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Afew questions before I buy a rabbit

M

MzPinkLipGloss

New Kit
Hi everyone!

Im a newbie to this forum, however Im happy to have found it because I want to get a bunny (Dwarf Lop to be exact), but Im not 100% sure. I have a few questions such as how big do they grow to and can they be toilet trained? Is it best for them to live outside in a hutch or inside the house? Do they smell?

Also, when I was broswing this site I read a few posts saying how hard it was to look after rabbits, can someone say why?


Thanks
 
Can I just say well done for finding this forum! You have already proved to be a much more responsible bunny mummy than most! :thumb:

There are loads of really experienced bunny owners on here who will be able to give you loads of advice.

Firstly I would say the term 'dwarf' is a bit misleading, these buns are actually medium sized and can grow to be quite big! If you're looking for a smaller bun a mini-lop or a nethie would probably be the best option. Bunnies can be toilet trained to use a litter tray, and will often do this naturally as they like to do it all in one place. Mine were trained very easily. Bunnies are happy either inside or outside and will not smell so long as you keep on top of the cleaning, which can be quite time consuming!

Secondly, bunnies like to live with other buns! They are social animals so you would be doing your new pet a favour by getting 2, a male and a female pair preferable, both neutered of course!

Thirdly, there are thousands of buns in rescues, of all ages, some already bonded and lots already vaccinated and neutered. It's definitely the best way to go for a new pet! :)

In relation to why it is hard to look after rabbits I would say it's not hard but you do have to be dedicated. Bunnies can live for 10 years or more and require a lot of care and stimulation in the form of human contact and toys. They are susceptible to various illnesses and will obviously need vetinary care should this arise. They have a very delicate digestive system and must have a staple diet of hay and a supplementary pellet diet. Longer haired varieties will also need to be brushed daily. Also, don't expect your bunny to play and do what you want it to. It will be playful but it will be on the buns terms!

They need a large hutch with attached run outside and plenty of space inside. A bun will be miserable if it is confined to a small space :(

Rabbits are not a low maintenence pet as some have thought but can bring a lot of happiness if cared for properly.
 
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If you buy rabbit, you are encouraging those breeder to breed more bun as a supply. This is the condition that these rescue animals lives in

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Iu_JqNdp2As

So when you buy a bun, you are doing this:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=WCNr-VrkXl8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTb5nY-3Dfo

There is also a lot of problems w/ breeder's rabbits. There is usually a lack of genetic diversification. My bridge bun Goofball passed away w/ numerous health problems, including having bone cancer at age just less than 2. Why not go to the local rescue center and get a rescue
rabbit? You save a life that way.
 
I would suggest going to a local rescue centre as well, they have some adorable buns that are desperate for homes x x
 
I have a group of buns all living in one room. Litter trays are cleaned daily. They do wee in the trays, but there is always the odd stray poo on the ground. And hay all over:lol:

Male buns spray, so neutering is a plus - it usually makes them cleaner & less smelly, better behaved, less likely to be aggresive & there are health benfits too. The same goes for females:D

If you are only getting the one bun, indoors is probably best so it has you for company. But bun company is usually best. Dwarf lops are really common, so there's plenty in Rescues looking for homes.
 
Hello, you will be pleased you found this forum if you decide to get a bunny or 2. I am quite a new bunny mum myself, I would have been totally lost without everyone on here. I got Dylan last September, he lives with us in the house just like a cat would, he doesn’t have a cage, just a bed, a litter tray his food bowls and lots of toys. He is an absolute joy, I would be totally lost and very bored without him. However, Dylan was quite hard to litter train, he was only 12 weeks old when we got him so to young to be neutered, but, when we did get him neutered he basically litter trained himself. There is no smell whatsoever, I clean his litter out every day, that doesn’t even smell.
I also agree with the above, i think that once you have one rabbit you will soon want more! I would not swap Dylan for the world but I do wish I had rescued 2 buns that were already bonded. I would love a friend for Dylan, but bonding is not easy, we had a failed binding a few weeks ago :(. Dylan is a happy single bun at the moment so I don’t think I need to worry, he gets lots of attention form us.
I wouldn’t say I find Dylan hard to look after, it only takes me 10 minutes a day to clean his room. But, not being an experienced rabbit owner I do worry, mainly that I might not spot the symptoms of an illness, but if I ever have any concerns I just ask on here.
Good luck:wave:
 
I found that rabbits are harder work and are more expensive than I realised. The hay, vaccs, vet bills etc adds up to a lot. I also clean my rabbits out daily, costing me an hour a day of time (and that's just for a pair of rabbits outdoors).
 
LionheadLuver said:
I found that rabbits are harder work and are more expensive than I realised. The hay, vaccs, vet bills etc adds up to a lot. I also clean my rabbits out daily, costing me an hour a day of time (and that's just for a pair of rabbits outdoors).
Click to expand...

:shock::lol: I can do all mine (20) in an 1hr 15:lol:
 
Hi, I totally agree with the other posters who said go for 2 already neutered, bonded buns. It may seem nice to have them from babies but really it is a whole lot of trouble!

For accomodation go good quality and BIG from the start - its cheaper in the long run.
 
welcome to the forum and good to see your being sensible, just wanted to say that besides all the cost and heart ache they give you they are so worth it. My Ted is the humpiest weee thing but she when she starts purring during her massage it's the best thing ever and seeing them binky with joy. rest assured there is alot to learn but you'll only learn it with time and experience and asking questions on here. i two of mine are from a breeder and would never do it again, i adopted Ralph there and he's the sweetest thing. :love: hope you get on well it's very exciting. just to warn you if you do get a baby there are hard work and get on like spoilt teenagers till their 1.5yr-2 years old, this is usually when people get rid of their bunnies but patients is very rewarding.
 
I agree with everything posted so far :)

I'm somewhat new as well - I've had William my grey lop for about a year and Charlotte my Himalayan for a few months - and this forum has been great for advice and learning tips.

I bought William from a pet shop and was lucky that he's had good health. Other than an abscess from an injury (being kept with too many other bunnies at the shop) he's been very healthy. But I went to a shelter when I started looking for a bunny to bond with him.
He's definitely much happier during the day when I'm out now that he has Charlotte. The two of them are easy to take care of. I do spend about 20 minutes cleaning out their playpen and running the vaccum to pick up any stray fur/poos.
 
how big do they grow to - It really depends on how much giant/dwarf they have in them. They will usually be anywhere between 2 and 3kg....Have a look around you local rescues to see if they are about the size you are looking for.


and can they be toilet trained? Yes, most of the time. If they are neutered quite young and you have a mixed pair (obviously not bought at the same time if you are getting them as babies) then litter training is usually not too much of a problem. HOWEVER some bunnies never get the hang of it and hay gets everywhere and they do like to chew so if you are house proud then an indoor bunny may not be for you.


Is it best for them to live outside in a hutch or inside the house?

Both are equially good for bunny. I like mine indoors because I don't like going out in the cold and wet and I can sit and watch TV or be on here with the bunnies hopping around my feet. However they can also be a pain because of the reasons mentioned above.


Do they smell? No if you clean them out every 2 days minimum. If you have your nose right net to a bun when they poop then OK a little but it soon dries out. They smell grassy more than anything else, much better than cats & dogs.

Also, when I was broswing this site I read a few posts saying how hard it was to look after rabbits, can someone say why?

Feed, hay and water twice a day
litter changes one every 2 days
vaccinations (mixi *2 and VHD *1 a year)
Grooming during moulting or for long haired breeds
Rabbit proofing if you have a house rabbit
Tendency to need emergency vet treatment if they look slightly ill

Buns are not very hardy and unfortunately if something is wrong can go down hill very quickly so if for example your bun seems a little down and off his food you need to get them to the vet. Buns are very good at hiding illness so if you are seeing symptoms they may have been ill for a while.
 
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