Airline carriers for small pets

[MimzMum]

I've been scouring the internet for something I can fit under a regulation airline seat, and yet galled at how barbaric the most common ones look!
http://www.healthypets.com/petmate-cabin-kennel-solid-top-upto-10lbs.html?mr:trackingCode=02EDCB74-7166-E211-85BB-001517B188A2&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=c&mr:adTyp e=pla_with_promotiononline&mr:ad=45500429327&mr:ke yword=&mr:match=&mr:tid=pla-118231042607&mrloc=9033983&mr:iloc=&mr:store=&mr:filter=118231042 607&gclid=Cj0KEQjwt-G8BRDktsvwpPTn1PkBEiQA-MRsBUH94qJXGWDelfppz92M3NQVUGZ92ptXfDZky81GU4IaAjm J8P8HAQ

This one at least has a wire top so you can see the occupant, but still...look at that price too!
http://www.wayfair.com/Petmate-Trave...4-PTM1110.html

How am I supposed to put my beloved bunnies, each one by him/herself, into one of these little 'boxes' for six hours?? And that's just the flight...we'll still have to drive another 6 to our house!

I don't understand...it's not like airlines haven't been harangued for years now that seats need more legroom, hence the clearance for under seat stowed gear should be higher if you're going to make the seats higher for more room to stretch. Why are we still having to stuff our cabin flying pets into such...I can't describe it any other way...mini-coffins???

Does anyone have any recommendations for airline carriers for cabin that might be a little more humane than these? They are top loaders too, so having to open it like a suitcase if I need to 'freshen' somebun up means a real danger of bunny getting loose in the cabin. That will not do.

I really need some help here, please...I hope someone has some experience with flying with their bun or knows someone who has. Thank you so much for any and all replies!

[Jack's-Jane]

I've been scouring the internet for something I can fit under a regulation airline seat, and yet galled at how barbaric the most common ones look!
http://www.healthypets.com/petmate-cabin-kennel-solid-top-upto-10lbs.html?mr:trackingCode=02EDCB74-7166-E211-85BB-001517B188A2&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=c&mr:adTyp e=pla_with_promotiononline&mr:ad=45500429327&mr:ke yword=&mr:match=&mr:tid=pla-118231042607&mrloc=9033983&mr:iloc=&mr:store=&mr:filter=118231042 607&gclid=Cj0KEQjwt-G8BRDktsvwpPTn1PkBEiQA-MRsBUH94qJXGWDelfppz92M3NQVUGZ92ptXfDZky81GU4IaAjm J8P8HAQ

This one at least has a wire top so you can see the occupant, but still...look at that price too!
http://www.wayfair.com/Petmate-Trave...4-PTM1110.html

How am I supposed to put my beloved bunnies, each one by him/herself, into one of these little 'boxes' for six hours?? And that's just the flight...we'll still have to drive another 6 to our house!

I don't understand...it's not like airlines haven't been harangued for years now that seats need more legroom, hence the clearance for under seat stowed gear should be higher if you're going to make the seats higher for more room to stretch. Why are we still having to stuff our cabin flying pets into such...I can't describe it any other way...mini-coffins???

Does anyone have any recommendations for airline carriers for cabin that might be a little more humane than these? They are top loaders too, so having to open it like a suitcase if I need to 'freshen' somebun up means a real danger of bunny getting loose in the cabin. That will not do.

I really need some help here, please...I hope someone has some experience with flying with their bun or knows someone who has. Thank you so much for any and all replies!

Whilst the carriers are indeed small, personally I think that would actually be safer for the Rabbit. I would also not opt for the wire top one, unless you kept most of the top covered with something. A Rabbit would proabbly feel far more secure then, rather than caged but exposed from above, if you see what I mean.

A larger carrier could prove to be dangerous if the Rabbit went into a panic. I know that the thought of confining the Rabbits in a small carrier seems awful, but it may actually be better for them as far as safety goes.

She has not been on RU for ages, but 'Amethyst' (Liz) has done several flights taking Rabbits with her. UK-Spain, Spain-USA I think. You could PM her as she may still get email alerts if she receives a PM via RU

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/me...?4932-Amethyst

[Barn Yard Bunnies]

I found the second one cheaper on Amazon USA.

https://www.amazon.com/PETMATE-29075...rrier+for+pets

This one has a fold out porch.

https://www.amazon.com/Petsfit-Expan...40NPZFVM742MXS

[keletkezes]

See, I'm of the opinion that first one looks really good for flying with: enclosed for keeping the poor things away from the screaming children, low so they'll hunker down and not stand at an inopportune moment (takeoff roll, landing), small slots but enough for airflow, not too big to get appendages stuck in.

It's only a few hours, remember, not very long in the grand scheme of things

[Shimmer]

I would go with the first carrier if that is the biggest that will fit under the seat. It looks solid and safe - and quite cheap. Bunnies should feel secure with plenty of their usual bedding, and you can stack them on a trolley to transport them round the airport. Once they are back to the car, can you swap them into something bigger - maybe rotate them for an hour each so they get to stretch out? Or would they be more upset at being messed around?

I wouldn't be too worried about this as it is a single trip - not something they are going to be doing on a regular basis. I know they will be confined - but safe and secure would be my priority. Once they have bedded down, they will just see the trip through until they are in their new home. They will not have enough room to get injured or wound up or too stressed whilst travelling. Check on them every hour or so to make sure they are ok, have eaten and the opportunity to drink, otherwise leave them alone. The more you fuss over them, the more stressed they can get. Think of it as being in a bunny burrow for half a day.

I have transported a rabbit on a ferry to Ireland - so a long drive (5 hrs?), ferry (4 hrs?) and short drive (1.5 hrs). He was in a standard cat carrier all the time, with plenty of hay to stop him sliding around and lots of wet veg for water. He was fine. I have also had rabbits couriered up the country (professional and via friends) - again, about 6 hours each, and all were fine in a standard carrier.

Hay is good as bedding for rabbits as it will insulate them from changes in temperature and from strange sounds. They can also eat it. A wad of newspaper underneath would soak up any wetness and can easily be changed - slip a new layer under the used one and pull the used one out, roll it up and bag it. The hay etc stays in place.

[MimzMum]

Wow, thanks everyone! I'm a bit surprised tbh, as I really thought that boxy thing looked terrible. But if it seems okay to you all, then I'll go with it.
The only thing that really bothers me then is that it opens like a suitcase, so if anybun does need a clean up I'll have to take the whole thing into the loo to chance opening it. And bedding might be an issue, depending on how deep this carrier is. I've seen each of my bunnies eat puppy pads, but that would be the way to go for me. Carefresh or Yesterday's News will be all over the place going through those slats. I'm just going to have to hope they won't ingest a ton of it because then I'll have stasis issues to deal with as well. In fact that was something I meant to ask...if they are tightly confined for long periods of time, won't that cause ileus? And how do we manage water? I could put veg in, but then I'm really risking messy bums, possibly in flight. But I'm guessing a water bottle attached to the carrier would be a no go with the TSA.

I also had a chat with Mimzy's vet today, and while it seems that all his tests have now come back clear, we are still having the odd mini poos and he doesn't seem to be eating quite enough. So he's booked in for a possible dental on the 1st. Vet wants to put him on gabapentin also and see if we can reduce the metacam a bit. The sludge I saw is likely where it is irritating the bladder enough to cause bleeding, which then turns the silt dark brown. So we need to get him moving more. I will probably not begin the gabapentin though until we reach our new destination, because as it is I am uncertain if TSA will allow the medicines on board the aircraft and I'll have to have some ready with a new vet when we arrive in Oregon.

So much to do with this move... it's all doing my head in! But thank you all for your replies regarding the carrier..one less thing to worry about!

[Shimmer]

For water - if they are not used to bottles, can you use something like these (if you can find some cheaper as well):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Birds-Water...d+water+bottle

If they are clipped on the outside of the carrier, you can top them up as needed. They have a small sipper area - bunnies could be trained to use them before you go. Otherwise, how about small coop cups which you could refill with a large syringe so you don't need to open the carrier. Or even just from a syringe if they are used to that.

I would make sure they had wet veg - cucumber, lettuce, etc which is mainly water anyway. Even a small (plastic so it won't cause damage if it moves about) bowl of pureed fruit / veg / baby food would hold plenty of water without risking it slopping out and wetting the carrier.

[keletkezes]

For water etc., just fill it after security?

Not moving is a problem, but over such a short period one-off shouldn't be

[jerseygirl]

Oh MM, I can understand why you would balk at putting them in one of these, I really do. I did think carriers for under seat would be more like regular pet carriers but it seems your pretty restricted in choice.
But from their perspective they should actually feel quite secure under the circumstances. I thought similar to Shimmer, it would be like being in a burrow for half a day. In fact, my buns will often choose to go into confined areas for 5-6 hours in the middle of the day (under a sofa for instance if I have them in the living room). J&R use to tuck themselves away under a cardboard box all day and appear in the late afternoon for a hay snack. I know this is different and they are not choosing it...but it's only going to be a one off occasion. Its not barbaric. I guess Pip is the one it will be trickiest to find something suitable for.

I sort of like the top opening one in that it would be easy to look and see how they are doing. I do agree about covering the top with something if you use this type. The main thing that I don't like about that type it the handle being on the top that opens. I would be carrying it with both hands under the rim.
Do the airlines offer suitable carriers to hire? That way you don't have to buy something you're not likely to use ever again. And you can transfer them into regular carriers for the road portion of your journey.

[LagomorphLion]

This is an extremely informative video about all types of travelling with rabbits - its definitely worth a watch!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgK4tW7_0QE