General Transporting Guinea Pig herd across state lines?

[CavieGuy]

Hi everyone,

I have a question, we will be moving from Los Angeles, CA to Denver, CO at the end of December and would like advice from folks on how to transport the herd.

We are getting all our household goods and 2 cars transported by a moving company and renting a van to drive to Colorado with 2 senior dogs (12 and 10 year old) and 7 sows, plus our clothing we need for the first couple weeks until our stuff gets delivered.

What do you all suggest about transporting guinea pigs? It will be a 4/5 day journey because we are heading up to Northern California first for Xmas eve and then driving to Colorado on Christmas day and will be driving 6-8 hours a day and sleeping in pet friendly hotels.

Should I get carriers? Set up a midwest cage in the van? for the drive?

In the hotel, can I set up 2 midwest cages and connect them for 7 piggies until we arrive to colorado and I will be setting up their C&C cage appropriate for 7 sows?

 

[joys_cavies]

I'd use a cat carrier ( a large ish one ) or a Midwest with a lid & strap it to seat.

The hotel plan sounds good tho, good luck with the move!

 

[CavyChrissy]

I've never moved with pigs, but I have hauled a whole variety of stuff in my van. Definitely get a van where you can fold some seats down in to the floor. You will have a nice flat surface for your pigs and more room for your stuff.

 

[Saylavi]

I go 5 hours with my girls to and from college every once in a while, you can soak veggies in water to help keep them hydrated, try to keep them on the seat, not the floor, for temperature and noise related reasons. I take them in a moving box (top open) with fleece and carefresh.
Midwest isn't a bad idea.

 

[LoveMyPigs25]

If I was in your situation, I would build two smaller c&c cages using zip ties ( no connectors) that would fit in the van. I would use grids to make a floor (bottom) and a lid for the two cages and split the herd up. Put something over the top of cage in van to make them feel safe. By using grids and making two smaller cages you can easily carry them out of the van every night to the hotel or wherever you are. I would keep things as "normal" as possible for them so they feel safe and are in a "familiar" surroundings and not have to move them in and out of cages. By putting a top and bottom on the two make shift cages it would provide safety and security for them and you could tie them or support them to keep them in place in the van. A two grid wide c&c without connectors should fit through most doorways and make it easy to move.
Use your fleece and provide hideys so they feel as normal as possible.

 

[LoveMyPigs25]

By using the grids you could securely stack the cages in the van. If you did that make swing open side doors for access. Then you can always reuse the grids at your new place.

 

[CavieGuy]

Thank you for all the advice

 

[jaycriae]

Also, you might already know this, but having the water bottles in the cages, in a moving car will just make it spill everywhere. You can take the bottles out and then have water stops every hour or so to prevent major spillage and dehydration.