Travel with Guinea Pigs

As the summer season quickly approaches, many people are busy planning trips and vacations. However sometimes owning pets can make travel more difficult. If you are a guinea pig owner hoping to take your pet along for the ride, here are some things to keep in mind.

Remember to set up an adequate carrier for your guinea pig. Most small animal carriers will work fine for a guinea pig. Ventilation is key. You want your guinea pig to have access to plenty of air on the journey, and especially in stressful situations. Additionally, security is also key for your guinea pig’s safety as well as his comfort. Make sure that your guinea pig cannot open the carrier himself, or escape it in any way.

You also want to make sure that your guinea pig feels secure himself within the carrier. It is best to provide plenty of bedding for your pet guinea pigs. However, wood shavings and hays may be too messy for the trip. Old t-shirts make great travel bedding. To add a greater level of comfort to the travel environment, consider placing a couple of paper towels into the carrier so that your guinea pig can burrow or hide comfortably within the travel carrier.

Always provide your guinea pig with a water bottle for the trip. If your guinea pig is used to drinking from a bowl, be sure to acquaint him to the bottle well in advance to any travel. And remember to keep your guinea pig inside of the carrier at all times when you are in a vehicle. It is very easy for your guinea pig to cause damage to the car or his own safety when he is not in his cage.

Keep in mind that guinea pigs do not always make the best travel companions. Talk to your veterinarian about boarding your guinea pig at a small animal kennel, or consider hiring a pet sitter.