Oh dear - nursery want a pet rabbit

The nursery i work in want to get a house rabbit as a pet. Worst idea ever. Ive tried putting them off. Could you imagine a poor wee bun with 20 odd screaming kids!

Nightmare. Emphasise how fragile rabbits are/easily stressed/how that will lead to huge vet bills? Finance may be the best way to appeal to them...:?

Tell them about their responsibilities under the Animal Welfare Act and how bunnies need lots of hay which may cause problems for children with allergies, show them some vet bills, give lots of information about correct housing, feeding etc

How about emphasise the damage a scared rabbit can do, even to an adult - sometimes when I'm holding Skye she kicks out and scores huge gashes into my chest - surely there would be some kind of legal issue if a child got injured by the nursery's rabbit?

Who will look after the bunny when the nursery is closed, i.e. overnight, weekends, bank holidays etc. Bunny won't like being alone there all that time and being ill wouldn't be noticed quickly!

Tinsel said:

Nightmare. Emphasise how fragile rabbits are/easily stressed/how that will lead to huge vet bills? Finance may be the best way to appeal to them...:?

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Good idea. Told them about my new bunny jack and how much he likes to chew. Really hope they change their mind.

Point out that when the mass of small screaming children stress it out, it WILL bite them!

Print out some RWAF or MMC info on rabbits?

Please NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! OMG, disaster waiting to happen. Please try your best to convince them otherwise for both the animal's and children's benefit. I understand the initial thought behind it, I work in Reception at a Primary school but when you think about it logically it's a no go. I had a colleague at school come and ask me where her daughter who is a teacher down south could get two baby rabbits from for school. Well, I said I can tell you but....... talked about sexing, neuters, vacs etc etc. And even if you get a rescue bun, which to me would be better as you know the temperament, there are still costs, vets bills, food, space animal would need inc. big hutch and run, what happens at weekends, school holidays. Not good for rabbit's wellbeing to be moved regularly and not necessarily good for one to be close and spied on by 400+ kids. Gave her all info but managed to persuade her that it's a BIG commitment long term and not cheap and subsequently a really bad idea.:roll:.

Here are a few points that might put them off...

- Ok firstly a lot of people have fur and hay allergies without even realising, students with runny noses, sore eyes and crazy sneezing aren't going to be able to concentrate, parents may complain, the rabbit will have to go before its even settled in

- Children are noisy, rabbits do not like loud noise, they could end up getting stressed out and they wont be able to rest when they want to

- Someone would have to look after the rabbit over the holidays, what if that person doesn't have a clue on rabbits. Plus if many different people are looking after the rabbit they're less likely to be able to tell if something is wrong (Like if the rabbit needed vet attention)

- The carer of the rabbit is going to need to do a lot of research on companionship, diet, housing etc. which is even more time they're going to have to spend aswell as planning lessons or whatever

- How is the nursery going to pay for the rabbit. If they want to teach kids how to properly care for a rabbit, then they'll most likely need to buy two, get them neutered/spayed (and risk them not bonding after that's paid for), vaccinations, food and housing, and of course vet bills that could crop up

- With a room full of kids, who may of been trailing through fields, or live with family pets that have been walked in these areas, they could even be carrying a fatal disease to the rabbit (I'm thinking like VHD which can be present on clothes)

- One bite from a stressed rabbit, could mean a very angry and complaining parent

Instead, why don't they just do a lesson on pets, or maybe have someone bring their pets in and do a little talk?

I don't think animal welfare is the way to go - they won't care. I would comment on how vicious bunnies are (biting, scratching etc). I know the parents would not be impressed if little one came home with bite/scratch marks from an animal. Can you imagine all the complaining management would have to deal with...

Could they not have a talk from someone from the RSPCA, or some other animal welfare organisation who perhaps could really enlighten to the real issues of keeping rabbits?

Ideally PUT THEM OFF WANTING ONE.

Rodentranch said:

I don't think animal welfare is the way to go - they won't care. I would comment on how vicious bunnies are (biting, scratching etc). I know the parents would not be impressed if little one came home with bite/scratch marks from an animal. Can you imagine all the complaining management would have to deal with...

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Definately, I've met parents who make their kids wash their hands everytime they go near a rabbit or it's hutch, and god forbid they get a little scratch, they'd be off to A&E for a tetanus jab, plus people who see rabbits as vermin or 'pointless rodents', I can't see many parents being impressed

We have had Giant African landsnails at our nursery...fab for Knowledge and Understanding and PSED, even CLL (Communication, Language and Literacy) as the children are great at describing how they feel, Creative...painting pictures of them etc.

We have tadpoles at the moment for the same reason. Also caterpillars and ladybirds from Insectlore (see the website). All of the insects and minibeasts can be released back into the environment...thus helping it Obviously the snails cant but the children find them fascinating. I would pursuede them of the benefits of covering minibeasts instead

Naturehunts...wider community...enabling environments...positive relationships, caring for living things...and very low vet bills May help??

Thanks for all your replies. They had a hamster who has now escaped:roll: he was a lovely wee thing and didnt seem bothered by the noise but then i dont know much about hamsters. I think i will print off lots of info as its really not practical - droppings on floor? Scratches? Money? Hopefully put them off.

My little girl goes to a fab nursery and they have a lot of animals including: hamsters, giant snails, fish, chickens, guinea pigs and 2 buns (which came from my accidental litter)
In all honesty, I didn't mind them having the buns at all. I gave them all the info they needed and all the other animals are kept amazingly well.
They have a beautiful hutch outside and nursery are currently building a run. I am responsible for neutering, vaccinations and any vet visits (I pointed all this out when they took the buns on)
I am also responsible for them over long holidays.
The nursery staff are paid to go in over the weekends (at least twice a day) but the guineas go home with the manager. The nursery is also next door to a farm so the owner looks in too.
The children are not allowed to hold the animals, instead, they sit in a circle on the floor outside and then staff hold the animals whilst the children are allowed to stroke them.
I think they do a fab job but then, this is a nursery who goes above and beyond, who have 2 large gardens and an incredible building...

http://www.yorkmaze.com/pages/little_green_rascals.html

I think that aren't for every nursery though, especially a house rabbit!!!! After discussing buns needs with nursery, they weren't going to get a bun at all. It's only because I am there to check over them, take them to the vets etc that they have Domino and Parsnip now.

Zahirre said:

My little girl goes to a fab nursery and they have a lot of animals including: hamsters, giant snails, fish, chickens, guinea pigs and 2 buns (which came from my accidental litter)
In all honesty, I didn't mind them having the buns at all. I gave them all the info they needed and all the other animals are kept amazingly well.
They have a beautiful hutch outside and nursery are currently building a run. I am responsible for neutering, vaccinations and any vet visits (I pointed all this out when they took the buns on)
I am also responsible for them over long holidays.
The nursery staff are paid to go in over the weekends (at least twice a day) but the guineas go home with the manager. The nursery is also next door to a farm so the owner looks in too.
The children are not allowed to hold the animals, instead, they sit in a circle on the floor outside and then staff hold the animals whilst the children are allowed to stroke them.
I think they do a fab job but then, this is a nursery who goes above and beyond, who have 2 large gardens and an incredible building...

http://www.yorkmaze.com/pages/little_green_rascals.html

I think that aren't for every nursery though, especially a house rabbit!!!! After discussing buns needs with nursery, they weren't going to get a bun at all. It's only because I am there to check over them, take them to the vets etc that they have Domino and Parsnip now.

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After reading all the replies I was starting to think i was on my own until i seen your post. I totally understand that it is a big responsibility but in the nursery i worked in they had 2 rabbits. They were in a summer house with a 10ft by 8ft run. They were all fenced in and the children couldnt get to them. Staff used to look after them and as the manager and owner lived next to the nursery they never needed to go home with someone in holidays and weekends. The children found them interesting and they never all ganged around them they used to go and see the bunnies in groups of 4. The area was in the growing garden area and away from the main play ground so they did get peace and quiet. It helped with the childrens communication and they would sit and talk to the bunnies when they were quiet around people. also helped the children to come in as if they were alittle upset coming in they could go and say hello to benny and bingo and then settle. If looked after well and the people understand all the commitment and cost i think it would work well. the nursery still has the bunnies but i dont work there any more...

If they do it properley then I cannot see a problem. I would go down the route of educating and point out the things that can obviously go wrong. Also as we know two buns are better than one.

My daughters school had a rabbit, she was a lovely dutch. She stayed with us over Christmas one year but she was being left all weekend in the school on her own with no company. The new headmistress put her foot down and rehomed her.

My father is a site manager (caretaker) and in all honesty pets in school are not ideal for the point of view of cleaning, it was left for Dad and the cleaners to clean up after the rabbit as the staff were not doing.

I hope they don't go into it with their eyes closed thinking having rabbits is easy, as we know it clearly isn't.

I am on the side that if they get a bonded pair from a rescue and they are well looked after and kids well supervised that surely it would be a home for 2 rescue bunnies.
I am sure if you advise them on hutch and run size and other isues these buns could have a new home.

They have to be aware of their liability should anything happen. I ended up wearing an eye patch after one of my buns kicked out and caught me straight in the eye. I had to go to the Doctors for checks to make sure I hadn't got a damaged / infected eyeball. I'd be inclined to give them these sorts of examples - I know if that happened to a child of mine, I would not be nice and placid.