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Any tips for convincing parents?

RabbitLvr

New Kit
So I am a tween and I adore rabbits. I have been wanting them since I was seven. And I have been researching since I was 8. When I was 8, we moved house, and we found this house with a massive garden, and we put an offer on it. The offer was accepted. So my Dad promised I could have a rabbit when we got there. But it fell through. We were on the market for years, and finally, when I was 10, we found another house. Dad still said I could have one. So we moved to this house, with a good sized garden, and got chickens. Dad said it was instead of a rabbit. But I don't even like chickens that much. It was my sister who wanted them, so why have I ended up with all the work?
I have asked my parents numerous times for a rabbit. I have spoken to breeders, been to pet shops. etc, etc. But all I get is "you won't look after it" "we'll see" "stop asking me that" and it makes me annoyed, because I look after 4 hens and 8 chicks, so one rabbit can hardly be that much work (I understand a rabbit is a big responsibility) and they never do see anyway. :cry:
I looked after a friend's pet when she was in Portugal. I cared for it then, for a month, and I didn't get bored.
Any tips for how to persuade them? Please?
 
Rabbits need company of their own kind, so it's best to get two rabbits. There are lots in rescues too (and they will often have young rabbits too if that's what you'd rather) so I would consider looking at local rescues if you can persuade your parents. :)

It might be that they can't be persuaded (us parents can be quite stubborn sometimes) but also it's probably a good idea that they already realise it's a big responsibility and, often, parents are left with the burden if the novelty wears off. I'm not saying it will happen in your case, but just that it's something that parents will often factor in when making a decision.

Re. persuading them, I would do as much research as possible and present this to them to show that you're taking it seriously. You'll find lots of info on this site and also the RWAF is a great place to start - look at housing, diet, likely medical problems, estimated costs of keeping rabbits etc. The expense can often be higher than people appreciate too, so perhaps look at ways that you could contribute to that - see if you can get a paper round or a part time job (depending on your age obviously).

It can be frustrating to be constantly told no but maybe see if you can have a talk with your parents without pressuring them into a decision. They may be able to pinpoint exactly what their reservations are & you can discuss what you can do to ease their worries iyswim.
 
Thanks. I know rabbits are best in twos, and my dream is to become a breeder when I am older. I decided to probably go with rescues first, because a) it is a good cause and b) they would be able to help me choose.
I will certainly give your idea a try, thanks. But as to being "left with the burden as the novelty wears off", there is hardly any danger of that. My sister, who wanted the chickens, has long ago given up caring for them, but I do. She will only cuddle the chicks.
I also care for friends' pets whenever I can, and care for them myself, because I am capable, I just don't think they see it.
 
Sometimes it can take a while to persuade them. I wanted rabbits since I was 12 and I got my first rabbits at 16 (I’m now 23 and live on my own so my rabbit obsession is a little out of control :oops: :lol: ) I looked after some rabbits and my mum fell in love with them and that’s when she agreed. Keep up with looking after the chickens, it will show them that the novelty doesn’t wear off and you are committed to looking after them. Perhaps show them all the research you’ve done but try not to pester them, I did and my Mum wouldn’t even talk about having rabbits for a while. Good luck! :D
 
I know how it can feel to be lumped in as the same as others. my parents did the same when I wanted a dog. I can see their stand point now as I am older. I don't know how old you are, but unless you're able to get a job your parents will likely have to forfeit most of the costs. I think this is possibly what your parents (and most) are hesitant on. startup costs are expensive, vet bills are expensive, food, toys, hay, litter, it all racks up. I can understand why your parents say no, they do not have a never ending pot of money. along with that, while you did not want the chickens, you guys already have chickens. they can also become costly also, perhaps rabbits will be too much.

your parents may not even want rabbits, but one (or both) wanted chickens hence why they got them. a parent doesn't want to be stuck with an animal it doesn't want when the novelty possibly wears off. a lot of the time children have pets because their parents also wanted them, usually it isn't based solely on the kid wanting it.

your sister hasn't done many favours neither for getting chickens and then leaving it onto your parents to deal with.

I'm not saying do not get a rabbit ever, but depending on your age it may be too much work, but also too much strain on your financial situation.

somebody else's pet is a lot different than your own. sure, a month is a long time, but once again it goes back home. you likely had been given food, bedding etc, so you wouldn't have to pay for anything. vet bills were probably not a thing neither. somebody elses pet always feels better than having your own, in the end you give it back.

I think these are some general questions to think over..
- who will pay for bedding? food? litter? toys? hay?
- what happens when they are ill? rabbits usually require either a rabbit savvy vet, usually an exotics vet. your average vet isn't knowledged enough on rabbits and could (and often do) give ill advise leading to a rabbits death. I know this is very morbid to talk about, but rabbit savvy vets can be an hour drive away, and they are expensive. a consultation may be £60, not including medication on top... thankfully I have a rabbit savvy vet that charges only £35 per consult, but every time one of them has been sick, I've ended up paying £60-150 roughly. but bills have gone higher, for some people even into the thousands.
- who will pay for vaccinations? prices vary all over the country, but it seems to roughly be between £30-60 usually. rabbits require two vaccinations, so this could be £60+ every year.
- an out of hours vet can be necessary, and always costly. do you have the money for a £200 consult fee and who will be paying for that?
- who will be paying for the housing? rabbit housing needs to be large, its recommended these days (by the RWAF) for 10ft x 6ft housing total. small hutches that you see on the market for cheap are not enough, nor are they sturdy enough. this can cost £300+ to get.
- what happens in the bad weather? are you really happy to be outside, your fingers hurting from the cold, you are soaked from rain, cleaning out a rabbit pen? I can tell you, it was hard for me as a 13 year old. I often didn't want too. along with that they will need hay refills, bottles checked that they're not frozen etc. you will be going outside many times a day. its hard work and sometimes I wish I didn't have a rabbit. when I first thought about this, I was thinking "nah I'll be fine", do not underestimate how hard it can be.
- what about school? homework can become never ending as you go up in the school years.. it is difficult and gruelling. can you juggle having to clean out a rabbit on weekdays and school work?
- social life..this sounds very stupid but you can't go off out to a party, meet up with friends etc, and put off the rabbits. they are dependant on you. it can mean on school days or even weekends you may have to put off doing certain activities to care for the rabbits.
- plans for university? college? what happens then? rabbits can live for many years. it would be unfair to go off to uni and leave your parents to take care of the rabbits. its a big thing to think about and even far away, but its something to keep in mind.

please don't take this do not ever get a rabbit, but they are expensive animals that need a lot of space. they're not simple, and they can become ill in the blink of an eye and require immediate veterinary attention.

unless you are 100% complete able to care for the rabbits, such as holding a job, then I can understand your parents concerns as ultimately they will be the ones paying out of their pocket, and not yours.

if you can find fair solutions to the above questions (and not - my parents will take care of them, my parents will pay for it as that is likely the issue already), then write them out and present them to your parents.

if you're looking for reliable information, the RWAF is very good and a highly trusted source. they also have a map of their approved rabbit savvy vets, you can always rely on them.
 
It's great to love rabbits. Try to get contact with other people's, say in a rescue or from someone who doesn't spend much time with a rabbit they already have. Wait until you are earning and have spare money before you get rabbits of your own.
 
So I am a tween and I adore rabbits. I have been wanting them since I was seven. And I have been researching since I was 8. When I was 8, we moved house, and we found this house with a massive garden, and we put an offer on it. The offer was accepted. So my Dad promised I could have a rabbit when we got there. But it fell through. We were on the market for years, and finally, when I was 10, we found another house. Dad still said I could have one. So we moved to this house, with a good sized garden, and got chickens. Dad said it was instead of a rabbit. But I don't even like chickens that much. It was my sister who wanted them, so why have I ended up with all the work?
I have asked my parents numerous times for a rabbit. I have spoken to breeders, been to pet shops. etc, etc. But all I get is "you won't look after it" "we'll see" "stop asking me that" and it makes me annoyed, because I look after 4 hens and 8 chicks, so one rabbit can hardly be that much work (I understand a rabbit is a big responsibility) and they never do see anyway. :cry:
I looked after a friend's pet when she was in Portugal. I cared for it then, for a month, and I didn't get bored.
Any tips for how to persuade them? Please?


Welcome to the Forum :wave:

It's difficult because as you know, it's best to keep rabbits in pairs, and what will happen if/when you decide to leave home or go to Uni? You may very well not be able to take your rabbits with you. My last rabbit lived for over 14 years :D

Until you are earning, your parents will be footing the vet bills and they can run into hundreds (with neutering, vaccinations and routine care) or thousands as a rabbit gets older and has more ailments. Insurance would be something to think about, but someone has to pay for that.

There have been people on this Forum who've had to rehome their rabbits when they left home. People who can't afford vaccinations and whose rabbits get poorly but vet treatment is very expensive.

Breeders and Pet Shops are all very well, but if you go to a Rescue Centre (assuming you persuade your parents!) then they guarantee to take the rabbits back should you be unable to care for them any more. You won't get that from a breeder or Pet Shop. Also, from a Rescue, they will already be neutered and vaccinated, thus saving you hundreds of pounds right at the start.

Look here for some good advice:

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk


And the costs of keeping a rabbit ...

https://www.saveafluff.co.uk/rabbit-info/cost-of-keeping-rabbits

https://www.pdsa.org.uk/taking-care...r-your-pet/rabbits/the-cost-of-owning-rabbits


Make no mistake, rabbits are not for the faint-hearted!

That said, if you persuade them, then we on here will support you to the hilt :D
 
In all honesty, knowing what I know now about owning a rabbit I would never advise anyone to have one, and I'm a grown up aged almost 50.

We have 2 rabbits, had them for 7 years. And as much as we love them, I will never have any more as - if we hadn't got insurance - they would have cost us a small fortune. We drew the short straw with Thumper. She has had recurring GI stasis from the age of about 2 and in total has cost the insurance company around £7,000 to £8,000 in vet fees and that's in around 5 years. And those are the ones we claimed - a few smaller bills we probably didn't put through. And she may live another 3-5 years yet - although I doubt it, I think it'll kill her before then. In fact, I give her 18 months.

Coco has made a few claims in her lifetime, but admittedly it's not as much as Thumper, but still around half maybe. So between them you're looking at a grand total of about £10,000 and that's just in vet fees alone over a 7-year period.

Rabbits are NOT a cheap pet. And I stress that that that £10,000 was for emergency illness only. It does not include the annual vaccinations - our vet charges £70 per bunny and they need 4 per year, the spaying (which okay was one-off), plus the other times they have seen the vet we didn't claim for, such as grass seeds in their paws (around £50 each for consultation and treatment) and other silly things but which required a vet. They also need their nails clipped by the vet nurse every 3 months or so, that's a further £28 each (I can't do it, not many can - too risky as you can cut into their vein which is in each nail).

It mounts up.

On top of that you have food, treats, insurance. Our insurance is currently just shy of £30 per month for the two, which actually isn't bad. But the excess is £75 per illness/injury per year but then any treatment after that is covered, but only up to a maximum of £2,000 per year - so anything over the £2,000 we have to find - and we've had to find it for Thumper.

And then when they are ill, you have the upset of course. I've nearly crashed our car, and gone over a red traffic light because I was so worried when I was taking Thumper to the emergency out of hours vet - luckily I got away with both.

I actually would advise you not to bother getting one - they are far too much trouble.

As for breeding them when you are older, I'm surprised no-one has mentioned that already. Please don't. There are hundreds of rabbits needing a home already without breeders adding to the pile.
 
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Sometimes it can take a while to persuade them. I wanted rabbits since I was 12 and I got my first rabbits at 16 (I’m now 23 and live on my own so my rabbit obsession is a little out of control :oops: :lol: ) I looked after some rabbits and my mum fell in love with them and that’s when she agreed. Keep up with looking after the chickens, it will show them that the novelty doesn’t wear off and you are committed to looking after them. Perhaps show them all the research you’ve done but try not to pester them, I did and my Mum wouldn’t even talk about having rabbits for a while. Good luck! :D

Okay thanks for the advice
 
I know how it can feel to be lumped in as the same as others. my parents did the same when I wanted a dog. I can see their stand point now as I am older. I don't know how old you are, but unless you're able to get a job your parents will likely have to forfeit most of the costs. I think this is possibly what your parents (and most) are hesitant on. startup costs are expensive, vet bills are expensive, food, toys, hay, litter, it all racks up. I can understand why your parents say no, they do not have a never ending pot of money. along with that, while you did not want the chickens, you guys already have chickens. they can also become costly also, perhaps rabbits will be too much.

your parents may not even want rabbits, but one (or both) wanted chickens hence why they got them. a parent doesn't want to be stuck with an animal it doesn't want when the novelty possibly wears off. a lot of the time children have pets because their parents also wanted them, usually it isn't based solely on the kid wanting it.

your sister hasn't done many favours neither for getting chickens and then leaving it onto your parents to deal with.

I'm not saying do not get a rabbit ever, but depending on your age it may be too much work, but also too much strain on your financial situation.

somebody else's pet is a lot different than your own. sure, a month is a long time, but once again it goes back home. you likely had been given food, bedding etc, so you wouldn't have to pay for anything. vet bills were probably not a thing neither. somebody elses pet always feels better than having your own, in the end you give it back.

I think these are some general questions to think over..
- who will pay for bedding? food? litter? toys? hay?
- what happens when they are ill? rabbits usually require either a rabbit savvy vet, usually an exotics vet. your average vet isn't knowledged enough on rabbits and could (and often do) give ill advise leading to a rabbits death. I know this is very morbid to talk about, but rabbit savvy vets can be an hour drive away, and they are expensive. a consultation may be £60, not including medication on top... thankfully I have a rabbit savvy vet that charges only £35 per consult, but every time one of them has been sick, I've ended up paying £60-150 roughly. but bills have gone higher, for some people even into the thousands.
- who will pay for vaccinations? prices vary all over the country, but it seems to roughly be between £30-60 usually. rabbits require two vaccinations, so this could be £60+ every year.
- an out of hours vet can be necessary, and always costly. do you have the money for a £200 consult fee and who will be paying for that?
- who will be paying for the housing? rabbit housing needs to be large, its recommended these days (by the RWAF) for 10ft x 6ft housing total. small hutches that you see on the market for cheap are not enough, nor are they sturdy enough. this can cost £300+ to get.
- what happens in the bad weather? are you really happy to be outside, your fingers hurting from the cold, you are soaked from rain, cleaning out a rabbit pen? I can tell you, it was hard for me as a 13 year old. I often didn't want too. along with that they will need hay refills, bottles checked that they're not frozen etc. you will be going outside many times a day. its hard work and sometimes I wish I didn't have a rabbit. when I first thought about this, I was thinking "nah I'll be fine", do not underestimate how hard it can be.
- what about school? homework can become never ending as you go up in the school years.. it is difficult and gruelling. can you juggle having to clean out a rabbit on weekdays and school work?
- social life..this sounds very stupid but you can't go off out to a party, meet up with friends etc, and put off the rabbits. they are dependant on you. it can mean on school days or even weekends you may have to put off doing certain activities to care for the rabbits.
- plans for university? college? what happens then? rabbits can live for many years. it would be unfair to go off to uni and leave your parents to take care of the rabbits. its a big thing to think about and even far away, but its something to keep in mind.

please don't take this do not ever get a rabbit, but they are expensive animals that need a lot of space. they're not simple, and they can become ill in the blink of an eye and require immediate veterinary attention.

unless you are 100% complete able to care for the rabbits, such as holding a job, then I can understand your parents concerns as ultimately they will be the ones paying out of their pocket, and not yours.

if you can find fair solutions to the above questions (and not - my parents will take care of them, my parents will pay for it as that is likely the issue already), then write them out and present them to your parents.

if you're looking for reliable information, the RWAF is very good and a highly trusted source. they also have a map of their approved rabbit savvy vets, you can always rely on them.

Thank you for the advice. I already go out in gruelling rain for chickens and chicks, and so I could do this. I don't generally meet with friends that often anyway so that shouldn't be a problem. Thanks anyway!
 
Welcome to the Forum :wave:

It's difficult because as you know, it's best to keep rabbits in pairs, and what will happen if/when you decide to leave home or go to Uni? You may very well not be able to take your rabbits with you. My last rabbit lived for over 14 years :D

Until you are earning, your parents will be footing the vet bills and they can run into hundreds (with neutering, vaccinations and routine care) or thousands as a rabbit gets older and has more ailments. Insurance would be something to think about, but someone has to pay for that.

There have been people on this Forum who've had to rehome their rabbits when they left home. People who can't afford vaccinations and whose rabbits get poorly but vet treatment is very expensive.

Breeders and Pet Shops are all very well, but if you go to a Rescue Centre (assuming you persuade your parents!) then they guarantee to take the rabbits back should you be unable to care for them any more. You won't get that from a breeder or Pet Shop. Also, from a Rescue, they will already be neutered and vaccinated, thus saving you hundreds of pounds right at the start.

Look here for some good advice:

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk


And the costs of keeping a rabbit ...

https://www.saveafluff.co.uk/rabbit-info/cost-of-keeping-rabbits

https://www.pdsa.org.uk/taking-care...r-your-pet/rabbits/the-cost-of-owning-rabbits


Make no mistake, rabbits are not for the faint-hearted!

That said, if you persuade them, then we on here will support you to the hilt :D

Thanks for that! :love: Yes, a rescue is definitely my first port of call.
 
In all honesty, knowing what I know now about owning a rabbit I would never advise anyone to have one, and I'm a grown up aged almost 50.

We have 2 rabbits, had them for 7 years. And as much as we love them, I will never have any more as - if we hadn't got insurance - they would have cost us a small fortune. We drew the short straw with Thumper. She has had recurring GI stasis from the age of about 2 and in total has cost the insurance company around £7,000 to £8,000 in vet fees and that's in around 5 years. And those are the ones we claimed - a few smaller bills we probably didn't put through. And she may live another 3-5 years yet - although I doubt it, I think it'll kill her before then. In fact, I give her 18 months.

Coco has made a few claims in her lifetime, but admittedly it's not as much as Thumper, but still around half maybe. So between them you're looking at a grand total of about £10,000 and that's just in vet fees alone over a 7-year period.

Rabbits are NOT a cheap pet. And I stress that that that £10,000 was for emergency illness only. It does not include the annual vaccinations - our vet charges £70 per bunny and they need 4 per year, the spaying (which okay was one-off), plus the other times they have seen the vet we didn't claim for, such as grass seeds in their paws (around £50 each for consultation and treatment) and other silly things but which required a vet. They also need their nails clipped by the vet nurse every 3 months or so, that's a further £28 each (I can't do it, not many can - too risky as you can cut into their vein which is in each nail).

It mounts up.

On top of that you have food, treats, insurance. Our insurance is currently just shy of £30 per month for the two, which actually isn't bad. But the excess is £75 per illness/injury per year but then any treatment after that is covered, but only up to a maximum of £2,000 per year - so anything over the £2,000 we have to find - and we've had to find it for Thumper.

And then when they are ill, you have the upset of course. I've nearly crashed our car, and gone over a red traffic light because I was so worried when I was taking Thumper to the emergency out of hours vet - luckily I got away with both.

I actually would advise you not to bother getting one - they are far too much trouble.

As for breeding them when you are older, I'm surprised no-one has mentioned that already. Please don't. There are hundreds of rabbits needing a home already without breeders adding to the pile.

Okay, I will bear what you say in mind. It may be that I don't breed them in the end.
 
I agree wit all advice everyone has provided including Angie B please don't breed from them, there are far to many surrender to rescues, also females are best spayed to prevent uterine cancer, calm hormones same for males with neutering to calm hormones etc
 
I agree wit all advice everyone has provided including Angie B please don't breed from them, there are far to many surrender to rescues, also females are best spayed to prevent uterine cancer, calm hormones same for males with neutering to calm hormones etc

I didn't know that, thank you so much for informing me!
 
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