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Preporations for My Rabbit

Bunnie

Warren Scout
In 8 months time (July) I am getting a bunny I have planned everything for getting her and now I am bored is there anything that people did not expect to happen that I might be able to plan for e.g. a specific breed that has a nervous twitch? or a type of food that makes your bunny ill?

also does anyone know what age Rabbit I should be getting I want one from a breeder or petshop but all the books I have read say a different age for adoption?

Is there really any difference between males and Females?

Are rabbits ever happy living on their own?

:rabbit2:
 
Hi Bunnie, welcome to the forum and good on you for doing your research!

My advice for finding the right bunnies for you would be to go to a reputable rescue (one who spays/neuters and vaccinates) and adopt a pair of neutered/spayed adult rabbits and the rescue should be able to help you find the right personalities for you.

Also, I used to give out a load of info to people adopting from the resuce I used to work with, based on the information that new rabbit owners asked for and that might be worth a read as well. You can find these under 'rabbit care information' on my website (which is the 'Flash's Place' link in my sig).

hope that helps :)
 
Hi Bunnie! :wave: First off, congratulations on your new addition! :D I can sympathise with you over the long wait, I've been there! You have definitely found the right place for all-things-rabbit too. If you're new to them you might find this useful - it's my bunny info sheet:

Thinking of getting rabbits?

Anyone planning on getting a furry bundle or two, perhaps for their little one’s Christmas present? Please 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 10 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 £300 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 hree 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
 
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Hi :wave:
Welcome! There are lots of bunnies in rescues that need a home, so if I were you I would do that. My previous bunnies were from the RSPCA and the two I have now were adopted from rescue centres. A neutered male and female usually work well and rabbits are at their best when they have each other for company. My first pair were already bonded and we bonded out current two.
Mine have been mixed breeds and they have all had great characters. Although mine are house buns and get totally spoilt and gets lots of attention, more than my husband half the time:)
They will need lots of hay to munch all the time, to make sure they keep their teeth trim. I am sure you'll gets lots of advice from other people on here as they are all really helpful
Good luck :D
 
Me

Hey hoppit, I want to get a bunny from a pet shop or breeder because rescues don't usually have baby bunnies I am going to get a gold butterfly lop and my parents are getting me the bunny for my 16th birthday they are also paying for vaccinations and when I turn 26 I will get a job so I can afford one, my sister use to have 7 guinea pigs so we are set on the hutches we have a very big hutch (when one of my sisters guinea pig had babies the pet shop gave us the biggest hutch in the store) (we accidentally brought a pregnant guinea pig!) I am not spending any money throughout the year so I will have £154 worth of alounce I want to get one female. Got any advice?
 
Hi, welcome to The Forum. :wave:

It is of course up to you where you get your bunny, but actually rescues quite often have baby rabbits as they sometimes taken in does who turn out to be pregant, or are sent emergency cases of unexpected litters.
 
Hey hoppit, I want to get a bunny from a pet shop or breeder because rescues don't usually have baby bunnies I am going to get a gold butterfly lop and my parents are getting me the bunny for my 16th birthday they are also paying for vaccinations and when I turn 26 I will get a job so I can afford one, my sister use to have 7 guinea pigs so we are set on the hutches we have a very big hutch (when one of my sisters guinea pig had babies the pet shop gave us the biggest hutch in the store) (we accidentally brought a pregnant guinea pig!) I am not spending any money throughout the year so I will have £154 worth of alounce I want to get one female. Got any advice?

Hi Bunnie,

It's up to you of course but although it's cute to see a baby bunny what you are seeing will not be their final personality once they reach maturity and are spayed. If you go to a rescue the rescue will (hopefully) have neutered and vaccinated and will be able to tell you more about their personality and you'll be able to get to know the 'real' personality of your rabbit rather than it masked by hormones.

By the way about housing, the RWAF recommend a six foot by two foot by two foot hutch with attached run of eight foot by four foot by two foot. Most pet shops don't even stock a six foot hutch sadly. Exercise is important for rabbits, not just for their enjoyment but also for their health. There is lots of info regarding housing in the links in my signature. :)
 
Hey hoppit, I want to get a bunny from a pet shop or breeder because rescues don't usually have baby bunnies I am going to get a gold butterfly lop and my parents are getting me the bunny for my 16th birthday they are also paying for vaccinations and when I turn 26 I will get a job so I can afford one, my sister use to have 7 guinea pigs so we are set on the hutches we have a very big hutch (when one of my sisters guinea pig had babies the pet shop gave us the biggest hutch in the store) (we accidentally brought a pregnant guinea pig!) I am not spending any money throughout the year so I will have £154 worth of alounce I want to get one female. Got any advice?

If you are choosing a baby bunny then do be aware that when the baby reaches adolescence then their personality can completely change and the baby may become aggrssive, scared, not want to be around you, etc. All that is totally normal and expected so do be aware that the cute baby bunny you pick may not be cute for long. This can improve once the rabbit is spayed/neutered however there are no guarantees and nothing will send the rabbit back to his/her babydom personality.

It's great you have accommodation :)

Rabbits are best in pairs and, even if you only have one, you will still need a hutch and run at least the size that Elena says :)

Have you checked out my website?
 
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