Vacations and Chins?

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Rebecca1122

Charged By Chins.
Joined
Jun 13, 2011
Messages
335
Location
New York, NY
Hi,

I was wondering what some of you do with your chins when you go on a trip or vacation and can't bring your chin(s)?
 
Since chinnies don't do well with the stress of travel, I'm willing to bet only a few on here have attempted taking them on vacation (outside of travel to shows).

I haven't taken a vacation since getting my fluffballs. But when I do, I guess I will have a friend check on them while I'm gone.
 
Back in college when I only had three I took them back and forth with me during breaks for the first couple years. They all seemed to enjoy the trips, particularly Doughboy.

Once I started breeding I developed ways for them to be left for longer periods of time and cared for by people who didn't know chins. Now my herd can survive self-sufficiently for up to 10 days, though I have someone drop in daily or every other day to make sure there are no broken water lines, escapees or other issues.
 
I have a chin-sitter that I pay to check on them once a day. I've left detailed instructions for how to care for them, empy the de-humidifier etc... Sometimes I take them with me. I have a travel cage for each and take the bare essentials (food, hay, dust, tube, liner, chews) I have 1 chin who travels like a pro, and 2 that get really stressed out. I try to only travel with them when it's absolutely necessary.
 
Considering I am the area "Chin Sitter" I usually have a friend of mine come by once a day just to quickly check on them. He has two chinchillas and lives only about 2 miles away from me so it's really convenient. If he's not available though my landlord will come by and just check the AC, food dishes, and water bottles to make sure their necessities are taken care of until we get back.
 
I usually get one of my brothers to check my chins once a day and leave instructions on how to care for them. I was gone for 4 days and he didn't have to open the cage doors once. I left lots of food, hay and two water bottles. They were just fine. If I would have been gone any longer, they would have needed more water and hay- but that's because Tribble decided to chew his new water bottle!!!! lol

Oh, I also had him call me each time he checked on them. I wanted to make sure they were okay!
 
When we were gone for a week my landlord checked on Chinchy, we didn't have the other two then. We live in the same house, so it works out well.
 
I am lucky enough to have 3 people who are chin knowledgeable to help me when I am on vacation. One is my granddaughter who has lived with me for several years and who at one time worked at my chin vets office. I also have brought chins/kits with me who had to be hand fed for one reason or other.
 
I would probably board them at the vets or hire a pet sitter. However I will admit our huge amount of pets make vacations much harder to plan.
 
I have a house in Upstate NY that I go to every other weekend or so. Do you think it would be okay if I took my chin and she could get used to it over time? It's not a long drive and I would have a cage up there for her already with all of her supplies. I know chins do not like change, but it is a routine in a way, so would it be okay in time?
If not, what should I do?
 
I have a chin-sitter that I pay to check on them once a day. I've left detailed instructions for how to care for them, empy the de-humidifier etc... Sometimes I take them with me. I have a travel cage for each and take the bare essentials (food, hay, dust, tube, liner, chews) I have 1 chin who travels like a pro, and 2 that get really stressed out. I try to only travel with them when it's absolutely necessary.

When you have taken them with you, have you kept them in their carriers the whole time? I've wondered--if I ever needed to do that--would it be ok to do so, since they don't get much room to run around.
 
If the carrier is plastic or fabric I would not use that because eventually they would chew their way out. I use a small cage for traveling since I am only gone no longer than a week. The chin(s) are fine not having run room for that amount of time
 
Mine travel all the time, they go to work and they go to my second home on the weekends, they do fine.
 
Okay, so it would be fine if they traveled with me every other weekend or so?
When you travel, do you put them in a carrier and then have a cage and supplies ready at your second home?
 
I have traveled with all mine for the 11 years I have had them, that is a total of 19 chins. They have a second cage set up along with a play pen at the second home and at work they have cages also.
 
I traveled with my older two every other weekend for 2 years without issue. They barked when I used the cheapo fabric carriers, but as soon as I switched to travel cages, they were perfectly happy. It was about an hour drive to and from, but I have no doubt that I could've driven a lot longer without issue. Like clockwork, they fell asleep after about half an hour.
 
When I only had a few, I used to take them with me, between college and home, every time I'd go. They were always fine, they'd just sleep in their carriers. I had cages at home and cages at college, so all I was really moving was the chins.

Now, with considerably more... well, man, I can't think the last time I went on vacation, but we have friends who will come to the house to feed/water/check on the chins daily.
 
I traveled with my older two every other weekend for 2 years without issue. They barked when I used the cheapo fabric carriers, but as soon as I switched to travel cages, they were perfectly happy. It was about an hour drive to and from, but I have no doubt that I could've driven a lot longer without issue. Like clockwork, they fell asleep after about half an hour.

What carrier do you use now?
 
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