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Don't know what to do

DemiS

Warren Veteran
I'm off to uni in September and the original plan was for my grandma to look after my rabbits, unless I got somewhere with a garden after the first year, but now I'm starting to wonder if my grandma is really capable :( When Baby is with her she gets constant attention and cleans her out constantly, but she doesn't spot health problems, is prone to spoiling them (constantly giving her veg so then she eats less hay), doesn't put her out much and is incredibly reluctant to go to the vets. Also, Baby is a small single rabbit, she's not hard work, but my trio would require 3 times the hutch cleaning and they're much heavier and more awkward to lift out. I would make sure they had a much bigger enclosure though with a large attached run if they stayed with her but I'm not sure if I should leave them with her for at least the first year or if I should rehome them? :( I love my bunnies to bits and I don't want to fill up rescue spaces even more but I know that there's plenty of people who could look after them much better

Also, how hard would it be to rehome a trio? They're friendly, have a great bond and have no health problems and have already been spayed/neutered, but of course three medium sized rabbits is probably more than what most people are looking for.

Baby's not a problem right now, I'm really hoping that the place I end up living will allow me to have a 'caged' pet if I pay a higher deposit. But if not then she's going to be a difficult one too, she needs someone who's really going to keep an eye on her in case the cancer comes back and again I don't know if my grandma could do that, and personally with her health problems and reluctance to bond with other rabbits I think it's best if she's a house rabbit but there's no chance my grandma will keep her inside :(
 
I'm afraid I can't really offer much advice. Probably a bit too radical but could you not look to swap to a uni close to home and then you could continue to look after your buns yourself and not have to rely on anyone else?
 
I'm afraid I can't really offer much advice. Probably a bit too radical but could you not look to swap to a uni close to home and then you could continue to look after your buns yourself and not have to rely on anyone else?

It's too late now and besides there's no way I'd be able to live with my family another 4 years, the only thing that's kept me sane for the last few years is counting down the months till I leave :(
 
aside - that's your age, you know. it will be the same for your family - hating the fact that you'll be going but counting the days until you're out of the house. nature does it so that the offspring go off into the world without breaking the families' hearts.

radical thought 2 - rehome the lot and leave pets for when you settle down and have a family. be footloose and fancy free in your uni years.
 
Could you do what LittleEskimo did and find someone to foster them? :wave:

I'll be away for at least 5 years though (long course), would someone be willing to look after them for up to that long? I can't really imagine anyone fostering for someone for 5 years when they could just adopt a rabbit for themselves or foster for emergency cases
 
I'll be away for at least 5 years though (long course), would someone be willing to look after them for up to that long? I can't really imagine anyone fostering for someone for 5 years when they could just adopt a rabbit for themselves or foster for emergency cases

You might find someone, or you might want them back with you if you move somewhere with a garden :) I've nearly finished my second year of uni now and considered rehoming my bunnies before I left. I'm SO glad I didn't now, it's a big decision.
 
Could you not visit often to do health checks? Not sure how far away you'll be.

In my experience of renting as a student, Baby should be okay, you'll be limited in choice for housing but you should be able to find somewhere that will allow you to have her.

The trio will be more difficult as they need to be outside, so you'll need a garden. This will be easier if you have more money than just your student loans (help from family maybe?) or if you are going to a uni in a town rather than city. It can be done - I went to uni in Aberystwyth and I'd say 80% of the private student accommodation had a private garden of sorts, even if not a large one.

Could your parents look after them for you?
 
Could you not visit often to do health checks? Not sure how far away you'll be.

In my experience of renting as a student, Baby should be okay, you'll be limited in choice for housing but you should be able to find somewhere that will allow you to have her.

The trio will be more difficult as they need to be outside, so you'll need a garden. This will be easier if you have more money than just your student loans (help from family maybe?) or if you are going to a uni in a town rather than city. It can be done - I went to uni in Aberystwyth and I'd say 80% of the private student accommodation had a private garden of sorts, even if not a large one.

Could your parents look after them for you?

Maybe every 3-4 weeks, I would have to really drill into my grandma about the importance of checking them in between then though. She'd probably struggle to turn them over to check their teeth but they've never had teeth problems anyway, I doubt in the space of 3 weeks their front teeth would become over grown. Maybe I'll have to give her a little rabbit health training course.

Did you say to any that your rabbit would be caged at all times and you'd pay an extra deposit? And if so, were some still really funny about it? I do hope that in the second year I can get somewhere with a bit of an outside space. If I could only get a communal garden place do you think people would object to me having a hutch and run combo in the corner? I'd obviously have to put locks on it, but then I guess it depends on the other tenants and how bothered they are about the garden, I know some people would be really funny about it but others would probably not care or think it'd be nice to sit and watch them

My parents are absolutely useless with animals and they wouldn't even consider it. I told my grandma a few years ago that I didn't want to go to uni because i needed to look after the rabbits and she offered to take them so I've been reminding her ever since :lol:
 
Maybe every 3-4 weeks, I would have to really drill into my grandma about the importance of checking them in between then though. She'd probably struggle to turn them over to check their teeth but they've never had teeth problems anyway, I doubt in the space of 3 weeks their front teeth would become over grown. Maybe I'll have to give her a little rabbit health training course.

Did you say to any that your rabbit would be caged at all times and you'd pay an extra deposit? And if so, were some still really funny about it? I do hope that in the second year I can get somewhere with a bit of an outside space. If I could only get a communal garden place do you think people would object to me having a hutch and run combo in the corner? I'd obviously have to put locks on it, but then I guess it depends on the other tenants and how bothered they are about the garden, I know some people would be really funny about it but others would probably not care or think it'd be nice to sit and watch them

My parents are absolutely useless with animals and they wouldn't even consider it. I told my grandma a few years ago that I didn't want to go to uni because i needed to look after the rabbits and she offered to take them so I've been reminding her ever since :lol:

I never check my rabbits' teeth, I don't think she'll need to do it. They have a good diet and their front teeth are aligned fine so no reason to think they would have a problem with those, and you can't see the back ones. Barney has his teeth checked at the vets every couple of months when I go to get more meds and Annabella every 6 months when she has a checkup or vaccination. You'll just need to teach your grandma the signs of needing a dental and watch them eat/look at poos when you visit.

If she has problems picking them up for bum checks, you could train them pretty easily to periscope on command for treats, which would show up any major issues, and then make sure you get them rearguarded in the spring and summer. I do this for Annabella, as it's not worth the stress it causes her to chase her and pick her up.

In my experience, even if students say they will do something to the garden, they won't. Students are an incredibly lazy bunch. I did live near the sea though, so all our bbqs were on the beach, so if you don't live near the sea your housemates may want to have bbqs in the garden. But even if you have to get a smaller permenant run and then an attached fold-able one for when others aren't using the garden, you can still make it work. For your second year, you'll have found friends that you want to live with and who will be fine with the rabbits.

The two letting agents I rented off couldn't have cared less about pets. The first one I asked after I got Barney as I knew it would be okay anyway, he didn't care what we did with the place and he never did inspections except when you moved out. The place was pretty run-down - a lot of mould, damp, it was shabby and the carpets had rips in from the husky that had lived there before. The second agreed on the basis that we paid for a cleaner when we left if the flat smelt from the rabbits. No pet deposits. With both I made sure the place was spotless and cleaned the carpets when I moved out, to avoid complications. There was another letting agent that said I could have Barney if I paid a £50 pet deposit that would be taken if they found hay on the carpet or that he had been out of his cage :roll: I didn't go with them, but if I had to I could probably have gotten round it for inspections. I've found that smaller letting agents and private landlords are generally much more accepting of pets, as many of the big letting agencies have blanket 'no pets' policies, regardless of the landlord's opinion. The thing is, if you want your house to remain in perfect condition, you don't rent to students, so many aren't too fussed about caged pets. Renting with rabbits probably quarters your possible choices, so it will be hard, but it is perfectly do-able with a bit of determination and a look of wide-eyed innocence as you explain that your rabbit is perfectly housetrained.

I did have a hamster and a fishtank in halls, which I kept hidden successfully (lots of preparation went into inspections!) but I think a rabbit would be harder to hide, so you'd definitely need permission.
 
I never check my rabbits' teeth, I don't think she'll need to do it. They have a good diet and their front teeth are aligned fine so no reason to think they would have a problem with those, and you can't see the back ones. Barney has his teeth checked at the vets every couple of months when I go to get more meds and Annabella every 6 months when she has a checkup or vaccination. You'll just need to teach your grandma the signs of needing a dental and watch them eat/look at poos when you visit.

If she has problems picking them up for bum checks, you could train them pretty easily to periscope on command for treats, which would show up any major issues, and then make sure you get them rearguarded in the spring and summer. I do this for Annabella, as it's not worth the stress it causes her to chase her and pick her up.

In my experience, even if students say they will do something to the garden, they won't. Students are an incredibly lazy bunch. I did live near the sea though, so all our bbqs were on the beach, so if you don't live near the sea your housemates may want to have bbqs in the garden. But even if you have to get a smaller permenant run and then an attached fold-able one for when others aren't using the garden, you can still make it work. For your second year, you'll have found friends that you want to live with and who will be fine with the rabbits.

The two letting agents I rented off couldn't have cared less about pets. The first one I asked after I got Barney as I knew it would be okay anyway, he didn't care what we did with the place and he never did inspections except when you moved out. The place was pretty run-down - a lot of mould, damp, it was shabby and the carpets had rips in from the husky that had lived there before. The second agreed on the basis that we paid for a cleaner when we left if the flat smelt from the rabbits. No pet deposits. With both I made sure the place was spotless and cleaned the carpets when I moved out, to avoid complications. There was another letting agent that said I could have Barney if I paid a £50 pet deposit that would be taken if they found hay on the carpet or that he had been out of his cage :roll: I didn't go with them, but if I had to I could probably have gotten round it for inspections. I've found that smaller letting agents and private landlords are generally much more accepting of pets, as many of the big letting agencies have blanket 'no pets' policies, regardless of the landlord's opinion. The thing is, if you want your house to remain in perfect condition, you don't rent to students, so many aren't too fussed about caged pets. Renting with rabbits probably quarters your possible choices, so it will be hard, but it is perfectly do-able with a bit of determination and a look of wide-eyed innocence as you explain that your rabbit is perfectly housetrained.

I did have a hamster and a fishtank in halls, which I kept hidden successfully (lots of preparation went into inspections!) but I think a rabbit would be harder to hide, so you'd definitely need permission.

Oh right I thought that was pretty standard. If any of my bunnies teeth start looking a bit longer than usual I cut pellets right down and give them extra hay until it's back to normal. Bum checks shouldn't be an issue, she wouldn't have to turn them completely over to check, just lift them and take a quick look. They've never had issues in that area and to be honest she has so much free time and loves being outside she'd probably clean them out a lot more than I do. My dad has agreed to build me a hutch (I'm thinking a really big double one with a run underneith, but making sure the top level can be sealed off in case Baby needs to stay there) and hopefully it'll be much more accessible than the one I have right now which is an absolute nightmare to clean :evil:

I wont be living in a shared house in the second year, my and my boyfriend are moving in together so if it does end up being somewhere private but with a shared garden unfortunately I don't think the neighbors will be students (unless they have a lot of money). But haha yeah that's true about not renting a place out to students if you want it in perfect condition.

I don't think I'll be living in a shared house. Me and my boyfriend are living together in the first year but my family have made me rent a hall room 'just in case'. That means that he's going to be paying for where we'll be living in the first year, and although he's absolutely fine with Baby staying with us, him and his family are really fussy with accommodation and since they're paying, it's going to be hard enough for them to find somewhere really nice and within price range without ruling out anywhere that definitely wont take rabbits. But in the second year I'd make sure we do get somewhere that takes rabbits and has a garden (or just has a garden where I could hide Baby during checks :oops: )

Thanks for everyone's input, I think writing it all out on here has cleared my mind a bit and made me realise that at least for the first year I can keep them and make sure they're cared for, and then I can insist on a garden from the second year onwards :lol:
 
Oh right I thought that was pretty standard. If any of my bunnies teeth start looking a bit longer than usual I cut pellets right down and give them extra hay until it's back to normal. Bum checks shouldn't be an issue, she wouldn't have to turn them completely over to check, just lift them and take a quick look. They've never had issues in that area and to be honest she has so much free time and loves being outside she'd probably clean them out a lot more than I do. My dad has agreed to build me a hutch (I'm thinking a really big double one with a run underneith, but making sure the top level can be sealed off in case Baby needs to stay there) and hopefully it'll be much more accessible than the one I have right now which is an absolute nightmare to clean :evil:

I wont be living in a shared house in the second year, my and my boyfriend are moving in together so if it does end up being somewhere private but with a shared garden unfortunately I don't think the neighbors will be students (unless they have a lot of money). But haha yeah that's true about not renting a place out to students if you want it in perfect condition.

I don't think I'll be living in a shared house. Me and my boyfriend are living together in the first year but my family have made me rent a hall room 'just in case'. That means that he's going to be paying for where we'll be living in the first year, and although he's absolutely fine with Baby staying with us, him and his family are really fussy with accommodation and since they're paying, it's going to be hard enough for them to find somewhere really nice and within price range without ruling out anywhere that definitely wont take rabbits. But in the second year I'd make sure we do get somewhere that takes rabbits and has a garden (or just has a garden where I could hide Baby during checks :oops: )

Thanks for everyone's input, I think writing it all out on here has cleared my mind a bit and made me realise that at least for the first year I can keep them and make sure they're cared for, and then I can insist on a garden from the second year onwards :lol:

To be honest it has never really occurred to me to check their teeth. :lol: I just let the vet do it and keep an eye on their eating. But you could always check them when you are down visiting.

Oh I see what you mean by a shared garden. Yeah a shared garden with, say, other flats, will be trickier to have bunnies in, and you may have the problem of other residents having dogs or children. A back-up 'hiding Baby' hutch shouldn't be a problem though, even in a small shared garden. A ground-floor flat (often have private courtyard/gardens), a small 1-2 bed house or room(s) in a shared house would be your best bet garden-wise.

[edit: As a couple, if you live alone, you may well have the option of non-student housing too - my third-year place wasn't a student rental, just a flat that was okay with students as long as we had guarantors. Guarantors and/or paying for 3-6 months upfront can make a lot of private places consider you.]

I'd advise your boyfriend (if he's happy to) to take on the house-hunt himself, maybe with a lot of help from yourself, rather than let his family do it. By all means look at ones that don't allow pets, but focus on ones that do. There's no need to tell his family that just yet, it's only looking. Also, it is worth actually ringing the 'no pets' letting agents/landlords and asking them whether you can have a 'little house rabbit' that is 'completely housetrained' - as some are okay with what they think are caged pets.
 
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To be honest it has never really occurred to me to check their teeth. :lol: I just let the vet do it and keep an eye on their eating. But you could always check them when you are down visiting.

Oh I see what you mean by a shared garden. Yeah a shared garden with, say, other flats, will be trickier to have bunnies in, and you may have the problem of other residents having dogs or children. A back-up 'hiding Baby' hutch shouldn't be a problem though, even in a small shared garden. A ground-floor flat (often have private courtyard/gardens), a small 1-2 bed house or room(s) in a shared house would be your best bet garden-wise.

[edit: As a couple, if you live alone, you may well have the option of non-student housing too - my third-year place wasn't a student rental, just a flat that was okay with students as long as we had guarantors. Guarantors and/or paying for 3-6 months upfront can make a lot of private places consider you.]

I'd advise your boyfriend (if he's happy to) to take on the house-hunt himself, maybe with a lot of help from yourself, rather than let his family do it. By all means look at ones that don't allow pets, but focus on ones that do. There's no need to tell his family that just yet, it's only looking. Also, it is worth actually ringing the 'no pets' letting agents/landlords and asking them whether you can have a 'little house rabbit' that is 'completely housetrained' - as some are okay with what they think are caged pets.

Oh yeah we'll definitely be looking at non-student housing, if we can convince them that we're two sensible medicine and pharmacy students that don't drink and wont trash the place :lol: And yeah I do keep reminding him that it's us that's going to live there not his dad but to be honest his taste is quite similar to his dads anyway, and considering he's not taking out a maintenance loan (dads paying for everything) it's a bit more difficult :oops: And yeah definitely :D I've heard a lot of estate agents put 'no pets allowed' as a general thing even if the landlord is fine with it. And I can always make out that she'll be permanently kept in a high sided plastic bottom cage :lol: Thankyou for your help :)
 
Yes I think you could put in a special written appeal and have a chat with them about it. I think you could reassure them that you would pay for any likely damages and you understand about the liss of deposit ect. Some people love animals and might understand and say ok then. :) not sure about the other 3 but if your course is 5 years away from home you could look into rehoming them, you could search for a 1st class home as I think your course will be demanding and tiring, you'll be working so hard towards a goal and you'll need all your energy. But if you think your granny can cut the butter then try your best to keep them. You could maybe arrange a vet to visit and check once a week/ month, or a sensible friend to pop in regularly to check them of even a rabbit forum friend who lives neer by to keep an eye on them.... or find a local small furies pet sitter to do a regular health check and pay them. Think you have a few options, its just hard to decide which to try first. Id rehome as a last resort :D
 
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