Road Trip!

[AimeeOx]

Hello everyone!

I'm off to Kent for Christmas, a nice 150 mile drive that takes 2.5/3 hours depending on traffic.

My other half is spending Christmas at his parents, and I don't want the piggies to be alone on Christmas Day in a cold house (we have a log burner not central heating..!), so I'm thinking of taking them with me.

I have a carrier that I use for vet trips, but it's only really large enough for one of them long-term, they get on really well but hyper-Higgins is a little too much at times for grown-up-Gibson!

Could I use the bottom floor of their cage? I drive a Ka so it would have to be on the back seat. The seat belts wouldn't go around it but we could strap it in securely (I need to take to cage and run anyway for them to be in at mum's)? They're on vetbed so I'd leave that in there, with hay/veg and a water bottle..

What do you think? The journey involves the dreaded M25 and the super slow (average speed check!) M20, so if the traffic was bad it could take hours (longest so far 5.5 hours), so a carrier may be too small anyway?

Or should I just leave them at home? I'll be away 5 days, of course my partner is at home but isn't a fan of clearing up the poops or handling them..!

 

[Eriathwen]

I always use a cat carrier, should the worst happen and someone hits you or if you have to break suddenly for some reason you don't want too much space for them to be thrown across as they're more likely to be injured that way. It might be worth having them in a carrier each, facing each other so they can still see, hear and talk together etc?

 

[piggieminder]

I think quite a few of us regularly take our piggies away with us. If I were you I would do it if it makes you feel happier than leaving them with someone who is not comfortable poop picking! I use a cat carrier and cover it with a blanket. I take a spare carrier in case they should fall out I can seperate them but it's never happened, I think it's more a case of friends in adversity! I pack a small box with chopped veggies and a filled water bottle in case of motorway closure/breakdown. They have hay in the carrier. There are some good tips here
Travel & Holiday Guides

 

[anyar.dris]

I use a big office box whenever I bring the piggies on a long trip to Northampton from North Wales. It's a 64L one that we have. It's not big but it's a lot bigger than the carrier. I can fit 3 guinea pigs there and they can still do a lot of walking if they want. I line it with puppy pads with paper bedding and put loads of hay, their veggies and pellets. I don't bother putting the lid on too, but if in case needed, I put loads of holes on the lid (probably the size of a pound or 2 pound coins) so they can have air. If you can put a seatbelt around it, then that's good too.

 

[AimeeOx]

Thank you all for your advice.. I will look at getting an extra carrier, I like the idea of @anyar.dris 's tub, too, so might see if I can find one in time for the trip!

My mum is looking forward to having them down there so she can spoil them.. And then the other half is bringing the dog down Boxing Day, so she'll have a house full!

 

[Bill & Ted]

I use the bottom half of a double decker cage for my boys when we go to Northampton. Cat carriers are ok for two piggies on short journeys but not enough room for long ones and they get very hot inside them, our journey is 6 plus hours to/from Northampton (vets). Bill and Ted are fine and they don’t get too hot in a normal cage, can feed and move around quite normally. We put a sheet over the top so they feel secure, never had any problems.