# Another Home For the Holidays Dilemma (long-ish walks)



## margolia.wind (Oct 4, 2010)

Here is my current dilemma...
I am going home at the start of next week for the holidays (essentially until January 6th). Everyone else in my co-op is going home for the holidays so the house will be empty so I can't leave Mopsa here. Which is fine - my family doesn't live far from my apartment and my dad said he would come drive us etc. 
But my parents live on an island that is only accessible by ferry boat. The boat ride is about 10 minutes. There IS a heated cabin on the ferry and I think that they would let me sit in the cabin to wait and not in the colder waiting area. The walk from the car to the ferry is maybe approx. 3 minutes so that's not bad. I don't know how warm the cabin is, but if she was under my shirt with hand warmers in there, I think that would be okay....
but the problem is with the other side. 
There are no vehicles allowed on the Island. From the docks to our house is maybe a 5 minute walk (a bit shorter if quick). it is quite open and therefore quite windy. 
My parents can transport all of Mopsa's stuff so that I can just concentrate on her and keeping her warm, but I am nervous; it has suddenly got quite cold here.
When I carried her outside from car to vet, I had her in a snuggle sack with fleece and hand warmers under my shirt and coat. She was very warm. But this is a longer distance. 
What can I do? Is there anything? I can't think of a good solution for this one - I really don't want to leave her elsewhere for over a month. ):
I just am wondering if there is anything more I can do for her/if anyone has done 5 minute walks in cold weather....
Ahh.
I totally did not think this one through. 
Thanks so much!


----------



## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Under your coat with a mitten warmer will be fine for the ferry ride and walk. Use a hedgie bag with a strap on it to go around your neck. 

Even a proper carrier would be fine if you use a Snuggle safe and wrap a blanket around the carrier to protect it from the breeze. Lots of fleece inside will keep her warm. 

A snuggle safe provides more heat than mitten warmers. Also remember that mitten warmers use oxygen to heat so you need to make sure if you are using them, that there is a ventilation source.


----------



## margolia.wind (Oct 4, 2010)

Thank you. Okay, I will start sewing a shoulder strap.  
I am bringing a normal hard-sided carrier fo rthe car ride; I'll just have to see how windy it is whether she goes in it outside.
I have looked everywhere for a snuggle safe and no luck. :/ Petsmart told me that they were discontinued...?
I have a LOT of handwarmers though - I didn't totally realise that about oxygen so I will definitely double make sure. Luckily I still have a week to prepare for this big move.


----------



## susanaproenca (Aug 14, 2010)

margolia.wind said:


> Thank you. Okay, I will start sewing a shoulder strap.
> I am bringing a normal hard-sided carrier fo rthe car ride; I'll just have to see how windy it is whether she goes in it outside.
> I have looked everywhere for a snuggle safe and no luck. :/ Petsmart told me that they were discontinued...?
> I have a LOT of handwarmers though - I didn't totally realise that about oxygen so I will definitely double make sure. Luckily I still have a week to prepare for this big move.


you can find Snuggle Safes at Amazon.


----------



## margolia.wind (Oct 4, 2010)

Just wanted to report that I brought Mopsa home this evening. It was very stressful as it was very cold out, but shew as very warm inside my coat (if incredibly anxious to get out). 
My parents house is inexplicably extremely cold, but after a lot of panicking, i have got her heat up to 76.8 (our usual temperature). 
I'm lying next to her and she has been running about and eating - so I believe that all is well (knock on wood!).
I definitely am not a fan of hedgehog-moving though. Goodness!
Thanks for the good advice, everyone!

Oh - and I don't think you can get snugglesafes on Canadian Amazon?
Not as far as I can tell, anyway. :/


----------



## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

Glad to hear you guys made it there  Traveling can be stressful with them.


----------



## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

I tried, too, to find a Snuggle Safe on Amamon.ca...no luck.  

BUT...I did find a place that sends internationally on Amazon.COM...usually, if you look at the listings, the sellers that offer International Shipping will ship to Canada. The one I saw was $27.50 and shipping is $45 :shock: I only checked the one ad, though.

BTW, you have to have a separate account for Amamzon.com - I have a KIndle so I use that one. You often don't know if they will ship to Canada until you try to pay. Verrry annoying.


----------



## emeko (Nov 28, 2009)

I can relate to the stress of transporting a hedgie in cold weather. I had to trek Beck to the vet one time last winter when he was mysteriously going bald. I had no form of transportation, it was a 25 minute walk, and a balmy -15C out. Luckily, I have a polar-bear esque winter coat and an extremely cooperative hedgie. He snuggle into the small of my back under my sweater and coat. I'm pretty sure I made some pretty funny faces on the way there, but he was toasty warm upon arrival lol.


----------

