Taking a hedgehog on a plane through checked baggage (not as a carry on) questions...

[astroturf]

Hello

So I have a question about travelling with my hedgehog... I'll be going to visit my sister for 5 days, and I would like to take Teddy with me if he is in good health by then AND if flying is NOT bad for them in checked baggage. I will be flying with Westjet and the flight is 1.5 hours long.

Any feedback would be appreciated... I'd like to know if this would be too stressful for him!

Chrissy

[RoxieFaye]

Theodore and I just did a flight from Texas to Virginia and I highly recommend that if you're going to fly with your hedgie you DO NOT do checked baggage. You have no way of knowing how hot or cold it will be in the baggage thing, so your hedgie could very well go into hibernation or get overheated.

I took Theodore as my carry-on and it was no trouble at all really. The only airline I could find that would accept him was Delta. Why don't you want to take your little one as a carry-on?

[astroturf]

I took Theodore as my carry-on and it was no trouble at all really. The only airline I could find that would accept him was Delta. Why don't you want to take your little one as a carry-on?

Oops I should have explained... I would rather take him on as a carryon, but i already have booked the ticket with WestJet, and they dont allow hedgehogs to be carried on... thats why I am curious to know about them travelling in checked baggage (sorta sketchs me out cus i havent read anything about checked baggage animal travel). I did call the company, and the said the area they are in is heated (its a separate hold) but the lady could not give me the temperature.

It's not essential that I take him, so if it's too much stress/too dangerous he will stay home and be hedgesat by my roomate :)

[RoxieFaye]

I think since it isn't necessary for you to take him along on your trip it's not worth the risk. Just to be safe you know? But it's up to you of course. :)

[Ododad]

I think since it isn't necessary for you to take him along on your trip it's not worth the risk. Just to be safe you know? But it's up to you of course. :)
Just my two cents worth, but I totally agree. :)

[HamorHollow]

One thing to keep in mind when your hedgehog travels as cargo:

You don't know what other animals will be on the plane that could potentially infect your hedgehog. Yes, all animals that fly are required to get a health cert, but that doesn't mean that the animal's owner disclosed everything to the vet. Also, the health cert is good for 10 days, so potentially the other animal could catch something after it saw the vet.

We did have one situation where some hedgehogs traveled in cargo with a bird, and they later came down with something and a few of them died.

Also, some airlines won't tell you if your hedgehog will be flying with other animals. I guess it is a weird privacy thing.

So, my opinion is that you shouldn't risk it. if you do decide to go for it, please quarantine your hedgehog from other animals for 30 days to avoid cross contamination. Even if your hedgehog looks healthy, they still might not be. It would be sad if Fluffy or Rover got sick.

[Felix]

Dear all,

I am operations manager in a international removal company, strictly I'm head of the trucking dept but my passion on the side is Live Animal shipments (which are all by air freight). I am the only one who can do them in the office and so I handle all of the 30-35 Live Animal shipments per year we get. Please take it from me:

DO NOT SHIP YOUR ANIMALS IN AIRPLANE CARGO HOLDS UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

I have handled everything from Irish wolf hounds to lab mice, from Tarantulas to endangered turtles. And there are very few individuals who have not suffered terribly due to the transportation process. Some dogs seem not to mind it at all, they get out the other end all bouncy and cheery, wagging their tails as if to say "That was cool, let's get back on". But the heavy majority of animals take weeks to months before they start talking to their owners again. They will most likely be scared of the entire world and everything in it for as long as their sad little memories can take them. However, it is not permanent in any way, they just need to get their confidence back and forget their ordeal.
It's sad to say but this procedure should only be undertaken if you are relocating to another country and I always strongly suggest to my intra-european clients (I live in Italy) to drive if possible.
- The temperatures are always out of whack (no matter what the airline says) and they vary loads throughout the flight.
- The measurements of cages or containers are the absolutely bare minimum for whatever creature not to break their neck.
- The cages and containers are handled like dirt by airport loading staff (the cages can easily be tipped over, thrown or tumbled by the staff), to them it's just another piece of luggage that nobody is keeping an eye on and they have very tight time schedules to abide to;
and finally, the actual flight might be actually 1.5 hrs long, but thats for you, not for the "luggage": there is loading and unloading times, and worst of all ..... DELAYS.

I'm sorry to seem so harsh, but I'm in the sector and I would not do that to a creature unless I was relocating for the next forseable future, that is the only kind of Live Animal shipment I will handle. I won't even do commercial shipments because I believe that the creatures can be bread in-country without the need of Importation/Exportation.

Anyway, I didn't want to bring the spirit of the party down, I'm just looking out for the critters.

[hularious]

Well informed post! I bet if one place is like you say, there will be many places that treat "cargo" the same way.

It's a tough call for the plane.

OP - do you have a friend that can babysit your hedgehog while you're away?