Is a couple of house rabbits suitable for me
Discussion
Me and SWMBO are buying out first house soon and we are going to get a pet as everyhouse needs a pet and she neverhad a pet with fur and 4 legs before, the problem we have is that we both work some daft shifts so can be out of the house for a while. We got thinking about getting a pair of bunnys and keeping them indoors (neutered of course)
the reason we thought that a couple of rabbits would be a good idea is
-2 rabbits can keep themselves company when we are not there
-small animals
-can be litter trained
-clean animals
-look to be a laugh when they go giddy from the youtube videos we have seen
From the web searching i have done so far i have worked out that they dont like to be picked up and they need to almost be coaxed into interacting and the space in the inside cage is bunny only territory
Anything ive missed/anything i need to know?
the reason we thought that a couple of rabbits would be a good idea is
-2 rabbits can keep themselves company when we are not there
-small animals
-can be litter trained
-clean animals
-look to be a laugh when they go giddy from the youtube videos we have seen
From the web searching i have done so far i have worked out that they dont like to be picked up and they need to almost be coaxed into interacting and the space in the inside cage is bunny only territory
Anything ive missed/anything i need to know?
Well, even though some people will say "they're only rabbits", if you've never had pets before house rabbits can be a bit of a nightmare to start with.
I'd decide which room is going to be their "home", and start by keeping them in their cage for a few days. They all have different characters, you'll soon get to know them as individuals.
They will be active mostly in the morning and at evening, ours tend to huddle together during the day. As you say, rabbits generally don't like being picked up, although they do get used to it, ours much prefer being tickled when they're on their own feet. Don't give them lettuce, it gives them diahorroea (sp?). Obviously they're going to need water, some prefer to lick from a bowl, some from water bottles, some do both. Give them the choice, if the don't use one or the other, then remove that one.
Put the litter tray where they show signs of peeing, they'll soon go there from wherever they are. Our first rabbit used to like sitting upstairs under the radiator, he'd come downstairs for a wee then go back upstairs!
When you start to let them out, make sure all cable and wires are out of reach or hidden behind screens that they can't get by. Our rabbits also do a good job of removing wallpaper, and will put holes in carpets and rugs very quickly! Leaving a chunk of wood in the cage will hopefully stop them rounding off your skirtings and architraves.
Some rabbits like toys, some don't, all ours have loved playing with wrapping paper!
Be aware that rabbits are prey animals, so will hide any illness. Be very carefull about making sure they eat, stasis (when the food stops moving down the gut) is very serious and you can have a rabbit go fom aparently healthy to dead in a day and a half. Our last one died like this, she just looked a bit off one day, the next morning she was dead in her tray. Get the Vet to check them out, it gives a good starting point in looking after them.
Don't let them into any rooms where they can get under the furniture, or you'll spend hours trying to get them out! Be prepared to have clothes and shoes nibbled, if you leave them where they can get at them.
If you ever get licked, you've made it! We've only ever been licked once, each, by Moopie (the one that died in her tray), and that was when we were looking for a pair to re-home, she licked us each once, then never again. I guess she liked the look of us as a home provider.
I'd decide which room is going to be their "home", and start by keeping them in their cage for a few days. They all have different characters, you'll soon get to know them as individuals.
They will be active mostly in the morning and at evening, ours tend to huddle together during the day. As you say, rabbits generally don't like being picked up, although they do get used to it, ours much prefer being tickled when they're on their own feet. Don't give them lettuce, it gives them diahorroea (sp?). Obviously they're going to need water, some prefer to lick from a bowl, some from water bottles, some do both. Give them the choice, if the don't use one or the other, then remove that one.
Put the litter tray where they show signs of peeing, they'll soon go there from wherever they are. Our first rabbit used to like sitting upstairs under the radiator, he'd come downstairs for a wee then go back upstairs!
When you start to let them out, make sure all cable and wires are out of reach or hidden behind screens that they can't get by. Our rabbits also do a good job of removing wallpaper, and will put holes in carpets and rugs very quickly! Leaving a chunk of wood in the cage will hopefully stop them rounding off your skirtings and architraves.
Some rabbits like toys, some don't, all ours have loved playing with wrapping paper!
Be aware that rabbits are prey animals, so will hide any illness. Be very carefull about making sure they eat, stasis (when the food stops moving down the gut) is very serious and you can have a rabbit go fom aparently healthy to dead in a day and a half. Our last one died like this, she just looked a bit off one day, the next morning she was dead in her tray. Get the Vet to check them out, it gives a good starting point in looking after them.
Don't let them into any rooms where they can get under the furniture, or you'll spend hours trying to get them out! Be prepared to have clothes and shoes nibbled, if you leave them where they can get at them.
If you ever get licked, you've made it! We've only ever been licked once, each, by Moopie (the one that died in her tray), and that was when we were looking for a pair to re-home, she licked us each once, then never again. I guess she liked the look of us as a home provider.
the plan would be to allow them in the hall, front room and kitchen, im assuming a babygate at the bottom of the stairs will stop them getting upstairs. I spotted from some of the research i found that they can have polor opposite characters but we will probably get a pair that are already bonded from bunny rescue. Cabling is something i thought about but im asssuming if i run all cabing in trunking and block bunny access to behind the tv i should be ok right?
Yes, I have a board that goes across the front of the tv, with a cut-out for the sky box, otherwise your remote won't work!
Getting a bonded pair is a good idea, but when one dies, bonding another can be fun; some bond almost immediately, one pair of ours took six months!
Our current pair live in the conservatory, and rearely come into the house, other tha for a quick look round. Slippy, our firt rabbit, however, hated the outside(!) and wouldn't do more than stick his nose over the threshold. His partner at the time used to run around in the conservatory, then hop back into the house. Slippy used to come to my chair and beg for tickles, Suki, his partner didn't really like being tickled, but did like Elton John! If ever he came on telly, she'd go and watch him on it, then trot back to Slippy when he'd finished.
Getting a bonded pair is a good idea, but when one dies, bonding another can be fun; some bond almost immediately, one pair of ours took six months!
Our current pair live in the conservatory, and rearely come into the house, other tha for a quick look round. Slippy, our firt rabbit, however, hated the outside(!) and wouldn't do more than stick his nose over the threshold. His partner at the time used to run around in the conservatory, then hop back into the house. Slippy used to come to my chair and beg for tickles, Suki, his partner didn't really like being tickled, but did like Elton John! If ever he came on telly, she'd go and watch him on it, then trot back to Slippy when he'd finished.
samuelellis said:
the plan would be to allow them in the hall, front room and kitchen, im assuming a babygate at the bottom of the stairs will stop them getting upstairs. I spotted from some of the research i found that they can have polor opposite characters but we will probably get a pair that are already bonded from bunny rescue. Cabling is something i thought about but im asssuming if i run all cabing in trunking and block bunny access to behind the tv i should be ok right?
Our rabbit decided to force its way between the bars of the stairgate. I heard it rattling like crazy, went to investigate and the rabbit was stuck halfway and kicking like mad. By the time I got up the stairs it had got through, don't know how it didn't break any bones!Its too big to fit through now thankfully.
I had a house rabbit once - because I lived in a flat, and she chewed through EVERYTHING. Rugs? Easy. Cushions? No problem. N64 controller? A light snack. Christmas lights? Yeah, that sucked.. but the last straw was chewing through a leather jacket. What a little s
tbag. But was good fun before that. Oh and we kept her in a cage most the time and just let her run around when we were able to pay attention yet she STILL managed to chew things too quick for us to catch her. Be warned.
tbag. But was good fun before that. Oh and we kept her in a cage most the time and just let her run around when we were able to pay attention yet she STILL managed to chew things too quick for us to catch her. Be warned.Our two are amazing - currently curled up together on their rug (they like having their own area so we give them bit of carpet..handily on an underfloor heating element so they are snuggly warm)
The st bags chew a lot and st even more. But it's quite lovely when they join you in bed for a cuddle, or start throwing their toys around as you've not got up early enough to feed them.
Cracking characters and are most active early morning and late afternoon.
They can do this look that just makes you give into anything. Gits.
ETA getting times of day incorrect.
The s
t bags chew a lot and st even more. But it's quite lovely when they join you in bed for a cuddle, or start throwing their toys around as you've not got up early enough to feed them.Cracking characters and are most active early morning and late afternoon.
They can do this look that just makes you give into anything. Gits.
ETA getting times of day incorrect.
Edited by littlegreenfairy on Friday 12th November 22:12
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