# Car Anxiety



## Ahava (Mar 25, 2009)

So my hedgie doesn't seem to like travelling in the car. He gets kind of agitated and has diarrhea (sorry if TMI) and I was just wondering what could help him be more comfortable in the car? One of the main concerns I have is taking him with me somewhere, he gets worried, and then is sitting in the...mess for a long time. I have a small dog carrier--it's material though so is that bad? I haven't tried him in it yet because he seems to go to the washroom A LOT outside of the cage and I was wondering if a liner inside of the cage would just be fine. So any advice?
Thanks!


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## Zalea (Sep 12, 2008)

Some hedgehogs are easily stressed by travel--some to the point that it's not an option and your only choice is to leave them home. It sounds like your little one gets motion sickness, and if it's not an absolute MUST to take him somewhere (like on an extended trip/vacation) it would probably be best to leave him at home.

Hardsided cat carriers are the choice carrier because if something happens, the hard sides will protect the hedgie. Material, not so much. You should ALWAYS use a carrier in the car. If you get into an accident and you're holding your hedgie, there's not telling how far he's going to fly out of your hands.

You should also ALWAYS have liners in the carrier--and take EXTRA ones at that. Even the most seasoned hedgie can get carsick or go potty and it's a miserable thing for them to be sitting in that moisture and smell. Because of this, you should always take 2-3 extra liners and stop every hour or so to check, especially on long trips or more often if you can't avoid traveling and your hedgie gets sick often. Liners also help keep jostling to a minimum so most people like to put 2-3 layers of fleece down as a liner to keep hedgie from getting jostled about--which could be why your guy gets so carsick anyway if you haven't been using a carrier.

If a trip can't be avoided, here is a post with carsickness remedies: viewtopic.php?f=12&t=1051
If he's getting that sick, though, I would leave him home as much as possible.


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## Ahava (Mar 25, 2009)

Thanks very much for the advice. No he doesn't go out in the car much, but my mom is trying to plan the family summer vacation and I'm just trying to cover all the bases. If necessary I'll take him, so I just want to be prepared ahead of time and, if it is necessary for him to come, maybe to do some test runs with different car sickness cures. 
Thank you again for the reply, it was very helpful.


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

HOW have you been travelling with him so far?

I travel quite a bit with my hedgie, because I go back and forth between my apartment for school, and my mom's house.

I have a cat carrier for him, which I strap down into the car. And inside, he is ALWAYS in his "bed". I transport him in his bed(which is just a piece of fleece I sewed up for him), and he sleeps the entire way. Then I have his travel/carrying bag squished at the back, with another fleece blanket on top of him and wrapped around the sides. Under him, is a towel(in case there ARE accidents), and under that is the fleece that came with the carrier. I just found that with him travelling while surrounded by his own scent, his own sleeping bed keeps him very calm. Also, with the carrier stuffed with fleece, he also doesn't roll around when the car brakes/accelerates.

Before I did this, he'd end up pooping in the carrier, but now, he sleeps through the entire ride.


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