Kumar and I weigh in on the Iris pet carrier

I recently purchased this Iris carrier for my guinea pigs.  After reading all the reviews I could find, I realized that there wasn't a lot of info available for small animal owners.

My little ones travel quite a bit as some of my vets are pretty far away.  So I'm always concerned about their safety and comfort.  The lid that can be opened completely was especially appealing to me.  Kumar took this out for a spin during his last trip to the vet.  Here's what we found:

Ventilation:  I checked the ventilation several times throughout the day and it was quite good.  However, we were traveling in a car, making things a bit easier to control.  Traveling with guinea pigs in warm weather can get very tricky, you should always take precautions.

Space:  19.2 X 13 X 12.2 inches  There's more than enough room for 1 guinea pig, 2 if they get along well.  Kumar had enough room to walk around and plow through his hay throughout the trip.

Construction/Security:  The plastic seems pretty durable.  The handles are more sturdy than I expected.  The main latches aren't as heavy as I would like but they seem to hold up well.  It's deep enough that even when Kumar stood up, he couldn't reach the top.

Ease of use:  This carrier is very easy to use.  The main lid made it easy to get Kumar in and out.  The smaller lid on the left is great for checking in on him and the little cubby hole on the right is nice for taking notes to the vet.  I also like that since it's all plastic, you can clean it easily.

Comfort:  Kumar was very comfortable and content but he's also an experienced traveler.  I had to toss the little piece of carpet that came with the carrier though.  I lined ours with a little fleece pad that I had on hand.

Overall:  I like this carrier, for our needs.  It's spacious without being difficult to carry and maneuver.  If you're looking for a carrier for your cavy or other small pet, you might want to check this one out.  Shop around for the best price though, I found ours for $20 online.