There are so many unknowns...
Air travel can be incredibly stressful for hamsters, or really any small animal...
We only recommend air travel when absolutely necessary
We recommend driving with hamsters if possible.
Keep reading for SAFTY tips when driving a hamster!
Driving Tips for a Safe Trip:
For long travel, my top recommendation would be making a temp bin cage, with a lid with wire mesh added or holes so there is constant airflow — there’s great YouTube videos on how to do this!
The most important thing about a travel cage is NOT having heavy items inside that could move around during transport and hurt the hammy.
Example of items that are safe:
-1/2 Coconut (very light and have an opening on the bottom to burrow down)
-Toilet paper tubes (very light and chewable)
-Hay/grass anything (grass tunnels or hay hides are super light and chewable)
Example of items that are not safe:
-Multi Chamber Hides
-Ceramic Anything
-Wheels
-Large Wooden Hides
When you are not traveling, and staying in a hotel for the night, adding a wheel, and other hideouts are 100% recommended and safe, it is just unsafe when actually driving.
Temperature Regulation
Adding lots of bedding can help with temperature regulation when they are able to burrow down and stay cool. Don’t have direct sunlight on the plastic carrier/travel bin because this can cause the inside to heat up very quickly, having them in the shade with vent air flow circulating is very very important. Winter Whites for example, are native to snowy lands; so cold temp is always better than hot temp.
Important car safety
DO NOT leave your hamster in the car without it being on....if you need to go somewhere, bring your hamster with you.
Check out the chart below to see how fast temperature rises in a car!
Bring your hamster inside with you...
If you need to bring your hamster inside with you, you can put a small travel carrier inside of a reusable grocery tote bag!
Clutter
Clutter is something that can help a hamster feel very safe, and so including things like tons of toilet paper or/and paper towels on the surface is a safe, light and effective way to add clutter to the open space!
Water
Water bottles often leak during car rides due to movement, and water dishes can easily tip over.
For daytime travel, most hamsters will sleep through the trip and typically won’t even want water. I like to offer a water-rich veggie, such as cucumber, to help keep them hydrated.
For nighttime travel, place a small water dish inside a lightweight plastic container. This helps prevent the dish from tipping over and soaking the bedding while keeping everything safe and secure.
There are ways to make air travel less stressful
We have had two success stories of people flying with their hamster using Frontier!
If done safely, air travel can be safe!
Stay tuned for a future post on how to fly your hamster safely!