# First Long Drive?



## ThePokeyHobbit

I got my hedgie Bilbo early this June, and he is about 5 months old. The only time he's ridden in a car was when we took him home from the breeder, which was about a 30 minute drive. Our family is going on vacation to the beach for a week, which is at least a 3 hour drive, and I am conflicted between leaving Bilbo with my grandma or taking him with us, but I'm concerned about how he would handle the drive. I don't know how he would respond to being in the car that long, given that some hedgehogs could get carsick, and how he would travel while in the car. My dad is insisting we take him in the cardboard carrier we took him home in, but I don't know if that's the best idea. Any advice for first-time traveling with a hedgehog? I really don't want to leave him with my grandma that long because I know he wouldn't be handled for a whole week.

Thanks!! -Mia & Bilbo


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## Tom

Definitely don't use a cardboard carrier for a three hour car ride! Three hours isn't that bad, but you need to make sure that there's still room- perhaps a dog or cat carrier. Needs ventilation and water. You'll need to bring your cage or a spare with you (sterelite bins are easy to transport. 

Bilbo might just sleep the whole way there unless you're driving at night.


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## JulieAnne

I went on an 8 hour car ride (and will be doing it again on Sunday) with my two girls. I would advise using a cat carrier and stuffing it with extra fleece for padding . Also, don't put water in the cage. It could spill causing Bilbo to get went and cold and possibly hibernate. A 3 hour trip isn't long enough that he would need water, especially if you are traveling during the day when they are normally asleep and not eating/drinking anyways.

I also made a packing list for when I got to Mississippi for a week long trip and also posted it in the travel section of the forums. Here's a link
http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/forums/15-travel/23738-i-made-packing-list.html

3 hours really isn't that bad. You SHOULD be ok.


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## Tom

(Went I said water I meant a water bottle) my carrier actually came with one ! And I suppose 3 hours isn't that long to go without water. I was just assuming it would be fairly hot.

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## sklock65

I also vote to take hedgie with! A three hour day trip probably means hedgie will just sleep right through it anyways! It's important he not go an entire week without being handled...you don't want to take steps back in the bonding/socializing process. I've read that hedgies can get car sick so perhaps take him on some short rides (even just an errand or two) to see how he does in the car. My hedgehog actually stays pretty alert whenever we take him in the car. He loves sniffing whatever new smells so he stays awake but I've read lots will just sleep through it. Good luck!

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## JulieAnne

Mine slept the entire 8 hours to Mississippi. We left around 8am and got there around 4pm. They moved around a little bit the first hour but after that.. not at all lol. 

I agree that you should take a few short trips first but a 3 hour trip shouldn't be bad at all


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## Chloethehedgie7

It's fine. But just don't put him in a cardboard box. He will get very bored in a cardboard box also it's kinda crampy in it too. So what I would suggest is put him in a carring plastic case. If you don't have that, can you put him in his cage and bring him with you? But if you are very desprit I'd say put him in at least a big cardboard box.

Hope this helped,
Katie


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## JulieAnne

I assumed the cardboard carrier was for the car ride only? Either way you SHOULD use a cat carrier so you can buckle it in and such (although I don't usually do that as we are usually tight on space lol). 

If you need cage that doesn't take up much car space I would suggest a pop up dog kennel  that's what I use when we go to Mississippi. No room for 4 people's luggage and two hedgehog cages so we use pop up dog kennels


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## Tom

When I think of cardboard carriers I think of those tiny ones that pet stores use for transporting birds, hamsters, or rats home.

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## alma&dex

So I have taken Dexter on mostly 3 hour trips and some shorter ones. I will say that when he's in the passenger seat buckled in (more stable), he hasn't had any problems really regardless of the time of day. However, I've done a short ride with him in a sterilite bin (and I suspect my mother overfed him while I was gone overnight) and he got car sick. So I'd say buckled in, on a lap, etc. in a smaller container than a large Sterilite might be a good idea... Hopefully Dex is as good on our upcoming 8-9 hour drive as he was on the shorter ones. Fingers crossed! This was helpful for my upcoming trip as well thanks everyone!


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## Emmanuel Vandell

JulieAnne said:


> I assumed the cardboard carrier was for the car ride only? Either way you SHOULD use a cat carrier so you can buckle it in and such (although I don't usually do that as we are usually tight on space lol).
> 
> If you need cage that doesn't take up much car space I would suggest a pop up dog kennel  that's what I use when we go to Mississippi. No room for 4 people's luggage and two hedgehog cages so we use pop up dog kennels


I agree with her.Its probably a good idea to take your hedgehog with you on a three hour long travel rather then leaving your hedgehog to your grandmother who can not take care of it in a good manner.But you have to do special care of it during drive because its a small one.Good luck have a good journey with your little hedgehog.:mrgreen:


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## Annie&Tibbers

Psst, Emmanuel: this post is from August. You can see the dates in the top left corner of each post. By now, the original poster has gone on the trip, either bringing the hedgehog with them or leaving it with the grandmother.


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## Emmanuel Vandell

Annie&Tibbers said:


> Psst, Emmanuel: this post is from August. You can see the dates in the top left corner of each post. By now, the original poster has gone on the trip, either bringing the hedgehog with them or leaving it with the grandmother.


So you are just here to welcome them back.lol:shock:
But thanks to let me know about this issue. Why she doesn't share her long drive experience after taking advices.


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## Lussy

ehy...I've taken my beloved Unariccia who was 1 year and 10 months old for a 2 days-long trip by car...all the way down from the Netherlands to Italy!!! 
she was super fine...all day-time asleep in her small kennel and then she stretched her paws in the night wheeling and running all around her usual cage.
thus, in my personal experience I think my quill-ball didn't even notice the stress and lenght of the journey ;-)


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