# Road Tripping With Hedgehog?



## Casper (May 2, 2016)

I've decided to take a road trip around Ohio this summer, and I wanted to bring along my hedgehog Casper. Vets, should I need one, shouldn't be an issue because hedgies are legal here. I've also thought about using a dog seat to transport him, it goes around the seat so he'll be secure and it has a washable/removable fleece. How often should I stop for water breaks and how do you tell if a hedgie is dehydrated? And I've read a bit about some hedgies becoming carsick, he's never thrown up before but what do I do if he does? If there's anything else I didn't cover that I should do/watch out for please let me know!


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## Sarahgx__ (Mar 8, 2016)

I don't have any experience at all with road tripping with hedgehogs, however I do have some input since it seems no one else has responded.

First I would take him on a car ride to see how he acts. Does he get car sick? Does he panic? Or does he just sleep? 

To check if a hedgehog is dehydrated you gently pinch the skin between their shoulder blades and let go, if it takes longer than about a second he is most likely dehydrated. 

Don't forget that he will still need his wheel during this trip.

I hope all works out for you and someone comes with more experience with this stuff! Good luck


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Honestly, I don't think it's a good idea at all. There are a lot of logistics to think about when traveling with a hedgehog and doing a long road trip with constant travel is going to add a lot more complications. Some issues I have with this idea:

- You'll need to be stopping every night in a place where you can set up his cage, wheel, and make sure that you can regulate his temperature safely. You also need to be sure every place you stay in is okay with pets, which can be difficult with hotels. You should expect extra fees for having him with you. You'll also need to make sure you have some way to clean his wheel nightly that isn't going to leave any issues for the housekeeping staff that they shouldn't have to deal with. If you're staying someplace for more than one night, it'd be a good idea to leave a sign to make sure any staff that come into the room don't mess with his heating & lighting set up & cause him to hibernate.

- Hedgehogs don't do well with change & this includes environment. Even if his cage is staying the same, he's going to be in a new place constantly, with different smells & noises. That's going to be extremely stressful for him, which isn't fair at all to him. Worse, stress can easily cause a hedgehog to stop eating normally, which is dangerous, especially if they stop eating completely.

- Related to last comment, while it's not a problem for every hedgehog, water changes can cause stress & stomach upset as well. Water changing frequently, every night or every few days, could cause issues even in a hedgehog not normally bothered by it. One option for bypassing this is getting him settled on a brand of bottled water & using that, but still something else to consider.

- You say you're not concerned about vets, but it's not exactly a great idea to up & see whatever vet you happen to be nearby. They have no medical history for him, and you have no clue how much hedgehog experience they have, how well they'll handle him, etc. 

- It's possible he won't get carsick at all, but if he does, what then? Will you end your trip early so you can take him home? Find another arrangement for him? It's also unfair to continue on a trip with him if he's getting sick during it.

Basically, my advice is simply don't do it. Find another housing accommodation for him during your trip. Hedgehogs aren't animals that do well with trips like this, and IMO, it would be extremely unfair to him to subject him to the stress & potential health issues that could arise from this.

Edit: A dog car seat isn't going to be appropriate for him riding in the car either. He needs to be in a hard-sided cat/dog carrier that can be strapped in for safety. Most of the car seats I'm seeing are completely open, so he could easily climb out & get lost or injured in the car. And even if it's enclosed, it's not going to protect him as well as a hard-sided carrier in the event of a car crash.


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## Casper (May 2, 2016)

When I said I wasn't concerned vet wise, I moreso meant finding one, I have previously had all his papers copied and sent to me to stay in my files and there are exotic vets splattered all around Ohio. Water wise, I'm bringing bottled water because that's what he drinks now and he does get an upset stomach for a few days if he changes, I was asking about how often to stop to see if he'll drink so that the water isn't making a mess in my car. And he's already traveled via car before and slept right through it, this was in the daytime so I don't know how he does during the night I plan on taking him sometime soon to find out. As for the car seat, https://www.chewy.com/solvit-standa...1eC2NaBRGqmtCl_GkLSVh0lHLfd6oD3NEPBoCBOfw_wcB this is the one I had in mind but can easily get a hard one if that would be dangerous. And unfortunately nobody in my family is able/knows how to care for him and he's a little picky in who cares for him. And if he were to get sick I would absolutely cut my trip short, his health comes first. If there was anything else I didn't cover please let me know.


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