FAQ: Carriers & Crates for small pets

A little of the usual bedding and some hay, so the animal feels calmer, has something to nibble and somewhere to hide on the way. For a longer journey add a water bottle and some watery vegetables.

Small animals slip through gaps easily and can escape during the journey, and a loose rodent in a car or on the street is very hard to catch. Check the door, latches and lid clips before every trip.

The most common are plastic carriers with a wire door, soft fabric bags, small travel cages and clear plastic boxes with lids for small rodents. For rodents, hard, easy-to-clean carriers that cannot be chewed through during a journey are the most practical.

A plastic carrier is sturdier, easy to wash, cannot be chewed through and does not soak up urine. A fabric bag is lighter and nicer to carry, but a rabbit may chew it, so it suits short, supervised trips better.

A cardboard box is only fine for a very short time, for example to bring the animal home from a shop or breeder. A hamster can chew through cardboard in minutes and wet cardboard goes soft, so regular trips need a hard carrier.

Yes for a short trip, as long as the bag has a firm, waterproof base and good ventilation. Guinea pigs can chew the fabric and soil it with urine, so for frequent travel a plastic carrier is more practical.

Through the top it is much easier to put the animal in and take it out, without pulling it through the front door. A vet can often examine a rabbit or guinea pig just by opening the top, so the animal is less stressed.

Usually yes, if it is roomy enough for the rabbit to turn around and has a solid base. Wash it thoroughly before use, because the smell of a cat can frighten a rabbit.

Usually not, because the door bars and vents on cat carriers are too wide and a small rodent can squeeze through. Hamsters, mice and gerbils need a box with small vents or fine mesh.

A travel cage is useful for longer journeys or stays of several days, because it fits a water bottle, a bowl and a hideout. For a short vet visit a simple carrier that closes securely is enough.

It can work for short trips if it has a firm flat base and plenty of vents. The clear window heats up quickly in the sun and the animal gets swung about while you walk, so choose one carefully and avoid using it on hot days.

It is not advisable. A frightened hamster can bite and jump out of your hands, and in a ball it lacks air, gets shaken and cannot hide. Even for a short distance a closable box is safer.

They are handy for holding or carrying a hamster, mouse or gerbil for a short time, for example while cleaning the cage or going to the vet. The lid must lock and the ventilation slots must be too narrow for the animal to squeeze through.

A carrier with both a front and a top door lets you choose the easiest way to put the animal in or take it out. This is especially useful with rabbits and guinea pigs, which are reluctant to come out on their own.

A rabbit should be able to lie stretched out comfortably, sit up and turn around in the carrier. Small and medium breeds usually fit a medium cat carrier, while large rabbits need a bigger one, such as a carrier for medium-sized dogs.

One guinea pig needs a carrier where it can turn around and burrow a little into hay; a small cat carrier often works. When taking two guinea pigs together, choose a larger one so both can lie down without being on top of each other.

A hamster only needs a small box where it can turn around freely and dig into bedding. In a carrier that is too big it gets thrown from corner to corner while travelling, so a smaller one with plenty of bedding is better.

A small or medium hard carrier where it can sit up and turn around suits a chinchilla. It should not be too tall, because chinchillas jump and can hit their heads on the roof when frightened.

Two or three rats are usually fine in a small plastic cat carrier with a fine-barred door. It matters that all of them can lie together and that the bars are close enough for young rats.

A pair of degus fits in a small hard plastic carrier where they can huddle together and turn around. Degus are strong chewers, so the carrier should have no soft parts or mesh they could chew through.