# 16-18 hr drive to california



## Neon bubbles (May 30, 2015)

Im going to be getting a hedgie soon.The problem is im a minor,my parents are divorced and i have to visit my dad.My dad lives in california and i live 16 hours away in a differnt state.Where i live it is perfectly legal to get a hedgehog but not in california.I have to visit my dad four times a year. Do i take my hedgie with me ? Is it legal to take him just for about a month or so?


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

It's not legal for a minute. If you have to take your hedgehog with you because you don't have any one to pet sit for you, you would be better off not getting one as a minor. 
Add to that, say you decide to get one anyway, take it to California even though it's illegal. What would you do if it was sick or injured while you were visiting your dad? You wouldn't be able to take it to a vet there without risking legal trouble for your dad.


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## shetland (Sep 2, 2008)

You must put the welfare of your pet first. He/She depends on you to help meet their needs and to make appropriate decisions. I live in a state where this precious hedgie would be euthanized if confiscated.


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## PeaceLove&Hedgies (Jun 26, 2015)

Definitely do not bring your pet to California. The temperature change, depending on where you live, could stress your pet out, and they tend to stink up a car as well. They may also get hurt during the transport (sharp turns, quick stops, acceleration).
Ask your mom to take care of your hedgie!
Moms are very reasonable.
Explain to your mom that she doesn't need to do anything but give it food and water and maybe clean up the cage once or twice. Explain how she won't need to touch it, and if she does she can use garden gloves. Let her know how easy it is to take care of it, and how much you love your pet. If she won't, find a good friend who knows about animals. Ask your friend to research hedgehogs, and give her the same information you'd give your mom. A little bit of sloppy care is OK as long as it's not permanent and necessities are taken care of.
When I have someone pet-sit I make a little booklet. It explains how to care for your pet, numbers to call in an emergency, its personality, and how to read its emotions.


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## writergirlmel (May 16, 2015)

Um....



PeaceLove&Hedgies said:


> Definitely do not bring your pet to California. The temperature change, depending on where you live, could stress your pet out, and they tend to stink up a car as well. They may also get hurt during the transport (sharp turns, quick stops, acceleration).


If you are saying this from experience traveling with a hedgehog, you're doing it wrong. There is absolutely no reason a hedgehog cannot travel in a car, outside of illness or motion sickness, and even then, it sometimes cannot be avoided. A long car trip with a hedgehog is much like a long car trip with a baby or young child. You secure them safely -- that means a hard-sided travel carrier that can be buckled into the seat for a hedgehog. You bring snacks -- so kibble and treats. You bring a change of "clothes" and ziploc bags for soiled items. In the case of hedgehogs, "clothes" are liners and snuggle sacks. You bring entertainment. For hedgehogs, that means a favorite toy if they have one. You bring basic care items -- paper towels, something to clean the carrier with if the need arises, unscented wipes for your hands, a thermometer to monitor the temperature of the carrier, hand warmers and ice packs to help adjust the temperature, etc.

I've been in the car with my hedgehog buckled into the seat next to me for full days of driving, and none of the things you mentioned have ever been an issue.



> Ask your mom to take care of your hedgie!
> Moms are very reasonable.


Some moms are. Some moms aren't. But the bottom line here is that the original poster is considering getting a hedgehog and must travel to California relatively frequently, and it's not an option to take a hedgehog to a state where the pet is illegal and, at best, can not receive care or, at worst, be confiscated and euthanized. The travel isn't the issue. The destination is. And it's the owner's responsibility to ensure that the animal receives care when she can't provide it. In this case, the owner would be a minor, so the parents must be involved in the decision. If the original poster's mother is not willing to take care of the hedgehog or pay to have someone else do so while the primary caretaker is away, it's best to forgo bringing a hedgehog into the home.



> Explain to your mom that she doesn't need to do anything but give it food and water and maybe clean up the cage once or twice. Explain how she won't need to touch it, and if she does she can use garden gloves. Let her know how easy it is to take care of it, and how much you love your pet.


*No.* No, no, no, no. Hedgehog care requires much more than just switching out food and water and "maybe" cleaning up "once or twice." Hedgehogs require daily interaction to curb defensive behaviors (i.e. foster socialization) and observe any changes in behavior, spot cleaning of the cage daily, weekly deep cleaning of the cage, grooming on an as needed basis (and it will be needed if the primary caretaker is gone more than a week or so), daily monitoring of food and water consumption, etc. And, yes, you do have to touch a hedgehog to do all that. Gloves are very frightening to a hedgehog because they mask the scent of the handler. At most, you should use only a snuggle sack, cuddle cup, or small piece of fleece -- _not_ gloves.



> If she won't, find a good friend who knows about animals. Ask your friend to research hedgehogs, and give her the same information you'd give your mom. A little bit of sloppy care is OK as long as it's not permanent and necessities are taken care of.


Some standards can slip a little. Some can't. But I wouldn't go so far as to say "sloppy care is ok." Sloppy care can actually kill a hedgehog. It's one thing to wait an extra day to change a liner or forget to switch the water in the water bottle one time or handle for 15 minutes instead of 30 for a few days. It's another if "sloppy care" involves no handling at all, skimping on cage cleaning, etc.



> When I have someone pet-sit I make a little booklet. It explains how to care for your pet, numbers to call in an emergency, its personality, and how to read its emotions.


That is literally the only thing in this post I agree with.


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Just saying the difference in risk factors in traveling with a pet in a carrier and you is emergency personnel will risk their life to save you if you need it. The same can't be said about a pet. If your car is on fire, the human passengers are the priority, not fluffy.


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## writergirlmel (May 16, 2015)

twobytwopets said:


> Just saying the difference in risk factors in traveling with a pet in a carrier and you is emergency personnel will risk their life to save you if you need it. The same can't be said about a pet. If your car is on fire, the human passengers are the priority, not fluffy.


True. Of course, if my car is on fire, my own priority is myself and the kids (and anyone else who might be in the car...which, if we have the hedgehog, is a maximum of one other person). Sorry, Fitzgerald!


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## PeaceLove&Hedgies (Jun 26, 2015)

I'm sorry I helped. Everyone has their own opinions, but it does not mean you need to be rude in how you reply.


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

The main issue is a child who is under a shared parenting plan with one parent living in a state where hedgehogs are illegal. 
If you can't get a person to properly watch your animals while you go on vacation, you don't go. Problem is, the op isn't going on vacation, a judge has put an order in place that they make this trip. That means if the op cannot find someone to properly care for the animal they don't get the animal.


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## writergirlmel (May 16, 2015)

PeaceLove&Hedgies said:


> I'm sorry I helped. Everyone has their own opinions, but it does not mean you need to be rude in how you reply.


I don't want to discuss this further here. It serves no purpose in regard to the thread. Personally, I don't see that I was particularly rude. Frank, yes. Rude, not particularly. I didn't insult you personally, and any condescending tone was unintentional. I simply pointed out the errors in some points of your reply and offered my opinion on other. Perhaps this is just my opinion, but I felt much of what you advised the OP was factually incorrect, based on false logic and assumptions, or rooted in fear and lack of understanding of the situation. Therefore, I offered my differing point of view, and I do not feel that warrants an apology as that is simply the nature of online forums.

However, I do apologize if your feelings were hurt. That was not my intent.


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