Updating rabbit costs article?

Obviously the admins have lots to do, but it might be a good idea to update this at some point:

http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/care/rabbit_costs.asp

Prices generally have gone up in the last few years and it looks like that article was written in 2006, given the link to the forum thread.

I'd looked at it a few times before I got my rabbits, without following the link or realising its age and thought the costs sounded manageable. Whilst quite a lot of my expenses have been due to illness, all the other routine things are quite a bit more now too and I was a bit shocked.

A few examples from my experience: rabbits themselves were £30 each; specialist rabbit vet charges £25 per jab, a cheaper vet charged £20 (both on top of the appointment fee, which can be £30-45 depending on the vet); carrier was £40 in PAH but there is one available online that's supposed to be good for rabbits which is £25; even the cheapest inadequate cage sold specifically as a rabbit cage was £85. It could also mention something about cage sizes and how to get better ones. I get the impression that it's the price of equipment which has gone up most.

Everyone's varies a lot. Hay costs and vaccine costs are, I think, the most varied. Then it's up to the owner what greenery they feed - some feed mostly potted herbs which works out to lots more than people who forage.

My costs:

My rabbits were £20 each I think.
VHD vaccine is £10
Myxi is £15
Neutering is £40
Spaying is £78?

I agree the £30-£40 is probably a bit cheap for all the "stuff", but it depends what you buy. A carrier big enough for my 3 would set me back at least that, but you can get a carrier for one rabbit for around a tenner. Bowls can be a 99p job or you could spend £5 on a pretty one. Bottles, again, could be 99p or up to £15. Toys can be home made for free or buy fancy ones that cost lots.

my upkeep costs per rabbit per week:
Pellets are proabably 20p
Hay we spend £1.66
Greens - 50p? We get a lot of free/reduced stuff and I feed dried stuff which is really cheap.
Bedding/litter - Nothing. Cardboard from work covered in hay.

so per year my total is more like £170 per rabbit?

I dont think they are miles out. My vaccs costs are less than those on there and a £4.50 bale of hay lasts me two weeks with 6 rabbits so would cost 38p a week for one. That said my old vets charge more than that for vaccs and a small bag of pet shop hay which would last a few days for one bun can cost £5