Over £1000 per year on one bunny?

[William]

Definitely nowhere near that for me either but it really depends on a lot of factors so it'll be realistic for some and unrealistic for others. If you buy expensive accommodation, have really poorly rabbits, buy pet store hay, a lot of veg and herbs, expensive paper based bedding like Carefresh or something, etc then probably yes..

 

[Kavanne]

I probably do but it's only because they immediately chew through any toy I get them!! They love doing it so much though I can't deny them spent £300 on saph during her diarrhoea/stasis episode recently. £100 on her spay before that and £90 on their combined vacs the other day!!

I do also try and only buy organic veg and do pick your own when I can which ain't cheap but it's my way of spoiling them!! (grow my own rosemary and growing some carrots ATM!)

 

[KarenM]

If you have a read through this you can see where some of the numbers are coming from.

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/is_a_rabbit_for_me.htm

The RSPCA's figures for comparison.

http://www.rspca.org.uk/ImageLocator/LocateAsset?asset=document&assetId=1232729413756&mode=prd

Those figures are interesting and not necessarily too far off the mark for the 'average' rabbit owner who buys all their hay etc from the local pet shop.

Yes, there are savings to be made - buying hay by the bale, foraging or growing your own veg instead of buying, using newspaper in litter trays rather than other bedding etc - but it's not something the majority probably think to do.

Also, the RWA figures are the costs for two bunnies, not one, so it's £1k per year for 2 bunnies. So, for the OP who is spending around £400 p.a. on each bunny, that figure isn't too far off the mark.

 

[GrahamL]

*goes through his bunny spreadsheet*

*wishes £1k/yr for 2 bunnies was realistic and what he actually pays*

:lol:

 

[Jaysmonkey]

Lola passed away at 5.5years old. I'd spent over £10000 on her in her lifetime. I'd pay it over and over again if it meant I can have her here again.

I easily spend £1000 a year on each of my bunnies, even without illness. I spend around £25 a week on veg for 4 buns, £21 on megazorb a month, £20 a month on hay, then theres vaccinations, toys, new snugglesafes, bunny proofing etc.

I don't have alot of money to spend and haven't throughout my time of bunny ownership, but I manage.

 

[youthnovels]

:shock:

There's no way I pay 6k a year on my six, then factoring in the five guinea and now a dog? Not a chance!

 

[Amy104]

I don't even want to think about how much my ten cost me, but I can buy everything in bulk so save myself a bit that way.

 

[BattleKat]

I spend something like £500 pear year on the three (don't have my spreadsheet handy to check exactly :lol. None of them are insured though, so it could easily rocket if any of them develop a health problem.

I thought the figure they quoted was quite OTT, and I'm glad I didn't see it before I got rabbits or it would have totally put me off! I suppose that's the point of it though.

 

[KarenM]

*goes through his bunny spreadsheet*

*wishes £1k/yr for 2 bunnies was realistic and what he actually pays*

:lol:

:lol::lol::lol:

I'm not even going to do the maths! :shock::lol:

 

[lizzyjm]

People have spreadsheets? Why don't I have a bunny spreadsheet? This is exactly the sort of thing I ought to have!

 

[Pie]

I think if I only had Obie, who is a very healthy bun, I don't think it would be near that number. But considering I have Pie and all of her vet bills and medication it tops that very easily.... :shock: Oh dear lord, I've just checked my vet receipts from January alone. Yep just over half way there already.

 

[GrahamL]

:lol::lol::lol:

I'm not even going to do the maths! :shock::lol:

I've just scared myself silly by adding another column with monthly totals. Admittedly, its come down a lot now, but in our first year of Ginger being here, it wasnt far from truth lol

 

[sparklefairy]

I *might* spend that on BOTH of my buns, this includes vet bills, treats, food posh hay and toys plus new carpet and the new flooring we will have to buy as the carpet is gross now after just 1 year :roll::lol:

 

[catherine09]

Just done a proper estimate of all costs of my two based on the last couple of months, and including costs of accommodation based on it lasting another 4-5 years and keeping 30% of it's value on resale (can you tell I'm training to be an accountant :lol::roll

Came out at total £550 for both bunnies :shock: That's just running costs, bearing in mind that *touchwood* neither of them have needed serious vet attention so far (I have insurance so it would just be the excess and anything not covered).

The hay figure on the official workings is very very high :shock: I think that's where most of my differentiation occurs. I also forage so there is no veg costs for me.

Also - there was a post (I think by KarenM) earlier that says the £11k figure is for two bunnies - it is for one, the two bunny figure as worked out by the RSPCA is £16k!

 

[SarahP]

I'm assuming that pet insurance doesn't cover meds for long term conditions? Whilst I didn't have insurance for my bunnies, I spent a fortune on medication, not just consultations etc.

 

[KarenM]

Also - there was a post (I think by KarenM) earlier that says the £11k figure is for two bunnies - it is for one, the two bunny figure as worked out by the RSPCA is £16k!

I didn't look at the RSPCA link as I didn't have time to read both. The RWA figures are definitely for 2 bunnies though - see page 5 of the link Ali posted.

Rabbits should live on average for 10 years, so including the set up costs, to keep 2 rabbits properly will cost you on average over £11,550. Are you sure you still want to buy the children a pet rabbit now?!

 

[KarenM]

I'm assuming that pet insurance doesn't cover meds for long term conditions? Whilst I didn't have insurance for my bunnies, I spent a fortune on medication, not just consultations etc.

That's a good point. There is also only the cost of insurance - no account is taken of any excess that you might have to pay (£50 to £75 per condition) and also minor treatments that are excluded from the insurance as they don't reach the excess or because they're simply not covered.

So, while the food & bedding costs might be a little over-inflated, the vet costs could actually be much higher.

 

[catherine09]

I'm assuming that pet insurance doesn't cover meds for long term conditions? Whilst I didn't have insurance for my bunnies, I spent a fortune on medication, not just consultations etc.

My insurance (so the policy booklet says) covers all meds and treatment for lifetime conditions (I have the lifetime policy) and all you have to pay is the excess every year (£75). So in theory if one of mine got an ongoing condition it should only add another £75 onto the bill. Obviously if other things started going wrong then the bill would rack up, as it's £75 per condition per year. The other thing that could push the cost up is if dentals were needed as they aren't covered under insurance.

I didn't look at the RSPCA link as I didn't have time to read both. The RWA figures are definitely for 2 bunnies though - see page 5 of the link Ali posted.

Ahh - I see

Confusing that they have differing figures :roll:

 

[biscandmatt1]

i spend well over that.. meds mainly though top it up 'nicely'!