House rabbits

[sonjadog]

Someone mentioned their house rabbit on a thread that is now pulled. I couldn't care less about the content of that thread, but house rabbits... now that is a topic I want to hear more about. Tell me more about your house rabbit, please? Photos welcome too!

Why would you want one? I don't see the point?

Sorry forgot the most important thing re litter training - they like to "chew and poo" so simply set up a decent (NOT small pet marketed, get a cat one) litter tray, half absorbent bedding, half hay. Hang a hay bag above it too. 80 - 90% of your buns poops will be in this tray as long as it's in a spot they are happy with, is clean, and has a good hay supply.

They live long, don't go in thinking you'll be rabbit free in 3 - 4 years. 8 - 12 year is the average and they live longer with proper care.

They're affectionate and social animals! So you'd want one the same reason you'd want a dog or cat. They're also vegan and have scentless poops which for people like me is the deciding factor when comparing them to, especially cats.

We had to have ours inside for a month post surgery, and blimey was she destructive! Every single cable was destroyed (phone, watch, iPad, kindle tv, lamp etc etc ). It didn’t matter how you hid them, she was very clever. She was a good girl in that she used her toilet and was great company, but my poor boy cat! She shagged his head every chance she got. He was so patient, but dejected.

Hi! I presently have two house rabbits. They are seniors now, at the end of their expected life span of nearly 10 years. They are Lion Heads. My first rabbit was also a Lion Head, and she was my best pet ever, the one who turned me into a rabbit lover forevermore! Rabbits are silly, smart, observant, can learn tricks, are cleaner than cats (I'm also a cat owner and the buns are so much more pleasant to be around because they smell like a meadow!) If a bunny happens to leave droppings outside of the litterbox, no biggie because they don't stink; they're just hay and rabbit hair. My first rabbit was housed in in a ex-pen for dogs and allowed out for exercise. That was because she was a digger and very mischievous. My current two are free roam; they're a spayed and neutered bonded pair. One caveat is the price of vet care because rabbits are exotic animals. Read more about them at the RSPCA, etc.

I'm attaching a picture of one of my girls.

Let me tell you about rabbits and litter trays. They think they are clever if they can wee over the edge, out of the tray. Keeps the tray nice and dry for lying in, see?

Another one - get a water dish. They'll empty it out and wee in it. So soon you have a nice dish of urine to empty. Rabbits are clever and skilful.

@FishEagleonthelake That's a pretty bunny!

That is a vey cute bunny, FishEagle!

I want to see the house hen <stamps foot>

Go to Rabbits United Forum and look through their old 'housing' posts. There are some rabbit palaces.

I would not mind a bonus bunny. Cat might not be impressed though.

Previous cat would've licked his lips.

It’s fantastic. Rabbits litter train themselves and are generally happy sociable creatures indoors as long as they have been spayed/neutered. Yes they dig and chew but with a bit of time and effort this behaviour can be redirected into other outlets (hay and sea grass chew toys or strategy games) and it’s not difficult to keep wires and electronics out of the way!

Remember pet rabbits are ultimately domesticated animals and will not have the same outdoors survival instinct as wild rabbits that live in warrens, despite what many people think. I would add though that rabbits are expensive and demanding animals though with sometimes quite complex care needs - putting them outside in a hutch doesn’t make those things go away, just that you are less likely to notice if they do become unwell.

We reluctantly rehomed a rabbit a few years ago (a relative died and nobody would take her in). We converted an old, large chicken coop with attached run and outer, even larger, run. It was massive.

I felt bad about that as I don't think they make good pets (lovely as they are). I like to see them in the nearby field. Watch them run the length of it lightning fast then gather together in groups and communicate. That's where they should be.

I can't imagine a more unsuitable environment than a house. Though we once rescued a rabbit injured on the road who stayed indoors in a cardboard box until well enough to be released again.

Yes, I feel the same.

Our more sociable hens will sometimes walk into the kitchen to look around, but I can't imagine you'd have them live in the house (the mess alone) or that they'd like it. Though I've had chicks in the house in boxes for early stage help.

Once caught ds apparently talking to himself. He was in fact showing our chicken Keith his bedroom...
Best pets I have ever had.

We had guinea-pigs for years , they had their PigHouse (converted wooden playhouse that DH customised ) but in winter slept in our small bedroom . And when the last 3 were elderly , they were inside 24/7

But they don't do litter training , boars tend to pick a spot where they sleep but they don't go back to pooh. Sows just stroll about leaving a trail of droppings !
But it is inoffensive chopped vegetable , though the the hay smells and gets everywhere

I;ve never kept rabbits bt guinea-pigs are sweet , cuddly ,noisy , greedy little rodents who are just the right side of dim

I had two, boy-girl neutered pair. They were originally purchased as house rabbits. We gave it six months, in which time they destroyed carpets, shoes, spines of books, wallpaper. We literally had to redecorate every room they were in. Hay gets all over the house and is impossible to contain. And sure, they would pee in the litter tray, but rabbits scatter little dry poos everywhere they go to mark their territory so they get everywhere.

Mine moved outside where they could free-range the garden in the daytime and had a secure shed to live in at night. We were much happier and I think they were too. I wouldn’t ever do it again!

I'm not trying to start a bun fight here (pun intended?) but I can pretty much guarantee that a rabbit free roaming the house, coming for cuddles and treats, zooming around and having loads of space to run, is miles happier than a rabbit stuck in a hitch and 6 foot run at the bottom of a garden.

If rabbits are being destructive it's because they're not having a need met or the owner isn't understanding of their psychology. Leaving things around a rabbit's considered territory will mean the rabbit will investigate (chew) it because this is part of the prey animal nature.

That being said, my rabbit was raised as a baby as a house rabbit; rabbits who have been kept as outdoor pets with far less interaction with people and no house training are bound to be less civilised indoors.

I had a Lionhead; she was an indoor bunny from about the age of 1 onwards.
She lived until she was 12 (and 3 months) and she was the soppiest pile of fluff you ever met.
Only ever chewed one piece of spicy hay (phone charger) although admittedly she did have a thing for thinking carpets were grass.

I don't miss the hay getting everywhere, but she was very clean otherwise.

@halfsiesonapotnoodle I also have piggies, they're bloody lovely. I had a weird timeline though so I keep ending up with one old pig and one young (I have boars so keep pairs). My pig recently lost his pig partner and we're getting another this week, I'm beyond excited!

@sonjadog You can't really let guinea pigs free roam, they're not agile or particularly bright nor can they be litter trained, but I let my pigs roam while WFH and it is so cute. They are very vocally communicative which is a really unique trait for small pets, and you can hold and snuggle them! They can (should) be kept indoors and they are super fun. Less maintenance than bunnies in terms of costs because they don't require vaccinations and they don't need neutering unless you want to keep an opposite sex pair together.

There's a bias toward female guinea pigs because they are much easier to keep together, so you can just keep adding to your heard, but boars are hilarious and a bit bolder IME, so consider getting a pair of bonded boys if you like the sound of them.

We have two house rabbits, who also have an outdoor run in the garden in the summer. They have free range of our downstairs, are completely litter trained and seem to love life.
We’re lucky to have lots of space for them to run and jump and binky, and they’re quite content flopped in the living room of an evening, like tiny, silent dogs. If you intend to get rabbits please do your research and then do a little more as so many are neglected and kept in less than ideal conditions.

I'm not trying to start a bun fight here (pun intended?) but I can pretty much guarantee that a rabbit free roaming the house, coming for cuddles and treats, zooming around and having loads of space to run, is miles happier than a rabbit stuck in a hitch and 6 foot run at the bottom of a garden

Neither are ideal environments. I agree.

We custom made a large enclosure for one rabbit out of a chicken run, and a run within a run. Massive and I still felt guilty, but it was a rehome and rescue situation and we did the best we could. Nobody else would rehome the rabbit.

Yes, they love eating wires. They think they are being helpful clearing the pesky roots away in their warren.

My last bun became a house rabbit after his partner died and he wouldn't bond with another. Couldn't leave him outside alone, so he came in.

And he was brilliant. Litter trained and would follow the dog around. Had free roam of the downstairs 24/7 (stairs confused him) He had access to the garden when I was at home, but he mostly chose to stay inside. He didn't chew a single thing until he became ill and was in pain, that was the only sign he gave. I miss him more that I ever expected I would.