Holidays for rats......too stressful??

[Bundyrats]

Hi,

We're going away for 5 days at Easter to a little holiday house about an hour and twenty mins north. It is pet friendly and that's why we booked it. We're taking the dog and I will be taking my 3 rats but as it's getting closer I am worried that they will stress out too much. I am bringing their normal big cage (similar to a CN) and it will all be set up just like at home. I have a smaller but roomy cage for them to stay in during the actual travel in the car but I don't know if they will get too upset.

So, any opinions? Do rats travel ok and settle in to new places?

 

[smilez_n_hugs]

Sounds like a good idea to me, as long as they have you and their other cage mates they should be fine. If you are worried about them settling then you could always bring some used hammocks or fleece scraps.

 

[MomRat]

We travel home 2-4 times a year, for periods of 4-14 days. Out of necessity, we take our furballs with us(2-4 rats so far, although our max is 6, and travels will get interesting if we ever have to travel while we have that many.) For such a short trip, the double CN gets left here, and the rats travel in wee travel cages(12 hour drive) and then survive in a smallish cage while we are staying with family. Smaller than we would ever be willing to let them live in for normal day-to-day life, but bearable for a week. When we were boarding in Indiana for 3 months, we took half the CN for three rats, which was easy to take care of and clean up. Make sure to take enough food for the trip, any medications/supplements for the rats, and enough bedding for necessary changes if you won't have access to laundry facilities. Familiar toys and treats can lessen their stress in a new space. As long as they have you there, I really think taking them with you is less stressful than leaving them at home with a stranger coming over to feed them for a week with no out time, difficult as it is to find someone that is comfortable with taking the rats out for playtime.

For the actual on the road travel, its important to make hydrating food available in the travel cage(apples, grapes, tomatoes) because hanging a water bottle in the car equals a very wet cage and unhappy rats. Our rats won't even take a bottle while we're stopped, and tend to ignore their block(though we make sure there is some in the cage) but they are always excited for a piece of fruit. Younger rats were interested in coming out of their cage, although they then didn't want to stay with me in my lap, they wanted to explore, and loose rats in the car is dangerous, both to your car if they chew, and to them if you are in a wreck or even have to slam on the brakes. Rats over one year, especially who have been subjected to "the bouncy move-y thing" as it is known in our household, before, will usually sleep the whole trip, only occasionally getting up to see if we're there yet. =) If it's cold and or raining while you are transiting to and from the car, an old blanket to cover the cage is a must. If your doors don't close well, or you have escape artists that occasionally pop their doors open, consider using zip ties to make sure they don't get out at a really bad time, like when you stop for gas. :wallbang:

I think the only real deal we've had with travel is making sure there is safe out-time space in your new/unfamiliar space, and sufficient out time. Staying with our parents, there are dogs and cats in the home to contend with, nice furniture that shouldn't be peed on, electrical cables that haven't been obstructed for safety. We are often out all day, visiting friends we haven't seen in forever and trying to fit in as much family time as we can while we are home. We make a point of setting aside time for the rats. Our rats are couch/bed trained, so we usually just put down an old blanket and let them scamper on us for an hour + before bed time, and again in the morning if we are free. If your rats are used to jumping down into the floor, be sure to thoroughly check the space beforehand as you would your home, for cords, holes, and anti-rodent devices such as traps or poison, which are often concealed in small unmarked cardboard or plastic boxes.

If any of your fuzzbutts are on medications like antibiotics, make sure you have enough to carry through your trip, or even better, extra on hand in case someone else comes down with a URI while you are away from your regular vet/pharmacy. If you have an awesome vet, they might be able to call something in for you in an emergency, but there are no guarantees. We keep a basic rat e-kit on hand, with dark chocolate, infant ibuprofen, our vet's phone #, the recipe for hydration solution, your know the drill. I used to be a girl scout, and always prefer to be over prepared.

Sorry for the long post, just my musings as we've been traveling with rats for as long as we've had rats, so its familiar territory. Good luck with your holiday, I'm sure it will be enjoyed by all! :dance:

 

[Catibrie]

:yeah: We have been doing the same thing, ever since we've had rats too. We find the older girls, just crawl into their travel cage and consider it "swaying nap time"

 

[handmeafish]

I took my boys home for christmas this year. Its a 3 hour drive and we were there for 6 days. I took my whole cage, and made sure they got plenty of out time to avoid stress. They seem to be ok as long as they are with me.
I think they were more stressed when i left them for 4 days to go to Tuscon over spring break.

 

[Bundyrats]

Wow, thanks for all the responses. I feel a lot better now. And thanks MomRat, I never thought about the hydrated food, so will make sure I have grapes and they looove lettuce too. We're not travelling nearly as long as some of you. I expect they will be about 2-3 hours from taking them out of their cage at home to setting up again and back in their cosy hammocks at the new place.
They will still get a lot of time out (probably more than usual) and they love exploring, so although we are lucky and have a good vet nurse who also has a business looking after pets while owners are away (I'm lucky because she has rats too and loves them), I agree that they would be happier with me.
They will definately not be allowed out of the cage while we're travelling I would be too afraid of losing one, hopefully they "just crawl into their travel cage and consider it "swaying nap time"" - thanks Catibrie.

MomRat, what is the dark chocolate for in the emergency kit?

 

[MomRat]

Severe respiratory distress. It's a bronchodilator, and if they catch a NASTY uri all of a sudden, can get them breathing and calmed down long enough to get them to the e-vet. It's cheap and otc and so we keep it around. =)

 

[Joanne]

I have taken my ratties camping with me, and to the cottage. I bought a single Critter Nation for the cottage, so they travel in a smaller cage and then stay in the CN. They have the double at home, but for the short time a single does in a pinch!
Hammies, blankets, medicine, food, water, kitty litter...
No kitties at the cottage, so the ratties are VERY happy!

 

[Bundyrats]

Ok, thanks. I will add this to my shopping list. Oh and sorry to be a pain but what is the recipe for the hydrating solution? Is that like a glucose solution?

 

[PitLuvs]

Little Chester who is staying with me has so far traveled 10hours in a car, stayed overnight in a hotel and then traveled 5/6hours on a boat He'll be traveling another 6 hours to the next person, and then God knows how many hours from Moncton to Montreal... he's handling it all very well with new people, new animals and new smells. Your rats will do fine

 

[Bundyrats]

Oh thanks Joanne & PitLuvs - they are just the greatest pets/family members aren't they!?
And wouldn't it be great if we could be going on holiday's all the time!!

 

[MomRat]

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=2726&p=40511&hilit=hydration#p40511

 

[Bundyrats]

Thanks MomRat

 

[toeberto]

Wow, what great suggestions. We're hoping to move across country in the next year or so and while I am relatively comfortable with moving our horse, cats, and dogs that distance, I was worried about the rats. This makes me feel much more comfortable. The hydrating fruit advice is great - water while traveling was one of the issues for them I couldn't figure out.

Sarah
http://bentorats.blogspot.com/

 

My rats love going for holidays

 

[Rachael]

If they have their rattie friends, their cage, and you, they should be fine. Have a good holiday!