Scooby's Road Trip

[stellamaris]

In case it might help other gerbil guardians with their travel plans, here's how it went for Scooby and me:

Last summer, I did a bit of a 'road test' with my 1 1/2 year old gerbil to see how well he'd travel.  He rode in his travel bin on the front seat of the car.  We car-camped (I have a Honda Element) the first night.  It only got down to 60 F (15.5 C), but that seemed too cold to me, so I put a couple of hand warmers up against the outside of his tank where he usually nests.  He did fine; he seemed to enjoy the warmth and didn't come out of his nest for 12 hours!  We spent two nights in a motel, then three nights at a friend's, before heading home (5 hour drive; 2 hour ferry).  That was the warm-up for this winter's trip.

At the end of December, Scooby was almost two, and we headed out via 2-hour ferry ride (hand warmer near his bed), and 5-hour drive to a friend's house where we stayed 3 nights.  Then an 8-hour drive to a funky motel, and another 7-hour drive the next day to our destination.  After I got us settled in, it took Scooby 3 days before he relaxed enough to let me pet and scritch him, and 6 days before he felt settled enough to crawl up my arms to play in his playpen.  

While 'on the road', he didn't eat much of his block, so I gave him more treats (veggies, nuts, mealworms, etc.) than usual.  After we'd been settled a couple of days, he started eating normally again.

Neither of us is looking forward to the return journey, but we'll be here a month or two, so I'm sure we'll be recovered by then!

If anyone has any great ideas or fun stories about traveling with gerbils, let me know!

[Markpd]

Interesting, that's a lot of driving! not sure I'd want to do that much!

Do you mind if I ask roughly you went from and to?

[catnut]

It can be stressful for a gerbil to travel but it seems he did okay with the longer journeys', I'm sure he'd rather be with you than with someone caring for him. I'm a bit jealous, i'd love to travel but have no one to go with and not sure i'd be able to leave the gerbils' at home if i could, lucky Scooby, lol. I'd just make sure he is drinking and eating well so he can stay healthy and happy.

[stellamaris]

Mark: I went from Canada to the southern US. Yes, it IS a long way!
Catnut: It's great to have my wee buddy for company. If only he could share the driving!

[catnut]

too bad Scooby can't drive and hope your return trip goes smoothly.

[stellamaris]

A quick update on Travels with my Gerbil:

Scooby did fine on the return trip in March.  I guess he thought "Oh, I've done this before; nothing to be concerned about."  (The return trip for me was less relaxed; unseasonable snow in the pass. )

We had another short trip this spring.  Scooby was fine with it.

He's 2 1/2 now and doing well.  We have play and treat time every evening.  He sprints around his playpen, then popcorns a bit and dives into his favourite toy (a small paper bag).  I chase him with my hand a bit, which he enjoys, then he runs up my leg to sit in my lap and get scritches and treats.

He also seems to enjoy my recorder playing.  I'm guessing it's the high notes. 

[TJ's Rodent Ranch]

How sweet, I'm also jealous. Lucky Scooby! Not many gerbs get to travel, and especially not that far!

[Markpd]

Nice to hear he's doing well and is so tame!

I meant to say earlier, I certainly wouldn't want to drive the amount you did in that 1st trip! lol
I think the longest drive I've done is to the Nurburgring in Germany, about 1 1/2hr to port or tunnel, then 1-2 ish hrs to cross the channel, and then about a 5hr drive from France to 'The ring'.
Although in total time it's longer to visit my French family near Angers, France. Door to door it's about 8hrs (varies with ferry crossing), but it's only about a 3-4hr drive in France, 1hr here in England.
I remember about 20 years ago that one of my French cousins lived in Lyon, which (going by today's roads) would be about an 8 hr drive (plus the ferry crossing), I wasn't keen on that then, and when I discovered that a flight would be about the same cost (I had a 2.5 ltr petrol BMW back then), I took a plane instead!