Tips and tricks to traveling with your bunny
By Rachel Andersen
Recently my family and I had a mini disaster in the form of a flood at our home. After a week of additional difficulty, we ended up needing to move into a hotel for a month. Of course we brought our furry family members along–including Sidebar the bunny.
Our first hotel was pet friendly. As this was the first time traveling with Sidebar, I learned a lot first-hand about all things buns on the run. I thought I would share them here.
What should you bring when traveling with your rabbit?
This list will not be exhaustive by any means since each bunny’s needs are different, and each family and destination is unique. However, there is one universal tip to remember: before traveling with your rabbit, make sure they are potty trained and spayed/neutered.
Why potty train your rabbit?
If you need to travel with your rabbit, their potty training habits can make or break your trip. If they are litter box trained and are faithful in using it, your trip will be much less stressful. Peace of mind is always on my list of things to try to bring with me, knowing Sidebar will soil only his litter box keeps me from stressing out about damage or extra work.
Why spay/neuter your rabbit?
When traveling with your rabbit you need to know that they will not be having any accidents. An unfixed rabbit will feel the need to mark their territory, and all the new smells could trigger them to let EVERYONE know that this new space belongs to them.
Many hotels have laundry services but most will make you pay for it. You could be charged extra fees for damaged property, or you may have to spend money replacing items that could be damaged.
So, it is important to ensure your rabbit’s bathroom habits are excellent, be ready to clean up after them, and bring the appropriate enclosure if they will need the extra protection.
What supplies will you need for your travel and stay?
That being said, here is a list of items you should bring with you when traveling with your rabbit:
- New toy to chew
- Container for hay
- Carrier that looks like a purse or luggage*
- Small handheld broom and dustpan
- Cord protectors: two sizes
- Treats
- socks**
- Extra pellets***
- Emergency kit: critical care, pain meds
- Cooler bag: keep those greens cool
- Puppy pads****
- Travel litter box
- Food and water dishes (collapsable works well)
*Carrier that looks like a purse or luggage is a good idea just in case your hotel is not pet friendly, or does not allow rabbits. I am not advocating for sneaking your rabbit in. I will say their quietness is easier to sneak in than a dog or cat.
**Socks are a great way to cover the legs of furniture, just in case your bunny feels the need to chew on them. The new chew toys should deter this behavior, but you never know what is going to interest your bunny, even if they don’t chew furniture legs at home.
*** Extra pellets come in handy when traveling to keep that gut moving. It isn’t always easy to keep greens fresh or hay readily available, depending on your mode of transportation, or the length of time you will be in the car.
****Puppy pads are easier to clean up in a litter box, fold flat, and take up less room than paper bedding.
If you have room, consider bringing a few C&C grid panels or an expen. If your rabbit free roams at home normally, you probably won’t need them.
What things should you consider when preparing to travel with your bunny?
Most rabbits do not like upheaval and unpredictability. Avoid traveling with them if you have a good pet sitter, they don’t recover well after travel. (Refusal to leave their carrier, or not wanting to explore after an hour or so of being settled, are both clues they don’t handle it well.)
The health of your bunny is of utmost importance. If they have been exposed to RHD2, have not been vaccinated, will be around other bunnies, or are traveling to a region where an RHD2 outbreak is ongoing, don’t take your bunny with you.
Also, consider keeping to your rabbit’s schedule as close as you can while traveling. Rabbits will feel more secure if things like meals and treat times, grooming sessions, and play time are basically kept the same.
How did our month being away from home go?
Sidebar is an inquisitive, confident rabbit who loves his carrier and though he is not fond of riding in a car, he LOVES exploring new places. He absolutely adored hotel life. His typical day included: waking, eating, hay and litter box session, zoomies, rest, treat, explore, eat, litter box session, zoomies, and sleep.
Though he freely roams our home, I am not used to sharing a room with him at night. All being in the same room gave me an extra fun little glimpse into his world, personality, and schedule.
I also discovered his fascination with one particular leg of an ottoman. Yeah so, bringing socks on our next trip is a must!
Summing up
I hope you enjoyed this little look into traveling with a bunny. Remember to spay/neuter your rabbit, respect their needs, and be prepared for as much of the journey as possible before embarking on your journey.
Sidebar and I have been brought closer through this experience. I may or may not have had to sneak him into our second hotel. All I can tell you is: the little broom and dustpan came in handy either way.
Resources
The links above take you to some products that Sidebar and I use. I hope you find them helpful.
Our sponsor for this issue is: Koda the Little Bunny
Remember, our sponsored rescue for this issue is @Space Coast Bunnies, they can be found on Amazon Smile. I encourage you to sign up with them before buying anything from amazon from my list, that way a little something will be sent to them when you order any awesome travel or home items for your precious bunny. Thanks guys!