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Rabbits and Guinea Pigs together???
- Thread starter sacol4940
- Start date
BeatrixPotter
Mama Doe
I don't know about indoor set ups for buns as mine are outside buns so I can't help there.
I do know though that rabbits and guinea pigs shouldnt live together. The rabbit can bully and injure the gp, they have different dietary requirements and I think 1 can pass a bug to the other although I'm not sure about the last bit.
I think you would be best getting some advise about your indoor set up and then adopting another bun. There are lots available in rescue.
I do know though that rabbits and guinea pigs shouldnt live together. The rabbit can bully and injure the gp, they have different dietary requirements and I think 1 can pass a bug to the other although I'm not sure about the last bit.
I think you would be best getting some advise about your indoor set up and then adopting another bun. There are lots available in rescue.
Lib_n_bunny
Wise Old Thumper
:wave: What you could do is buy storage cubes from somewhere like BnQ and attach them to the cage you've already got with cable ties, this only costs about £23 and give so much more extra room 
yvette
Wise Old Thumper
:wave: What you could do is buy storage cubes from somewhere like BnQ and attach them to the cage you've already got with cable ties, this only costs about £23 and give so much more extra room
Fab idea...BnQ here I come!!!!!
![MopsyMops =]](/data/avatars/m/8/8463.jpg?1698417253){kind=avatar}
MopsyMops =]
Warren Veteran
Your bunny will be ok for a few weeks as the rabbit will need neutering.
whats your cage like at the moment?
whats your cage like at the moment?
sacol4940
Warren Veteran
Whn we adopted R-fur Rabbit he was buddied up with a Guinea Pig.
We didn't want to split them up as they seemed really friendly together but tbh the Rab has really come out of himself since A.L.F. passed away.
We didn't have any worries about the Rab hurting the Guinea (he was a bit of a bully) but there eating habits are totally different. ALF gourged himself on all the food as soon as it was put out and R-fur wanted to graze throughout the day. In the end we put some food in the Rabs carrier and he could pop in - despite trying his hardest Alf couldn't
We didn't want to split them up as they seemed really friendly together but tbh the Rab has really come out of himself since A.L.F. passed away.
We didn't have any worries about the Rab hurting the Guinea (he was a bit of a bully) but there eating habits are totally different. ALF gourged himself on all the food as soon as it was put out and R-fur wanted to graze throughout the day. In the end we put some food in the Rabs carrier and he could pop in - despite trying his hardest Alf couldn't
sacol4940
Warren Veteran
We dont have any spare rooms
there's our bedroom, the spare bedroom (which currently has 2 singles beds and lots of boxes in as we've not long moved in) and the box room his going to be a walk in wardrobe kind of thing as theres not enough room in our bedroom for a wardrobe. Might be able to do something in the kitchen/diner tho thinking about it - ill have a good think!OriginalFlintstone
Mama Doe
Why don't you keep that as atemp cage and while your bun is neutered and recovering save for a larger one. The cage he's got is fine for him as a baby but he's gonna grow out of it in a few weeks so he will need a bigger one anyway, then you'll have a neutered bun, a bigger cage and space for another bun!
We dont have any spare rooms
Could you not push the single beds together, sort out the boxes and put a wardrobe in the spare room? You could then have your box room as a bunny room, that's what I would do :wave: Do you not have a garden either?
huppie
Mama Doe
That is an awesome idea! Hubby has promised me that when we get a three-bed place the 3rd room can be the bunny room
The great thing with that is because buns only need the floor and some climbing toys (boxes, low shelves etc) I could have shelves at human height all the way round the room for books A rabbit library - bliss! Of course you could also have kitchen/bathroom type cupboards for storage. That keeps the space the same for the buns but actually makes the room really useful for you too! Not that I've thought about this alot or anything Emma
That is an awesome idea! Hubby has promised me that when we get a three-bed place the 3rd room can be the bunny room
Emma
oooh, good plan. Shelves above bunny height sound great! My buns are outside buns though so no use for me. Gave them the choice of where to live and they chose outside so that's where they are staying unless 1 is very ill or we have another ice age or something.
rabswood
Wise Old Thumper
I always post this info when people ask about pigs and rabbits living together. Hope you find it interesting and useful.
Diet. Guinea Pigs cannot create their own Vitamin C, therefore their pelleted diet needs to enriched with Vitamin C. Rabbits can produce their own Vitamin C so their diet is lacking extra Vitamin C therefore it is unsuitable for guinea pigs. Both rabbit and guinea pig pellet diets are made to suit the individual diets of both different species, mixing these diets or feeding to the wrong species will mean the diet then lacks vital vitamins and minerals. Keeping rabbits and guinea pigs together results in a compromise of nutritional needs.
Sexual Frustration. While rabbits are not sexually attracted to guinea pigs, it does not stop them trying to hump the pig. This can be very annoying to the pig, as it is a form of bullying. When sexually frustrated, rabbits often nip and bite the victim of their frustration. A sexually frustrated rabbit will find anything suitable as a mate, a human, and guinea pig, a cuddly toy. It is worth keeping in mind that rabbits and guinea pigs are quite different animals, one of them desiring a close, affectionate bonded pair, the other sharing a more limited interaction with a herd. Bullying and unwanted attention will cause stress and guinea pigs can become ill during times of stress.
Immunity. Most animals carry organisms which are not harmful to them but which can be fatal to other species. In the case of rabbits, a very common bacteria found in their respiratory tract is Pasteurella. While antibiotic treatments can control this disease, it often lingers on in a carrier state and requires occasional treatment. Rabbits can live a long life as carriers of Pasteurella and not even show any symptoms. However, guinea pigs are highly susceptible to respiratory infections, and their fragile immune system is not equipped to battle this pathogen. If exposed to Pasteurella, a guinea pig is many times more likely than a rabbit to succumb to the organism and die. It is a chance that not many of us would like to take with our beloved pets.
Size and strength. Even the smallest dwarf rabbit can pose a physical danger to a guinea pig, especially if space is limited. Rabbits often kick or stomp with their powerful hind feet when they are expressing their emotions. Whether a rabbit is jumping for joy or thumping out of annoyance, a guinea pig stands a good chance of getting hurt. This is not as uncommon as you might think. Rescuers often encounter guinea pigs whose legs have been broken after being caged with a rabbit.
Guinea pigs cannot thrive in an environment where their well-being is threatened by an improper diet, the risk of injury, foreign pathogens, and companions with whom they do not share a common language. Responsible pet ownership means providing a safe, healthy, and nurturing environment that resembles as closely as possible their natural environment. You will always find someone who swears that their rabbit and guinea get along fine. But you can't watch them 24/7 and the majority of rabbit/guinea pig owners will see their animals for approx 20 minutes each day at feeding time!
Rabswood
Diet. Guinea Pigs cannot create their own Vitamin C, therefore their pelleted diet needs to enriched with Vitamin C. Rabbits can produce their own Vitamin C so their diet is lacking extra Vitamin C therefore it is unsuitable for guinea pigs. Both rabbit and guinea pig pellet diets are made to suit the individual diets of both different species, mixing these diets or feeding to the wrong species will mean the diet then lacks vital vitamins and minerals. Keeping rabbits and guinea pigs together results in a compromise of nutritional needs.
Sexual Frustration. While rabbits are not sexually attracted to guinea pigs, it does not stop them trying to hump the pig. This can be very annoying to the pig, as it is a form of bullying. When sexually frustrated, rabbits often nip and bite the victim of their frustration. A sexually frustrated rabbit will find anything suitable as a mate, a human, and guinea pig, a cuddly toy. It is worth keeping in mind that rabbits and guinea pigs are quite different animals, one of them desiring a close, affectionate bonded pair, the other sharing a more limited interaction with a herd. Bullying and unwanted attention will cause stress and guinea pigs can become ill during times of stress.
Immunity. Most animals carry organisms which are not harmful to them but which can be fatal to other species. In the case of rabbits, a very common bacteria found in their respiratory tract is Pasteurella. While antibiotic treatments can control this disease, it often lingers on in a carrier state and requires occasional treatment. Rabbits can live a long life as carriers of Pasteurella and not even show any symptoms. However, guinea pigs are highly susceptible to respiratory infections, and their fragile immune system is not equipped to battle this pathogen. If exposed to Pasteurella, a guinea pig is many times more likely than a rabbit to succumb to the organism and die. It is a chance that not many of us would like to take with our beloved pets.
Size and strength. Even the smallest dwarf rabbit can pose a physical danger to a guinea pig, especially if space is limited. Rabbits often kick or stomp with their powerful hind feet when they are expressing their emotions. Whether a rabbit is jumping for joy or thumping out of annoyance, a guinea pig stands a good chance of getting hurt. This is not as uncommon as you might think. Rescuers often encounter guinea pigs whose legs have been broken after being caged with a rabbit.
Guinea pigs cannot thrive in an environment where their well-being is threatened by an improper diet, the risk of injury, foreign pathogens, and companions with whom they do not share a common language. Responsible pet ownership means providing a safe, healthy, and nurturing environment that resembles as closely as possible their natural environment. You will always find someone who swears that their rabbit and guinea get along fine. But you can't watch them 24/7 and the majority of rabbit/guinea pig owners will see their animals for approx 20 minutes each day at feeding time!
Rabswood
petparadise123
Mama Doe
I was just wondering if it is ok to keep rabbit and guinea-pigs next to each other (in seperate hutches and never actually mixing) or if that can be dangerous for the piggies?
rabswood
Wise Old Thumper
To be honest I am not sure but usually just before bonefire night and until the weather warms up the following year I have brought my pigs inside to live in the rabbit room where 2 bunnies live.
When playing outside in the summer the pigs have a run and the rabbits have the rest of the lawn, they do sniff at each other through the run mesh.
Rabswood
When playing outside in the summer the pigs have a run and the rabbits have the rest of the lawn, they do sniff at each other through the run mesh.
Rabswood
hey why not use that cage as his base... and let him free range around the house(and once neutered can have a freind too) of course there wil lbe some bunny proofing to do.. all wires need to go into plastic tubeing such as hosepipe...and pot plants out of the way and anythign breakable out of the way but theree isnt that much mroe to it than that really as long as he cant hurt himself he can free range to his hearts content then.
as he gets bigger and needs a bigger base anyway you could put a 48inch dog crate in there or a 52 inch one these are cheap on ebay (around £20) and you can pop a shelf in too. then let him be free range.
x
as he gets bigger and needs a bigger base anyway you could put a 48inch dog crate in there or a 52 inch one these are cheap on ebay (around £20) and you can pop a shelf in too. then let him be free range.
x
Biscuit Bunny
Alpha Buck
I would do that too, Biscuit has our spare room, we put a board over the doorway when she is home alone, and also handy if we have noisey visitors (kids, dogs etc) we can shut her room door, and she is safety out the way upstairs in the peace and quiet. She has got used to the stairs and loves running up and down them.
Room was easy to bunny proof, we put hardboard over the carpet (as renting) would ideally have vinyl again. Put unit in their so electric leads for her fan, radio, fly killer can be put behind it.
Clare x
