Moving with rabbits

Howdy, everyone! Long time no type!

As the title says, we'll be moving in a few months from the Texas Panhandle to the Texas Gulf Coast. We'll be reducing our herd to just our Cal and Zil breeders, but that's still eight rabbits. Any tips on moving with rabbits? What's the best way to transport them?

I'm looking at all of the dollar stores for inexpensive jelly-roll pans to use as poo pans for making travel cages, but so far haven't found any big enough. Not even Wal-Mart or Target seem to have them. Most of the pans I've found are the aluminum foil type--definitely not strong enough to support a full-grown Cal.

Nice to see you back with us, Trinity! It's been a while!

For travel cages, you want the rabbits to have just enough room to lay down comfortably. If they have too much space, a sudden stop can send them flying and injuries can result. One thing you might consider is taking an existing cage and putting in wire partitions so you have several compartments for transporting the buns.

How long is the trip and what will the temperatures be like? Does your vehicle have air conditioning? Knowing about these things can help us make useful suggestions.

MaggieJ":3u4uz4xf said:

For travel cages, you want the rabbits to have just enough room to lay down comfortably. If they have too much space, a sudden stop can send them flying and injuries can result. One thing you might consider is taking an existing cage and putting in wire partitions so you have several compartments for transporting the buns.

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I'm thinking that individual travel cages will be easier to arrange than 2-3 big ones. It would also pose a problem getting the buns into their various partitions with my existing cages.

I saw a travel cage that someone made from scrap wire (I have lots of that) and an attached old jelly-roll pan for the poo pan. It was just about the right size. Now if I can just find some cheap jelly-roll pans. . .

How long is the trip and what will the temperatures be like?

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The trip will be about ten hours plus stops. We'll probably take it in two days. It will likely be mid- to late May, but this is Texas, so temps will be anyone's guess until we get closer to the time.

Does your vehicle have air conditioning?

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Absolutely! I wouldn't own a vehicle without air conditioning in Texas! However, we have NO idea at this point what kind of vehicle we will have. We've had two vehicles totalled earlier this year, and we haven't yet purchased a replacement family vehicle (just a little get-around car that I'm currently sharing with my son). We're hoping to get a minivan or small SUV in the next few months, though.

Would the bed of a pickup truck be out of the question, or could we transport them in that if we protect them from the sun and heat? We might even be able to rig a temporary camper "shell" with tarps and feed the A/C from the truck's cab into that through the back window.

Check into cat carriers. They're like $20, have handles, good ventilation, and solid floors. AND a place to hand a feed thingie.

I bought a 2'x2' cheap cage, and instead of putting the top on it, cut up the top wire to make dividers. 3 of them. I had a 2' deep, by 8" wide "space" for each of 3 bunnies. I ended up putting 2 juniors in one of the areas. They all just settled down happily and rode quietly. well...not as if they'd BARK, like certain animals I could mention.... but you know what I mean.

For a top, I just laid a cardboard over it. Put the whole thing on a gunny sack.

Cat carriers can also be found at yard sales and classifieds for cheap. I bought one for under $5, I think.

If they end up in the car, putting a tarp over your back seat or wherever they are is a good idea.

Cardboard boxes might work out once the bunnies are in motion; however, they might chew their way out before that.

I used a combination of:
a tarp over the seat
old towels over the tarp
a 2'x2' cage with lots of hay in it
2 cat carriers with wood pellets and hay in them

I put them all side by side in the back seat of my car. The babies (10 weeks) got the cage, and Pearl and Thumper each got a cat carrier. Worked wonderfully!

Cardboard boxes worked well for me, except that I had them in them a bit before we actually took off, and OOPSIE, a doe and buck ended up together. but While we were moving most of the time they were great.

I've done cardboard boxes for shorter trips, but not a trip that included an overnight stop. (We'll be at my mom's so it won't be a problem to put them in her garage for the night.)

Unless we manage more than one vehicle for the trip, inside the passenger area won't be an option (too many humans to transport). Our furniture and other household goods are being moved by DH's employer, so we won't have a U-Haul truck, either.

In other words, my question is more about the transportation part than the "container" part.<br /><br />__________ Wed Oct 27, 2010 10:39 pm __________<br /><br />Anyone want to chime in on the transportation (vehicle) part of my question?

I use plastic pans,like sold too store sweaters.

Show carriers.

They will work great. Ive had rabbits stay in them for a week while traveling and stuff. Works good with the pan, and the way everything is devided. Not that expensive either

^ That's not always practical, if there isn't any shows near you or anyone who makes cages, this will not work.

I suggest medium sized rubbermaid totes. They work great You will have to put holes in the sides to run water bottles into them & get covers for the tops though.

Epic":2rexvalr said:

^ That's not always practical, if there isn't any shows near you or anyone who makes cages, this will not work.

I suggest medium sized rubbermaid totes. They work great You will have to put holes in the sides to run water bottles into them & get covers for the tops though.

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I don't think the rubbermaid totes would be a good idea in Trinity Oak's climate. Too hot and not enough ventilation.

MaggieJ":1kinq5nb said:

Epic":1kinq5nb said:

^ That's not always practical, if there isn't any shows near you or anyone who makes cages, this will not work.

I suggest medium sized rubbermaid totes. They work great You will have to put holes in the sides to run water bottles into them & get covers for the tops though.

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I don't think the rubbermaid totes would be a good idea in Trinity Oak's climate. Too hot and not enough ventilation.

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Oh my bad, forgot she is in Texas. x) Disregard this idea.