Traveling with pigs-- Any tips?

[redrocketpop]

Ok, so here's the deal:

My boyfriend and I are moving to Memphis, TN from Bloomington, IN at the end of the week. It's a 7-8 hour drive and, of course, the pigs are coming with us.

My question to all of you is this: Do you have any tips for me to make it easier on them?

We have a large pet store cage for the 4 of them to travel in, bedded with rag rugs to burrow under, but honestly we've never traveled with them for more than a 1-2 hour trip. I plan on draping the cage with a towel or piece of fleece to make it a little more closed and safe-feeling for them, is this a good idea?

I'm afraid of stressing the little buggers out with this drive, but hopefully their new (and even larger!) C&C will make up for it when we get there.

I'm gonna leave this open-ended, so any tips, hints or suggestions you lot can give me will be greatly appreciated!

[Ly&Pigs]

I plan on draping the cage with a towel or piece of fleece to make it a little more closed and safe-feeling for them, is this a good idea?

If it's cool enough in the vehicle you can do this to make them feel more secure but if it's hot or you don't plan on running the air conditioning, I'm not sure if I'd do it.

Is there anyway you could provide 2 traveling cages as one really isn't going to provide much room for 4. I know it would take up more room but it might help to prevent fights or arguments plus give them a little more room to move around in. Maybe you could use your one pet store cage and then make a 1x2 C&C as well. Another reason to provide an extra traveling cage is to have room for each a hidey house. That way they'd have a place to hide and would be more at ease and cut down on stress.

Also provide plenty of fresh wet veggies along the way to ensure no one gets dehydrated and give plenty of hay in the cage(s). Hanging a water bottle in a moving car is hard because many bottles tend to leak due to the movement of the vehicle. Take a water bottle along though and stop frequently to give them drinks from it.

[wolfie]

We took are 2 guinea pigs with us on vacation. It was an 8 hour drive. They traveled in an exltra large cage. We did not cover it, but made sure the cage would not receive a direct blast from the air conditioner. On the way up I made the fatal error of leaving their water bottle hanging (it was 4 am!) and had lined the cage with pad, towels and fleece. Big mistake! The water bottle had leaked everywhere and it was a mess. LyPigs is right, dont hang a water bottle. On the way back I lined the cage with carefresh and left the water bottle off. Big difference. Our piggies did great round trip. I made sure that each had a hidey house with a pile of hay and offered wet fresh veggies and water several times during the trip. Good luck! Wolfie

[redrocketpop]

Thanks guys for the input! I've had waterbottle disasters when driving to my parent's house before, so I'd already planned on not hanging one for the drive...especially considering how much my girls love to play with their bottle.

I'm not sure I would have room enough for another cage in the car...the pet store cage we have now, while not suitable for anyone to live in, does take up a little more than 3/4ths of our back seat (and we have a Buick LeSabre, so it's a sizable car). I will try to make better accomidations if at all possible. And about the draping, the air conditoner in the car is killer, the more I thought about it the more a towel seems like a good idea to help keep blasts of cold air from hitting them directly.

What veggies would you guys suggest? I was already planning on lettuce, but would maybe some watermelon (which my girls love but rarely get) be appropriate as well? Both as a hydration agent and an apology for making them ride in the car.

Again, thanks for all the tips! I really want this move to go well with as little stress as possible for them. If anyone else thinks of something to add, please post it here. I'll be able to check it right up until Thursday night!!

[PiggieMom]

Watermellon is a good idea. I usually bring a baggie of lettuce, cilantro, cucumber and peppers. I also bring a spray bottle filled with water and spray the veggies before I give them to them, that way they're still getting water.

[redrocketpop]

UPDATE TIME!!! Thanks again for all your help, my 4 girls made it to Memphis with us with very little hassle. Honestly, though, they didn't seem too crazy about eating or drinking anything on the way down...a few nibbles on the green peppers and lettuce I gave them, and maybe a little drinking from the waterbottle I put on when we stopped for gas/eating. When we got to the new apartment, though, it was an all-out waterbottle war!

I'm very happy to say that they're now living a life of pig-luxury in their new 5x6 cage. There is much pop-corning and squeals from all.

[G_Pig_lover]

I take my piggies on a couple of 5 hour trips a year. If the car is cool enough I would drape something to make them feel more secure, if it's not cool enough don't. Bring a big bag of veggies and a spary bottle to wet them befor giving them to the pigs, then offer them water many times during the trip. Good luck!

[redrocketpop]

Heh, my pigs made the trip fine, I just posted to update you all on them without starting a whole new thread about it. Thank you, though.

[Ly&Pigs]

Glad they made the trip fine!