Is it difficult having more than two rabbits- should i get ?

Hi, I currently have two very sweet dwarf lops who live together in a big hutch/run combo. I would love to have another two rabbits but i am wondering if it is a lot of work and costly to have more than two. I have a fulltime job as well as family and social commitments. I completely clean out the hutch every week in winter and twice a week in summer. Unfortunately i do not always have masses of time to spend with my rabbits when i get in from work because i am often knackered. This does not mean that i neglect them- i do meet their needs daily and clean out their litter tray and spot clean them. I probably spend an hour or more with them a day in winter stroking and playing with them (less if the weather is foul) and a lot more time in the summer. They seem very close to each other and do come to me to be stroked before running off when they have had enough. I check on the a few times in the evening and stroke them also.

I know some people selling two mini lops with a hutch for £30 (i think they have outgrown them). I would dearly love to have more rabbits and i know i would be able to provide them with a good home. My question is, is it very expensive to keep more than two? My rabbits eat only hay and vegetables daily. My rabbits will only eat the expensive vegetables such as broccoli and spring greens. They have to be starved before they will touch celery, cucumber, any cabbage and brussels sprouts. I put a big bale of straw in their hutch in winter weekly (half this or none depending on the weather in summer). They are both vaccinated with myxo and VHD. My intention is that these new rabbits would live in a hutch/run combo opposite my rabbits-their run is on paving sklabs. In the summer, i will have a big run where i want to put all the rabbits so they need to be vaccinated and if they are not neutered/spayed, iu will also have to do this.

I am also thinking of French lops and a continental giant instead of the mini lops. Sorry this message is so long. Can someone be honest with me and tell me if i provide enough time to my current rabbits to have more and does it cost me double to have two more?

Hi. Its great that you want to help some unwanted buns, there are so many out there! Obviously if you have more buns it can be more expensive, there is always the unknown. But then you could have all 4 and it wouldn't cost you a lot more! You just never know. What you need to think about is can you afford for 4 buns to need treatment at the same time?? I always resort to my plastic fantastic (credit card)as i call it when I need to :lol: If you wanted to put the 4 together that would be fine as long as they get along ok, and yes you would need to look at neutuering etc. As for time, I spend about an hour a day with my mob, just watching them, checking them for any probs etc. Its good you have 2 together, they keep each other company. At the end of the day the decision has to be yours. If you know you have enough love for 2 more then go for it. But be sure you have enough money and time. Remember its double the time for cleaning out, double the time wasted stroking them :lol: , double the food, double the bedding, double the heartbreak! But then it can be double the reward too! I love having 6 buns, they are all so different, and I love watching them as a group. Sorry am waffling. If you are thinking about continentals or french lops you need to think seriously about the accomodation as these guys require a lot of space. there are peeps on here who know a lot more about the giant breeds, i have never had one. Good luck, and would love to see some pics of your current buns! x Jess :wink:

Hi, i need to get my boyfriend to put pictures of them on the website-they are gorgeous handsome devils-does everyone think that of their own rabbits? I have just been on Rabbit rehome and it breaks my heart seeing all these rabbits needing a new home especially those who have been at the rescue for a long time. I am thinking that if we were to get giant rabbits, they would have to live in a shed (my boyfriend wants a continental giant and is insisting on it living in the house but i am putting my foot down because all four would have to live in the house!!) but if they are small rabbits, i am doing a run/hutch combo.

There are a couple of buns on RR that I am interested in-Hazel who lives in Cheshire and has a cherwed ear and Tara who is a lionhead although there is a French Lop I like the look of because it looks like my Patch. I want to adopt all the rabbits that look like mine!!!

I do want more rabbits both for myself (when my boys ignore me) and for my rabbits- more friends!! My boyfriend will build the hutch/run so that is not a problem.

You also need to bear in mind that it may or may not work putting them all in a run together (I hope i understood that rightly, sorry if i didn't) and if the new buns you get (if you get ) are unbonded then you or the rescue you get them from need to bond them first. I gather you intend to put all 4 in a run to play but this may not work out as it can take a bit of work to make them all be civil to each other
Good luck in whatever you choose and well done for asking and thinking about it first

Yes, the two new buns won't be living with my two boys because they are territorial already and i cannot put my arm in their hutch for two long without it getting shoved out. In the summer, i want to put a big run on my lawn and have all the rabbits together

Having four rabbits is obviously going to be more expensive than two, but if you get two rescue buns they will most likely be neutered already so that will be one less cost and I think aiming at getting two healthy buns is wise with regards to cost although you can never guarantee health. I like the idea of bonding all four together, groups of buns are great!! If you did bond them in the summer do you have accommodation big enough for them all in the winter months, cos once bonded you wouldn't want to split them up - with regards to your two boys being territorial, they will be on their own turf but as long as you introduce the buns on neutral territory you have the potential to have four happy buns!!