Carriers: I Need TRAVEL SUPPLIES and SUGGESTIONS!

[ashiffman]

I go on long car-trips every month or so with my 2 piggies, and find that their supplies take up 80% of my luggage and require LOTS of trips to and from my apartment and my car. Leaving my piggies at home or with a care-taker isn't always an option, so I'm looking for any suggestions that will make my trips easier. For example, do you know of:

1) A cage that is light, easy to carry, and quick to set up and take down.
2) A cage that I can set up on the back seat of my car; big enough for 2 pigs to roam around (and not get out of) during the drive.

** A cage that can be adapted for both of the above would be perfect!

3) A carrying case that fits supplies; similar idea to a baby's diaper bag that is built to accommodate a variety of items.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions or tips!

[Jenni_Feathers]

1.) Cable-tied grids and a shower curtain. Folds up small, folds out plenty big when you get there.

2.) What about a cat sized carrier (like this )? Or perhaps a small dog sized folding crate (like this)? A soft-sided type dog crate (kinda like this )might work, it'd be easy to fold down and store, but I'd be afraid they might try to chew out of it.

3.) I usually put my pigs' stuff in a storage bin. The shower curtain folded on the bottom with a change of bedding, the grids standing up on the side, and the hideys, food and other accessories in the rest of the space. I'll try to find a picture.

[ashiffman]

Thanks, Feathers! Sounds like you do a lot of traveling with your piggies, too. Some questions about your suggestions:

My car trips last 10+ hours, which is why I want them to have a nice setup in the backseat of my car. Do you think my boys will be comfortable traveling in an enclosed dog or cat carrier for that length of time (with breaks, of course)?

Are the cable-tied grids you speak of the cubes that are listed on this website's Cubes and Cloroplast page?
Do you put anything (towels, fleece, etc.)over or under the shower curtain, or is the curtain enough for the floor of their cage?
Do you have a special set-up for water during the trip? I have a non-drip water bottle, but have trouble finding a sturdy place to attach it during the car-trip.

[Jenni_Feathers]

All pigs are different, but they should probably be fine. My boys have traveled from St. Louis to New Orleans all in one day before, which is about an 11 hr trip and they were fine. They were either sleeping or eating the whole time. What I do for longer trips to keep them entertained and from bickering is that I take that day's worth of veggies, and divide it up, giving them a bit every 90 mins or so. I also pack their carrier full of fresh hay.

Yeah, the grids I speak of are the ones used for the C&C cages. Except I don't use the connectors, I cable tie them together instead, it makes it a lot easier to fold up (accordion style, kinda like an exercise pen) instead of having to wrestle the connectors to put it up.

Yes, over the shower curtain I put a layer of fleece and towels. Sometimes though I use puppy pads instead of towels if its a long stay or has multiple overnight stops so that I don't have to lug around soiled towels. The puppy pads work like towels under the fleece, but they are disposable.

For water, I don't even bother trying to get the bottle attached during travel. Even non-drip ones will drip when driving because it gets rattled and the little ball in the tube will move, letting out water. I just keep the bottle handy and offer it during stops. The veggies help to keep them hydrated between stops.