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10 hour car trip... can bunnies do it?

KoShiatar

Mama Doe
I'll be going back to Italy for a few months, and I need to carry Mango and Maia with me. However, it's a 10 hour + car trip, and I'm afraid they won't take it well. They've never travelled in a car before and I'm terrified it'll stress them so much they'll be sick. What can I do? Is it even advisable that they undertake such a trip?
 
I think it really depends on the individual bunnies & how well they cope with things in general. Could you try them on a car journey & see gow they react?
 
on a different forum a few years ago someone had moved to europe and left the buns here in the UK. they bought a home and came home to fetch the buns.. they was fine and totally unfazed by the journey and new home :D


Alvin has done a 6-7 hour journey with no problems at all, even with him being a stasis bun.


you will have to allow extra time for stops so the buns can eat something along the way, make sure the buns home is set up first at the other end and they should be fine :D
 
You'll need to test them in the car first.
About four times a year I take my rabbits to Manchester with me to visit my parents. That is a 7 hour car and train journey and they are fine with it. Grim is very ill with snuffles and other things and he travels amazingly. It takes Smoo about half an hour to settle in but after that she's fine and will sit on my lap on the train now. :)
 
If you get them used to the car first, maybe black out the carriers, and if they react fine then I don't see the problem. Mine have been on quite a few 5/6 hour journeys and I know some people who have driven rabbits to shows in europe with no problems. But if they get very stressed out then personally I wouldn't risk it

ETA: Some ideas for getting them used to the car, start off just sitting them in the carrier with some food to nibble on, return them to their hutch/run straight after, when they're fine with that, you can sit them in the car with the engine running, again I'd have some distractions and when it's done put them straight back, and gradually increase the time, then start taking them on small journeys (preferably journeys with smooth roads). I use black paper to cover the carriers on long journeys but just selotape the top so there's plenty of ventilation
 
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Thank God my bunnies are healthy and not prone to bouts of stasis. When in the carrier they just tend to be very quiet. Mango is a very laid back boy and nothing fazes him, Maia however is much more nervous. I was even wondering if there is anything I could give them (chamomile, Bach flowers, etc.)
 
Thank God my bunnies are healthy and not prone to bouts of stasis. When in the carrier they just tend to be very quiet. Mango is a very laid back boy and nothing fazes him, Maia however is much more nervous. I was even wondering if there is anything I could give them (chamomile, Bach flowers, etc.)

I gave mine comfrey before I took them on a long journey but can't remember why now :oops: :lol: I'd give them some water soaked veg/dandelion before as rabbits don't tend to eat/drink much on the journey

Are bach flowers safe for rabbits? That's what's used in rescue remedy isn't it?
 
When we moved house, we did a 4 hour (with a stop in the middle for a couple of hours) with bun. The next day we did a 5 hour trip with a half hour break in the middle. That said, as bun had to spend 2 days without his hutch, he travelled in a 3 foot indoor cage, covered up. We managed but I wouldn't have done it unless it was absolutely necessary. Although I didn't really notice any signs of stress, he must have been, with being confined to that space for so long. We put water bottle in and plenty food and hay. I probably wouldn't recommend it to be honest but obviously would do it again if I had to move (prob not for any other reason though)
 
What are the emigration / immigration regulations for rabbits? Vaccinations, etc. Will you be able to get them back into the UK with no trouble? I only know the regs for cats, dogs and ferrets.

Choose your channel crossing with care - Brittany Ferries refuse to carry rabbits. Some ancient superstition or other.
 
What are the emigration / immigration regulations for rabbits? Vaccinations, etc. Will you be able to get them back into the UK with no trouble? I only know the regs for cats, dogs and ferrets.

Choose your channel crossing with care - Brittany Ferries refuse to carry rabbits. Some ancient superstition or other.

I think they're free to go around EU countries without quarantine or anything. I know lots of people travel with rabbits to and from Holland, there's definately no quarantine and I haven't heard of health certificates or them having to have vaccs
 
I'm not in the Uk, but in Germany. ^_^ So there will be no problem about that. Bunnies are fully vaccs, I may want to chip them in the future.
 
It depends on your rabbits. Nutmeg and Smudge could never do that so I'd have to split it up into smaller bits, Mini and Mischa would be ok with it though.
 
could you stop at a hotel halfway through the journey? we used to do a 6hr round trip to the vet with one of our buns as he was a specialist.. she was fine
 
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