small rodents in cat carriers: a warning

[adoptaratcanada]

(On another list we were talking about carriers and I was reminded of this incident. I hope the explanation is clear... a visual would have been easier...and maybe this is old news for the veterans)

You know how many cat carriers (well, MOST, that *I've* seen) have a slight bulge at the sides - what I mean is, where the top and bottom halves connect, it's a bit wider than at the base...well, the door is slightly wider at mid-point, too, to accomodate the shape of the shell.

When you open the door, the hinged side pivots inward slightly. It's a potential hazard for very small animals like rats. One time I had one rat in, and was trying to get the second in and close it before he scampered out. Just then, the one inside popped his head into the space between the wall and where the door pivots inward. If the door were closed fast and hard enough it could have caught his head, and maybe done serious damage! Especially with that extra pressure from the pivot action


Linda

[Hamsters82]

I never heard of a rodent being in a cat carrier, maybe an iguana, but not a rodent. Good thing you're telling everyone this.

I often bring my hamster to the vet for his teeth clippings and I put him in a hamster carrier and I get the, "Aw, is there a cat in there?" It's too small for a cat to fit in. People.

[Andrea]

I had ferrets in a cat carrier and they could fit THROUGH the bars, also very dangerous!
I transport gerbils/degus/hamsters either in their cages/tanks or in a plastic carrier, the rabbits all go in large cat small dog carriers.

[Die Fledermaus]

I once put my male rats into a carrier when I needed to put them somewhere as I cleaned their cage. I should have taken a photo as it looked cute with all those heads poking out. I now have a smaller "holding" cage. But none of them squeezed out. The females might have - that is why the girls are living in a big GP cage and the guys in a rabbit cage (which has more bar spacing).

[pinky]

But the best carrier of all is the purple plastic pumpkin that I've used to transport Critter and Pinky. ;D Never Fuzz, though--he's more than two and hasn't been anywhere since the day he was brought home.

[Lillith Rose]

well i dont have any small critters just lillith rose and i only used the pet taxi to take her to the vet to get spayed and even then she hated being put in there and she freaks out when i have to put her in there.

[Hamsters82]

I think all animals freak out in their carriers. I had Chewie in his once and he didn't care if there was a Rottie on his right and a cat on his left, he wanted out! Lol.

[Dezzi]

For hamsters and other small rodents you can get a Transport Unit (Habitrail OVO product). I had one but sold it to my friend. I don't take my hamster's out of the house, and if I had to take them to the vet, I would put them in the little cage. Some people keep the boxes that the pet store gives you when you buy them.

I think that the main reason most animals freak out in their carriers is because they are moving. I had dogs that loved being in their carrier, but when it started to move it was a whole different ballgame. That being said, I've had dogs that wouldn't go near the carrier and freaked out when they did, so I guess to each it's own.

[Die Fledermaus]

I have seen cats awaiting and hoping for adoption in a pet store in small cages, not much bigger than a good carrier. I have seen one come out, calmly, of a small cardboard carrier. So, who knows?