• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

where rabbits come from

pieman

New Kit
hya , ive been lurking round for some time now without becoming a member .
i just have a few questions .
everyone seems to keep their rabbits indoors which just seems a little odd to me ,
they are a creature designed to live outdoors in the wild in the fresh air & eating grass .
their fur is meant to grow thicker to compensate for the drop in temperature
whereas surely if kept indoors the heating in the house will inhibit its natural biology ?

why is it better to get an older rabbit from a rescue which may well have behavioural issues etc
than a baby which will grow up knowing you & being in a loving home from the off ?

why is it that its highly promoted that all rabbits should be neutred & kept paired ?

& why are breeders (whether for show or for 'fun') lambasted & persecuted ? but if no one bred rabbits then in a few years all of you would have empty hutches:?

dont get me wrong , im not a disgruntled breeder , in fact i dont have a rabbit , i came here for information & was a little astounded at what i found
 
hya , ive been lurking round for some time now without becoming a member .
i just have a few questions .
everyone seems to keep their rabbits indoors which just seems a little odd to me ,
they are a creature designed to live outdoors in the wild in the fresh air & eating grass .
their fur is meant to grow thicker to compensate for the drop in temperature
whereas surely if kept indoors the heating in the house will inhibit its natural biology ?

why is it better to get an older rabbit from a rescue which may well have behavioural issues etc
than a baby which will grow up knowing you & being in a loving home from the off ?

why is it that its highly promoted that all rabbits should be neutred & kept paired ?

& why are breeders (whether for show or for 'fun') lambasted & persecuted ? but if no one bred rabbits then in a few years all of you would have empty hutches:?

dont get me wrong , im not a disgruntled breeder , in fact i dont have a rabbit , i came here for information & was a little astounded at what i found

Keeping rabbits indoors doesn't necessarily mean that they are left inide the house at all times, most house buns have a run of the garden aswell, but I think giving buns a free run of the house and garden is nicer than keeping them outside in a hutch at the bottom of the garden where they have no room to stretch there legs.
Can the same not be said about caged birds/ hamsters/ dogs & cats that are kept indoors it isn't natural for these animals to live like this either.

It is promoted that rabbits are happier in pairs as they are very sociable animals that live in groups/ pairs in the wild. Neutering can prevent future health issues for buns.

The only breeders that most people on the forum dissaprove of are those that use breeding farms similar to caged hens etc. Obviously there is such a thing as a nice breeder who cares about rabbits and does it in a natural way.
 
Alot of people (not all) like to keep thier rabbits indoors for many reasons such as they like the company or the rabbit is too ill/ old to cope with the temperature and need watching.

As I believe, not all rabbits from rescues have behavioral problems, I thinkk most are just pets that people cant be bothered with/ dont want anymore. There are lots of rabbits in rescues looking for homes, so people like to give one a home so as others who are not as fortunate to have loving homes can be helped/ saved.

Neutering can reduce hormonal behaviour and alow for rabbits to be kept in pairs. Alot of rabbits like the company of another rabbit.

Many people on here dont like breeders as they think that they are causing more rabbits to end up in rescues. But generally, people are nice to us :)
 
I'm fairly new to rabbits, but I can answer some of your questions. I have a solo rabbit, which was the right decision for me at the time, but I now realise that rabbits are social animals and generally do best with company of their own kind. I hope to have my buck neutered and if possible bonded next spring. Wild rabbits live underground - it is much more difficult to keep a pet rabbit cosy in the winter. My bunny is outside, but I am constantly looking for ways to improve his set-up and will bring him indoors if the winter is as severe as it last year. I rehomed my rabbit privately, but one big plus to taking a rescure rabbit is that it will already be neutered and a resposible rescue will sort out behavioural problems before rehoming an nimal, or give the prospective owner good advice about how to deal with the rabbit's personality.
 
hya , ive been lurking round for some time now without becoming a member .
i just have a few questions .
everyone seems to keep their rabbits indoors which just seems a little odd to me ,
they are a creature designed to live outdoors in the wild in the fresh air & eating grass .
their fur is meant to grow thicker to compensate for the drop in temperature
whereas surely if kept indoors the heating in the house will inhibit its natural biology ? In some ways yes it will but people who keep buns in the house get more interaction with the rabbits as a pet. It is also a better environment for ill rabbits or those with breathing issues

why is it better to get an older rabbit from a rescue which may well have behavioural issues etc Few older rabbits have behavioural issues and if they have a rescue will be able to tell you about them. There is no guaruntee that a baby bun will be friendlier. My cuddliest bun was 2 years old when I got him and he is amazing. Others I have had since babies and are less snuggley, it is partly due to the nature of the bun
than a baby which will grow up knowing you & being in a loving home from the off ?

why is it that its highly promoted that all rabbits should be neutred & kept paired ? In general buns are happier living with another bun someone to snuggle up to and wash you. They need to be neutered to do this or you will end up with a lot of rabbits and or fights. Neutering also helps control hormone related behavioural issues and prevents uterine cancer in females

& why are breeders (whether for show or for 'fun') lambasted & persecuted ? but if no one bred rabbits then in a few years all of you would have empty hutches:? In an ideal world there would be a few responsible breeders who know the genetic background of all their buns and breed for positive health traits. Sadly this isnt the case and rescues continue to be full of unwanted animals. Some of these buns may also have health problems as the breeders havent researched into any potential health problems

dont get me wrong , im not a disgruntled breeder , in fact i dont have a rabbit , i came here for information & was a little astounded at what i found

Interesting username - what sort of info are you looking for??
 
Last edited:
me personally?

I keep Oscar inside because we don't have any garden, just a driveway at the back of out house which anyone can access... Having an indoor bunny was the only way I could have one at all! It's the first time I have had an indoor rabbit and personally I love it! Whenever I am home he is out and I can watch him run around the house (he is doing laps and binkying all over the front room as I type :love:) and he is part of the family.

As for breeders vs rescue, I may get beaten for this, but I have no problem with getting a rabbit from a breeder, and we got Oscar from a breeder at 9 weeks old. I can understand why people want to get rabbits from rescues, simply because there are so many rabbits that need homes, but then, so do the babies...

Keeping rabbits in pairs/groups, I guess rabbits are very social animals and so are better kept in pairs, but again Oscar is a single bun, and not neutered yet. I am, as of yet, undecided if i will neuter and pair him up when I get my own house. He seems very happy currently with his own company currently, and as far as I know, and I am weary of taking rabbits for any ops after loosing the family rabbit when I was very young...

I guess I'm not a very good representation of a lot of the users on here, but I hope my answers have helped a bit.
 
Alot of people (not all) like to keep thier rabbits indoors for many reasons such as they like the company or the rabbit is too ill/ old to cope with the temperature and need watching.

As I believe, not all rabbits from rescues have behavioral problems, I thinkk most are just pets that people cant be bothered with/ dont want anymore. There are lots of rabbits in rescues looking for homes, so people like to give one a home so as others who are not as fortunate to have loving homes can be helped/ saved.Neutering can reduce hormonal behaviour and alow for rabbits to be kept in pairs. Alot of rabbits like the company of another rabbit.

Many people on here dont like breeders as they think that they are causing more rabbits to end up in rescues. But generally, people are nice to us :)

I agree. I also believe that rabbits are pretty good at growing to love you and get to know you rigardless of whether they are young/ old
 
Welcome to the forum. :wave:

everyone seems to keep their rabbits indoors which just seems a little odd to me ,
they are a creature designed to live outdoors in the wild in the fresh air & eating grass .
their fur is meant to grow thicker to compensate for the drop in temperature
whereas surely if kept indoors the heating in the house will inhibit its natural biology ?


Same with dogs. ;)
But a lot of people o keep their rabbits outside and they're just as happy as long as they have space. People keep rabbits inside as they feel they can interact more with them or for many other reasons, but it's just personal choice.

why is it better to get an older rabbit from a rescue which may well have behavioural issues etc
than a baby which will grow up knowing you & being in a loving home from the off ?


Not all rabbits from rescue centres are old. Too many people get bored of their rabbits withing the first year or so or let them breed uncontrollably. There are over 30, 000 rabbits in rescue centres and they are often neutered or vaccinated already and had health checks, plus it's nice to give an unwanted rabbit a home. I got an older rabbit because I wanted a rabbit a similar age to the rabbit I already had, but there are lots of babies too. :(

Rabbits bought from breeders or pet shops often have health issues as the people who breed often (but not always!) care more about money than the health of their rabbits. In my experience the pet shop rabbits I've had have been in much worse health.

why is it that its highly promoted that all rabbits should be neutred & kept paired ?

Neutering:
80% of female rabbits get uterine cancer by the age of five. Spaying them stops it. Rabbits who are neutered are healthier, less aggressive and can be kept in pairs.

Pairs:
It's natural. Rabbits live in large communities so it's cruel to keep them on their own. Hamsters live on their own in the wild so that's why they are usually kept on their own as pets. Rabbits love company and are much happier in pairs or groups. They clean each other too. :)

& why are breeders (whether for show or for 'fun') lambasted & persecuted ? but if no one bred rabbits then in a few years all of you would have empty hutches:?

Just because there are so many unwanted bunnies, we don't like people making more. But we shouldn't persecute them. I know people do but it's not nice.

Hope I've been of some help. :wave:
 
hya , ive been lurking round for some time now without becoming a member .
i just have a few questions .
everyone seems to keep their rabbits indoors which just seems a little odd to me ,
they are a creature designed to live outdoors in the wild in the fresh air & eating grass .
their fur is meant to grow thicker to compensate for the drop in temperature
whereas surely if kept indoors the heating in the house will inhibit its natural biology ?

They don't devlop a winter coat when they are kept indoors. I have a house bun and he is happy and healthy - I prefer him being indoors as it means I have a closer bond to him, I know he's safer and I can observe his behaviour better so I would know if he took ill. He still gets his hay, which is their main diet anyway, so it has no negative effect on him.

why is it better to get an older rabbit from a rescue which may well have behavioural issues etc
than a baby which will grow up knowing you & being in a loving home from the off ?
Petshop rabbits tend to be bred badly. They end up with numerous health problems which are unknown to the person who buys the rabbit, and can end up either in death or highly expensive vet bills. Rescues can tell you about any problems, plus they know the rabbit well enough to help you pick a rabbit/s which fit in with your life and will make the best match for you.

why is it that its highly promoted that all rabbits should be neutred & kept paired ?
Unneutered rabbits of both genders get sexually frustrated. Males spray urine and mount things, females can become aggressive, have phantom pregnancies and develop cancer. Neutering leaves you with a calmer, healthier rabbit. Most rabbits are happiest with another (as you can tell whent hey cuddle up so much) although the odd one doesn't Some bondings don't work if the rabbits don't get on. Again, rescues have already bonded pairs and make chosing easier as they are already bonded.

& why are breeders (whether for show or for 'fun') lambasted & persecuted ? but if no one bred rabbits then in a few years all of you would have empty hutches:?

Bad breeders are the reason so many rabbits are in rescue. If only "good" breeders continued (those who know their genetic lines and don't breed ill/poor genetics into rabbits, there would be less of a problem. Those who don't care and breed any rabbit cause death and suffering, which a LOT of people on this forum (including myself as my baby rabbit died) have picked up the pieces for.

dont get me wrong , im not a disgruntled breeder , in fact i dont have a rabbit , i came here for information & was a little astounded at what i found

I'm pretty sure most members will agree with all that I've writtien in pink :)
 
everyone seems to keep their rabbits indoors which just seems a little odd to me ,
they are a creature designed to live outdoors in the wild in the fresh air & eating grass .
their fur is meant to grow thicker to compensate for the drop in temperature
whereas surely if kept indoors the heating in the house will inhibit its natural biology ?

Some people like to have rabbits indoors, abit like a dog or an indoor cat.
Everyone who has an indoor rabbit/s have their own reasons, some could be that they dont have any outdoor space or they have a high risk outside, such as foxes.

why is it better to get an older rabbit from a rescue which may well have behavioural issues etc
than a baby which will grow up knowing you & being in a loving home from the off ?

When adopting a rabbit from a rescue it usually ends up cheaper then if you get one from a breeder or pet shop. They come already neutered and had their Vaccs, where as the bunnies from pet shops and breeders dont, and you have to pay that out extra which can be costly.

Another reason for adopting is that you are helping the rescued bunny find a forever home, helping the rescue and helping another rabbit in need get into the rescue for their chance of happiness.

why is it that its highly promoted that all rabbits should be neutred & kept paired ?

Rabbits are social animals... in the wild they live in large groups, so its recommended that you have atleast a pair, so that they have company and dont get bored and lonely.
 
not any on making rabbit pie if thats what you mean :no:
cant stand the stuff ,i had to eat it as a kid & it tastes like plasticky chicken & not my bag at all
Sorry was just asking - we do get the odd troublemaker on here.

What sort of info are you after in that case? Are you looking to get buns?:)
 
Totally agree with all the comments.

At the moment we have a male rabbit; I mostly work from home so he gets a lot of attention and company.

We have decided that even though we do spend all day with him he still needs a rabbit friend.
He has been neutered and is awaiting a rescue bunny as his companion. Whenever he goes to the vet he is scared I read a comment that if you take them in pairs they are less likely to get stressed.

Breeders are breeding rabbits for the pet stores due to supply and demand. As has already been said there are thousands of buns without a home they are healthy and it makes no sense to me to get one from a shop as this will surely encourage further breeding. :?
 
dont get me wrong , im not a disgruntled breeder , in fact i dont have a rabbit , i came here for information & was a little astounded at what i found

Out of curiosity how would you keep a rabbit? If your astounded at the way we look after our buns you must have an alternative method?

I don't mean to sound rude I am genuinely interested to know.
 
Totally agree with all the comments.

At the moment we have a male rabbit; I mostly work from home so he gets a lot of attention and company.

We have decided that even though we do spend all day with him he still needs a rabbit friend.
He has been neutered and is awaiting a rescue bunny as his companion. Whenever he goes to the vet he is scared I read a comment that if you take them in pairs they are less likely to get stressed.

Breeders are breeding rabbits for the pet stores due to supply and demand. As has already been said there are thousands of buns without a home they are healthy and it makes no sense to me to get one from a shop as this will surely encourage further breeding. :?

Yes this is very true, a friend for him would be great :D

You will need to leave it a few weeks once he has been done to let his hormones settle down again. Have you looked on the rehome part of the forum for a possible girly
 
Totally agree with all the comments.

At the moment we have a male rabbit; I mostly work from home so he gets a lot of attention and company.

We have decided that even though we do spend all day with him he still needs a rabbit friend.
He has been neutered and is awaiting a rescue bunny as his companion. Whenever he goes to the vet he is scared I read a comment that if you take them in pairs they are less likely to get stressed.

Breeders are breeding rabbits for the pet stores due to supply and demand. As has already been said there are thousands of buns without a home they are healthy and it makes no sense to me to get one from a shop as this will surely encourage further breeding. :?

True the rabbit we have chosen is the same breed as our buck and is similar age, so seems like the perfect partner :)
 
Yes this is very true, a friend for him would be great :D

You will need to leave it a few weeks once he has been done to let his hormones settle down again. Have you looked on the rehome part of the forum for a possible girly

Yes we are getting Oriana :) from Angie (bunnymadhouse)

(sistampie is my oh, just realised you might not know this :lol:)
 
Ahhhhhh no I didnt its nice that you're both members. Bet you cant wait :D

We really can't! Bernard (our buck) was neutered yesterday and has been so brave he has recovered really well.

We went to visit the little girlie last week and she is so gorgeous.

Angie has a fantastic set up with the rescue buns, they are very well looked after and are all so lovely!
 
Back
Top