At first the idea of taking your bunny on holiday with you may seem strange, however it is quite easy really when you know how. In this guide we show you what you need to do to go away with your bunny whether staying in a hotel or with family. We have advice on what you will need to bring and the best way to travel and transfer your bunny to a hotel. If you are thinking of staying away with your bunny then this guide will help you cover every eventuality.
The first thing you will need to make sure if you are staying in a hotel is they are pet friendly. Some hotels are more pet friendly than others so if you want a good reception, you can normally judge this from the tone of voice they use on their website. The best ones will often say how they welcome people with pets who enjoy bringing them to the hotel where they are made welcome. You typically find these are small hotels where they have pets themselves.
Next phone them up and ask if they take pets, when they say yes then say you have a bunny and explain that it will be kept in a large, enclosed area with a floor covering so it won't roam the room causing any mess or damage. This sometimes comes as a bit of a surprise but with a bit of careful explaining and reassurance that you know what you are doing, they will normally agree.
It's good to find out before you go how you get access to the hotel before you arrive to avoid any difficulties, you want to transfer your bunny into the hotels as painlessly as possible so it's good to know how to access the hotel from where you park up to help you prepare for your arrival.
When you arrive at the hotel, go first and check in. It is best to get this done and get the key to your room before you bring your bunny in as this will minimize the fuss and cause the least amount of stress for your bunny. Once you have access to the room get your bunny and bring them in. Put them down somewhere secure where you will not trip over them. It will take a little time to set the room up so just leave your bunny in the carrier at first.
Next work out where you are going to set the cage or enclosure up. A good place would be in an area with a bit of space around it, not up against a wall or curtains in case any mess travels there or your bunny reaches through and chews anything it should not. It can be tempting to put your bunny in an alcove under a window, however somewhere away from direct sunlight or cold drafts is best. You may need to push a few things in the room around to find the space.
Once you have decided on the spot and cleared a space it's time to get the enclosure set up. If you are using an enclosure like a pen without a base you will need to put something on the floor to stop it getting damaged or soiled, for this reason puppy pens that come with a base are ideal. Remember it is all new to your bunny so they may not find their litter tray as easily as normal. Large dog cages can also be ideal as they fold up neatly and can be set up quickly. Once you have set this up, transfer the bunny into the enclosure making sure they have a litter tray and some food / water set up.
You may want to stick the do not disturb sign on the door and make separate arrangements to get fresh towels for the room to avoid any additional stress from visitors that may not be used to bunnies.
When you are ready to go home start by packing up all your stuff and loading this into the car first leaving space on a seat for the carrier. You are goaing to need to secure your bunny on the seat using the seat belt to stop it moving about or being thrown forward if you break sharply. Make sure this works first as you may need a seat belt extender to stretch all the way over.
Next transfer your bunny to the carry case and leave it somewhere secure in the room. Last of all go and settle the bill, then once this is done go back to the room, pick up your bunny in the carry case and take it straight to the car. You can drop the key off on the way or afterwards.