I want a pet rabbit - what are the logistics for this and pros/cons?

[howow]

Hi all,
I live in a terraced house with a fairly small paved back garden. I was interested in getting a pet. Not a cat as I don't like cats, not a dog (prefer them to cats but still fairly high maintenance for me at the moment and not massively a dog person either). Pet fish = might be a little too tame and dull. Hamster/Gerbil = remind me a bit of mice/rats.

Whereas I quite like the idea of having a pet rabbit but I know nothing about this such:
the pros/cons of having a pet rabbit
how much space it requires
if it's better to get multiple or is a singular one better
pros/cons to a male rabbit vs a female one
how expensive it is to both buy a rabbit and its general living costs (home, litter, food, vet bills, etc.)
how much time does it require/how long can they be left unsupervised home alone.
Should they always be kept outdoors?
Are they best kept in their hatch at all times or should they be allowed to roam? If so, any risks either way?
best way to even source a rabbit
its lifespan
any risks to health (diseases they may carry, whether they'll bite humans or if certain breeds are worse for these kind of risks than others.
Day to day duties of having a pet rabbit.

I know that's a lot of questions but I've never even owned any pet so any help would be much appreciated.

I have two six year old pet female rabbits who are wonderful additions to our home. They live indoors in 2 separate 1msq cages underneath my desk. They then come out into our apartment in the day and roam around in their portable enclosure which consists of foam mats and a portable x-pen. In terms of food they have Allen and page nuggets and unlimited hay.

I haven’t had the same experience as listed above. My rabbits are very cute, playful and inquisitive little creatures who are a good mixture of dog (love to see us, get hyped for their oxbow vitamins that are like treats to them, run around, play with us) and cats (love grooming themselves, love their own space and chill time and don’t have to be around you constantly).

My rabbits don’t smell at all - they sleep on fleece blankets, and have kaytee clean and cosy bedding for their litter box. We change their litter boxes and fleeces twice a day. My friend came round yesterday and asked why they don’t smell at all, so it’s not just me that thinks that.

They need a lot of maintenance - they have highly sensitive guts so need to have a stable diet consisting of mainly hay, which stops lots of dental problems. You also have to make sure that they have a rabbit savvy vet and have some oxbow critical care in the house for emergencies. Rabbits are also particularly sensitive to the snuffles, which causes them to get upper and sometimes lower respiratory infections. This can be caused by dust, poor, ventilation etc. So you should use F10 cage disinfectant to clean them, and clean them at least once a day. They also need vaccinations and spaying/ neutering. Especially as females can get uterine cancer. Rabbits should also be kept indoors - but make sure to give them a safe rabbit proof area as they love to chew.

In terms of cost I spend around a £100 a month on food, toys and bedding. I buy Allen and Page rabbit food £20 for a 15kg sack which lasts for three months,. I then by rosewood hay cookies for £4 a box (lasts for a month) and spend about £15 on hay from vet uk.Their houses cost £250, their Kaytee litter costs around £20 for the month. This cost excludes vet bills etc.

I would say as long as you can commit to make sure that they have a good quality of life and that you spend some time with them each day giving them cuddles, socialising and playing with them (as well as cleaning them out) then you will be fine. Also if you keep them indoors then they are a lot more sociable and not scared - as you have to remember they are sensitive little creatures and prey animals.

One other thing is that they don’t like being picked up - so you have to let them come to you. They associate being picked up with predators.

Also one last thing is that the rabbits are mine and my boyfriends - we do not have children. I don’t think rabbits are good animals for children as they are too delicate and sensitive.

terrible pets

Reading this thread is eye-opening, I had no idea rabbits were pretty specialist pets!
They seem much more high-maintenance than I would have thought, I can't believe you can still buy them in pet shops, that seems like a recipe for disaster!

Reading this thread is eye-opening, I had no idea rabbits were pretty specialist pets!
They seem much more high-maintenance than I would have thought, I can't believe you can still buy them in pet shops, that seems like a recipe for disaster!

Honestly to be looked after properly they are quite hard work. Need a spot clean most days and obviously food / water. They usually need a lot more room than most people think and are very unhappy stuck in hutches for long periods, and need to be kept in at least pairs as they are social animals. I'd also say ideally even if you get a house rabbit most rabbits like to access grass. They often aren't that cuddly.

I think guinea pigs are slightly better pets really and don't need quite as much room (but still more than a hutch).

@SweetLathyrus agreed about those back legs. It's bloody painful too! 😩

I loved my house bunny ! He lived till he was 7 and he was delightful. We had 2 does who lived outdoors in a hutch before that, they were vicious beasts who hated each other, us, all other living creatures and would commonly escape from their large run and fight cats and dogs. They caught a disease from wild rabbits on one of the rampages and died.
Our house bun was litter trained, he never chewed the wires, we used to build him cardboard castles and he would sit on the sofas and watch tv. When we brushed him he would lick and groom us. He had a liking for blueberries and unfortunately this rotted his teeth which isn't good for rabbits. He was great and would come when called and do tricks, beg and sit.
Wish I could guarantee you'd get one like him not the gruesome twosome!

No I don't think they should smell either Alliecat22 if they are kept properly. Good fresh hay does smell quite strongly though. I don't mind it, but some people do, judging by past posts on here.

I agree with those saying house bunnies are better than hutched ones. We had a dwarf lop for many years. She started out in a hutch in our garage (integrated) so had the run of the garage but able to go into the hutch for quiet time, sleeping, feed & water etc. We got into the habit of leaving the connecting door open and she started coming into the house and sitting with us in the evening whilst we watched TV. She'd sit at our feet or sometimes jump onto the sofa. On our son's birthday, we had some balloons and she started rolling one around the lounge - absolutely loved playing with it. We then got her a lightweight football which she loved and would spend most evenings nosing it around the lounge.

I think they're a pet where you get out what you put in. We never had a bit of trouble - she never bit or kicked and would happily sit and let us stroke her.

I really hope more people read this thread. It really boggles my mind that rabbits are being marketed as and known as "easy pets" or "starter pets", especially for families with little kids! Of course like any other animal, the right rabbit with the right owners will be a wonderful combination, but it is definitely the exception and not the rule. The kids at my work are not allowed to pick up the rabbits but they do it anyway if we are not supervising, and their parents encourage them despite the huge signs everywhere. One of the dwarf breed rabbits actually died once (before my time thankfully) because he broke his back when some kids flipped him over. We have been a lot stricter since but can you imagine the trauma such a kid will have their whole life, when the pet in their house they love and adore and just want to shower with affection dies in their hands because the parents didn't bother to put in 5 minutes of research before they made a commitment that can last upto 12 years! One couple I met even thought rabbits only live 2-3 years like rats/gerbils etc.

Rabbits can be wonderful pets, I hope the intention in my posts is clear that I have nothing against the animal, only the ignorant owners. Sorry if that details your thread op, you seem like you are doing a lot of research and will be a great owner! So I hope you find a pet that will bring joy to your life, I know the ones in my life make me smile every day, and it's an amazing experience if you do it right.