To Get Or Not To Get .....I Don't Know!!!

Can someone give me a list of what I would need for one bun and what I would need if I had two bun. If you can a peice range would be helpful. I am trying to learn as much as possible to convince my parents I can get a bun(hopefully two)! Would it be better for me to get one or two buns. I can afford either and go to school all day. No one would be able to play with it untill I get home so ....... :?:

Rabbits are social animals, so two bunnies would be the best choice. Although, it would be best to get two bunnies that are ALREADY bonded, as it can sometimes be alot of work to bond rabbits. With two bunnies, they would need to each be spayed/neutered (I'm in Canada, not UK, so I'm not sure how much that costs there, but here it costs more than a cat/dog spay or neuter)
If you get one from a rescue though, they often have bunnies that they will only adopt out in pairs, and will already be spayed/neutered. (Bunny rescue is definetley the best bet...Sometimes they are already litter trained as well)
In addition to paying for vaccines, they will need a never ending supply of hay, and you will also need to buy pellets. Rabbits can be succeptible to illness, so expect a good amount of vet bills throughout its life. They are good housepets, and having them indoors is the safest way to house them. Rabbits can be litter trained, so you will need to buy their litter box and litter, and take the time in litter training them if they aren't already.
They can't be forgotten in their cage, even if they have a friend, they do need time out of their cage every day.
My buns are in a two floored dog crate (I added the second floor), again I'm not sure how much it would cost in the UK, but the crate was about 80$ canadian, and by the time i was done with the second floor addition it came out to about $120,00 canadian.
Rabbits are often not cuddly pets either, and will need time to gain your trust. They often don't like to be picked up, and would rather be stroked or petted. They are not "low maintenance" pets like alot of new rabbit owners think, but they need a few hours out of their cage each day, to have their water changed a couple times a day, to have fresh vegetables each day, to be given pellets each day, to have their nails trimmed, and for some to be brushed regularily.
Rabbits are EXTREMELY good at hiding illness, so you would need to know your bunny quite well to sense when he/she is sick, as rabbits can deteriorate very quickly.
They are amazing pets, with funny antics, and great personalities, but they can get expensive, and are not pets that can be admired from afar.

comprehensive reply on why 2 buns are best so I'll just give you a rough idea on what to expect cost wise in the UK.
Cost of bun/s (if from a pet shop) then neutering at least £45 per bun (rescue buns will usually be done and most will ask for a minimum donation of around £30)

vaccinations... again varies from vet to vet but I pay £13 per jab... mxyi twice a year, VHD once.
hutch/shed or pen... depends on whether indoor or outdoor. Outdoor expect to pay at least £100 for a decent hutch/shed.. indoors I think the pens can be got for around £50.

Insurance... to insure or not at around £80 per bun per year. Jurys out on whether this is necessary but if you had vets bills in the hundreds, you would probably wish you had. :roll: Ah.. Vets bills...mine must be running around mid hundreds mark (I don't want to think about it). Be prepared for possible dentals, gut problems amongst others.

Hay, toys, pellets etc. seem a small expense in relation :wink:

Hope that helps

hi

not that we are trying to put you off - it's all true!

If you get a baby rabbit it may seem easy, but when it hits its teens at about 5 months old, it will change into a more difficult rabbit until neutered, which is why it's a great idea to go to a rescue and adopt an adult that is already neutered - not only do you save yourself the expense and worry of having your baby 'done', but you can handle the rabbits and find one which you really like, and see what its personality is like.

Main expense is the cage, closely followed by hay, unless you can get to a farm for a bale - Vets bills go on and on and on.....But we love our bunnies and they are definitely worth it

Hello! Welcome to the forum!

As to being at school all day, I would say that would be fine, as rabbits are most active in the mornings and evenings anyway. As long as your rabbit got some attention in the morning when you got up and when you came home it would be very happy!

One thing to consider though: rabbits can live quite a long time, there are people on here with 12 and 13 year old bunnys. If you're in your later years at school it would be worth considering adopting an older pair of rabbits if you have plans to go away to college or university in the future, unless you are sure that there is someone who would continue to care for them when you're away! It can be hard finding places to rent that don't mind you having pets!

My rabbit costs only around £20 a month in hay and other food, but vets bills have been into the hundreds in the last couple of years; my rabbit has been pretty ill. Vaccines can also be pretty expensive, and depending where you live the prices can range dramatically. Other than vets bills, the cage was the most expensive thing; toys don't need to be expensive at all, as most of rabbits' favourite toys are things like cardboard boxes and loo roll tubes .

Hope that's some help!

Kate and Jack
xx

I think you are doing the best possible thing by researching and asking for advice. Before we got our buns in may I didn't know that they could be just as happy, if not happier living inside as outside, that they don't enjoy being picked up, that they are happier in a pair and that you could get them at a rescue centre.

You should do as much research as you can so that you are able to provide your bunnies with the very best start and then don't forget to keep on learning and asking questions when you do get them

This website has been an absolute god send to us and there are some other fab ones out there as well and everyone on here will help you along the way
Good luck

Also remember you'll have to find someone to look after them or pay for boarding if you go on holiday too, this can sometimes work out to be quite expensive.

Where abouts in the country are you? Many rescues need fosters, which means you can have all the joys of keeping a bunny, at a fraction of the cost. It'll give you a chance to see if you're commited and can cope with the work involved. If you find this a dodle you could then perhaps adopt your foster bunnies.

I live in the U.S. I found out that it will cost me $200 for the two bunnies but they are healthy and happy so I don't mind. The two hundred is only for the bunnies so I have a lot of money to save up but I am going to save it up(all I want for Christmas is money to go to the "Bunnies Fund")I have to pay for it all myself(I can do it though)so I will have plenty of time to research! I think I should get two is this a good idea? I have my mom almost convinced so I want to learn AS MUCH AS I CAN! So I can make sure there happy. I was wondering how old would you say that a kid could have a rabbit? The child is really responsible and would not pick them up so.....

sites i have seen say children under 10 shouldnt really have a rabbit because of handling and they can be quite strong but i have no personal experience other than that my parents had a rabbit when i was quite young but i dont really remember. i think its a great idea that you are paying for everything yourself, it makes you appreciate things more (says me whos 22 and just got my rabbit as a present off my boyfriend)

Well, I'm from the US too, so although the prices might differ, I'll let you know what my fiance and I spent on my bunny.

Cage: 37"x17"x23": $80--This is sufficient for the bunny I'm keeping. You might want a bigger one if your buns aren't going to be out much during the day, or if the breed of rabbit is particularly big. Cages for drawf rabbits can be anywhere from $30 up, and for larger rabbits (you won't want a cage smaller than 36"x24"), $50. I've seen them for as much as $300, but you probably don't need anything that extravagant. Also, you can make a cage yourself from NIC cubes, which are organizer shelves you can rearrange however you like, and this can save you some money.

Food: Pellets, Timothy hay, greens: Try http://www.americanpetdiner.com/ or http://www.oxbowhay.com/index.sp/. Depending on where you live, the shipping will differ. For me, it would be about $40-45 for a 25lb box, and it's hard to tell just how long it'll last. If you buy from a pet store, Timothy hay will run you about $5-7 for 2lb. I got 3lb pellets for 99 cents per pound, 4 lbs Timothy hay for $6 (sale), and I expect that to last for 3-4 weeks at the rate Skittles is going.

Toys and Accessories: Varies. You can give your bunnies toilet paper tubes, make their "hideout" from a small cardboard box.. However, they will require at least some bought accessories. Make sure to get a variety of toys, as some rabbits like chewing while others like tossing and others like ones that make noise. Also, you will need a litterbox. Expect this part of the budget to be at least $25 (for me, it was closer to $50).

Litter: Can be free if you shred newspaper, or up to $13 for 5-10 lb of litter. DO NOT, i repeat, DO NOT use clumping litters (like for cats) because it can cause fatal complications.

Spaying/Neutering: $50 if you're lucky enough to have a clinic. Otherwise, expect to pay $90+.

At any rate, remember that rabbits are a big responsibility. As long as you are capable of changing their litter every 2-4 days and giving them plenty of time to run around, you're probably plenty old to own one. just remember a few things: Rabbits have fragile spines and legs. Spaying/Neutering will keep your rabbits healthy and cut down on aggressive behaviour/spraying. Rabbits need time to run around and get excercise. As long as you're mature enough to look after all their needs, you should be a good rabbit owner.

BTW, O/T to Quinn: me too! :lol: :lol: :lol: