Guinea pig car journey

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Izzie913

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi all,

Soon I am taking my piggies on a trip but it involves a 2-hour car journey. I was wondering whether this was too long to keep my 2 piggies in a car. I read on here that transporting the piggies in a cat carrier was a good idea so if the journey isn't too long, does anyone know of any good quality but not too expensive cat carrier?

Thank you!
 
Hello,

It is not too far at all. I used to travel my piggies 2 hrs 45 mins every week at one point to see their vets (nearly 3 hours there and nearly 3 hours back). Piggies travel really well. You've just got to get the conditions right.
I travelled mine in carriers, large enough so that they could still roam a little as it's a long journey to be cooped up in a corner. I would secure them in the back and they would also be surrounded by cushions, with a blanket over the top of the carrier so they felt safer (but not around the sides so that plenty of air was getting in). I used to make sure the car maintained a constant temperature too (not too hot and not too cold).
They did have me chatting to them all the way there and back, probably got sick of me 😂 I found that they coped really well, eating, roaming around and sleeping as normal.
 
I've taken my boys on holiday before and they're coming with us again this year.

I use a cat carrier but as they live side by side they get one each - I position the doors facing each other so they can still see and hear their friend.

I usually put a chunk of cucumber in too - keeps them hydrated but isn't as leaky as a water bottle.

They usually just snuggle up in their hay and go to sleep.
 
I have something similar to this (mine is so old I can't find a photo of one) so hope this helps
Mine actually has more side clips (10 in total). The more clips, the more confident you feel that if one comes open the bottom won't suddenly drop off!
cat box.webp
You can hang the water bottle off the door - inside put fleece or bedding, food and hay
You can put it near their cage with the door open so they get used to it - they can go in and out on their own
It's easy to wash and store away
2 pigs have room to manoeuvre and change their position.
I drape a blanket over... sometimes I put a little piece of fleece or towel inside for them to burrow under too.

I don't personally rate the fabric carriers and the ones which look like a wire cage won't work at all!
 
Izzie913 said:
Hi all,

Soon I am taking my piggies on a trip but it involves a 2-hour car journey. I was wondering whether this was too long to keep my 2 piggies in a car. I read on here that transporting the piggies in a cat carrier was a good idea so if the journey isn't too long, does anyone know of any good quality but not too expensive cat carrier?

Thank you!
Click to expand...
How many piggies do you have? If two, I would recommend this carrier from amazon for both,but get two. Two hours isn't long. 15 hours would be hazardous for our piggies because no one wants to be stuffed in a travel cage in a hot car for 15 hours! your fine!
Screenshot 2021-04-10 at 1.31.42 PM.webp
 
That doesn’t look big enough for two piggies, let alone one. If they’re bonded then ideally they’re in the same carrier. Did you take a look at the (bigger) cat carriers as an option?
 
Siikibam said:
That doesn’t look big enough for two piggies, let alone one. If they’re bonded then ideally they’re in the same carrier. Did you take a look at the (bigger) cat carriers as an option?
Click to expand...
coco always travels in the travel bag i recomended to her(sorry for my spelling) we are trying to get livy one but she also has a carrier bag. It depends on the size of your piggy. Coco fits perfectly in the travel bag and she's quite comfortable in it. The inside is huge compared to the picture. But yes i agree,if she wants,she can get a bigger one
 
Mine would eat through that fabric carrier in no time!
I use this one for my two, used to be three. It’s super and I love it (I have a more boring colour though!)

Catit Cabrio Cat Carrier, Blue Grey Amazon.co.uk
 
Guineapigfeet said:
Mine would eat through that fabric carrier in no time!
I use this one for my two, used to be three. It’s super and I love it (I have a more boring colour though!)

Catit Cabrio Cat Carrier, Blue Grey Amazon.co.uk
Click to expand...
coco has tried that but she gives up and goes to sleep. then i give her hay when she starts biting
 
I'd be scared of them getting squashed in a fabric one. I like my solid cat carrier, I can pile a thick blanket over it and fit a towel, fleece, snug safe and 2 piggies inside with plenty of room. I can blast it in the shower when it gets peed in.
 
Coco+Olivia said:
coco always travels in the travel bag i recomended to her(sorry for my spelling) we are trying to get livy one but she also has a carrier bag. It depends on the size of your piggy. Coco fits perfectly in the travel bag and she's quite comfortable in it. The inside is huge compared to the picture. But yes i agree,if she wants,she can get a bigger one
Click to expand...
Do you separate them when travelling then? I always have mine in together.
 
Siikibam said:
Do you separate them when travelling then? I always have mine in together.
Click to expand...
i separate them because really? they don't like being in the same carrier while traveling. It causes them to fight for space. Coco is bigger than Olivia so the space goes down if i put them together. When we get to the destination, they meet each other in the cage.
 
Coco+Olivia said:
i separate them because really? they don't like being in the same carrier while traveling. It causes them to fight for space. Coco is bigger than Olivia so the space goes down if i put them together. When we get to the destination, they meet each other in the cage.
Click to expand...

That’s interesting.
Mine are never separated (not even when i move them the 10ft from their shed to their lawn run), they are too scared on car journeys to even think about bickering, they sit huddled up looking to each other for comfort.
 
We take our pigs back and forth to the cottage every summer- it's a two-hour drive. In that case, we are taking the whole cage in the back of our van (they have a large rabbit cage, it just fits.) When we go to the vet's, it's about forty minutes and we do have a carrier for that. Ours is a soft cat carrier, kind of looks like a duffel bag but has thick mesh sides for them to breathe and look out.
 
Izzie913 said:
Hi all,

Soon I am taking my piggies on a trip but it involves a 2-hour car journey. I was wondering whether this was too long to keep my 2 piggies in a car. I read on here that transporting the piggies in a cat carrier was a good idea so if the journey isn't too long, does anyone know of any good quality but not too expensive cat carrier?

Thank you!
Click to expand...

Hi!

Here is our detailed travel advice. You can also check your local free-ads for second-hand cat carriers.
Travelling with guinea pigs

I've travelled over 6 hours in the car with piggies of mine and around 5 hours on a train journey from the East of Kent to the Midlands via London.
 
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