Moving (out of state) with chinchillas

Chinchilla & Hedgehog Pet Forum

Help Support Chinchilla & Hedgehog Pet Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Elaina_marie1

Member
Joined
May 8, 2015
Messages
22
Location
North carolina
Hi all! I feel this category best fit the topic, but if not let me know. In about a month my partner and I will be moving from NC—>VA (about a 5 hour drive) and in turn that means our little fur family will also be moving! I was wondering if anyone had any tips/ tricks/ literature to help me prepare as fully as I can to ensure my chinchillas make the move successfully and as stress-free as possible. Thank you in advance!
 
Hi! Last year we moved from Indiana to Pennsylvania with our 17 year old chinnie at the time. First, I’d check to see if there’s an exotic restrictions in the state. Some states make exotic pets illegal. Next, your vet will need to notify the State Vet that’s he’s leaving, fill out a certificate stating the chinnie is in good health & the vet must mail the form to your new state. The exam must be done within 10days of your move & you must carry the document with you during the move. We had a large travel cage we used to move him that’s could hold up his water bottle, bought sun filter blind (dont know the proper name) for his window & had a thermostat in the car to regulate temperature & a bag of treats & food. I hope this helps, I had no clue of the certification prior.
 
I drove multiple times with my 3 from ny state to vegas. one of them was a 5 day drive. they were quite scared when putting them in the carrier for the second trip, but talking to them calmed them down and had no problems. i wouldn't keep the water bottles attached unless you're stopping, the movement of the car might cause it to leak and get your chin wet.
i think i got my carrier from ryerson, but their website isn't working to be sure. that and if it's not working it's not a very helpful response anyway.
 
Definitely don't attach a water bottle. They will be soaked when they get there. Also, be sure they aren't in direct sunlight and provide hay for munching. I drive chins all over the place all the time. Mostly they just sleep!
 
Definitely don't attach a water bottle. They will be soaked when they get there. Also, be sure they aren't in direct sunlight and provide hay for munching. I drive chins all over the place all the time. Mostly they just sleep!

Thank you!! I was curious about the water bottle, but I know we will make at least 2 stops so I can secure the water on while stopped if they’re thirsty then remove it once we start driving again.
 
I moved with my chinchillas from CA to TX, TX to FL, FL to CA, CA to IA, then IA back to CA. They did fantastic every time. I kept their cages covered from direct sunlight and kept the a/c on high for the full ride. I never left the animals alone or in a turned off car for more than a couple minutes (never alone). My chins never wanted water during the trips, but I offered them bottles when we stopped. I've used small cages and transferred them to larger cages when I got to hotels. I've also used rabbit cages when space permitted. They were so good. 5 hours is nothing, I'm sure they'll do fine as long as it's not too hot. Mine slept 97% of the time in the car.
 
Hello! I moved from Florida to Indiana some years ago. I broke up the trip into 2 ~6 hour trips. The chins did great. They were not fans of getting in the carrier in the morning but once in the car they settled down to the AC and music and just fell asleep.

I checked on them whenever I made a stop and offered water/food but most of the time they weren't really interested and would rather keep napping.

I would not put a water bottle attached because of the potential for spills. They'll be fine for a few hours and will likely sleep most of the time.
 
I moved with my chinchillas from CA to TX, TX to FL, FL to CA, CA to IA, then IA back to CA. They did fantastic every time. I kept their cages covered from direct sunlight and kept the a/c on high for the full ride. I never left the animals alone or in a turned off car for more than a couple minutes (never alone). My chins never wanted water during the trips, but I offered them bottles when we stopped. I've used small cages and transferred them to larger cages when I got to hotels. I've also used rabbit cages when space permitted. They were so good. 5 hours is nothing, I'm sure they'll do fine as long as it's not too hot. Mine slept 97% of the time in the car.
Wow awesome, thank you! This has put my mind at ease for sure. I plan on having my sister in the car with me too that way one can focus on driving and the other the pets if/when needed.
 
Wow awesome, thank you! This has put my mind at ease for sure. I plan on having my sister in the car with me too that way one can focus on driving and the other the pets if/when needed.

Perfect! I sometimes put a blanket over my seats before traveling. I didn't want my chins nibbling on my seat belts or seats. :)
 
Ryerson has best carrier my vet has seen. Our "to go box" has room for 2 and handle on top I seatbelt in. I just call Jan at Ryerson Chinchilla directly to do orders. (419)687-1071. My little Houdini has learned to open it. So I use a twist tie to remedy. She also loves the radio... Classical or talk is her favorite.
 
For my move day I lined the kennel with fleece. It did not go well. Urine did not absorb into it and my little guy was soaked by the time we got to our new place. He had spent longer than expected in it and my mother in law was watching him but didn't notice. Trying to take a hair dryer to your pet for the first time at 11pm after moving all day is not fun. I did learn that he trusts me more than I thought. I would suggest whatever you use for bedding and if it's fleece to make sure it's been washed lot and will absorb any messes. And keep the hair dryer handy just in case.
 
My carrier had fleece on the bottom. They were in it for 5 days and everything was bone dry. It's too much of a risk to put them in a travel cage when they're fine in the carrier.
 
Back
Top