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Travelling with bunnies, advice needed...

Looks like I may have to take Pixie (and her boyfriend) to see a vet specialist who is at least a two hour drive away. She may also have to be admited the same day for a dental then another two hour drive home. I'm so worried as they hate travelling and struggle just travelling 20mins to their usual vet! I'd be grateful for any travel advice you can give me so I can prepare for the trip.
 
I would just make sure they are nice and comfy and secure in their carrier. Give them some extra nice herby things to eat on the way, and I am sure they will probably settle and travel better on a longer journey because they have the time too, but on shorter ones they don't really get the opportunity and sometimes I wonder if that makes them more anxious. Good luck for wherever you are going. Are you prepared in case they have to stay in. If my vet has had say an emergency rushed in, which makes him later operating on one of my buns, he has tended to not let them go home until the next day, so as to be absolutely certain that they are comfortable and well enough, also as you are a distance away, and it would be harder to return to him, he may well want to keep overnight, just to be quite certain all is well before sending on their way. Just thought I'd mention these things because of how my own vet tends to work.
 
Many thanks for getting back to me :wave: I'm going to arrange this all soon and will double check with the vet what he needs me to do regarding if she has to say in that night. To be honest I'd rather stay over near to the surgery so I'm close by then I can collect her early the following day to bring her home ( so long as she is well enough) before the 'roads rush hour'. I do see what you mean though as they may well be better on a long journey than a short one - less bends with stopping and starting for traffic lights etc :roll: It does scare me though but if I need to take her I'll make double sure she is as happy as possible. Dear sweet darling she is and a very special girl indeed. :love:
 
Where are you taking her too? Really hope it all goes well. A number of people have said to me that on longer journeys their buns have settled because they have time too, and ultimately travelled really well. I spoke to a good bunny friend last night and mentioned your thread, and she said she had been going to make the mistake of travelling hers in a large cage so that they had lots of space, but that is really the worst thing you could do, as they would be sliding all over the place and probably be just terrified. My bunnies are all perfectly fine in carriers that are big enough for them to turn round that kind of thing, and space to properly stretch out if they want, but they seem comforted and secure by the 4 relatively close walls if you know what I mean, and they can't slide about.

I'm sure you wouldn't and I hope you don't mind me saying, but I have seen carriers just put on the floor or back seat, which is terribly dangerous as well, and I put the seat belt over one side of the carrier and then use one of those bungee clip things are they called, do you know what I mean, hook each end and stretchy in the middle, and then I use one of those to secure like the seat belt but coming from the other side, so in effect they have a big X across the front of their carrier
 
My best tip. Buy a rubber bottomed door mat or similar to put into the carry case. Something they can get a grip on that won't slip. It makes them so much more relaxed. :thumb:
 
Where are you taking her too? Really hope it all goes well. A number of people have said to me that on longer journeys their buns have settled because they have time too, and ultimately travelled really well. I spoke to a good bunny friend last night and mentioned your thread, and she said she had been going to make the mistake of travelling hers in a large cage so that they had lots of space, but that is really the worst thing you could do, as they would be sliding all over the place and probably be just terrified.

Depends on what's on the bottom of the cage and your style of driving. I took my rabbits from Frankfurt to northern Italy, a 900+ km, 14-hour trip, so the carrier was not an option as they needed to use the toilet. There was soft padding on the bottom of the cage and they were disoriented but not terrified. Mango actually flopped in relax and they both ate and drank during the stops. We passed the streets of Austria, not quite the most straight and easy in Europe.
But for a 2-hour trip I think a carrier with hay, water and some vegs/fruit will suffice. You should put some absorbent padding on the bottom (there are some disposable ones for sale, or use an old towel or mat), because they're likely to wee or drop caecotrophs if they're prone to stress from travelling.
 
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