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shop advice???

Dobbin

Mama Doe
I went into a certain pet shop today and was told that i should not have two bunnies together - a bunny and a guinea would be ok though. IS this right??

I was also told i should not use straw as bedding or in the hutch at all - is this right??

Sorry to ask questions which are probably a bit stupid!

Sue
xx
 
NO! It's not right, sadly it's still quite common advice :cry: Neither the RWA or RSPCA advocate the keeping of these species together.

Rabbits can injure guinea pigs either because they try and hump them (especially as chances are a rabbit kept with a piggie won't be neutered), deliberately 'bully' them, or even if they seem to love each other, if a rabbit is startled, its big feet can easily break a piggie's back. Rescues will be able to tell you all sorts of horror stories about the injuries they have seen on piggies kept with rabbits, and how much happier the piggies seem to be once they are separated.

Also their diets are different - piggies need constant access to their food whereas buns should only be given a handful daily and the rest of the diet as hay. The protein/fibre ratio as well as various vitamin amounts in the foods are different, so in the long term it's not best for either of their diets. Piggies also need additional vit C which isn't necessarily a problem as this can be given through veg, but still something to consider.

Finally bunnies can naturally carry a type of bacteria (Bordatella something) which can cause a serious illness in piggies.

Oh and of course they don't understand each other's 'language' they are entirely different species with different ways of communicating, so are best kept with their own kind!

When you see your (neutered!) bunnies together like this, it defies all logic to say that they shouldn't be kept together!

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sunbathingbuns.jpg


There's nothing wrong in using straw for bedding, mine seem to prefer it as it's a bit softer and seems to insulate better. If they eat it, it has no nutritional value but it's not a problem. I guess being told not to use straw is ok if you are being told to use hay instead - as constant access to hay is important, maybe people use straw instead of hay, so they advise not to use it as this automatically makes more people use hay :?
 
What a stupid pet shop!! :evil: NO, rabbits and guinea pigs should NOT be kept together :roll: Seeing 2 bonded rabbits sitting together and grooming each other is so lovely! :love: Yes it an sometimes take a while to bond but once they are bonded they are inseperable! Look...

b3.jpg


How can pet shops say they shouldn't be together?! :?
It makes me sad that they are saying that... buns need a bunny friend :( I wish someone could educate them properly on the needs of rabbits!! :x

Don't worry about asking questions :wink:
 
xEMMAx said:
What a stupid pet shop!! :evil: NO, rabbits and guinea pigs should NOT be kept together :roll: Seeing 2 bonded rabbits sitting together and grooming each other is so lovely! :love: Yes it an sometimes take a while to bond but once they are bonded they are inseperable! Look...

b3.jpg


How can pet shops say they shouldn't be together?! :?
It makes me sad that they are saying that... buns need a bunny friend :( I wish someone could educate them properly on the needs of rabbits!! :x

Don't worry about asking questions :wink:

This is Barney and Bella they bonded with 24hours and they were inseperable, it was so lovely to see :D

IMG_4301.jpg
 
Awww :love: Took me about a week with J and C! :roll: :lol:

Maybe we should all send photos of our bonded buns to places like P@H to show them they are totally wrong :wink:
 
rabbits are proven carriers of bordetella bronchiseptica which lives normaly in the rabbits respiaratory system (the rabbit will often show no sign of this until the immune system is suppresed, though illness or stressed ). this disease is FATAL to guinea pigs.
rabbits and guinea pigs should NOT be kept together.
 
Dobbin said:
thank u for your replies. I didnt think it sounded quite right!!
sue
xx

thanks for asking question rahter than listening to something you thought wasnt right. it might be worth sending one of the predesigned letter thingys someone on here did to that shop. explain how they should be kept.
 
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