Frustrated Traveling with my pigs from the US to Hong Kong, so worried :(

[Ping Leong Li]

I'm traveling with my two guinea pigs from San Francisco to Hong Kong this Saturday. I already have:
1.the permit from Hong Kong
2.health certificate from vets
3.USDA approval

I am taking Cathay Pacific, I have two questions:
1. Do you guys think I can put two guinea pigs in one cage? I cannot afford using two cages It's $350 each.. My cage is pretty big
2. How can I make them as comfortable as possible? It's a 15 hours flight. I'm planning to put a cloth, hay, water, and pellets. Should I put bedding?
3. Will it be too cold for them? I don't know where are they going to store them
4. Are they going to survive a 15 hours flight?
Please help, I'm really worried Happy New Year everyone!

 

[peachyteen]

1. I wouldn't risk it, especially if you can't monitor them.

2. I would at least put in a towel with fleece, maybe also a hidey that can be strapped in place

3. Who knows, it might be

4. They will probably survive, if the cage they're in isn't tossed about in loading. but they definitely won't have a good time flying.

 

[Fay]

Check your airline you might be able to carry them on board so that they can stay warm and you can feed/water them when needed. 15 hours is a long flight but it's better than having them in cargo hold. If you have to take them in the cargo hold check with your airline about how they store animals and whether they have a heated section specifically for pets, inquire about the temperature within that area and how they secure the cages. Make sure they have enough food and water with them to last that long (since they need unlimited hay it'll be tough to fit enough in there). Make sure the food and water can't be knocked out of the cage and I'd suggest putting a layer of fleece in there with a u-haul pad or towel under it to keep them warm (planes get chilly even in the cabin) but make sure the cage is still well vented. I would definitely keep them together (if they are the same gender/neutered). They can help keep each other warm and it will be scary for them so they might feel safer with a piggy friend there. So, please do contact your airline and ask all these questions since they are very important to ensure your pigs well being.

 

[Nubbin]

If you claim they are 'emotional support animals' would you be able to keep them with you in a carrier in the cabin?

 

[bpatters]

According to Cathay Pacific's website, they'll have to go as cargo. I wouldn't put mine through that.

 

[Colorado Cavies]

My family is making plans to move to China and I would never think of putting the pigs through that. Do you have plans on how you are going to get their cage set up? Apartments in China in general are TINY and HK has one of the most insane housing markets in the world. Do you know where you will be living? Do you have plans to get hay? Getting fresh produce is no problem but getting hay and pellets is another matter entirely. Also what are you going to do about a vet? Have you researched if there are any decent exotics vets in HK? Even if they are, if they are in a different part of the city from you it could take hours to get there from where ever you end up living.

All that and the fact that they would have to go cargo would have me finding a new home for my pigs.

 

[Amalee]

I would not keep them in the same cage for 15 hours. Just having them in cargo is a huge risk by itself. I had two pigs that seemed extremely happy with each other, no bullying, seemed like BFFs. Had them in a carrier for 30 minutes and they started fighting, like ripping hair off eachother and it was flying everywhere, blood was on the carrier walls, screeching type fighting that lasted only 10-20 seconds before I could separate them and it required an emergency vet visit and one if not both would have been dead if it went on. They were bonded and both males.

 

[Ping Leong Li]

My family is making plans to move to China and I would never think of putting the pigs through that. Do you have plans on how you are going to get their cage set up? Apartments in China in general are TINY and HK has one of the most insane housing markets in the world. Do you know where you will be living? Do you have plans to get hay? Getting fresh produce is no problem but getting hay and pellets is another matter entirely. Also what are you going to do about a vet? Have you researched if there are any decent exotics vets in HK? Even if they are, if they are in a different part of the city from you it could take hours to get there from where ever you end up living.

All that and the fact that they would have to go cargo would have me finding a new home for my pigs.

Thanks for the concern, I agree with you, apartments in China are insane but my home is okay, I'll have at least 8 square feet for them. There are pet shop selling pellets and hay so it should be ok too. In fact a lot of people have guinea pigs in Hong Kong but I think most of them don't give them enough space The only concern I have now is putting them in cargo

 

[Ping Leong Li]

I would not keep them in the same cage for 15 hours. Just having them in cargo is a huge risk by itself. I had two pigs that seemed extremely happy with each other, no bullying, seemed like BFFs. Had them in a carrier for 30 minutes and they started fighting, like ripping hair off eachother and it was flying everywhere, blood was on the carrier walls, screeching type fighting that lasted only 10-20 seconds before I could separate them and it required an emergency vet visit and one if not both would have been dead if it went on. They were bonded and both males.

I think my pigs are fine, I went to vet to get health certificate last week, they were in the same cage together for 3 hours and it was peaceful.

 

[Ping Leong Li]

Thanks for everyone's help, I'll contact Cathay Pacific for more information. Do you guys think I should put hay in the cage? or just water and pellets?

 

[Amalee]

I think my pigs are fine, I went to vet to get health certificate last week, they were in the same cage together for 3 hours and it was peaceful.

Different environments can create different responses. 3 hours is different from 15 hours, you don't know how cold/hot they will get in the cargo, or what being without sleep/water/food (stress) will do to them. Just a thought.

 

[Saylavi]

I do think you should put him in the cage, depending on the size of the cage would be possible for you to use grades or something to divide the cage in half? I definitely recommend having some fleece hideys in there to keep them warm, and yes there should be hay.

 

[Ping Leong Li]

Thank you everyone for the help....I'm so worried and keep thinking about my pigs every minute...I'm flying out this Saturday, hope everything will be okay

 

[lissie]

I think that you're missing something here. There is absolutely NO way that she can ship them in the cage.

[B @Ping Leong Li[/B].....have you considered shipping them via FedEx? If you happen to know anyone who works for an airline, they generally get 75% off the regular FedEx cost. It would be a great time to call in a favor.

FedEx doesn't ship live animals. I think she's doing the right thing by flying them on the same flight she's going. By "cage", I think she meant carrier.
@Ping Leong Li have you check the carrier size restrictions with the airline? Looks like Cathay Pacific has temperature controlled area for flying pets. (broken link removed)

 

[Ping Leong Li]

FedEx doesn't ship live animals. I think she's doing the right thing by flying them on the same flight she's going. By "cage", I think she meant carrier.
@Ping Leong Li have you check the carrier size restrictions with the airline? Looks like Cathay Pacific has temperature controlled area for flying pets. (broken link removed)

Yes, I'm having a hard time finding a screw-lock design carrier.... I've gone 10+ pet shops, all of them sell buckle lock carrier, I can't find it on internet either

 

[lissie]

Yes, I'm having a hard time finding a screw-lock design carrier.... I've gone 10+ pet shops, all of them sell buckle lock carrier, I can't find it on internet either

What about Amazon? (broken link removed)

Another one: (broken link removed)

 

[blessedmom]

Did I miss it or have you said if these are sows or boars? How big is the allowed carrier? I would want mine together but would be concerned like @CottonBlue about fighting, if boars. My two boats had never fought beyond a little chattering and bickering during puberty and were so close but I out them in a small carrier for literally just minutes to fix a cage issue and the fight was on. It was terrible. And like an idiot I reached in to separate and got bit. Oh the pain! It was terribly painful!