Sometimes you just have to go on the road and you don’t want to leave your little guys at home. Depending on how far you are going to travel, different travel carriers are more suitable than others. Fortunately, a whole range of companies have come out with loads of different guinea pig carriers, so you are never short of choice. But how do you choose? For example, there are carriers for long-distance travel, overseas ventures, and even local short trips on the road. But what is the best guinea pig travel carrier out on the market for the widest range of travel needs?
Guinea Pig Travel Carrier Criteria
I have done loads of research on this topic and so far I have measured my recommendations according to the criteria below. On top of that, all the carriers I recommend have been approved for airline travel.
Weight: The last thing you want is to be lugging around a bag of bricks. I have tried to keep my recommendations as light as possible without compromising on quality.
Price: The age-old saying ‘you get what you pay for holds true here as well. Nonetheless, if there is a bargain to be had I’ll have made a note of it.
Functionality: In my experience, having a travel carrier for your guinea pig is one thing, but you want to be able to store other little items as well. On top of this extra little features never go unwanted but functionality is key!
Design: I like things to look nice, and I’m sure you do too. No ugly designs here!
Security: Added security is always a plus. The last things you want are any straps coming loose and your guinea pig going for a surprise walk about.
Comfortability: When you think about it, odds are your guinea pig will be in this carrier for a while. You want to make sure he/she is as comfortable as possible, so extra padding is always a plus.
If you are interested in some travel tips when it comes to traveling with guinea pigs check out my other article here. I go into a bit of depth about all the complications involved in traveling with small pets. Give it a read and tell me what you think.
Keep in mind, that the below recommendations are sometimes labeled as ‘cat carriers/small pet carriers.’ While this is the case, they serve just as well as a guinea pig travel carrier, if not better due to the extra space.
AutumnStory Expandable Travel Carrier
My first recommendation has to be from AutumnStory. These guys easily make the best guinea pig travel carrier out there. Don’t believe me? Check out their reviews on Amazon! On top of all this, these guys offer a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can’t go wrong.
Key Metrics
Weight: Coming in at about four pounds, this travel carrier is pretty light. You shouldn’t have any problems carrying this thing around from A to B.
Price: This travel carrier is a bit higher up in the price range coming in at $30. However, when you think about it, $30 really isn’t that much, especially when it comes to carriers like this.
Functionality: The travel carrier comes with two zippers on the both top and the side. These zippers are designed to prevent any snagging or catching, which, if you are traveling, is an all too common occurrence. There are two entries on both the front and the back of the carrier. This makes it really easy to get your little guy in and out.
Design: As you can see in the photo, the carrier is expandable. At first, I thought this was a bit gimmicky. However, when I first traveled with my guinea pig on the road and stayed at my friend’s house, this expansion created a cage-like effect that instantly provided my guinea pig with more space. The mesh on the sides is also claw proof which prevents any tearing from both the inside and the outside. There is also a nice shoulder strap that you can use for carrying your guinea pig from place to place.
Security: The zips can, like many of the carriers, be locked together preventing any prying fingers, or claws ;).
Comfortability: A lot of the time, these carriers will come with a nice cushion at the bottom of the base. However, I like to add a nice fleece lining at the bottom for a few reasons. First off, it adds extra comfortability and cushioning. Secondly, it provides some extra warmth if you are going to be traveling anywhere cold, especially with mesh ventilation. Lastly, the bedding also allows for easy cleaning of the carrier. Just because you’re traveling, this doesn’t mean your guinea pig won’t be going to the bathroom anymore.
Peteme’s Airline Approved Pet Carrier
My second recommendation is from Peteme. With a maximum load capacity of 18 pounds, this travel carrier is more than suitable for a guinea pig. Peteme is a reputable company and as far as guinea pig carriers go, this is as good as they come.
Key Metrics
Weight: This travel carrier is light, and I mean light. Coming in at only about two pounds you really shouldn’t have any problems moving the little guy around.
Price: As far as travel carriers go, this is right in the middle of the price range at $24 coming with a nice warranty to boot.
Functionality: With five ventilation shafts on all sides, this travel carrier provides plenty of airflows. With pets, especially guinea pigs, if you are going on a long trip, they can sometimes poo and pee in the carrier. The last thing you want is for your little guinea to be stuffed in a carrier with bad smells. If your little guy does end up going to the toilet in the carrier, there is a removable cushion on the inside which you can wash.
The carrier is also completely foldable as well which allows for easy storage. Along with this, there are some nice extra pouches on the side for storing miscellaneous items.
Design: When I think about it, the design appeal is more dependent on personal choice than anything else. Still, I’ll throw in my two cents on this matter, I really like the way the carrier looks. However, I would like the option to change the color.
Security: The zips can easily be locked shut, but this shouldn’t be an issue for guinea pigs in terms of them trying to get out. I would recommend locking the zips more to prevent other people from ‘accidentally’ taking a peek inside.
Comfortability: The ventilation and the cushions, as mentioned above, come into the comfortability factor here. While the cushion on the bottom does provide some nice padding, I prefer to add some extra as well. Normally, if I am going on a long trip, I like to add some nice cloth bedding on the bottom.
As for the ventilation side of things, the mesh on the outside does the trick when it comes to airflow and stuffiness. Keep in mind, that this does mean that the carrier will get cold as well. If you live or are traveling somewhere where it is cold, pack some extra warm bedding to keep your guinea pig comfortable.
Kosiant Expandable Soft Sided Pet Carrier Bag
Now before I go into depth with this recommendation, keep in mind this carrier is only approved for domestic travel rather than international travel. I have not had too much experience with Pawdle’s products in the past and I have not managed to get hold of one of these carriers for myself. However, my friends have bought these carriers and love them. On top of that, the reviews for this little guy are through the roof according to Amazon!
From what I understand, this carrier is more suitable for shorter trips i.e. to your friend’s house or for a simple road trip
So here we go:
Key Metrics
Weight: Coming in at roughly three pounds, this carrier is pretty much standard as far as weight goes. On top of that, this carrier has been rated to hold roughly 12 pounds so your guinea pig and potentially two of your guinea pigs, wouldn’t be a problem in this carrier
Price: As was my previous recommendation, this carrier comes in at about $38. Not the most expensive nor the cheapest, but well worth the money!
Functionality: This is probably my favorite set of criteria because I can really get into the nuts and bolts of the product itself. SO… the carrier has an expandable area on its right side. This guinea pig carrier doesn’t expand as much as my first recommendation, albeit it does provide some extra roaming room. There is a ventilation mesh on the front of the carrier helping to prevent any stuffiness. In saying this, there is only one ventilation portion of the carrier which makes this item more suited to colder weather. To top all this off, there is a nice shoulder strap on the side allowing for greater mobility.
Design: I do like the color of this carrier. The design is simple and easy, nothing too flashy which for some is all you really need.
Security: No crazy security features on this carrier. Seeing as though this is only one zipper flap, you won’t be able to lock anything up.
Comfortability: Once again, this carrier is pretty simple and more suited for short trips. If you are planning on using this carrier for a longer journey, make sure you add some extra bedding.
So there you go, those are my three recommendations. Tell me what you think and if you have had any experiences with these carriers please comment below!