Hedgehog Evacuation Kit

[xxtgxx]

Hey everyone, I hope this is in the right forum. I know there is another thread about hedgie evacuation kits but the last post was in 2011 and I know it's against the rules to post in old threads so I thought I'd make a new one.

I have a plastic cat carrier I was planning to evacuate Augie in--it has fleece strips, food, and water. However, he won't have his wheel. After evacuation, it's hard to say where we'll be, and for how long. At the very worst, he may not be able to leave his carrier for as long as 10 days. At best, he might be able to run around a hotel bathroom at night. Obviously, staying in a carrier for an extended period of time isn't good at all since I know hedgies need their exercise each night.

So I was thinking maybe I should get a large, clear, plastic tote instead, just in case it comes to the worst case scenario and I can't take him out of whatever cage he is in? I can definitely fit a wheel in there.

The biggest reason I'm still considering the little, plastic cat carrier is because it's smaller and I have 2 large dogs and a cat I also need to fit into my Prius. I'm not sure if I can sacrifice taking up the extra room.

What do you guys think? Should I make room for the plastic bin?
Also, if you have any other suggestions for what to include in Augie's evac kit, I'd love to hear them!
So far I have:
-Fleece strips
-Water (w/ bottle)
-Food (w/ food bowl)
-Igloo

*No need for hand warmers because we would be evacuating a wild fire during summer and it would definitely be warm enough for Augie.

[v4ns]

It depends of how much do you need that extra space and whether or not a plastic bin might be a complication in your evacuation. A cat carrier is most probably not the best choice for him? Since the lack of space might stress him but maybe it would be overall the best approach when you thing all things in consideration. I would say that you should evaluate the whole situation and decide it yourself, you know the circumstances better than us. Good luck!

[Emc]

You generally want something that you can just pick up and go; and I'd worry that a large plastic tote would be bulky and awkward. Instead I would suggest that you stick with the carrier, but also perhaps pack something like these. Theyre like the wire grids used for C & C cages, but plastic - so you can set them up for even the most determined of hedgehogs and they will be unable to climb out of them. You could put them in a bag along with his wheel, and it'll save you space in your car in addition to the bag being easy to just grab and go. It ensures that if you do need to leave for an extended period, Augie wont be confined to his carrier and will essentially have a home-away-from-home. Just an idea!

[xxtgxx]

Thank you both so much for the input!
That’s a great idea—finding something that can break down to take with us. I’ll look into it, thank you!

[Chowder]

We've actually had to evacuate with our hedgie. We have a collapsible rolling crate. It's big enough for his wheel, food, water, and a space to sleep. He can use the restroom by the wheel. We have a small animal carrier that we transported him in. We actually had him in there 3-5 days. We could take him out and let him run around in his playpen a couple of times a day. He did ok, but he's also VERY laid back.

I also used this, minus the wheel, when he was recovering from a hibernation attempt and I took him to work with me for 4 days.

[steelki]

Thank you both so much for the input!