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Home Check Questions

MikePalmer88

Alpha Buck
Some of you have been helping lots with my questions mainly regarding housing and health!

If you have read some of my posts before you would of seen that i am looking to adopt a rescue doe in 6-8 weeks.

My OH loves animals and we love our bun very much and she knows a female mate is what he needs. She is also open to the idea of a rescue as we both know the job they do and the help it makes to over crowding etc etc

However today i was looking at RSPCA manchester and salford with her and she read about the homechecks/check ups etc and was then a little put off about the idea.

She understands why they have to do it but is a very private person and not keen on someone telling her things haha!!

So what information can i give her to reassure her etc
 
I felt the same way when I initially thought about adopting a bunny but the advice I received from TRC was fantastic and in the end it was like having a really experienced friend come around. It was definitely worthwhile to have someone come around as the advice they gave was fantastic and helped to ensure that my bunnies have the best health, care etc.
 
Im a homechecker for rspca and we really arent that bad.

Its to check that you have what you say you have and also to spot any problems you might not see. I have seen potential holes in fences or bunny escape places, poisonous plants etc and also given advice and had great chats with homecheck people.

Its also a chance for you to ask any questions you may have thought of since you went to meet the buns. We are meant to call them home visits now not checks so as not to put people off
 
I've had two homechecks from different organisations.

The first time I was petrified (not helped by people at work said things like why don't you just go to a pet shop :( ), but the man from the RSPCA who came, was really nice and just wanted to check the accomodation and how secure the garden was etc. Far from 'telling', it was more about asking things like had we thought about holiday cover etc. and were we with a vet or would we like to know where are local ones were etc.

The second visit was from another rescue who was bringing a bunny to me, so more than a formal inspection it was more about checking it was the right thing for their bunny, and for me and mine, so more of a chat and a cuppa, with the offer of follow up support if needed.

If anything isn't right, its more about working with you (for your's and the animals sake).

Please don't be put off, some bunny needs you.

Good luck
:wave:
 
Home checks put me off too. when I got my girls from a rescue, they didn't home check, which I was relieved about. I can see why rescues want to do them, but it isn't something I would be comfortable with.
 
When I got my first pair I was impressed by the whole experience. I was given loads of really good info covering all the basics of bunny care. Obviously they can't tell you absolutely everything and you would never take it all in. I was told exactly what accommodation is suitable which as soon as I got the bunnies home I realised why they asked for certain stuff.

Back to the original question about the homecheck - I thought it was an excellent idea as I had the opportunity to have an expert look at what I had a tell me if it was suitable. It gave me the confidence to know that I'd at least made a good start and could keep reading and improving my knowledge.
 
I am another who home visits for the RSPCA. This is what we are interested in when we home visit for a rabbit. I also like too use it as an opportunity to establish a relationship and rapport with the potential adopter so that if they have any problems and need anything, they have someone to turn to. I also like to be able to talk to them about rabbit care and answer any questions they may have. People often seem very scared (understandably, I had to have a home visit before being allowed to home visit and it terrified me) but normally after a few minutes they relax a lot when they realise I'm not as scary as they had been imagining.

This is part of a form we give out.

~ That the rabbits have permanent access to a minimum of 50 square feet. I.e. access to this sized area all of the time, 24/7, not just during the day.

~ If the rabbits are to be inside then they need a specific space that is theirs.

~ The accommodation is sheltered in some way.

~ There is a ‘sleeping area’ for the rabbits and that they can BOTH or ALL fully stretch out and lie together in this sleeping area.

~ That the rabbits can fully sit up/stretch up on their hind legs without banging their ears in any part of their accommodation.

~ There is a roof.

~ The accommodation is protected from rain and wind when necessary.

~ The accommodation is protected from snow/cold when necessary. Being mindful of bottles freezing and having access to extra protection when we have really cold weather.

~ The accommodation is protected from sun/heat when necessary. Shade protection from the sun is just as important as protection from horrible weather, more so in a lot of cases.

~ The rabbits can not escape from the accommodation either by jumping, digging or chewing.

~ There are no plants poisonous to rabbits in the area they will live in – usually only applicable if they will have run of the garden.

~ There are no (electrical) wires in the area that the rabbit could chew.

~ The paint or wood treatment/preservative used on any area is safe for rabbits if they have a nibble (i.e. not creosote). And there have been no harmful chemicals used in the area the rabbits will go in (such as insecticides or pesticides).

~ There are no materials that may harm a rabbit if ingested (eaten).

~ The catches/locks are safe and secure and not able to be easily opened.

~ Any mesh is small enough to prevent rodents getting through.

~ The area is secure enough to prevent any predator getting in. Foxes are a huge risk, and very little keeps out a hungry fox, so if you know of foxes in your area you will need to think about, and add additional deterrents. Cats, dogs and birds of prey, amongst other things, are also considered predators of rabbits.

~ That the accommodation is appropriate for the specific rabbit/s being adopted (for example, long furred rabbits do not go on the grass all of the time, rabbits with rex fur (fur like velvet) have lots of soft places to go on)

~ That you have thought about whether the rabbits you would like are suitable for your family – i.e. is a timid rabbit or a rabbit who likes to nip suitable for a family with young children who want to handle the rabbits or is a rabbit with long fur who needs daily grooming a good idea for people who are very busy and don’t have a lot of spare time to do the grooming.

~ For people adopting one rabbit from the RSPCA to bond with a current rabbit. The new rabbit has suitable accommodation separate from the rabbit it is intending to be bonded with at the beginning as is necessary. A good idea, if possible, would be to temporarily divide your accommodation while the rabbits get to know each other and become friends.
 
If it does they are probably not the right people in the first place Sky Os list are basic requirements

I couldn't fulfil Sky Os requirements. i don't have 50sqft of permanent space, so i'd fail straight away. This doesn't mean I'm not a suitable rabbit owner. I still don't agree with the huge space requirements SOME rescues demand from new owners. I think this also puts a lot of people off.
 
I couldn't fulfil Sky Os requirements. i don't have 50sqft of permanent space, so i'd fail straight away. This doesn't mean I'm not a suitable rabbit owner. I still don't agree with the huge space requirements SOME rescues demand from new owners. I think this also puts a lot of people off.

Those aren't my requirements. Those are the requirements that my RSPCA set (without any discussion or input from me).

Aside from the sapce requirement, all the rest of the of it I meet for all my bunnies, and would imagine most people do. I meet the old RWA standards and are now in the process of upping my accommodations to meet the new ones, and once that's done, then I will meet the 50sqft myself.

Whether someone passes a home visit, or not, it doesn't mean they are suitable or unsuitable to own rabbits, or provide good care or not, it just means that we, as a rescue, feel that our rabbits would not be appropriate in that particular home. That said, we are very amenable and we have high standards but we generally give people a chance to make any necessary adjustments that need to be made.
 
Those aren't my requirements. Those are the requirements that my RSPCA set (without any discussion or input from me).

Aside from the sapce requirement, all the rest of the of it I meet for all my bunnies, and would imagine most people do. I meet the old RWA standards and are now in the process of upping my accommodations to meet the new ones, and once that's done, then I will meet the 50sqft myself.

Whether someone passes a home visit, or not, it doesn't mean they are suitable or unsuitable to own rabbits, or provide good care or not, it just means that we, as a rescue, feel that our rabbits would not be appropriate in that particular home. That said, we are very amenable and we have high standards but we generally give people a chance to make any necessary adjustments that need to be made.

sorry didn't mean to suggest they were your requirements, just slip of the tongue.

Same with me, I meet all the other requirements, just not space. I would meet the space requirements if my run was permantently attached to the hutch, but this simply isn't possible. Its good to know that it isn't a damning on suitability of ownership in general if you fail.

Can I ask what you say to owners if they fail? Do they always adjust their accommodation/environment to meet the requirements? Or do they tend to go elsewhere?
 
50sq ft is only a 6x4 shed with 6w6 run attached its not that big an ask

not everyone has room for a shed or playhouse. I only have space for a hutch and an unattached run (attaching my run to the hutch simply isn't possible). Does that make people bad owners just because they haven't got space for sheds and the like?

I would be interested to know how much space you require indoors? Is the same as outdoors?
 
50sq ft is only a 6x4 shed with 6w6 run attached its not that big an ask

Or a small room. :)

My lionheads' room is JUST under that because there is a slope and bookcases in it taking away from the floor space. It's about the smallest room in the house.
 
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sorry didn't mean to suggest they were your requirements, just slip of the tongue.

Same with me, I meet all the other requirements, just not space. I would meet the space requirements if my run was permantently attached to the hutch, but this simply isn't possible. Its good to know that it isn't a damning on suitability of ownership in general if you fail.

Can I ask what you say to owners if they fail? Do they always adjust their accommodation/environment to meet the requirements? Or do they tend to go elsewhere?

I'm not sure, to be honest, what they say. I do the home visit and I put together a list of changes that the adopter would need to make to pass the home visit. My Supervisor then discusses it with the Branch Deptuy Manager if it's something complicated, and they reach a decision together. We rarely fail anyone out right, we give people the opportunity to make changes and if they choose not to, then that's their choice. We just have to protect our rabbits and our requirements are based on what previous experiences have been with adopters and rabbits (which is why post adoption home visits are vital).

Also, with regards to indoors, we don't ask as much space; that is more to our discretion based on the inside set up and how the rabbits will live.
 
not everyone has room for a shed or playhouse. I only have space for a hutch and an unattached run (attaching my run to the hutch simply isn't possible). Does that make people bad owners just because they haven't got space for sheds and the like?

I would be interested to know how much space you require indoors? Is the same as outdoors?

I don't think it necessarily makes someone a 'bad owner' as such but I imagine all rescues who homecheck would require an attached run if they were going to be in a hutch?
 
not everyone has room for a shed or playhouse. I only have space for a hutch and an unattached run (attaching my run to the hutch simply isn't possible). Does that make people bad owners just because they haven't got space for sheds and the like?

I would be interested to know how much space you require indoors? Is the same as outdoors?

Quite a number of people don't have the ground space to accomodate a shed and a run, however with suggestions and advise many people can make adaptations to be able to join a run and a hutch through the use of tunnels and tubes or increase the available floor space through building up. This is where working with a rescue to improve the accomodation that is offered can really enhanse the lives of someones rabbits.
 
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