Transportation boxes for flying chins overseas

[Pantouffe]

What are the best type of boxes for long haul flights?
How well do chins tolerate flying?
Please help- were moving!

 

[ticklechin]

If no one answers you soon you can PM lilchinchilla here, I know she has shipped chins internationally.

 

[Lynn & The Chins]

You'll have to check with your airline to make sure that they will accept chinchillas.

If so, I believe the safest would be an actual Chinchilla Carrier, like the big ranchers use when they travel for shows.

They are small enough that the animal doesn't get knocked around, and they are labeled "Live Animals". I'm not sure where you could get them in your country, but in the U.S., Ryerson Chinchillas(1-419-687-1071) and Quality Cages (http://www.qualitycage.com) both make them. Other places may make them, too -- I'm sure someone with more knowledge will add to this list.

 

[tunes]

Chins do fine with flying. Many, many people ship chins routinely.

I personally would recommend the second link that Lynn provided, or I would order carriers from chinchillas.com, which are extremely nice and roomie too. I have problems with Ryerson's doors opening on me every time I travel. I constantly have a chin loose in the car. The little latches just aren't secure enough for me. The springloaded ones are tons better, more secure, and I've never had one pop open, but they don't use those. I've even had them pop open if they accidentally bump against my leg because the end of the latch catches on my pants. I would want a lot more security if shipping my chins overseas.

http://www.chinchillas.com/estore/detail.aspx?ID=138

 

[Pantouffe]

Thats great- I didnt think of the need for extra ventilation! my chins travel short distances like to the vet in closed sided cat carriers. They like to hide from the dogs and cats as well as the falcons we see so often in waiting rooms here. Do you put in a bed to spare the feet ?- that grille looks painful. Also- water bottles and food containers... what sort do you use? They will be travelling for about 16 hours(including stops and preliminaries so will need refreshments!!

 

[Brittany_Lynn]

That's interesting, I'd heard that chins should never ever be flown--obviously another myth, haha. This is good news, if I do decide to move to the west coast, I can fly them rather than drive them like I was planning on!

 

[VolunteerChin22]

You could put shavings in on top of the wire as well as below if you wanted a little cushion - i think the advantage of having the wire bottoms are preventing staining from urine (when traveling to shows) so just for transport you could do that. I sometimes use small crocks in cages for pellets - they are about 2 in in diameter and I found them at petsmart so check petstores. I would definately get some hay cubes to put in there. Im not sure what kind of water bottles are good with that carrier...superpet makes a glass one that has a metal tube and has two kinds of hanging hooks - its flat on the back also...it would be a good choice because its glass and they couldnt chew through it and the tube wouldnt break if it was jostled...Overall I don't think its very easy to clean but it would be good for traveling...

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753341

 

[tunes]

I would use an Edstrom type bottle, with the weird nozzle, for shipping. They tend not to leak when you jiggle them around, whereas a ball and tip will soak your chins in no time. You will need to check with the airlines and find out what their regulations are regarding accessability to food and water. Some airlines insist that you have it on the outside, where they can access it, and others want it on the inside.

I would never use a glass bottle for shipping purposes. If it would happen to break, they would be without water for who knows how long.

 

[VolunteerChin22]

Well, that is true, however plastic could be chewed through which is why I hadn't mentioned plastic. Possibilities for leakage exist no matter what unfortunately