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Buying a rabbit

stacey.fox

New Kit
hi i am new to this forum and i am trying to persuade my parents to get me a rabbit. Is a rabbit hard work???

any information will help


many thanks
stacey xx
 
hard work but sooo rewarding!!!

first off most on here say a pair is better than 1

then make sure you have the right sized hutch im sure someone on here will tell you the exact size can't remember off the top of my head

then there jabs afew times a year,

food, veg, neuting, toys etc

there fab pets but do cost rather alot

oo and please try and get a rescue pair rather than by from pet shops :) x
 
not sure a 'fox' should have a rabbit! :lol: sorry! that was silly of me.

yes, they're hard work. i have two, they cost me about £80 a month and need a lot of grooming (they're not long haired), cleaning and loving.
 
Have a look around at all the info on here and the RSPCA website. Ask us loads of questions too!

It's harder work than people think. They need a big enclosure which can be quite expensive. A hutch should be 6ft of bigger. The eat mostly hay with a bit of food and a bit of veg. And they're awesome pets. Affectionate and funny. :)
 
Hello.

Here is what I normally ask people who are thinking of having rabbits (plural) for the first time.

ARE RABBITS FOR YOU?


There are many things to think about when considering giving a home to some rabbits.


• Can you provide the sort of accommodation that bunnies need either indoors or outdoors?
• Can you provide a suitable home for a pair of bunnies; rabbits naturally live in colonies and need the company of other rabbits?
• Can you afford the start up costs (vaccinations and neutering) and the ongoing veterinary bills?
• Are your circumstances likely to change in the near future? (redundancy, moving, divorce, baby)
• Is anyone in your family allergic to rabbits or hay?
• Are you willing to put in the time to learn lots about rabbits, which are very complex animals?
• If the rabbits are to be pets for the children, are you happy to be the responsible adult carer?
• Can you spend quality time every day with your rabbits?
• Have you thought about the need for rabbit boarding when you go away for weekends or for your summer holidays?


Can you commit to your rabbits for their lifetime, which may be as long as 8-12years?
 
And then this would be an approximation of the start up costs

Basic Items Needed for Start-up

YOUR SHOPPING LIST



Hutch (5’/6’x2’x2’ min) £100-150
Or Wendy house/Shed £150
Attachable run £50-75
Litter trays x 2 £4
Litter £3
Quality hay for bedding/feed £3.50
Quality pelleted food £15-20
Water bowl (bottle) £1.50
Food bowl £1.50
Toys £5-10
Tunnels (each) £8-10
Pet carrier £12-15

Myxomatosis vaccinations, twice yearly £30-50
Viral Haemorrhagic Disease vaccine annually £20-25
Spay or Neuter (per rabbit) £ 60-70 / 50-60

£486-648
 
Hiya, welcome to Rabbits United! :wave: Here's my info sheet, if it's helpful:


Thinking of getting rabbits?

Anyone planning on getting a furry bundle or two pease read on…

They’re a family commitment

Rabbits make absolutely delightful pets, but there are many things to consider before taking the plunge and committing to them. First of all, despite popular belief, they are definitely not "children’s" pets. That’s not to say children can’t enjoy them and learn a lot from them, but they need to be the primary responsibility of the adult who buys them. It must also be appreciated that this responsibility applies for the rabbits' whole lives, which could be 8 years or more.

Expense

You will need to be financially stable, as they’re expensive critters to keep! A good quality setup (it will be far more cost effective to pay for a hutch that will last, rather than keep replacing it) will cost around £150 - £200 for a hutch or shed, and a further £50 - £150 for an attached run. Litter trays, toys, a hutch cover, and other basic necessities will come to between £20 and £50. Overall, it will cost around £350 to set up the rabbits’ living area. ‘Running costs’ are a big factor in deciding whether buns are the right pet for your family. A pair of healthy rabbits will cost a good £400 a year.

A companion

The most important thing a rabbit needs to keep it happy is another rabbit! In the wild, rabbits naturally live in large groups, so it's really only fair to keep them in pairs or groups. I strongly recommend adopting a pair that have already been neutered, vaccinated and bonded (most rescues do this before rehoming) as this will work out cheaper and far less stressful in the long run. Guinea pigs do not make appropriate companions, and in fact keeping the two species together can lead to horrific injuries and a great deal of misery.

Space to play

Buns also need plenty of space as they're incredibly active. The hutch will need to be at least 6ft long, 2ft high and 2ft wide and ideally two or two storeys high. A shed makes an ideal rabbit playground, as it's suitable for use in all weathers and is predator-proof. You can also add different levels to a shed (a storage chest, chair and low, wide shelves for example) to add space and interest to their environment.

The hutch and/or shed will need a large run attached, so your rabbits can have fun and exercise outside even without supervision. This will need to be predator-proof, including having a secure lid and strong mesh buried beneath the grass to prevent anything digging in, or them digging out. Alternatively, the run can be placed on a patio which cannot be dug up

Enrichment

Buns need some good quality toys - tunnels and boxes for hiding in are ideal, and smaller toys they can pick up and throw are important too. Wooden and other natural toys are preferable to plastic as they're less likely to cause harm when chewed, although it's best to buy specially made bunny toys, or build your own, to ensure they're made from rabbit-safe materials. A shallow box filled with sand, soil or compost is a nice addition, as this allows them to dig and roll as they would in the wild.

Neutering

It is vitally important that, if you have bought unneutered rabbits from a breeder or pet shop, their sex be checked again by an experienced vet. Neutering should take place at around 4 months for a male and 6 months for a female. An unspayed female will almost certainly develop uterine cancer, while unneutered bucks have an unpleasant odour. ‘Entire’ rabbits are also likely to spray, mount, fight each other and become aggressive towards humans. A male/female pair will also mate, which will of course produce unwanted and often unhealthy offspring. Rabbits of opposite gender will need to be kept separate from the age of 10 weeks, and until 6 weeks after they’ve been neutered. Same sex pairs will also need to be separated at the first sign of aggression towards each other. They can be rebonded 6 weeks post-op too, on neutral ground. Bonding is a very delicate process which must be researched well before being attempted. Some rescue centres will bond your rabbits for you, for a small donation.

Other healthcare requirements

Rabbits need vaccinating to keep them healthy, and preferably worming and protecting against fly-strike as well. Their claws will also need clipping, and their teeth checking (unfortunately rabbits are prone to dental problems) every few weeks. A knowledgeable rabbit vet is a must, so ask them plenty of questions before signing up with a practice! Unfortunately, buns are very good at hiding illness, so you'll need to keep a close eye on them and give them a thorough check every day to ensure all is well. If a rabbit stops eating, drinking, peeing or pooing it's seriously ill and will need emergency vet treatment. The phrase, "I'll see how they are in the morning" does not apply to rabbits - they could die in this time. It's actually a good idea to get a 'rabbit first aid kit' together, just in case. A small feeding syringe and a packet or two of nutritionally complete liquid feed for sick or convalescent small animals are must-haves.

To prevent illness, you'll need to keep the hutch scrupulously clean. It's best to 'skip out' any dirty bedding and droppings at least twice a day, then scrub the hutch out with rabbit-safe disinfectant once a week to kill any 'nasties'. Rabbits produce a lot of waste so it's best to litter-train them. Do a search for 'litter training' on a rabbit forum for hints and tips.

Diet

A limitless supply of fresh hay is essential. Hay should make up around 80-90% of a rabbit's diet, as it's vitally important in keeping their teeth and gut healthy. Pet shop hay doesn't tend to be very good quality, so check out www.thehayexperts.co.uk (or similar websites) for a decent selection. Pellets aren't vital, but most rabbit owners feed them (about an eggcupful a day for a medium-sized rabbit) to help cover dietary requirements. Pellets are preferable to muesli-style feed, as buns tend to pick out their favourite bits and leave the rest. It's best to scatter these in the hutch to provide enrichment by encouraging natural 'foraging' behaviour. It goes without saying that they need constant access to clean, fresh drinking water. In my experience buns actually prefer a bowl, but a drinking bottle will do. This needs changing at least once a day - after all, we wouldn't like to drink stale water! Raw vegetables are important too, but please research how safe they are before feeding them to your rabbits.

Links

Although rabbit ownership can be physically and emotionally demanding, and expensive, if you enter into it responsibly and with your eyes open it can also bring you years of companionship and fun. For a full list of rescues with available buns, and rabbits up for adoption on a private basis, visit: http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/centres.asp
 
oh, and neutering can go wrong, especially with your girlie bun. tabby's cost me £300 or so i think, with aftercare and my travel costs.

they can get ill at any time. its always expensive.our vet charges £50 a day (8-6) if you can't be at home to take the bun to and from.
 
hi i am new to this forum and i am trying to persuade my parents to get me a rabbit. Is a rabbit hard work???
any information will help


many thanks
stacey xx

I'm sure you'll of heard before that rabbits are easy pets, good for children etc, this isn't true. Again you'll probably have family and friends who disagree, but there are so many people behind on rabbit welfare

You'll need a rabbit (or two, they're best kept in pairs, in which case you might need a spare hutch), hutch, run, neuters/spays, vaccinations, food, hay and all the other bits and bobs

Rabbits are prone to dental problems which can be very costly to sort out

There's a search button at the top of the forum if you want specific info, or you can ask of course (I'd start a new thread though)

If you do get a rabbit, please go to a rescue or a reputable breeder who keeps good records.
 
I agree with everything thats been said rabbits are very hard work and a lot more expensive than you think they will be but they are very rewarding. Its brilliant that you are doing research about them now, I didn't, I thought 'how hard/expensive can a rabbit be'. I just wish I had of got the right setup from the beginning it would have saved me a lot of money in the long run on hutches/runs etc that were too small and had to upgraded.
 
I agree with everything thats been said, and as my duty of the guinea pig mad woman on here :oops::lol:, I'll say don't make the mistake of thinking guinea pigs are cheaper alternatives!
 
:wave::wave: welcome to the forum

ps if you say whereabouts in the country you are someone can probably point you in the direction of your nearest rescue centre.
 
I personally don't find rabbits hard work at all!
The vets bills can be very expensive though.
 
hi,

they can be hard work at times, especially when ill. it's hard work in terms of worrying and the vets costs.

they are alot more expensive than people think.

but they are worth every second of it all. they are amazing and watching a pair interact with each other is so cute! and if you love them and look after them then they are happy and friendly and they make me laugh so much. :love:

there are so many rescues needing homes so you could consider a pair from there that will already be bonded and neutered/spayed. then it's your start up costs as other people have said.

you will find so much info on here aswell. :wave:
 
I have mine as house rabbits and find the hardest bit is spending enough time supervising them while they exercise - they are little tinkers and chew all sorts of things they shouldn't!

You also need to make sure you can take time for vet trips, even if it means sacrificing other things. I often have to take time off work to go to the vet and make it up by working saturday instead.

If they're outside you need to be willing to go out to feed and clean them regardless of weather, and to maintain their housing properly - I found that my hutch and run always seemed to need something doing either repainting, or fixing locks, etc.

Having said that they are lovely pets and I hope I'm never without them :love: They are totally worth all the effort. But not everyone feels the same - sadly this is proved by the amount of unwanted rabbits given into rescues because their owners are bored of them :(

So to sum up - they are lovely - but do consider all the aspects before you commit to one :wave:
 
not sure a 'fox' should have a rabbit! :lol: sorry! that was silly of me.
yes, they're hard work. i have two, they cost me about £80 a month and need a lot of grooming (they're not long haired), cleaning and loving.

:lol: that made me chuckle!
 
welcome to the forum:)

please do LOTS of research to make sure you're ready to take on a bun - they're not a cheap pet and some really won't be snuggly bunnies.

they are amazing creatures but you need to be able to afford medical expenses, appropriate housing etc.

also, i would look to a local rescue as your first point of call as its better for bun - and you - if they're spayed/neutered which the rescues do but if you buy a bun you'll have the cost of the op too.

at a rescue centre, you can go see the buns and there's bound to be 'the one', plus they will be able to tell you about their personality:)
 
I have mine as house rabbits and find the hardest bit is spending enough time supervising them while they exercise - they are little tinkers and chew all sorts of things they shouldn't!

You also need to make sure you can take time for vet trips, even if it means sacrificing other things. I often have to take time off work to go to the vet and make it up by working saturday instead.

If they're outside you need to be willing to go out to feed and clean them regardless of weather, and to maintain their housing properly - I found that my hutch and run always seemed to need something doing either repainting, or fixing locks, etc.

Having said that they are lovely pets and I hope I'm never without them :love: They are totally worth all the effort. But not everyone feels the same - sadly this is proved by the amount of unwanted rabbits given into rescues because their owners are bored of them :(

So to sum up - they are lovely - but do consider all the aspects before you commit to one :wave:

I think it is much less hard work to have them freeranging in the house rather than having to tend to them in a cage/hutch :D
 
I think it is much less hard work to have them freeranging in the house rather than having to tend to them in a cage/hutch :D

Possibly, yes - but mine are the masters of destruction so whatever I'm doing, I have to get up every five minutes to stop them from eating whatever they're eating!

Also the amount of hoovering is insane.
 
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