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Having lots of pets

Alicia

Alicia

Mama Doe
Have you ever worried that you've gone over your limit of how many pets you can comfortably look after/afford? I worry about this all the time. Even getting Willow, the baby guinea-pig I got in January (she was my 4th guinea-pig but I only have 3 now) I didn't really get her for the right reasons, she was the only girl in the litter and I worried that she would be bred from and I didn't want that so I got her. I know it's not the best reason, but she fitted into my group of female guinea-pigs well and I love her to bits, she's so lovely. I worried so much after I got her though because it just seemed like lots more work and expense (she's really not but I think I thought this because I didn't really plan on getting her)
It's the same with rabbits, I have 2 rabbits and I can afford them and I think they are well looked after, but I would love another rabbit. I honestly think that only thing that's stopping me getting another rabbit is that the hutch isn't big enough for any more, and that worries me because I worry that one day in the future I'll just get another rabbit because I want one and not really consider its care. I've been really tempted so many times to get more animals and I've really had to sit and think about it and convince myself that it's not a good idea because I'm so worried about going above the amount of animals I know I can properly care for. Sorry this is a bit random, it's something we were talking about at college and it's made me think about my own pets, this is not about anyone here or meant to offend anyone and I'm really sorry if it has :)
 
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I've got 13 :shock:

I do feel I am over my limit with pets, but only because my house is small. I don't think I should have got a third dog, and once one of them is gone, they won't be 'replaced'. Bunnies, guineas and hamsters are easy peasy, they don't bother me at all. Cats are also easy, all I have to do really is feed them and empty their litter trays, they are the easiest pets I have! I'm quite sure if I want another pet in the future, it will be another cat. Saying that, if I found a needy bun, pig or hamster, I'd probably take it, even if it wasn't the right thing to do. I have no willpower.

I feel though, if you have the funds and time, there's no reason why you can't have another pet.
 
My logic is:

Can I afford the £XXXXX if theyre ill (highest price they will cost at the vets)?

Can I provide them with a good life?

Do I have the space required for them to have a good life?

Can I provide for them for the XX years they will live (always add a few extra years)?

Am I taking them on for the right reasons?

Will they thrive in the living environment I can provide for them?

Do I have the time to meet their needs?


If the answer is yes to all the above then I have no problem at all:D If its no for any reason then I wouldn't take them on or I would take them temporarily and find them a better home that meets all of the above:D I have a phobia of snakes and my youngest is scared of mice and rats (doesnt like the tails) other than that, the animal is very welcome:thumb:
 
helen01 said:
My logic is:

Can I afford the £XXXXX if theyre ill (highest price they will cost at the vets)?

Can I provide them with a good life?

Do I have the space required for them to have a good life?

Can I provide for them for the XX years they will live (always add a few extra years)?

Am I taking them on for the right reasons?

Will they thrive in the living environment I can provide for them?

Do I have the time to meet their needs?


If the answer is yes to all the above then I have no problem at all:D If its no for any reason then I wouldn't take them on or I would take them temporarily and find them a better home that meets all of the above:D I have a phobia of snakes and my youngest is scared of mice and rats (doesnt like the tails) other than that, the animal is very welcome:thumb:
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The only one that I have a No for there is the last one, which limits me to two bunnies. If I have more time in the future then I will deffo get more.
 
The vaccinations and vet bills are the biggest problem because I never know when I'm going to need to take an animal to a vet, and although I can afford my pets, I think getting another rabbit would make things a lot harder to afford. Also, I'm hoping to learn to drive when I'm 17 which is expensive. I know it's not a good idea to get another rabbit, and if I got another rabbit I probably would worry about the cost and how many pets I have.
I know it's better to keep just 2 rabbits and my 3 guinea-pigs, because I can give them more attention and any spare money I have can be spent of them instead of having to buy things for extra animals too. I know it's better to not get another rabbit and as long as I think like that I won't get one, but every now and then I see a rabbit (normally on this forum :lol: ) that I really want to give a home to.
I know I'm lucky to have the 2 rabbits I've got and in a few days I will have totally forgotten about wanting another rabbit :lol:
 
I think I have too many.
2 rabbits, 4 chinchillas, 1 bearded dragon and 1 hamster.

But only because it limits the amount of time I can spend with each set of animals. Especially with Grim being so ill right now the hamster and chinchillas are being a bit left out. They can't come out as much because they free range in the bedroom and the bunnies are in the bedroom. When Grim is feeling okay I let the buns outside for a bit and let the chinnies out, but it's not as much as usual. And with it being the last few weeks on uni I am so bus with work, even though I'm home all day I really have little time and what time I have is spent giving Grim medication. :?

But in a few weeks I'll have loads of time for them all.

The less pets you have the more time you have for them.
 
I have eleven buns, eight cats, a guinea-pig and a hamster and probably have too many as my income dropped after I had to give up my third job due to ill-health and my pay was frozen for my other two jobs.

I had absolutely no intention of having another cat but Pippa turned up as a stray and rescues were all full up. She wormed her way into my heart and stayed:oops:

I took on a guinea-pig from PAH adoption as it said he was to be kept alone and I hated the idea of hiim spending his life lonely and now I need to find him a friend. The huge relief with pigs is that they don't need vaccinations so it is just illnesses I need to worry about.

I am fortunate in that I have an animal loving friend who will lend me money if I need it to pay vet bills. I've also started having more private clients (I am a counsellor/hypnotherapist) and that has been a great help. I am offering bonding too now and any money I earn from that will be put towards the buns' vaccinations as will money I make from items I sell at craft fayres (first one in June).

I would love to adopt more bunnies and maybe a dog but it won't be until I have moved and reduced my mortgage and hopefully found a better paid job and increased my income. Any future animals will be insured.
 
I think if you've got the time, money and space you aren't over your limit. Before I get a pet I save some money in my 'vet fund'. I'd like to save up a couple thousand dollars just for vet bills and get a credit card too in case of several animals falling ill at once and all having big vet bills. Time and space isn't much of a problem for me so I just have to make sure I've got the money for expensive vet bills for any new pets I get.
 
For me, too many is when having another (or having the amount you already have) affects the care you give the pets you had first.

I knew I went over my limit when I rescued the rex family and had them for about 6 weeks before they went into rescue. For that period of time I had 6 buns (3 pairs) and a hamster and just feeding, cleaning out etc took around 2 hours a day, plus then I had to spend time with each (and an extra couple of hours with each pair of rexes to build their trust in humans). Barney (rabbit) and Maggie (hamster) were ill too, which didnt help. I dont know how people do it, it ate up so much of my day and I was only working about 20 hours a week. I knew it was only temporary so it didnt matter that much, but I dont think I'll ever have 3 pairs of buns again, spending quality time with each was a challenge.

Now I have 2 rabbits and 2 fish tanks and I'm fairly comfy, I could probably manage another pet fine I think, but any more and it would start to impact badly on the time I can spend with each.

The question I ask myself is: Would getting this pet impact negatively on my other pets' lives? If yes, say it would mean my buns had less space, or I wouldnt have the money for emergencies or I wouldnt be able to spend much time with them, then I wont buy.

The main thing that is stopping me at the moment though is that I am needing to move house to 250 miles away in June, and its going to be hard enough without having numerous pets, and 'a pair of rabbits' sounds a lot better than 'a pair of rabbits and a hamster' or '3 rabbits' etc.

I have also adopted a new policy since the rexes, which is that unless I really need to (say a partner for a rabbit) I will wait for animals to need me, or come to me, instead of thinking 'I'll buy a XXXXXX' and go looking for one. Because they always do come to me, or I see them needing to be taken out of a situation, and sometimes I cant do anything to help. By limiting myself to ones I fall in love with or that need me in some way, hopefully I'll be able to take them when the time comes.
 
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i also think maybe i would have been better off with less animals but my heart always overrules my head. I currently have 3 pairs of buns, 1 cat and am fostering 2 dogs for 'friends of the animals' which i know im going to end up keeping and also working 40+ hours a week. But overall the joy and love they give me far out weighs the lack of sleep and tv time :D
 
I had 3 buns until recently when I got 2 piggies as well. I think that is me at my limit. If I took on any more buns, my buns would have only have half the garden. Almost all their lives they have had the whole garden. As I'm typing, I'm seeing them flying round and round at breakneck speed and making me feel dizzy :lol::lol: I couldn't take half that space away from them now. And as for piggies, I wasn't really supposed to be having them, but they were going on Gumtree otherwise................
 
I think in some respects I do have too many animals as if they were, touch wood, to fall ill at the same time I wouldn't be able to afford their vet bills without putting it on a credit card/borrowing money.

But on a day to day basis, vaccinations, spays etc I have no issues with paying for them :wave:

I have six buns and five guineas :)
 
I have to talk myself out of getting animals fairly often, and I don't really have that many.

I basically consider whether I can afford the regular costs like food, vaccs, etc and unexpected costs like vets bills, can be bothered will the extra cleaning out and could provide adequate housing. Then whether a new animal would affect my existing animals, and if I can commit to the life of the animal and it's full needs.

For instance, I'd love a giant rabbit but I know we can't extend our rabbit housing, that regular costs would go up significantly and that really I shouldn't have my rabbits because I don't know where I'll be in 10 years (ie, if OH and I broke up could I afford them?). I got them when I was living with my mum too, knowing I'd move out in the next few years and no guarantee they could come with, which was really irresponsible looking back. And lastly, I know there would be a risk of upsetting my trio. All of that said, I know if a suitable one came up in rescue I'd have it in a heartbeat and make it work. :oops:

I get told I have too many pets quite often, but as far as I'm concerned if their needs are all being met, and I'm not neglecting myself in order to provide for them, then I don't have too many.
 
helen01 said:
My logic is:

Can I afford the £XXXXX if theyre ill (highest price they will cost at the vets)?

Can I provide them with a good life?

Do I have the space required for them to have a good life?

Can I provide for them for the XX years they will live (always add a few extra years)?

Am I taking them on for the right reasons?

Will they thrive in the living environment I can provide for them?

Do I have the time to meet their needs?


If the answer is yes to all the above then I have no problem at all:D

End Quote:

Thank you for this!!! I often worry if we have 'too many' - but I could give the right answer to all of these questions and feel happier now:D:D:D

(proud carer for 34 rabbits, 2 tortoises, 1 cat, 6 pond fish, and 9 bantams)
Click to expand...
 
parsnipbun said:
helen01 said:
My logic is:

Can I afford the £XXXXX if theyre ill (highest price they will cost at the vets)?

Can I provide them with a good life?

Do I have the space required for them to have a good life?

Can I provide for them for the XX years they will live (always add a few extra years)?

Am I taking them on for the right reasons?

Will they thrive in the living environment I can provide for them?

Do I have the time to meet their needs?


If the answer is yes to all the above then I have no problem at all:D

End Quote:

Thank you for this!!! I often worry if we have 'too many' - but I could give the right answer to all of these questions and feel happier now:D:D:D

(proud carer for 34 rabbits, 2 tortoises, 1 cat, 6 pond fish, and 9 bantams)
Click to expand...

I think people are quick to judge others. I get it a lot, they seem to make assumptions (wrong ones at that:evil:). My boss has made some awful comments about my house...if I have that many animals my house must be smelly and disgusting...my house must be dirty...my children must be neglected....I have no life...its sad to have so many dirty animals...dont my children fulfill me enough? :roll: It goes on and on...

Everything that's in our home is well loved, well cared for and has a excellent environment (definately not dirty or smelly;)). I see people with one pet care for him/her soooo badly and yet are quick to judge others:roll:.
Click to expand...
 
Thank you for this!!! I often worry if we have 'too many' - but I could give the right answer to all of these questions and feel happier now:D:D:D

(proud carer for 34 rabbits, 2 tortoises, 1 cat, 6 pond fish, and 9 bantams)
Click to expand...


isnt that like a full time job looking after them all?! I guess you get used to cleaning out etc fast, but like I said, I struggled with 3 pairs ! :lol: No idea how people do it!
 
Heya,

I am in rented property and I am on limits to what I get, I can't have adog because of work commitments, as I work full time, as much as I would love one its not fair on the dog, but am in the process of looking for a new job that doesnt take all my life, and also I am getting married next year and then looking to buy a house so will be able to get more animals then,
So far I have 2 cats, 3 guinea pigs and a rabbit. I'm sure if another one need a home deperately then I would have to take it, but if necessary I can keep some up my parents house as they have a lovely garden, and they have got 1 cat, 1 dog, 2 rabbits and an avairy( well 2 with finches, canaries, diamond doves, and java sparrows).

I do feel lost without my pets and I love them all equally. What I have now is nothing compared to what me and my mum had between us when I was living at home. We had, 1 dog, 2 cats, 10 guinea pigs, 9 rabbits, the birds, a chicken, 2 hamsters, 6 mice, 6 goldfish or more, 2 ponies and a horse (not in the garden, obviously lol!)

This all adds up for over the years but majority of those animals were at once.

I just think if you can give the animal the care it deserves and can afford to keep it and pay vet bills if necessary then it shouldn't matter how many you have as long as you are comfortable. I love spending time in the garden with my boys and love them to bits. When I have holiday from work, they come out all day if the weather is nice.

I think my animals get better looked after than I do, they certainly get their dinner before me and the other half lol!! :D
 
Thank you everyone, as I thought I would, I haven't even thought about another rabbit today, it's just every now and then I think that I'd love another rabbit but I've managed to convince myself again that it's a bad idea. If I got another rabbit I wouldn't enjoy having it because I'd be worrying about cost and space, so I know it's a bad idea. I am very happy with the 2 bunnies and 3 piggies I've got and they keep me busy enough :)
 
I'll be ok but then suddenly a rabbit on rabbits in need/wanting a home will catch my eye and I'll waver. I know I give my rabbits the best possible life and it's hard to say no. Luckily I have a sensible husband who loves rabbits as much as me but is very clear on ' enough is enough.' When Batemobile asked me about if I had room for another bun she mentioned her friend had two that needed a home. I couldn't choose and tried to get him to let me have two one as a house rabbit and one outside with the trio but he stood strong at one and said no it would mean the trio would have less space which wasn't fair so we would only get the one ( meg). When we went to get Hattie, there was a black too and I couldn't choose but again he was like ' just one Leanne!' Thinking about it I'd probably have lots more if it wasn't for the husband .. :oops::lol::lol:

But joking aside I love my set up at the mo, the outside buns have tons of space and we have two houserabbits which we never intended on having so I'm happy they are all well looked after and we can afford 7 . :love::love::love:
 
Im the same. I think id love a new pet and get all hyped up about it but then when i sit down and think its more time out of my day, more cleaning out, more expense i then manage to talk myself out of it. I barely have much time for the buns apart from week ends and it really wouldnt be fair. Plus i have no space as im in a flat. My mum tried to get me to take my sisters hamster the other day as they aren't caring for it at all but my OH said no way :? i would have taken it as i can give it a much better home but OH doesnt like animals so i didnt push it.

Like Nessar i have 2 buns and 2 fish tanks. Although it doesnt sound much Buster has taken half the kitchen up with his pen and Lola has taken up a huge chunk of the living room with hers and considering we are in a flat it pushes us for space.
 
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