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rescue buns - Baby vs mature lady

ecudc

Warren Veteran
As sooty is now less of a man my thoughts are turning toward finding him a lady friend.

However, I'm unsure of whether to go for a younger unspayed female who would have the cuteness factor and who had hopefully not been mistreated so might be easier to handle. The alternative is an older spayed lady who would be past the hormonal stage and I wouldn't have to go through the trauma of having her spade. The downside might be medical problem or difficult to handle due to previous trauma. Of course it might be possible to find an older single lady with no problems at all within a relatively short distance of birmingham.

For anyone who has adopted a rescue or are going through teenage hormones/spaying your thoughts are welcome
 
I'd always go for the older one. Keep in mind by older, to be spayed you're only looking at 6months+.

The cute factor only lasts a couple on months so I don't think it should be too big a factor in making a decision on a bun you have 8+ years :)

If personality is the big important thing for you, which it sounds like it is, you'd be much better off meeting some adult females then risking a baby you don't know what personality it will have as an adult. I bet if you visit a rescue and meet the ladies available you'll find a good match. Most of the bunnies in rescue are fairly good temperaments although you might find they take a few weeks to really settle down and trust you but that on it's own is quite a good feeling to know the bun feels safe and happy with you :)

Tam
 
Babies are cute!

But if I get another rabbit I'm going to be looking for an older one. Hopefully they are already spayed so that worry is off your mind and any behavioural problems will have hopefully surfaced by then.
 
You may also find that like ourselves many rescues don't allow babies to be re-homed until they have been neutered. But as Tamsin has already said that means that they are still baby's really as most are done at 6 months or in some cases once they reach a certain weight.:D
 
I'd go for a spayed female. It's a myth that rescue buns are always traumatised by some past life, the rescue buns I've taken on have all had wonderful gentle personalities and all are around 2 years old and already neutered. A good rescue should be able to point you towards the right bunny for you and your rabbit. How about SOAD on here? She's based in Wolverhampton I believe, not so far from Birmingham :) Otherwise there's Jill (Honeybunnies) in Leics, again not too far to go for the right doe ;)
 
I agree - I would go for an older lady :D I would actually say they are often easier, as you don't have any hormonal phase to go through and you know their temperament already. Plus, if there are going to be any major, ongoing health issues then they will often have shown themselves - but obviously there are no garuntees with any bunny.
And I agree that even very badly treated bunnies can be some of the most loving and affectionate - and some of the well-treated and pampered ones can be right little madams :lol:
 
Bonding is far more successful if you go for a spayed female as personalities can change after the op.

I recently adopted two rescue girl buns for my boy bunny Darcy who I have had since he was a baby. The girls were nervous at first which is normal. Beatrix was the most skittish but now she has been here only a matter of weeks and she sits in my lap the longest!!:D

Also If you are thinking of having a house rabbit - rabbit proofing your stuff is soooo much easier with a bunny that is at least 6 months to 1 year old. Whis is still very young. But then all my buns are babies to me!:oops: ;) :lol:
 
Definately a bun that has gone through puberty, some will change from cute friendly bunnies to slightly territorial. As you say with a slightly older bun (4 - 6 months) you dont have to worry about getting them neutered and you wont have to then discover a change in personality with them.

I often find bonding buns easier that have been neutered than the ones that have not been.
 
Hi

Honeybunnies are lucky enough to have a couple of very good friends in Solihull area who could homecheck and give you some advice on bonding..no probs getting a bun to you...:D
 
It's a myth that rescue buns are always traumatised by some past life

:? :? :? hhhhmmm not sure I would agree with you there Kayjay, my Marcelly is petrified of cats due to him being attacked by one in his previous home when he was out of his dog crate, he was fine before coming face to face with one who clearly did not like him:( a year and a half on of him beign with me and he is still petrified of them when he see's one on the fence, he legs it into the house and stomps his feet and hides:( :( :(

Also missing off that list of rescues is Tracy at Rugby, Louise doorkeeper - Redditch, RSPCA barnshill, Midland Pet welfare, all of which are pretty close to you ;):D or if your prepared to travel, Kirby buns in Nottingham really do need a home :( there are far to many buns in this rescue which makes me wonder if people are over looking the rescue rather than think about giving one of there needy buns a home:(
 
:? :? :? hhhhmmm not sure I would agree with you there Kayjay, my Marcelly is petrified of cats due to him being attacked by one in his previous home when he was out of his dog crate, he was fine before coming face to face with one who clearly did not like him:( a year and a half on of him beign with me and he is still petrified of them when he see's one on the fence, he legs it into the house and stomps his feet and hides:( :( :(

Also missing off that list of rescues is Tracy at Rugby, Louise doorkeeper - Redditch, RSPCA barnshill, Midland Pet welfare, all of which are pretty close to you ;):D or if your prepared to travel, Kirby buns in Nottingham really do need a home :( there are far to many buns in this rescue which makes me wonder if people are over looking the rescue rather than think about giving one of there needy buns a home:(

I wasn't saying that you won't get SOME rabbits who have behavioural problems just pointing out that not all rescue rabbits are vicious, nasty and bitey creatures who won't make good pets - I think this is a common belief - many many rabbits in rescue are absolutely fine
 
Thanks for everyones advice.

Rest assured I'm checking the rehoming section on a daily basis. Infact the OH keeps commenting the "you're not looking at that blooming thing again are you" when I should be cooking his tea :p

I suspect lots of rescues in the area, and possibly London too will be getting a vistit as that where my parents live, with a perfect bunny proof neutral room.

One more question. What size is a fully grown N. Dwarf or lionhead. Sooty has a baby gate separating his room from the rest of the house and I think a really small bread could probably fit through.
 
Tiny. A couple of my lionheads could fit through a baby-gate:D You could put some mesh on it too though.

Although my buns could jump a baby gate:roll: :lol:
 
They do home quite a few, but it's the only rescue in the area so they always have so so many in :( It is very sad.

edudc, you also have underhill rabbit rescue near you: http://www.freewebs.com/underhill-rabbit-rescue/ run by SOAD on here :)


made worse now that Kathy has closed too:( the abandoned society of animals is also another rescue that have many, and many longtermers too:( I know all rescues are in the same boat but makes it even sadder when you hear just how many some rescues have in:(

I know that some-one on here mentioned about some rescues limit the distance in which they rehome so some do fall out of the rescues catchment area for rehoming but I can understand why they do this, especially if the bun has to be returned to the rescue for some reason, just very very sad for the buns:(
 
I wasn't saying that you won't get SOME rabbits who have behavioural problems just pointing out that not all rescue rabbits are vicious, nasty and bitey creatures who won't make good pets - I think this is a common belief - many many rabbits in rescue are absolutely fine

sorry Kayjay, I read your post meaning that rabbits that are traumatised previously to going into rescue would forget what traumatised them in the first place:lol: :lol: :lol:

I agree though, not all rabbits are sid vicious or Mike Tyson just because the owner claims them to be;)
 
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