Advice needed for transporting Chins!

[saffy78]

Hi all

I'm moving next week and the journey is just over 4 hours, I've bought a John Hopwell travel cage (pic attached)

I'm unsure how best to keep my two Chinnie girls, Anya and Sofia happy on the journey, they are just coming upto two years old and have lived together perfectly with no fighting,

the carry cage can be used as a double or made into two adjoining cages, if they've never had a fight would it be less stressful for them to be together?

Also would you put a blanket over the carry cage, should I give them water stops?

I will put some hay in with them and put one of their fleeces in the bottom to make them feel safer........any advice would be really appreciated, as you can tell I'm very worried about stressing them out on the journey......help!

 

[Stackie]

Most chins actually travel quite well. I would put them in the cage together with hay and some twigs to chew on. More than likely they will sleep most of the trip. I've driven 6 hours one way with my chins and they all did fine. I don't think you'll need to stop for a water break for a 4 hour trip. I also wouldn't worry about covering them up. Just keep them out of direct sunlight and make sure the car stays cool. Don't put them on the floor board as it can get warm down there.

 

[saffy78]

thanks so much for the advice, It's very cold in the UK at the mo so that will help with the journey,

I've been more worried about moving the chins than the relocation, at least it's kept my mind off it anyway!

 

[Godofgods]

ive had a lot of trips with mine lately. You should be good keeping them together. There presence might help them keep each other more calm. Just make sure the car stays cool enough for them. I always keep them covered tho. I like to avoid any chance of wind gusts, or air from the car being blown on them. Any kind of draft or what not. It also seems to help calm them down a bit.

 

[saffy78]

thanks for the reply Godofgods, where do you put the carrier? do you think it's better on the seat or on my lap (I won't be drivingl!)

I was a little worried about covering them, I can imagine them pulling a throw/blanket through the bars and chewing the material, I guess I could use a fleece type throw as they won't chew it.

 

[Godofgods]

i use a blanket. Fortunately they never seemed to mess with it much while on a ride. I sit the carrier in the back seat. If something happens, you could be thrown through the carrier

 

[Cuddlebug]

About 4 months ago, we moved from California to Colorado with 37 chinchillas. It was the beginning of August and over 100 degrees outside. We put some floor tiles in the freezer the night before. the chins were the last things loaded. first we laid the tiles on the floor of the van and then set the cages on top of them. We had the ac on the whole way. the drive took us 24 hours. The chins made it here just fine. It was the humans that were the worse for the wear.

 

[EmilyLiliLove]

I use small cat carriers. I travel once a month to my moms and i take them with because im gone over the weekend. i only take a few though, the ones that can handle the cane.

 

[saffy78]

thanks so much for the advice the chinchillas were fine on the journey, Sofia looked a little bit shell shocked on the way up but was fine when she got there, Anya didn't seem bothered by the drive, I think it was far more stressful for us! Luckily it ended up being pretty much dark on the journey up so it was very cool in the car, but all your advice stopped me panicking about moving them thank you