# 17 hour drive for my move...suggestions please?



## amandaruth328 (May 1, 2012)

Hello all!

This summer I'll be moving about 17 hours away from home...is there anything I can do to make the trip more comfortable for my Lina? She already doesn't love car rides. Even the little 10 minute trips to the vet, she stays huddled in a corner the whole time. She's never gotten carsick. Then again, she hasn't been on any rides longer than 45 minutes, so I don't know if she's prone to carsickness =/ The trip will be in my heated car, and I'm keeping a thermometer in her hard sided carrier so I can keep track of how warm she's staying. I'm not too concerned about it since it'll be during the summer, but I'll still be watching. Lots of fleece blankets, etc. Odds are I'll be stopping overnight to split the trip into two days, about 8-9 hours each day, so I suppose I have two main questions.

1 - I'm torn between wanting to travel at night to avoid traffic/make the trip faster, and traveling during the day so that she can (at least try to) sleep through most of it. I'm not sure how much sleep she'd get anyway, seeing as my cat is coming with me and he tends to be, well, vocal in the carrier haha. I'm a bit of a night owl (I work nights) so I'd prefer to travel at night, but not if it means she'll be awake and uncomfortable the whole time.

2- What should I do about food and water? I'll be making a few pit stops along the way, for the bathroom and whatnot. I'm planning on taking those opportunities for food and water for my animals, but what if she doesn't accept it? I don't want her to get dehydrated. 

Any other suggestions and advice would be great  she's my little girl and I want to make sure this trip will involve as little stress for her as possible.


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## SouthernSweet (Jul 25, 2012)

As far as driving, choose the time that is safest for you - I don't drive at night because I'd fall asleep at the wheel. But if it's safer for you to drive at night, do that!

As far as timing goes, since your hedgie will be in a carrier for the journey, I'm assuming she'll be without a wheel or much running space, so even if she's awake at night she won't be able to do much.

Maybe just leave food and water in her carrier whenever you've stopped at a hotel? In addition to offering her some on the roadtrip; she probably won't become ill from not drinking/eating during the drive as long as she has access when you've stopped to rest. Also, most hotel rooms are designed to be pitch black whenever the occupant wants. I've traveled as long with Quinnlee for long roadtrips and she has done pretty well dealing with the strange schedule for a few days as long as she was kept warm. But then, QL is a very tolerant hoggie.

I wish you the best on your drive! It's tough to go that long.


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