New to rabbits

[newbietopets]

Hi everyone.
My little girl is showing interest in animals and loves rabbits so we are going to get one. But first we need to do alot of research. We are looking for a harlequin to rabbit.
First question.
Bedding.
I've heard a layer of newspaper, cat littler pellets and straw is perfect for rabbits is this the case, anything else to add?.
My wife is allergic to Hay so I've also read they can have dried grass instead (little more expensive) is this OK aswell they don't have any hay just dried grass I'm guessing in the wild they won't come across hay as much as dried grass.
I know for harlequinn rabbits toys and puzzles etc is great for them. It's more on the bedding and food I'm confused about. Any tips would be great.
A few months away want to be 100% confident before we commit

 

[Shimmer]

This is a really good source of all things about rabbit care:

Home

Creating better tomorrows for all pet rabbits The UK’s largest organisation for rabbit lovers!

rabbitwelfare.co.uk

Rabbits are not really good pets for young children, so you will need to be fully responsible for all their care. Most really don't like to be petted, and they have powerful back feet so can kick. They are also quite fragile so need to be handled properly and with confidence. They can also bite. I would suggest you find somewhere that your daughter can go and actually practice being around rabbits to see if they are really what she expects them to be. They are, in the main, not that cute & cuddly. They prefer to have their feet firmly on the ground and doing their own thing.

Rabbits really need the company of another rabbit - they shouldn't be kept as singles. Rescues are a good starting point as you can get a bonded pair, already neutered, and you can tell what their personality will be like at that age as well.

Rabbits need hay or grass as the main part of their diet, all year round. It provides the tough fibres to keep their teeth worn down through chewing, and provides the bulk to maintain a healthy digestive system. Hay makes good bedding as well. Hay is dried grass. There's no getting around that one, although some places offer different cuts (so you could avoid seedheads, for instance), and many do dust free hay. A hay allergy isn't a good start to life with a pet rabbit, I'm afraid - or similar pets, such as guinea pigs, which also need hay as the main part of their diet.

Straw can be used as bedding, particularly for outdoor rabbits in winter. Rabbits may eat it, but it doesn't have the same nutritional value as hay.
Wood or paper based cat litter can be used as an absorbent substrate under hay. I just use newspaper or shredded hemp. Mine don't eat paper (it can cause gut blockages) and I've never had them trying to eat the hemp.

Food - should be mainly grass / hay. If they are on any pellets, stick to the same ones at first and gradually swap to a different one if you want. Pellets should only form a very small part of the diet and don't have to be fed at all. Any greens / fresh veg / foraged greens should be introduced very slowly, especially for very young rabbits.

Don't forget the annual vaccinations. Rabbit viruses are deadly. They will also need neutering, for long term health benefits and for calmer behaviour.

They need a lot of space - whether that's indoors or outside. Minimum 2m x 3m area by 1m high.

 

[Graciee]

Agree with shimmer, lots of good info there

Is your wife badly allergic to hay? Coz dried grass is hay, not sure a way round that unless you're gunna have them on grass outside year round, but you'd need to keep moving their grazing area (I did this with my childhood rabbits, but my parents had a very large garden so it was possible, I couldn't do that where I live now)

 

[InspectorMorse]

Think you want a rabbit?

Give owning a rabbit the consideration it deserves - Find out about responsible ownership today with our comprehensive guide.

rabbitwelfare.co.uk

 

[bunny momma]

Others have already said what you need to know regarding the ownership of rabbits.
There may be other small animals that are more suitable for a child. How old is your daughter?

If you still plan to get a rabbit, allow me to suggest a couple things.I
First, find a rabbit saavy vet before you get the rabbit so you can get any needed vaccines, neutering, and medical care as needed.
Second, get dried grass to test your wife's allergic reaction. Since she has allergies, she may want to get tested to see if she is allergic to rabbits.

 

[newbietopets]

This is a really good source of all things about rabbit care:

Home

Creating better tomorrows for all pet rabbits The UK’s largest organisation for rabbit lovers!

rabbitwelfare.co.uk

Rabbits are not really good pets for young children, so you will need to be fully responsible for all their care. Most really don't like to be petted, and they have powerful back feet so can kick. They are also quite fragile so need to be handled properly and with confidence. They can also bite. I would suggest you find somewhere that your daughter can go and actually practice being around rabbits to see if they are really what she expects them to be. They are, in the main, not that cute & cuddly. They prefer to have their feet firmly on the ground and doing their own thing.

Rabbits really need the company of another rabbit - they shouldn't be kept as singles. Rescues are a good starting point as you can get a bonded pair, already neutered, and you can tell what their personality will be like at that age as well.

Rabbits need hay or grass as the main part of their diet, all year round. It provides the tough fibres to keep their teeth worn down through chewing, and provides the bulk to maintain a healthy digestive system. Hay makes good bedding as well. Hay is dried grass. There's no getting around that one, although some places offer different cuts (so you could avoid seedheads, for instance), and many do dust free hay. A hay allergy isn't a good start to life with a pet rabbit, I'm afraid - or similar pets, such as guinea pigs, which also need hay as the main part of their diet.

Straw can be used as bedding, particularly for outdoor rabbits in winter. Rabbits may eat it, but it doesn't have the same nutritional value as hay.
Wood or paper based cat litter can be used as an absorbent substrate under hay. I just use newspaper or shredded hemp. Mine don't eat paper (it can cause gut blockages) and I've never had them trying to eat the hemp.

Food - should be mainly grass / hay. If they are on any pellets, stick to the same ones at first and gradually swap to a different one if you want. Pellets should only form a very small part of the diet and don't have to be fed at all. Any greens / fresh veg / foraged greens should be introduced very slowly, especially for very young rabbits.

Don't forget the annual vaccinations. Rabbit viruses are deadly. They will also need neutering, for long term health benefits and for calmer behaviour.

They need a lot of space - whether that's indoors or outside. Minimum 2m x 3m area by 1m high.

Hiya thanks for the reply. She has been around rabbits most of her life and she is very gentle so that's why we are looking at rabbits. Interesting a pair might be an option would it be the same gender from the same litter,

 

[InspectorMorse]

Hiya thanks for the reply. She has been around rabbits most of her life and she is very gentle so that's why we are looking at rabbits. Interesting a pair might be an option would it be the same gender from the same litter,

Best to contact a Rescue. There are thousands of Rabbits in Rescue looking for forever homes. By adopting from a Rescue you would get a pair who are already neutered, vaccinated and bonded

Adopt Don't Shop

Adopt a rabbit and promote responsible ownership. Find your perfect companion today. Help rabbits in need with Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund.

rabbitwelfare.co.uk

Baby bonds in Rabbits, ie the Babies are fine together at first, very often break down when puberty hits. This applies regardless of whether they are litter mates or not.

If you buy baby Rabbits then you’d need to separate them at about 12-14 weeks of age and keep them apart until after neutering. Bucks can remain fertile for up to 6 weeks AFTER neutering. Then you’d have to go through the entire bonding process from the start.

Pairing up Rabbits (Bonding)

Master the art of pairing up rabbits through bonding. Explore expert advice and resources for harmonious rabbit relationships. Start bonding now

rabbitwelfare.co.uk

Mis-gendering of baby Rabbits is a frequent occurrence with babies bought from Pet Shops and even Breeders. So there are the obvious consequences of thinking you have two same sex babies only to later discover that you actually have a Buck and a Doe.

Rescues usually offer ongoing support and advice after an adoption. You are very unlikely to get that from a Pet Shop or most Breeders.

It’s definitely essential for Rabbits to be kept with at least one other Rabbit in order to comply with the Animal Welfare Act 2006

Companionship

Rabbits should never be alone. Click here to find out all about the importance of Rabbit Companionship today.

rabbitwelfare.co.uk

’’For the purposes of this Act, an animal's needs shall be taken to include—

(a)its need for a suitable environment,

(b)its need for a suitable diet,

(c)its need to be able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns,

(d)any need it has to be housed with, or apart from, other animals, and

(e)its need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.’’

Full details here:

Animal Welfare Act 2006

An Act to make provision about animal welfare; and for connected purposes.

www.legislation.gov.uk

 

[HouseOfRabbit]

Definitely contact a rescue for rabbits. It means that you'll be able to get a pair that is ready bonded, neutered and vacinated plus you'll know their personalities and have a better idea of whether you and they will fit together well rather than waiting for baby bunnies, whilst cute, to grow up with neutering, vaccinating and bonding still to do (it's a lot of work ). Also find a local rabbit savvy vet before you adopt as it makes a big difference.

Re bedding, you didn't mention what accommodation you'd be using but look at underbed storage boxes with hemp/carefresh etc as a base and the hay on top for a litter tray as it's easier to keep the hay contained and the tray clean. You can also mix pellets etc through the hay for enrichment. You can use fleece as bedding elsewhere (provided they don't eat it) but when washing that put it in a horse rug wash bag so your washing machine doesn't get damanged.

 

[Orenoko]

Re the allergy you really need to test how bad this is before you commit to getting rabbits as hay/grass makes up 90% of their diet, dried grass and hay are the same thing. If your wife's allergy is too severe then I wouldn't even go down the route of getting rabbits or any other pet that requires hay. You could buy some samples of hay and test exposure that way. Definitely agree a single rabbit will be very lonely. And be prepared that these will be your pets, not your daughter's. Rabbits can live upwards of 10 years, so you're looking at the same sort of commitment as a dog.

 

[tulsi]

I had rabbits as a child. One of them could not bear any human contact, the other one (they didnt ever meet) was so sweet and friendly and used to hop onto my lap when I went and sat in her outdoor rabbit room.

As an adult I have kept rabbits in groups and pairs and found that the best and easiest way to obtain a rabbit was by going to a rescue and adopting a neutered/spayed male/female pair. I currently have a 12 year old buck who recently lost his doe and a m/f pair who spend most of their time cuddled up together. They all live in a large shed with a run which has 16g weld mesh on the top bottom and sides to stop any predators. I also use 32 litre under bed storage boxes lined with newspaper, straw and hay.

I hope you find a good way to have a pair of rabbits without the allergy being a problem. They are such lovely gentle creatures. Really peaceful and sweet. I used to love spending time sitting with my childhood rabbit. My current lot are watch dont touch rabbits. It doesnt worry me at all and I still enjoy their lovely gentle energy.