Newcomer: Many Questions!

I have been thinking about getting a large rabbit, but I want as much info as possible as to not get a rabbit if it is not appropriate. I don't want to do any harm to them due to my lack of knowledge. So here goes:

1. I have 2 cats. How would a rabbit react? I heard they can be quite bossy to cats. My one cat I strongly believe would actually play with the rabbit, my other would run or ignore it, both my cats are very playful, not really predator-like contrary to the instincts of your average cat. Any advice is greatly appriciated.

2. What should I keep in mind about purchasing a large rabbit? Maybe I should get a medium size, I'm really not sure. I've read that large rabbits need a little extra help with hygiene.

3. I want the rabbit to be able to roam the house, or at least the downstairs when I am home and probably in my spare bedroom when I am not. I know to be aware of wires and such, but how do I keep a rabbit from distroying furnature even if I get them toys? The carpets upstairs are old and need to be replaced anyway (I just boughy my house) but I still don't want my rabbit to develop any nasty habits.

Thanks so much for your time

1) Rabbits can be quite bossy to humans too!!!! :lol: .... but as rabbits are prey animals (pure herbivores) and cats are preditors (pure carnivores) .....it's the interests of the rabbit that should be your first concern .......early contact should be strictly controlled, taking the natural fears of the bun into consideration, very gradually a relationship should develop ........... having said that buns and cats can get on really well together (your cats sound easy going!) and there are plenty of people on the forum who are better qualified to give you the secrets of their success!

2) My real question is do you want to purchase a rabbit?? ......It's much better to give a bun from a rescue/rehoming centre a loving home (this is obviously not free, but all money given goes straight back into the centre - and it is greatly needed - and is used to rescue more buns ........... so it is far from purchasing a bun, it's giving another bun a good chance in life)

My real question is do you want to purchase a rabbit??

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Hi Conny,

I would like one, but I don't know which type of rabbit is right for me. Any pointers?

Hi there are so many different types of rabbits and preferences . I first fell in love with the idea of a houserabbit (in the back of my mind) years ago when a Flemish (which is huge) was the houserabbit of the leading character in a novel I was reading. It was such a calm well behaved rabbit :lol: . I never got a Flemish so maybe that's what they're like :lol: .

I have eight, all houserabbits and I can say with some feeling that my house will never be the same again :shock: , though I wouldn't be without them .

Young rabbits are definitely more destructive and that's another major plus of getting an adult from a rescue centre, as well as the fact it may well have been neutered/spayed for you.

There are some really beautiful and very loving rabbits out there needing homes. People often think that rabbits only end up in rescues because they're ill or have terrible behaviour problems which might be true but very often they're only there because the previous owners didn't know enough about rabbits to do anything but keep them in a hutch in the bottom of the garden and got bored with feeding them.

If you do visit a rescue, apart from anything else it'll give you a much better idea of what rabbits are like and how you feel about them face to face, whether a large one seems more appealing than a medium or small to you and so on.

Ferdy was an outdoor rabbit from a tiny filthy hutch when I got him, he'd been totally neglected and pretty much starved, even months later he's not up to full weight, but he's not only put on loads of condition and gained energy and muscle mass romping round my house he is THE most loving rabbit imaginable. He puts his paws up my leg to ask to be held, which in the rabbit world is astonishing.

I've got three cats as well as eight rabbits and I do keep a careful eye on them. Some of mine are quite small and one of my cats sometimes hunts so I never leave them alone together unwatched, and I don't think I ever would. But there aren't any problems between them, they're pretty amicable even if not close friends.

Carpet can be very bad news for rabbits if they eat too much of it as it can get stuck and end in either a very expensive op or death. You could always take it up and have floorboards if your rabbit takes a liking to chewing it .

I haven't found furniture eating a problem once the rabbits are older, the important thing if you do get a young one is to discourage it gently but firmly each and every time it starts to bite into a chair leg or antique chest, as well as getting it lots of things like pieces of apple wood to chew instead.

It's never a good idea to leave a young rabbit unsupervised unless the place is guaranteed safe and you know they can't harm anything/be harmed or pick up bad habits. A roomy cage or pen for when you're out is the best idea. I made mine at a fraction of the cost of bought ones.

Good luck with whatever you decide and let us know

I would like one, but I don't know which type of rabbit is right for me. Any pointers

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If you have never had a rabbit before a average size rabbit might be easier to handle. Some of the large rabbits are very large :shock:

How much room do you have? If you have a small house you might be over taken by a large rabbit. They need beds and litter trays and food and toys, indoors this soon fills a house up. Never out side space is taken up very quickly.

The most important thing is find a rabbit you feel you can bond with. Rescue centres will be able to tell you a bit about the rabbit and its history, unlike a pet shop.

Hope this is of some help, lots of people on here are in a better placed to give advice and I'm sure they'll point you in the right direction.

Betty

Why don’t you take a trip to your local rescue?

Have a chat with them and see what type of Rabbit’s they have in. Seeing then in the flesh and blood might give you some idea of what type of Rabbit you want.

Do bear in mind you may be requested to take a bonded pair rather then a single Rabbit as Rabbit’s are much happier living with a friend. You may also be required to have a home check and make a donation.

I have four house Rabbits and two house Cats and they get a long fine. The most important thing is to remember is to NEVER leave them together unsupervised.

I would go for a Rabbit with a fairly outgoing temperament as a quite/shy Rabbit might be frightened by your Cats.

Another point to consider is, if you thinking of letting your Rabbit have free run of the house it needs to be Rabbit proof. Electrical cables out the way, houseplants out of reach, you will have to be prepared for the Rabbit to chew/scratch your furniture/walls and anything else that looks interesting to them, wee/poo on the carpet etc.

There are ways to try and prevent your Rabbit from doing this but some Rabbits will always do it no matter what you do.

If this is your first house Rabbit I would recommend looking on the Rabbit Welfare Association website. They have loads of advice on there.

A good book to get would be, House Rabbit Handbook: How to Live with an Urban Rabbit.

Louise

Thanks very much for the pointers! I will have to see if the local rescue has any rabbits. I would only get an adult anyway, like you all said, they are less distructive.

I do have a large house, so if I did get a large rabbit, space wouldn't be a problem. However, bunny-proofing it from wires in the bedrooms and the living room may be a problem. Any ideas?

I just want a rabbit large enough that the cats wouldn't even consider attacking it if the thought crossed their minds. I highly doubt they would, but I would never leave them unsupervised. My cats just like to play. If they see a large bug, they won't eat it, just bat at it, unless it was a fly, they won't even eat bugs.

Rabbits like company too so maybe you might consider getting two bunnies that are already bonded from a rescue. It would save you the trouble of bonding further down the line.

hiya and welcome to the forum? where abouts do u live?

I have used cable tidys which u can get from woolworths/robert dyas type shops to enclose my cables.. other ways to hide them is to use piping or insulation tubes. You can use bitter/citronella spray on furniture/carpet/curtains if your rabbit starts nibbling and associate a loud clap and a NO or OI to make them stop.
My parents have 2 cats who have both met my rabbit when i visit there. One is scaredy and runs away.. they other wants to play wiht my rabbit and sometimes tries to pat it on the nose altho doesnt use claws and simba always goes back for more!

Diddeen said:

hiya and welcome to the forum? where abouts do u live?

I have used cable tidys which u can get from woolworths/robert dyas type shops to enclose my cables.. other ways to hide them is to use piping or insulation tubes. You can use bitter/citronella spray on furniture/carpet/curtains if your rabbit starts nibbling and associate a loud clap and a NO or OI to make them stop.
My parents have 2 cats who have both met my rabbit when i visit there. One is scaredy and runs away.. they other wants to play wiht my rabbit and sometimes tries to pat it on the nose altho doesnt use claws and simba always goes back for more!

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Hi. I live in NY.

That's good your cats don't hurt your rabbit. My cats are declawed. It probably would be a good idea to have 2 rabbits... 2 cats vs 2 rabbits, that'd be a site!

aaaah right in that case i dont know where your shows are.. im sure there is a website somewhere for american equivalent to the BRC which is our British Rabbit Council and governs breeders and rabbit shows. Im also afraid i dont know where u would find such rabbits as most of us are in the UK. :?