I've just been told...

That I'm not looking after my bunnies right. :shock::evil:

My hubby's step dad used to breed and show rabbits with his brother. I've just had a lecture how my set ups are far too big and that I shouldn't be keeping Reggie and Phoebe indoors. I will give them respiratory problems and mess up their self regulating what-chya-me-call-its apparently... :?

He says I should put Reggie in the enclosure that I have the lions in. (And bond the lions into a quad with another pair) They have a 6ft by 2 hutch with a run attached. I would never put a giant breed in this.

Plus, I could never part with Reggie and put him outside. He's my soul bunny and I genuinely think he's happy inside with us.

He was also telling me how they used to keep their rabbits. Basically 3 ft, one level hutch with no run... Stored in an 8ft shed stacked. :shock: And this was better?! I stood my ground and calmly explained that rabbit care has changed.. besides, I don't show or breed them... He demanded to know where I was getting my rabbit care info and I told him. RWA for starters... But he said, the info is only to stop people getting rabbits as they have problems with people giving them up...


He spotted the tiny little coop Phoebe came in and said why didn't I use this... I told him it's not big enough. Yep, you've guessed it. He laughed at me and told me not to be ridiculous. :roll: I could have at least two in there...

I tried to make light of it but he says I'm "over the top".

I know me and my father in law will never see eye to eye on this, and though I don't get everything right, surely I'm doing ok by my bunnies?

I had to write this out as I'm quietly seething over here...

Easier said than done but ignore the daft fool.


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Does my head in attitudes like that! :evil:

I used to see it quite a bit working at a rescue, I just smiled sweetly and said that that way of thinking is very outdated now. And that rabbit care has improved a lot over the last few years. Most older people HATE being called outdated :twisted::twisted:

:roll: what a twit. :evil:

I was honestly expecting my dad to roll his eyes a bit at the shed when I showed him when he came over, but he didn't say anything negative and even helped me get started with the insulation. I should have more faith in people

I thought he was going to help me set up an aviary style set up based on his... But I just got a rabbit lecture. I wasn't going to keep Phoebe indoors... But I couldn't bear the thought of her in the coop... Even with a run attached... Her bottom was also caked in her own poo... How she hadn't got fly strike during the summer... :shock: so, I was going to keep her in as she's never had proper human interaction and was thinking of bonding her with Reggie once I have her spayed/she recovers etc.

Oh dear... He didn't agree with this either. Says Reggie's far too big and will hurt Phoebe. giant breeds socialise with smaller breeds right?

Hele said:

Does my head in attitudes like that! :evil:

I used to see it quite a bit working at a rescue, I just smiled sweetly and said that that way of thinking is very outdated now. And that rabbit care has improved a lot over the last few years. Most older people HATE being called outdated :twisted::twisted:

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:lol: ... Just imagining his reaction if I told him he was outdated....

ignore him, he is stuck in the past, we know better now, and our rabbits have a good life because of the knowledge we have.

Ignore him, I've never heard such a load of tripe in all my life and I'm definitely no bunny expert! Reggie is so handsome, imagine not seeing that smooshy face in your kitchen when you get a cuppa every morning

Schez said:

I thought he was going to help me set up an aviary style set up based on his... But I just got a rabbit lecture. I wasn't going to keep Phoebe indoors... But I couldn't bear the thought of her in the coop... Even with a run attached... Her bottom was also caked in her own poo... How she hadn't got fly strike during the summer... :shock: so, I was going to keep her in as she's never had proper human interaction and was thinking of bonding her with Reggie once I have her spayed/she recovers etc.

Oh dear... He didn't agree with this either. Says Reggie's far too big and will hurt Phoebe. giant breeds socialise with smaller breeds right?

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Giants and "normals(!)" can be best of friends apparently. I understand bonding is more to do with "personality".

Most giants wouldn't hurt a fly anyhow in my experience.

As to "indoors": honestly, if I tried to turf Hector outside, he would refuse to move! Dylan used to go out but, if the door was open would come back in immediately. Rabbits can be perfectly happy indoors (although I accept some bunnies prefer outside).




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chloeturner said:

Ignore him, I've never heard such a load of tripe in all my life and I'm definitely no bunny expert! Reggie is so handsome, imagine not seeing that smooshy face in your kitchen when you get a cuppa every morning

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No Reggie or smoosh face in the morning?

:shock:

I couldn't bear it...

Unless being inside was affecting his health/happiness he's staying with me inside.

SJH said:

Giants and "normals(!)" can be best of friends apparently. I understand bonding is more to do with "personality".

Most giants wouldn't hurt a fly anyhow in my experience.

As to "indoors": honestly, if I tried to turf Hector outside, he would refuse to move! Dylan used to go out but, if the door was open would come back in immediately. Rabbits can be perfectly happy indoors (although I accept some bunnies prefer outside).




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This is what I thought... I can only try... If they don't accept each other then I have a plan b in place.

I've tried opening the door for Reggie... He follows me around a bit and then hops on in... :shock::lol:

I think I'd have punched him in his face and told him to get out of my house if I were you. But I'm not the best in social situation so best not to take advice from me. :lol:

O yes! Also women should stay in the kitchen and not be allowed to vote :thumb:

How can any rabbit enclosure be 'too big'??? Does he think something awful is going to happen to rabbits that are kept in large enclosures?? When I got my two I did do research I thought I had it perfect, and since getting them and joining RU I've realised that while my set up is 'fine' it's by no way the best I could have for them. The only thing stopping me making it larger now is that I plan to move out to my own place in the near future and I don't know how much outdoor space I'll have. So I don't want to spend hundreds of pounds on something that might be useless in 6 months....

Honestly, I would just let it wash over you, you know you are right at the end of the day

Ailstar said:

How can any rabbit enclosure be 'too big'??? Does he think something awful is going to happen to rabbits that are kept in large enclosures?? When I got my two I did do research I thought I had it perfect, and since getting them and joining RU I've realised that while my set up is 'fine' it's by no way the best I could have for them. The only thing stopping me making it larger now is that I plan to move out to my own place in the near future and I don't know how much outdoor space I'll have. So I don't want to spend hundreds of pounds on something that might be useless in 6 months....

Honestly, I would just let it wash over you, you know you are right at the end of the day

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Vegan_Bunny said:

I think I'd have punched him in his face and told him to get out of my house if I were you. But I'm not the best in social situation so best not to take advice from me. :lol:

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:lol::lol::lol: you don't know what was going through my head when he was on his train... Blah blah blah...

It was a bit low to bring my kids into it. Saying I was going to make the kids cough/cold worse...

I know I need to be grown up and let it go... But why are my family so against me loving my bunnies?! I have to put up with a lot of negativity. Most of my siblings are ok... The find it funny that there are so many bunnies... But they come to see them anyway. My poor sister was terrified of Reggie to start with... Now he's won her over...

Says Reggie's far too big and will hurt Phoebe. giant breeds socialise with smaller breeds right?

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Of course they do! Everyone seems to think that just because some rabbits are bigger, it means they will bully the other one or hurt them. Benji was a British giant and was never once violent towards April. They bond just like normal sized rabbits. I've bonded April again with a giant cross and they love each other. I really don't think size matters.

Jojo123 said:

O yes! Also women should stay in the kitchen and not be allowed to vote :thumb:

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*face palm* it's exactly that isn't it?! :lol:

BigBunnyBenji said:

Of course they do! Everyone seems to think that just because some rabbits are bigger, it means they will bully the other one or hurt them. Benji was a British giant and was never once violent towards April. They bond just like normal sized rabbits. I've bonded April again with a giant cross and they love each other. I really don't think size matters.

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You know I love your bunnies. :lol: I just hope Reggie accepts her... More that Phoebe accepts Reggie... She's never had a bunny friend.

Honestly the next time this comes up - and you know it will - I would just stay very calm and answer every point with the 'outdated' line. Don't say anything else, just say that to every point he makes. And at the end tell him you're happy to provide him with the relevant literature to bring himself up to date with modern thinking on rabbit keeping.

Of course big buns and little buns get on I've met a conti cross frenchie (I think, she was a rescue but had a frenchie face and conti ears... And a lionhead mane! :lol: she was conti sized anyway!) who was bonded with one of the smallest buns I have ever seen. He wasn't a nethie he looked a bit more Polish maybe but he was as small as a nethie... Guess who was in charge? :lol:

Plus I'm hoping to bond a conti with a dwarf lop on Monday so I sure hope it's possible!