TRavelling with Rats. Need pointers?

[takagari]

SI have to move from Halifax to winnipeg. Expecting 5 days 4 nights travel. and I am wondering what my best options are for travelling with two adult rats this distance?

I was thinking of buying two small tubs. replacing the top with mesh and putting those ina small carry on type bag for easy moving. and just have it open in the back seat of the car.


My concern is water..
I think road bumps would cause the bottles to jostle constant drips..
and i cant have them got 9 hours a day without water.

Food I can supply easily
and of course The car will always be at least partially warm before they are put in the back seat


Thoughts guys?
I am also transporting a Ball python and a Kenyan Sand boa, if you have opinions on them to

Thanks

[littleindiangirl]

If the water is secure, the jostling shouldnt be too much of a problem. When we moved just recently the short drive down back roads caused no leaking. Of course, I guess I have nice water bottles because they have never dripped like that.

From Chicago and back here, same thing, so leaks, just some rats that wanted to be resting.

I gave mine hides to stay in to lower their stress levels, but all in all it wasnt too bad.

[wolfy-hound]

Just take some extra bedding. Then if it does leak, you can change the bedding. I think I'd just use a ten gallon tank(maybe even a five gallon) with a secure lid and water bottle. Give them some chewy treats to gnaw on, and you should have some happy ratties for the trip. A 10G tank is easily picked up to take inside if needed, and they shouldn't be able to chew out. Tubs can be gnawed out of if the rats get stressed for some reason, and the lids are not usually as secure.
However, if you secure the lid, and watch for chewing, should be fine with the tubs too. Just toss in the extra bedding, and you should be good.

[rabernet]

I used these when I transported rats to Daytona last year (8 hour drive both ways) and it's tall enough to support a water bottle. Do take some extra bedding and a spare trash bag to dump wet bedding into. Mine wasn't wet from jostling as much as the rats pushing bedding up on them.

Model 1876 http://www.sterilite.com/Category.ht...ctCategory=157

I put ventilation holes in it, and it's the perfect height for a water bottle to hang inside (if you use one of those metal water bottle holders that you bend the arm over the outside of the enclosure).

[takagari]

well i need them in bags becuase i will be staying in hotels along the way... and they don't really allow rats. lol

So I need to be able to put both containers in a bag and just carry them in like there part of my luggage


so water bottles usually do okay in cars?

Good to hear
thanks!

[Dcommander]

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?t=56321

Check this out, might be helpfull, and I do agree on u taking some extra bedding

[rabernet]

well i need them in bags becuase i will be staying in hotels along the way... and they don't really allow rats. lol

So I need to be able to put both containers in a bag and just carry them in like there part of my luggage


so water bottles usually do okay in cars?

Good to hear
thanks!

Just throw a towel over the container and carry it in.

[tigerlily]

Just throw a towel over the container and carry it in.

Or really large Disney bags. (I guess garbage bags would work too)

When I traveled with snakes for our move, I kept them in their caging and plugged it into a converter in the car (thermostat and all). Worked wonderfully. You could probably use a styrofoam cooler and heat packs, if you monitor it closely. (make sure to put a thermometer in there) Then you could place them in tubs with access to water in the evening and a heat source.

Best of luck on the move.

[akaangela]

For the water issue. I don't offer free water. I give food that has a lot of water in it. Then when we stop I offer a drink. This worked well for me when I had a weekend trip and took my rat with me.

[takagari]

aka, what did you offer them for food? I'm looking for good ideas on what to offer them.