What to do with your rabbit when you go on vacation?
What to do with my rabbit if I go on vacation? This is a very frequent question that all of us who have a pet rabbit and who love to travel ask ourselves. Rabbits are little animals that are often stressed by changes. Planning our vacations carefully will help avoid some problems.
If we have a family member or friend to take care of them during our vacations, it would be ideal, but what can we do in cases where we do not have anyone who can take care of our little one?
In this article we will propose several options, which we hope will help you on your next trip.
We can’t take our rabbit on vacation. Someone from my family will take care of coming home and taking care of it.
If we decide not to take our rabbit on vacation, it stays at home and a person comes daily to check that everything is going well, it will help if we leave them a list with the feeding and cleaning routines, the symptoms of illness and the vet’s telephone number.
Pros :
Maintains a familiar environment
Keep your routines
We avoid the stress of travel
Cons:
Will be left alone
We will be concerned about whether the person in charge will be sufficiently responsible and we will also ask ourselves if they will know how to detect possible symptoms of illness.
Our rabbit stays at someone else’s house
Someone you trust offers to take care of our rabbit in their own home.
Pros:
You will have more attention and will be more accompanied
If there is a problem, it will be more easily detected
Cons:
Some stress from being in a different environment
Stays in a residence for rabbits
Previously visit the facilities and the place where you will be accommodated; it should be separated from other species. They must have experience in handling rabbits. Some exotic veterinarians have this type of facilities (the Tambor veterinary offers this service)
Pros:
If the residency is linked to a veterinary center, they would quickly detect any problems
They will have their meals at the times they should in addition to their time to exercise and play
Cons:
Stress due to different environment
Economic cost
I take my rabbit on vacation
We must make sure that these small pets are accepted at the destination. We will try to prevent our pet from suffering and we will try to ensure that it can travel as comfortably as possible.
Travel by car:
If you can, take your rabbit in its cage. This way, you will have more space and will be calmer because you recognize your “home.” If not, it chooses to carry them in its carrier. Put the cage / carrier inside a higher box to avoid direct air / sun and fit it well so that it does not move during the trip. Normally, the rabbit will go scared and will not eat or drink. It is important that you make stops along the way so that your little bunnies can eat and drink something.
Traveling by plane with our dwarf rabbit:
In this case the conditions to travel depend on the company with which we travel. We advise that for no reason the rabbit travels in the cellar since it would be a very stressful situation for them. Ideally, our pet should travel with us in the cabin. This service usually costs about 11.73 USD per kilo.
Traveling by train with our rabbit:
Normally in the commuter trains they do not usually put problems when traveling with our rabbits. The only condition is that it is put in the carrier. On long-distance trains, on the other hand, there are more difficulties. In principle, you have to pay 50% of our ticket for the rabbit, it has to be put in its carrier and in some cases, the supervisor may demand that it go in the compartment enabled for suitcases.
Traveling by bus:
The urban bus regulations say that we can travel with small animals as long as they are in their carriers. In any case, it will not hurt that you read the regulations before the trip.
What to consider when traveling with a rabbit on vacation?
We need a comfortable carrier with adequate measures for our rabbits. Especially when we travel in summer, the carriers reduce ventilation, so we must make sure that the temperature is optimal. If they are species susceptible to heat stroke, we can put a cold accumulator outside the carrier on one of the sides, in this way, if you wish, you can approach the cooler part. When traveling with pets by car, be sure to grip and secure the carrier well. You will go calmer, and the animal will travel safely. Also, before putting our rabbit in a carrier, it is good to make sure that it is well exercised. That it can run and enjoy themselves before spending a few hours in such a small space.
It is important to always maintain a positive attitude, in front of the cage and before the imminent trip. We don’t want our rabbit to perceive it as traumatic or bad. It is better to convey the idea of something positive and good to them. If you can, include the carrier or the travel cage in your pet’s daily life much better. If it is an everyday item, you will better perceive the sensations of the trip.
It should not be in direct sunlight. Neither are drafts.
If possible we will make stops where our rabbit can eat and drink. In its carrier we will put hay for them on the way.
We will opt for early or late hours to travel
Basic tips for traveling with rabbits
Prepare the necessary documentation: bring your pet’s vaccination record and all the paperwork with you.
Do not miss the medication: if you are going to travel with animals that need certain care, prepare your own bag with all the medication and what you need.
Take its attachment: That which makes them feel “at home.” If you have something like that, take them on the trip, you will help them to be calmer (a stuffed animal or any other object that he loves).
Food and drink: In addition to what you are going to use the days you are away, think about the trip itself. If it coincides with the times your bunny usually eats, have something on hand so you can give it to them.
Also, to prevent them from starting to get nervous before its time, do not move suitcases, carrier and others in front of them until it is time. Dwarf rabbits are very clever and they will quickly see changes coming.
