Traveling by car?

[tsteele93]

We spend a couple weeks every year at my parents' house in Florida. It is an eight hour drive and in the past, we shove the dog (12# overweight Pomeranian) into his carrier, give him a dramamine - stop for lunch around the halfway mark and let him out to go to the bathroom, feed and water him, shove him back in and do the other four hours.

Often the kids (and wife) are more trouble than the dog.

This year we will have two ferrets with us. I tried to read up on traveling in the States, but best I can tell, you can buy Marshall Ferrets in Florida as well as SC so I don't imagine there being any issues with us having them at my parents house. They live in a semi-rural area in a large house with lots of room for the critters. We plan to bring their large, fold-up/zip-up playpen as a cage for the two weeks and go through and ferret-proof the areas where they will be allowed to roam once we get there. My father built the house himself so we know it pretty well, and they will likely be restricted to a LARGE family room where we spend most of our time.

My questions are as follows: 

#1. Any suggestions on the best way to travel with them in a mini-van full of luggage?
#2. Any suggestions on the best way to have them at my folks' house while we are there - any "gotchas" that we aren't likely to think of ahead of time?
#3. Along those lines, anything that is easy to overlook or forget that we should make sure we do and plan for ahead of time?

Thanks in advance for any tips!

-Tom

[abbeytheferret6]

Often the kids (and wife) are more trouble than the dog.

LOL.

#1. Any suggestions on the best way to travel with them in a mini-van full of luggage?

#2. Any suggestions on the best way to have them at my folks' house

I too go to Fla go to see my family.
I take my 4 ferrets. My male is kept separately from the girls or fur would fly.
I take the top part of a Ferret Nation cage for the girls---do not know if you r familiar with  the Ferret Nation cage. It has 2 sections. It takes up a lot of room in my suv. But my male is kept in this cage that I found at the Goodwill. The top has an opening so a potty can fit in. But one could tape a doggie pad to a floor corner instead. I put a baby blanket in the end not used for a potty. I can also hang a hammock in it.

[Heather]

I travel frequently with ferrets....a comfy travel cage, a hammy or cube, some soft blankets and a litter box, some water and you may or may not want to give them a bit of food to munch on during their travel. I usually pack a cooler with some cool packs and some mice. Food can be given if the trip is longer than anticipated and the cool packs can be used under the cage to keep them cool in case of a break down. I just use a lock water bowl and I bring some water they're used to. At destination I use an 11 panel travel play pen with a tarp underpad. I set up litter boxes (I tie these to the pen) in the playpen along with bedding and familiar toys
Honestly, ferrets travel much better than children and they never ask when are they going to be at their destination. I find they usually sleep all the way waking up only when we stop to see what's going on.
ciao

[nancyl]

Pretty much what Heather said. I make an 8 to 9 hour trip with mine once a year. I have 8. The jills all hate each other and the two neutered hobs (who are father and son) don't do well together so I have 4 different groups plus one little disabled girl who has to be kept separate for her own safety. That said, hammocks and a litter box in the cages and they're good to go. They are generally not interested in water on the way but I do offer it a couple of times. I use travel cages from Martin's cages. They come in several sizes and configurations to suit almost any need.

[Charlie]

I traveled with mine but not to the extent you will be. I used a big cat carrier and hung a hammock in it and old towels in the bottom. I also have a smaller cage that takes up my trunk in my SUV for when we arrive for him to stay in. I also use this cage to take to my ferret sitter when I can't take my ferret. I have all his food frozen and have one of those coolers I plug into the power outlet in the car to keep his raw food frozen and my food too. I don't have a whole family to travel with either so I have more room in my vehicle. Since the trunk is full with his cage, I put my suitcases in the back seat with the cooler. Lol your vehicle will be full!

[Sparrow]

Whatever cage you take, be sure that your ferret can't escape! Sparrow used to be an escape artist and could actually break out of his first carrier. I had to put him in a double door cat carrier that can only be opened by pinching the door mechanisms. A blanket is nice to keep them warm, they have fairly high body temperatures, so you'll want to give them something to keep that warmth in. Puppy pads also work great where litter can't go and are easy to just ball up and throw away. You're ferret will likely sleep most of the way though. I think I've had a ferret stay awake about 15 minutes, lol!! They pretty much relax once they get comfy and go to sleep.

[tsteele93]

Thank you, I think that I must be in early stage Alzheimer's (only half kidding - but I am kidding - my maternal grandmother had it and sometimes I worry) because I completely forgot writing this post and came here tonight to ask it... LOL

It was pretty much exactly what I was looking for!

One last question though, because I feel like the biggest problem for me will be the poop. My guy and gal are just NOT getting the litter box reliably. They understand the concept and they use it 80% of the time I would guess, but that other 20% is pretty significant. I have noticed when they have smaller quarters, they tend to be better about using the litter box. I suspect when they have lots of room they just figure they can avoid the places they poop, but when there isn't much room they try to stick to the box because they don't want to trash their space - or as my dad always says, don't poop in your own mess kit. (I would hate to have seen what they did to each other's mess kits...)

Anyway, to the point - is the best plan to put down pee pads and check and change often? I was hoping to put them in small travel carriers and maybe use the water bottles with the ball bearing in the end so they could get water when they need. We will be in a minivan so they will not be too cramped, other than the dog being in his carrier (he is generally low maintenance and he DOES NOT poop in his carrier).

I used to be very serious about not stopping unless necessary (i.e. the car's tank, or my tank on Empty was the only real reason to stop) but now with kids, I will stop more frequently without having a stroke over it. So I am hoping that stopping every few hours would help. We have harnesses and leashes so I figure we can let them walk (carefully) and hopefully do some of their pooping on the stops.

My parents are in for a surprise this Christmas. They actually liked the ferrets when they visited this Halloween, but they are also wanting to keep the ferrets in the finished bonus room above the garage while we are there, which may be ok as long as they don't get out. We are going to probably go with a wasteful but easy route with digs at my folks, I think we will order an extra playpen and have it sent there from Amazon. Also, I was considering disassembling one floor of our Ferret Nation Cage and just laying the pieces flat in the back of the van and then assembling it when we get there. That way it doesn't take up much space in the van (we will need room for lots of presents LOL) and we still have a secure place when we get there.

It would be AWESOME if we could bring the ASSEMBLED 1 FLOOR of FN cage and just let them ride in there, but the only way we would have room for that would be if we strapped the cage on the roof. I don't think they would like that.

A last question - we give our dog Dramamine for the trip. It keeps him from throwing up AND knocks him out for most of the trip. He gets very tired and comes back around when we arrive. Is that ok for Ferrets at all? And do Ferrets get car sick at all? Any tips or tricks on how to knock them out while traveling? Play with them a LOT the day before?

Thanks in advance for answering my many questions, you guys and gals are all great - thank you!

[Charlie]

You won't need to give the ferrets any drugs. Once you get under way they tend to go to sleep. Mine hasn't been car sick. He sleeps most of the way. If I stop for gas or a washroom break he wakes up but then goes back to sleep. At first he tries to get out of the carrier but after a while gives up and goes to sleep.

Thats good that you can take the FN cage. Take their familiar stuff like their hammock and toys too for them.

[abbeytheferret6]

Any tips or tricks on how to knock them out while traveling? Play with them a LOT the day before?
Read more: holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/24816/traveling-car#ixzz5XbSR7SBH

My ferrets like to sleep on long trips----but when I stop to eat I let my boy out--he is in the above cage--- it is quite a bit smaller than the Ferret NAtion that I take. I let him rummage thru the car--- LOL. He crawls under & over my luggage and stuff. Never had problems getting him ---I have put a leash on him and walked him even. I stop a lot--because old bones get stiff.

[unclejoe]

By the time you get 20 miles from home the fuzzies will probably be asleep.
When you get where you're going, figure out if the ferts will have a play space and FERRET-PROOF! Look for escape routes, hiding places and things that can be chewed BEFORE you let them out.
This was our van packed for the Buckeye Bash in 2016. Just me and Dar24 and 6 ferrets.
Minus our large suitcase.  The ferrets had an 18 panel playpen with a tarp floor and got playtime out of the pen 2 at a time supervised.

IMG_0662 by unclejoe1158, on Flickr

[silentdook]

There's no need to drug them, ferrets travel well, although they make tell you that they are DYING in the travel cage until they settle down.
My first two lived in a semi truck sleeper with me for three years on the road, first one the entire three, the second one was rescued/given to us by another driver in a truck stop for the last year. They slept in a basket or carrier and had free range of the blocked off sleeper area. They often went into truck stops with us when we stopped.
PS..
Those water bottles leak all over the place in a moving vehicle. Just offer it every hour or two...watch for them trying to slip out when you do, lol.

[silentdook]

Just to be on the safe side, plan for finding a ferret-savvy vet as soon as you get there, and take your emergency first aid kit (blockage protocol, etc) It's easy to forget.

[Heather]

Ferrets definitely don't need drugs to travel. They just fall asleep. I've had border patrol ask if there's anything in the cage as they usually are passed out under blankets and can't be seen and don't even bother to have a peak to see why we're stopping. They rarely unless woken up even poke their heads out. In all the ferrets that have traveled with me (and these trips are usually 10 to 12 hrs stretches) I had one temper tantrum. Casanova lost it at a Tim Hortons about half an hour out of trip end. He'd never traveled in his whole life and after being in a small cage for 10 hrs stuck next to a stinky hob he felt he'd been abused long enough. I don't know what he was complaining about. The hob next to him had just flown in from the UK (8 hrs flight) and half a dozen time changes. As far as abused that's nothing to the "scent' wafting out of the car, the humans were starting to get a little cross-eyed....3 intact hobs and 2 jills. He was my only complainant in all the travels we've had.
ciao

[tsteele93]

Many good tips here... I'll tell you what we have got so far and what we would like to still get help on...

First, our tentative plan.

1. I have sent my parents the following ahead of our arrival, as we will be there for two weeks:

One of those clear plastic playpens...

Play Area

and plastic to protect the floor...
Clear Marine Vinyl - 54"- 30 Gauge: Sold by The Yard

www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07C8LD1GK/

2. We will be taking apart our DOUBLE DECKER FERRET NATION cage and bringing ONE FLOOR of said cage with is to Florida. This should give them a safe haven cage that they are familiar with to sleep in at night.


Ferret Nation Cage

My thinking here is that we can lay the walls flat and take up almost no space in the van going to and from.

3. We have a small plastic pet carrier like the following...

Carrier

That is where my questions come into play:

How do you all keep this from turning into a nasty mess? I mean these critters poop a LOT. So if we put pee pads in the bottom of the cage, what keeps them from getting pretty nasty? Do we stop and change out the pee pad regularly? I'm open to almost any suggestions that will keep them sanitary and keep the van from smelling like a truckstop toilet.

Otherwise, I feel like the advice has been top notch and you are all helping me so much. I'm just not sure I understand the actual mechanics of how the trip will work as we drive for eight hours. These things poop, and poop and poop and poop. It is amazing on one level but also frustrating at times. LOL

P.S. Thanks for the advice on a ferret doctor while we are there - my parents have a very good veterinarian that they have used for years and I think that they do "exotics" but I plan on making sure before we go - I feel very good about them if they do. If not, we actually spend a lot of time in Vierra Florida making sure we weren't  clueless about what we were getting into with the exotic pet store there and I'm pretty sure they could help us find one too. It won't be a situation of being in the sticks with no doctors nearby. I'm pretty sure we will be ok there. Thank you again!!!

Thank you!!!

[powerwoman]

For short road trips, I just use a hard pet carrier- I think meant for cats? He's got some bedding in there and I leave it open + on the floor of my room all the time, so he thinks of it as just another one of his beds and naps the whole trip.
When the trips go overtime, I have a litter box + trash-bag on hand, and let him do his business at stops. It's probably not the best system, but it works b/c he lets me know when he needs to go (scratching at door if in carrier, or getting esp. squirmy if I'm not driving and he's in my lap)

The first time we drove to campus together I tried puppy pads in the cat carrier- not the best system. His waste of pooled in the back of the carrier (very gross), plus he seemed to think the puppy pads were for playing with and kept moving them around.

A small travel cage with a litter box might be your best bet?
Whatever you do, have extra trash bags and cleaning supplies on hand/easy to reach!