how feasible it is to relocate overseas with ham

toffeeham · 01-16-2020, 02:24 PM

I could be moving from the US to Europe in late spring and am trying to figure out what to do with my 1-year-old syrian girl. Personally I really want to take her with me and am thinking about getting quotes from pet movers soon. However, it sounds very stressful to her. Has anyone had experience moving overseas with a hamster? Would 15~16 month be too old to fly?

It is not finalized yet when I need to move, so I haven't asked my friends around (I will eventually). Most of them either have cat/dog at home or can only keep her in the bedroom. I would appreciate any advice/thoughts.

Maker · 01-16-2020, 03:35 PM

I don’t have enough experience of hamsters to be able to advise on how stressful it is, i can only imagine that in a hamsters world it would be very upsetting, noise, smells, vet visits, environment etc.
What I can say is ask yourself why you want her to go with you, is it for your benefit or hers? And make sure that whatever you decide is about her and not about you, maybe you could find a loving home for her in the US where they would be willing to stay in contact with you so you would know she had settled.
I hope someone can give you more specific advice and experience to help you make your decision.

Vierville · 01-16-2020, 03:37 PM

I would be concerned about air travel in the cargo hold for a sensitive little animal like a hamster. As an airline pilot myself I have seen how noisy and rough the experience is for horses,dogs and cats who travel in the hold. While they may be treated professionally and well, the whole experience is noisy, bumpy and probably quite scary for them.

I believe that some airlines permit very small animals like hamsters to travel with their owners in the cabin if you specify that the animal is an 'emotional support animal'.

I'm not sure if any documentation is required by the airline to verify that the animal is an emotional support animal but if it meant my hamster travelling with me in the cabin, I'd think it is worth visiting a mental health professional to get a letter stating this.

My other concern would be what is the quarantine process like? How long would she need to be at a facility? The pet movers would be able to advise you on this but if it is an extended period of time then it would be very stressful to her.

toffeeham · 01-16-2020, 04:09 PM

Thank you both for your comments. Any idea/experience with rehoming a hamster?
Although my thoughts are preliminary at this point, I am weighing acute stressor versus potential chronic stressors if she eventually had to live in a suboptimal environment (threat from predator pets, no room for a playpen, etc.).

sushi_78 · 01-16-2020, 04:33 PM

I've read on another forum that stress to the animal aside, it's very expensive to fly an animal in the cargo hold, in the region of hundreds of dollars.

toffeeham · 01-16-2020, 05:05 PM

Thank you. I am aware of that and planning to get some more accurate estimates before making a decision. I do blame myself for having to stress her one way or another.

Ithuviel · 01-17-2020, 02:00 AM

Personally i would just try to get her a loving home. The whole fuss about moving with a hamsters seems like a lot to me.

Pebbles82 · 01-17-2020, 02:26 AM

Difficult situation. I think this topic has come up before re flights and it depends on the airline whether or not you can have a hamster in the cabin but I think that is highly unlikely. It is the only realistic way as the hold would be too stressful. Even then it’s about a 6 hour flight with journey time either end. It is a difficult age and a bit of a dilemma. I think rehoming is the best option but that would be hard for you. However it can also be a positive experience if it’s the right person and you can have a kind of transition - ie the new person come round and get familiar with the hamster a few times first.

With the right person and the right home this is probably the best option. Very hard when she’s about 15 months old but better than 18 months old.

Maker · 01-17-2020, 03:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toffeeham

Thank you. I am aware of that and planning to get some more accurate estimates before making a decision. I do blame myself for having to stress her one way or another.

Please dont blame yourself, life throws changes at us sometimes, just put your energy in to finding a loving home for her, the number of members on this site and so many other sites just shows there are lots of people that will be willing to provide her with everything she needs and is used to, sending hugs

LunaTheHamster1 · 01-17-2020, 03:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toffeeham

Any idea/experience with rehoming a hamster?
).

If you can't find any friends that are willing to take on the care of your hamster you could look into surrendering her to a rescue, where they should have a set criteria in rehoming her. Or if you end up advertising for a new home for her yourself, if you are not finding her a new home with her current set up, (although I imagine it would be less stressful if she got rehomed in her existing setup) would be wanting to see pictures or proof of the cage setup she would be living in, and making sure she was in safe/secure home, away from other animals such as cats.