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Pebbles82 · 10-11-2015, 01:52 AM

Tricky one - I decided against taking Charlie with us on holiday this year because we had an overnight stop going each way. I think a long trip would be ok if she is in a suitable pet carrier, either on your knee, or wedged in the car so it can't fly and crash into something if you have to break hard. I had Charlie on my knee in a pet carrier with a blanket over the top when we drove somewhere. If it was just the 12 hour trip there and back I'd say take her with you and either get a travel cage or take her cage and set it up when you get there. But you say you are going to two different houses? Are they nearby each other or does it mean another travel to go from one to the other?

I think it depends. If for example you are driving 12 hours, staying somewhere for a week, driving four hours, staying somewhere else for a week, then driving home - it is doable, but not as ideal as just having her in one place for the duration. If there are one night stops somewhere I'd say it is a bad idea.

When we went we took Charlie to another hamster owner for a holiday and picked him up when we came back. This didn't work too well either as he had just got used to the change in environment and was very stressed and a bit all over the place for a week or two when we brought him home again and yes it did take a bit of taming again.

I was advised the best option (and I agree with this) is to have someone come to your home to change food and water and let her out in a playpen for a bit. But not just anyone and that's the tricky bit. We didn't know anyone we could trust to do this, but later a friend told us about a pet-sitting service they used every year for their rabbit and the lady would either have the pet at her house, or would come to your house every day to feed and water them and would follow an instruction sheet you left, and get them out for a bit as well. They trusted her and she was used to all kinds of animals.

If you can find a service like that, it would be best probably, although you might have to pay and it can take time to get a recommendation from someone, so you know she is in experienced safe hands.

I kind of wish we had taken Charlie with us as I worried the whole time lol.

So if you want to take her with you, it'll take a bit of logistical working out in advance. ie arranging with the people you are staying with, where the cage can be set up (in your room presumably would be the best place - somewhere quiet away from children and other pets - and keep the door closed!). Also if your cage is too big to fit in the car, then purchase something big enough but either one that knocks down, or something like a zoozone II where the top can sit in the bottom kind of stacked for travel. Plus all her current cage contents for familiarity (bag the current bedding and nesting material). If you did take her current cage, you'd need to take everything out and pack it and put it all back in again when you get there or you'll end up with substrate everywhere in the car (and I forgot to take the water bottle and food dish out once on a short journey and everything got soaked! And food flying everywhere.)

I would get a good sized pet carrier - we have a guinea pig sized one which seems just right for a syrian. I'll post a photo below. As long as it has a house in and is well full of substrate etc, so the house provides some stability in the pet carrier (eg wedged to the sides of it) - cardboard is probably best for a house. We have one of the hay covered cardboard houses in the pet carrier, so he has fun shredding it and chewing the hay off the inside when he's in there. Hide food amongst the substrate.

Travel can be stressful for hamsters, so she would probably be safer left at home with a trusted person to come in and look after her once a day - if that is possible. Sorry that isn't much help. I think if you were just going to the one house, that wouldn't be so bad as it would be stability after the long journey and before the journey back.

Charlie's Ferplast Aladino Guinea pig sized pet carrier - sitting inside play area. The cardboard hay house just wedges in nicely. I couldn't find it on US Amazon but the one below is similar and the same size as ours (the large one - the small one is tiny).

http://www.amazon.com/Living-World-C...ds=pet+carrier

This is the carrot/hay house we have in it

http://www.amazon.com/Rosewood-Natur...s=carrot+house

10-11-2015, 01:52 AM
Pebbles82 Hamster Antics Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 23,533	Re: Taking a Syrian on a long road trip? Tricky one - I decided against taking Charlie with us on holiday this year because we had an overnight stop going each way. I think a long trip would be ok if she is in a suitable pet carrier, either on your knee, or wedged in the car so it can't fly and crash into something if you have to break hard. I had Charlie on my knee in a pet carrier with a blanket over the top when we drove somewhere. If it was just the 12 hour trip there and back I'd say take her with you and either get a travel cage or take her cage and set it up when you get there. But you say you are going to two different houses? Are they nearby each other or does it mean another travel to go from one to the other? I think it depends. If for example you are driving 12 hours, staying somewhere for a week, driving four hours, staying somewhere else for a week, then driving home - it is doable, but not as ideal as just having her in one place for the duration. If there are one night stops somewhere I'd say it is a bad idea. When we went we took Charlie to another hamster owner for a holiday and picked him up when we came back. This didn't work too well either as he had just got used to the change in environment and was very stressed and a bit all over the place for a week or two when we brought him home again and yes it did take a bit of taming again. I was advised the best option (and I agree with this) is to have someone come to your home to change food and water and let her out in a playpen for a bit. But not just anyone and that's the tricky bit. We didn't know anyone we could trust to do this, but later a friend told us about a pet-sitting service they used every year for their rabbit and the lady would either have the pet at her house, or would come to your house every day to feed and water them and would follow an instruction sheet you left, and get them out for a bit as well. They trusted her and she was used to all kinds of animals. If you can find a service like that, it would be best probably, although you might have to pay and it can take time to get a recommendation from someone, so you know she is in experienced safe hands. I kind of wish we had taken Charlie with us as I worried the whole time lol. So if you want to take her with you, it'll take a bit of logistical working out in advance. ie arranging with the people you are staying with, where the cage can be set up (in your room presumably would be the best place - somewhere quiet away from children and other pets - and keep the door closed!). Also if your cage is too big to fit in the car, then purchase something big enough but either one that knocks down, or something like a zoozone II where the top can sit in the bottom kind of stacked for travel. Plus all her current cage contents for familiarity (bag the current bedding and nesting material). If you did take her current cage, you'd need to take everything out and pack it and put it all back in again when you get there or you'll end up with substrate everywhere in the car (and I forgot to take the water bottle and food dish out once on a short journey and everything got soaked! And food flying everywhere.) I would get a good sized pet carrier - we have a guinea pig sized one which seems just right for a syrian. I'll post a photo below. As long as it has a house in and is well full of substrate etc, so the house provides some stability in the pet carrier (eg wedged to the sides of it) - cardboard is probably best for a house. We have one of the hay covered cardboard houses in the pet carrier, so he has fun shredding it and chewing the hay off the inside when he's in there. Hide food amongst the substrate. Travel can be stressful for hamsters, so she would probably be safer left at home with a trusted person to come in and look after her once a day - if that is possible. Sorry that isn't much help. I think if you were just going to the one house, that wouldn't be so bad as it would be stability after the long journey and before the journey back. Charlie's Ferplast Aladino Guinea pig sized pet carrier - sitting inside play area. The cardboard hay house just wedges in nicely. I couldn't find it on US Amazon but the one below is similar and the same size as ours (the large one - the small one is tiny). http://www.amazon.com/Living-World-C...ds=pet+carrier This is the carrot/hay house we have in it http://www.amazon.com/Rosewood-Natur...s=carrot+house Last edited by Pebbles82; 10-11-2015 at 02:02 AM.