and our buns - we will also move eventually and the buns are coming with us

I know of someone who brought a bunny all the way from China (bought from a meat market) back to England. He had to be quarantined afterwards too but was fine. I know if I moved away and have even considered Canada I would take my rabbits with me.

How do these bunnies travel abroad? Surely not by plane and do they need pet passports?

i would have thought to take an animal out of this country some sort of passport would be needed...if you drive who would check tho?

its probably the getting back into the country that passports are needed for so we dont bring rabbies in or something like that.... must be a minefield trying to find out whats required :shock:

If we did go we'd be travelling via car and ferry, not plane, as we think that'd be better for the dog anyway.

Must say this is all rather encouraging I'll have to check up on laws covering emmigrating buns and see if they would need passports and such.

Thanks very much :thumb:

Could you not wait and get buns once you're settled in your new home? I think that's what I'd do in your situation. To me it would seem a bit odd to get new pets now when you know you'll have to put them through the journey.

Most rabbits dislike travelling and find it very stressful but they should be okay. I'd be careful with long journeys though as most rabbits will refuse to eat/drink while they are travelling - Even when stopped. My rabbit refuses to wee or poo also so they might be a in a little bit of pain but I'm not completely sure.

Is there no chance you could wait until you move to get a rabbit?

I think the issue is we don't know when or even if we're going :?

We do both really want to rehome a pair but obviously with not knowing if we're going to travel or not we could end up putting it off forever and never having any. It is a tough decision as obviously we want to do what's best by the buns but we also don't want to end up missing out on so much because there's a chance we might be moving :?

Alvin travels amazingly well... infact i think he travels better than i do :shock:

he refuses food while moving and takes about 20 mins when we stop before hell munch... my only worry would be the toileting.. hes travelled 7 hours with service station stops but no poops...

to take bunnies such a long way i think an overnight stop somewhere would be a good idea so that they can use the litter tray in a stationary world...

i havent seen how well pearl travels yet but i will find out september when we go to visit stes family again for a few weeks

Thanks for all the input so far guys, it's all really helpful :thumb:

We've not made any decisions yet, still just umming and ahhing over it all at the moment. We're very eager to get more pets, for various (very valid, I must add) reasons and buns would be top of the list but it all comes down to suitability really and whether our lives are going to be compatible with rabbits.

Tough one really :?