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Few questions about rabbiits?

Petlover

New Kit
So i'm planning on getting a pair of rabbits but not till end of august as i'll be on holiday and there will be no one to look after the rabbits. But I have a few questions.

1. So rabbits need Vaccinations Against VHD & Myxi yearly I assume this is no problem because I have a vet which treats all animals 5 mins away from where I live. But how much do the Vaccinations Cost for a pair?
2. If you get rabbits that aren't spayed or neuterd is it best to get them spayed/neutered if so is there a certain age and how much does it cost for each rabbit. Also what are the benefits of spaying/neuterd
3. There diet mainly consist of Hay and leafy veg and a little amount of pellets right?
4. Apparently you can get pet insurance for rabbits is this true and is it worth it or not?
5. Any other tips?
 
Hiya!!

vaccinations vary .. Mine cost £26.00 each for Combi vaccine

Neutering is vital, prevents unwanted litters, aggression, spraying, humping and chasing and also prevent cancer in the female bunny.. It also helps when bonding two neutered/spayed bunnies as hormones will have settled,

Hay hay and more hay, with a few pellets and some veg although not all bunnies, I had 2 that couldn't tolerate veg as it made them gassy,,, they do need loads of hay

Insurance is around £12 per month per bunny but stasis, tooth problems can cost hundreds in vet bills if unlucky enough.. Some people save in a pot per month for vet bills. I for one, would not be without insurance.. My personal opinion though

If getting a pair of bunnies, go to a rescue where the bunnies will have been vet checked, vaccinated and any issues will have been picked up .

You'll also need adequate space... Loads of threads on here about adequate housing!!!!

Good luck to you
 
Hiya!!

vaccinations vary .. Mine cost £26.00 each for Combi vaccine

Neutering is vital, prevents unwanted litters, aggression, spraying, humping and chasing and also prevent cancer in the female bunny.. It also helps when bonding two neutered/spayed bunnies as hormones will have settled,

Hay hay and more hay, with a few pellets and some veg although not all bunnies, I had 2 that couldn't tolerate veg as it made them gassy,,, they do need loads of hay

Insurance is around £12 per month per bunny but stasis, tooth problems can cost hundreds in vet bills if unlucky enough.. Some people save in a pot per month for vet bills. I for one, would not be without insurance.. My personal opinion though

If getting a pair of bunnies, go to a rescue where the bunnies will have been vet checked, vaccinated and any issues will have been picked up .

You'll also need adequate space... Loads of threads on here about adequate housing!!!!

Good luck to you

thanks and I new about housing I have a whole shed that I could turn into a bunny cage and then attach a run as well.
 
A shed and run set up is ideal, you can buy aviary panels from ebay and create a "walk-in" run. I find that its easier to clean out a run that I can stsnd up in.
 
If you ring your local vet up they will tell you how much the vaccinations are (there is just one available, and that is a combined myxi and VHD) and costs for neutering both boys and girls. It also gives you a chance to check them out - find out how often they neuter rabbits (some don't see many rabbits on a regular basis). They will advise on the best age / minimum weight etc for neutering and it may vary with the experience of the vet and the breed of rabbit. Also ask if they routinely provide pain relief after neutering (eg metacam), and if it is included in the price.

You sound like you are going to be well prepared.

If you look at a pair of rescued bunnies, they may be already neutered. That will save you worrying about the op (even with the best vet in the world, we all worry when our bunnies need an op). They will also be settled as a pair - so no bonding to do (you can't just plonk 2 rabbits together as they will fight unless they are very young - they have to be introduced properly), no hormonal behaviour (grumpy, urine spraying, humping anything), major health risks gone (eg uterine cancer in girls, which is a major killer).

I personally do not have my rabbits insured, so I can't help with that. Again, you could ask the nurses at your vet which companies they work with (ie easiest paperwork and who pays out) or who they personally use. They are not allowed to actually recommend a company, but you can get a good idea of which policies to look at and which to avoid by asking a few questions.

Hay - if you have a shed, you could look at getting hay by the bale - it's much cheaper. You may have a local farm or horse supply shop that sells them.
 
Hello! I just wanted to reiterate what others have said about the benefits of getting rescue bunnies, it does remove a whole lot of stress & ease you in to rabbit ownership & is cheaper too. You mention a vet 5 mins away; I'd research rabbit savvy vets in your area. A lot of people (me included) have to travel a fair distance to see a vet who is up to the job of looking after your rabbits healthcare needs, they are relatively few & far between

Good luck
 
As mentioned a rabbit savvy vet is very important and it would be ideal to findone now before you have your bunnies.My rabbit savvy vet is 45 mins car journey away and I also have a local vet who aren't rabbit savvy(many are not)but are 5 mins away and could deal with a dire emergency should I need them.

If you are in the uk and start a thread asking for a rabbit savvy vet recommendation in your area,that would be a really good start.In my own experience vets vary enormously in their skills and knowledge of rabbits and a good rabbit vet will save you aliot of time and money in the longrun.

Good luck with everything.Its good that your doing research before having them.So many people don't.
 
So i'm planning on getting a pair of rabbits but not till end of august as i'll be on holiday and there will be no one to look after the rabbits. But I have a few questions.

1. So rabbits need Vaccinations Against VHD & Myxi yearly I assume this is no problem because I have a vet which treats all animals 5 mins away from where I live. But how much do the Vaccinations Cost for a pair?
2. If you get rabbits that aren't spayed or neuterd is it best to get them spayed/neutered if so is there a certain age and how much does it cost for each rabbit. Also what are the benefits of spaying/neuterd
3. There diet mainly consist of Hay and leafy veg and a little amount of pellets right?
4. Apparently you can get pet insurance for rabbits is this true and is it worth it or not?
5. Any other tips?

Lots of good advice already :thumb:

The Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund has loads of good advice:

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk

Good luck with your new rabbits when they arrive and welcome to the Forum :wave:
 
Hello! I just wanted to reiterate what others have said about the benefits of getting rescue bunnies, it does remove a whole lot of stress & ease you in to rabbit ownership & is cheaper too. You mention a vet 5 mins away; I'd research rabbit savvy vets in your area. A lot of people (me included) have to travel a fair distance to see a vet who is up to the job of looking after your rabbits healthcare needs, they are relatively few & far between

Good luck

Thanks I understand Rabbit savy vets are vets specialised in rabbits (I think) but how do you know if your vet is specialised in rabbits?
 
Thanks I understand Rabbit savy vets are vets specialised in rabbits (I think) but how do you know if your vet is specialised in rabbits?

If a Vet is an Exotics Specialist (Rabbits are classified as an Exotic species in Veterinary Medicine) then the Vet will have 'DZooMed' amongst the other qualifications listed after their name.

However, a 'Rabbit Savvy Vet' could also be a Vet who may not be ZooMed qualified, but they have vast experience in treating Rabbits and a great interest in them. They will see many many Rabbits on a daily basis, they will also keep up to date with the ever evolving knowledge about Rabbit Medicine and surgery. This would involve attending CPD courses and other lectures/courses, usually at their own expense.

In my experience just because a Vet may be ZooMed Qualified it does not automatically mean that they will have a great interest in Rabbits, there are many other species that fall into the category of 'Exotics'. So choosing a Vet from the recommendation of other conscientious Rabbit owners would be useful. If you post another thread in Rabbit Chat asking for 'Rabbit Savvy Vet' recommendations in your area some RU members may be able to help.
 
Thanks I understand Rabbit savy vets are vets specialised in rabbits (I think) but how do you know if your vet is specialised in rabbits?

I should talk to them about the animals they see and prefer to deal with on a daily basis.

The vet I found treats only rabbits and ferrets (yes, what a combination!) but this means she is extra clued up on rabbits. Having met her I have no doubt my rabbit is in good hands. There are only two other vets I know of that I would entrust my rabbits to.

You need to speak with the vet themselves to find their specialism, if they have one.
 
Hi there. :)

While it seems everyone else has covered the questions you asked, I just wanted to point out something important, because many people are unaware. Please never subject your rabbits to a bath, it's unnecessary because, like cats, they clean themselves. It is also harmful for them because it can cause hypothermia and infection. If you ever need to clean up their bums then please just use a damp tissue/cloth to massage the mess away and dry the area as quickly as you can. Don't put them back into their cage/hut until the area is completely dry. Also, stay away from mixed food, keep with pellets. :) Mixed food has been found to cause painful dental issues. I'm in the process of trying to wean my 5 year old off mixed food and onto pellets, luckily he hasn't suffered any problems, but it's best not to take any risk. :) Good luck with your new furry friends!
 
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