Travelling with Small Pets, Birds, Reptiles and Fish

This page is for owners deciding whether a rabbit, rodent, ferret, bird, reptile or fish should come on a trip or a house move, and how to move it safely if it must. Most small pets are better off at home, so the last section covers sitters and boarding.

Travel needs by species

Temperatures are the room range each species’ welfare guidance recommends. Hold the vehicle within it for the whole trip, including loading.

Species	Should it travel?	Carrier	Temperature to hold	Documents
Rabbits	Only if necessary; take the bonded companion too (RSPCA)	Sturdy, non-collapsible, ventilated; lie in any direction and turn easily (RSPCA)	50–68°F (10–20°C) (RSPCA)	None for car travel. Rabbits count as pets for US export (USDA APHIS)
Guinea pigs	Not on holiday; move with companions (RSPCA)	Secure carrier with familiar nesting (RSPCA)	63–68°F (17–20°C) ideal; heatstroke risk above 79°F (26°C) (RSPCA)	As for rabbits
Hamsters	Not on holiday (RSPCA)	Their home cage if possible, otherwise a smaller secure carrier (RSPCA)	64–70°F (18–21°C) (PDSA)	None for car travel
Rats	Not on holiday (RSPCA)	Secure carrier with companions (RSPCA)	66–73°F (19–23°C) (RSPCA)	None for car travel
Ferrets	Possible abroad from the UK, with paperwork (RSPCA)	Extremely secure wire cage or carrier with a plastic door, lined with absorbent material, plus familiar items with their scent (Scottish SPCA)	65–75°F (18–23°C); ferrets overheat easily (Merck)	Animal Health Certificate within 10 days of entering the EU; rabies vaccine at least 21 days before (GOV.UK)
Budgies, cockatiels	Possible by car or air (VCA)	Small travel cage, toys, swings and water dish removed (VCA)	54–79°F (12–26°C) for tropical species (RSPCA)	Health certificate from a federally accredited vet for air or international travel (VCA)
Quail, doves, pigeons	Check first	As for other birds	As for other birds	Regulated as poultry, not pets, for US export (USDA APHIS)
Reptiles	Possible with a heat plan (RSPCA)	Ventilated tub, paper-lined; cloth bag inside a tub for adult snakes and large lizards (RSPCA)	Use the species’ range; never put a heat source inside the box (RSPCA)	Reptiles count as pets for US export (USDA APHIS)
Fish	For moves, not holidays	Sealed oxygenated bag in an insulated box (University of Florida IFAS)	Tropical 79–86°F (26–30°C); warm water 70–82°F (21–28°C); cool water 45–59°F (7–15°C) (University of Florida IFAS)	None for car travel

The rabbit, guinea pig, rat and bird ranges come from the RSPCA’s housing pages for each species, and the hamster range from PDSA. Species pages: guinea pig, hamster, budgie.

Carrier tips by species

Rabbits. Line the carrier with newspaper and hay so the floor isn’t slippery, add hay to eat and a handful of unsoiled bedding or a toy that smells of home (RSPCA). Strap it in with a seat belt or wedge it in a footwell, with the side facing the direction of travel so a hard stop doesn’t throw the rabbit face first (RSPCA). Never put it in direct sun or in a saloon car’s boot (RSPCA). See the rabbit care guide.

Hamsters and other rodents. Move a hamster in its home cage if you can (RSPCA). Rabbits chew through cardboard (RSPCA), and rodents will test any plastic vent, so check carriers for damage before each trip.

Birds. Remove toys and swings, which can injure a bird on a rough trip, and leave out the water dish, which spills and can soak and chill the bird. Offer small pieces of fruit or vegetable for moisture, and water at stops (VCA). In cold weather, pre-warm the car and cover the carrier with towels or blankets (VCA).

Reptiles. Transport each animal separately. Bags laid on top of each other let one animal bite another through the bag (RSPCA). In cold weather or on long trips, wrap a hot water bottle or microwaveable heat pad in a towel and place it outside the box, beside one end (RSPCA). Reptiles sitting on a heat source may not move off it, so it never goes inside. Have the vivarium running at temperature for at least three days before the animal arrives at a new home (RSPCA). See the reptile lighting guide for setup.

Fish. Replace the air in the bag with oxygen and seal it, then pack it in an insulated box. On long trips in summer or winter, ice gel packs or heat packs go in the box, not the bag (University of Florida IFAS).

Air travel and paperwork

US export. USDA APHIS says to contact a USDA-accredited vet as soon as you decide to travel abroad. The vet works out the destination’s rules and gets you a USDA-endorsed health certificate. Rabbits, ferrets, rodents, reptiles, amphibians and hedgehogs count as pets for these rules, but quail, doves and pigeons are regulated as poultry (USDA APHIS).

Airlines. Rules change and differ by airline, so check with the carrier before booking (VCA). For example, Delta’s pet page lists only “small dogs, cats and household birds” for in-cabin travel on domestic flights within the contiguous US (Delta Air Lines); check the airline’s current policy before you book, because these lists change. Don’t assume a rabbit, ferret, rodent or reptile is accepted in the cabin unless the airline says so in writing.

UK abroad. If you live in England, Scotland or Wales, you can’t use a pet passport to take a dog, cat or ferret into the EU, even one issued in the EU. Northern Ireland residents can still use an EU pet passport (GOV.UK). Without one, each trip needs an Animal Health Certificate, valid for entry into the EU for 10 days from issue (GOV.UK). Travel must wait at least 21 days after the first rabies vaccination, and the pet must be at least 12 weeks old when vaccinated (RSPCA).

Ferries and trains. Most ferries keep animals out of passenger areas and may not let you back to the car (RSPCA). On trains, tell staff you have a live animal (RSPCA).

Pet sitter or boarding

The RSPCA ranks a friend or family member first, then a pet sitter, ideally one who stays in your home, then a boarder (RSPCA). For rabbits and small animals, staying at home avoids the stress of a new place.

Option	Check	Source
Friend or family	Written care instructions, vet’s number and out-of-hours service, your emergency contact, usual food with where to buy fresh food	RSPCA
Pet sitter	DBS certificate, insurance covering your pet in an emergency; NARPS keeps a members list	RSPCA
Small animal boarder	Up-to-date licence, insurance for emergency care, recommendations from your vet; keep looking if they won’t answer questions	RSPCA

If the animal leaves home, send used, unsoiled nesting material with it so the new place smells familiar (RSPCA).

Travel mistakes with real consequences

• Leaving the bonded rabbit behind. Separation stresses both rabbits and can cause problems when you reintroduce them (RSPCA).
• A heat pad inside a reptile box. Risk of thermal burns, because the reptile may not move away even as it overheats (RSPCA).
• A water dish in a bird carrier. Spilled water can soak and chill the bird (VCA).
• Sedating a bird for the flight. VCA advises against sedatives in birds during travel because of the risk of reaction.
• Assuming the airline takes your species. Delta’s in-cabin list covers only dogs, cats and household birds, so get written confirmation before booking any other species.