To really want a pet rabbit?

[ThereIsNoDanaOnlyZuul]

I'm 23, have no children yet I really want a pet rabbit. Would it look weird for someone my age with no children (so I can't even use the "kids wanted one" excuse) to have a pet rabbit, a stereotypical children's pet? Would you think it was weird?

If it is weird then fair enough, people already know I'm weird...but I really do want a bunny rabbit!

Rabbits don't make good pets.

Otherwise just get one. Children do not have pets anyway. Adult do.

YADNBU. My mum got a rabbit when my brother and I were in our twenties, so we were definitely beyond the "family pet" stage, just because she wanted one.

I've read somewhere (it might have been on here) that rabbits aren't really a suitable pet for children in any case - I forget the reasons why.

Love your username by the way!

I wouldn't think it as weird. I have 2 rabbits. Admittedly they were supposedly brought for dd (8), but she never plays with hem, cleans them, feeds them etc. I knew that that would happen when I got them though. They are still quite young about 16 weeks now. 2 mini lops very cute and are handled daily. One likes being stroked and handled and the other likes chewing buttons or zips when being held!

As long as you have space for a large hutch and run go for it. Although maybe you want house rabbits? You can also have the rabbits free range in the garden instead of a run as long as the garden is secure. I can't as have 2 dogs as well, but they have a large run and I move I daily so that they have fresh grass.

We also have 2 guinea pigs, they are easier to handle but they aren't as interesting (sorry piggies), the rabbits have little personalities already and come to he hutch when they hear me come outside, will sit up and look around. The guinea pigs also have a run and go outside daily, but they hide when anyone is about and you can hear then squeaking to each other in the little house.

If you're anywhere near Wokingham I can highly recommend a breeder.

RedToothBrush why do you say that? I've had other small pets before - guinea pigs and hamsters - and I know rabbits aren't cuddly like guinea pigs and don't really like being picked up or cuddled but I'm fine with that.

I also know they need a big hutch and run and need neutered and vaccinated. Is there anything else I'm missing out on?

Rabbits are awful pets. Take a lot of looking after, chew everything, kick and scratch and hate being picked up. We spent literally a thousand on DDs one with dental issues. Also they need castrating and annual injections. Never again

Ime a dog is easier.

I had a pet rabbit in my 20s, I don't see why they are children's pets. He lived in the house and was very bright and fun but he did chew a lot and he was never cuddly. Having said that I have seen rabbits that are very cuddly and affectionate.

One of my rabbits loves being picked up! The second one has only been here a week so growls at you a bit but will get used to it. My little lop sat next to me for 2 hours the other night to be cuddled. You can really get nice personalities in rabbits.

I love my bunnies, they make wonderful pets. I like to sit outside and play with them because they might not like being picked up but that doesn't stop them jumping up on you looking for affection. One in particular loves people and lies down next to you so you can stroke his ears, if you stop he climbs on your legs for attention.

They take a lot more caring for, for a lot less reward.

I would not compare a guinea pig with a rabbit.

Rabbits don't make good pets.

WTF, says who?

OP get one, they are lovely pets but you have to put the effort in. They are as much work as a cat or a dog though and i would never get one for a child to solely be responsible for (they are fast and it really hurts if they are bitey).

They need a large hutch and plenty of space to run around, wild ones run at least 3 miles a day. They can be buggers for chewing wall paper and wires (mine loves a phone charger), however if you put protect corners of walls with something like this www.google.co.uk/search?q=plastic+corner+right+angle+trim&biw=1366&bih=659&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=eMMSVPaxDoHT7Aatr4HoCQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg#imgdii=_
Or wooden ones you can paint to match decor and get cable tidies for wires you should be fine.

They are very sociable and will bond to you if you interact with them A LOT, otherwise they can get very depressed. Sit on the floor all the time when you first get a rabbit, stroke it when it comes to investigate you, but don’t pick it up continually, make sure it has a small bowl of water and hay to eat, lots of tubes from the inside of loo / kitchen rolls to chew / throw and a cardboard box to sit in / destroy.

It will probably carpet bomb the house with droppings, but pick it up and put it in the litter tray, plus kitchen roll with its wee on when it has an accident in the wrong place (it will). Putting a small amount of food in the corner of the tray also encourages it to do its business there and they soon learn.

Mine doesn’t mind being picked up but will resist if she’s not in the mood, however she loves to jump on my lap for a cuddle (stroke their noses / up their heads and between their ears as that’s what they do to each other to make friends) and she will sit on the sofa with us for a snooze as essentially she’s in the garden running around or with us in the house pretty much whenever we are and only in her hutch at night as she’s trained to use a litter tray which is very easy to do.

Peple do tend to think they are pets for children but they couldnt be more wrong and if you arent prepared to have to give it as much consideration and exercise as a dog then a rabbit is not for you.

They need company so you'll have to factor in getting a pair (preferably male/female), the cost of neutering, even if same sex. Then there are costs/efforts of yearly vaccines, worming and regular nail clipping/grooming, large hutch or shed with 24 hour access to covered run (or their own room / section of your room if you keep them indoors). They're classed as exotics so vet bills are high and you're best to get insurance. They poop a lot and need a lot of cleaning out. I estimate our four cost £15 pw veg/pellets plus £20-£30 every 2 months for farm hay, timothy hay and litter. They are a high maintenance pet, I love them and ours are elderly (ours range from 7-10 years) but many are in rescue as people don't cope with them. Our vet said he'd never seen rabbits as old as ours which is pretty depressing as they should live from 7-10 years.

I'm childless, 24 and a mother to two rabbits. I love them to bits! Mine are house rabbits, they live in the house but I have a totally secure garden so I let them go out free range during the day. They sleep and spend the evening hopping around my living room which is rabbit proofed re wires. They don't chew my stuff because they have their own stuff to chew!

If you've got the space and can afford the upkeep than why not!

I should say when they go outside they have access to a shed for shelter. Complete with cat flap so they can get in and out at thier leisure... I've got a hutch in there for them and in the house an indoor cage thing which is a glorified litter tray.

Just a thing to mention, if your bunnies run around the garden be very sure you don't have Buzzards around, not me obviously, I wouldn't eat one.

I have a bunny who likes biting through zips too! She isn't very affectionate and doesn't like being cuddled or even stoked whereas my other bunny used to get jealous if the first was getting any attention.

Bunnies make lovely pets. I would say that they are low maintenance especially once litter trained. Mine just have yearly vaccinations and regular claw trimming so aren't expensive (have never had insurance). My first died at about 8 and the other is still going strong at the age of 8. I first got them when I was about 27, no kids and single

Not not unreasonable I am 33 and have a rabbit. Have had rabbits since I was nine. Will be getting him a companion in a few weeks as just got him neutered. I do have a 11 month old dd but he is very much my pet.
They need to be kept in a pair at least with the largest hutch you can afford and with access to a run or you can keep them as house rabbits. The rabbit welfare associations website is great for information on keeping rabbits.
Please consider getting rabbits from a rescue. The RSPCA re home rabbits or the rabbit re home website lists local rescues with rabbits available. They will also talk to you about rabbit care and it a rabbit is suitable for you.
I think they are great pets. Mine doesn't like being picked up by is very friendly and will hop over for a stroke.

We adopted 2 rabbits for the children.

Hmm. they had been kept in a bedroom and were not socialised.

they are bonded together which is nice but they don't like humans much.

we have all been bitten a few times, even when they are just sitting quietly on our laps.

they need daily cleaning of their (frankly enormous) hutch.

they come inside in the winter but they chew everything (wires esp) and poo and wee everywhere even though they are litter trained.

We'll hold onto them as we made a commitment.
with the benefit of hindsight though....

We started with 2 rabbits, supposedly both girls. We quickly had a lot more than 2!
They had varied personalities, we had about 5 that were very happy to be handled, and 1 that hated it.
We gave them the run of the garden, so the hutch was only for eating and sleeping in.
One of the rabbits would come to the door of our house just before dusk every night and rap on the door with her paw, we would open the door and she would hop in to the living room. She would then sit and raise her front paws. DC would go fetch her a carrot, put it infront of her and she would pick it up and hop back out side and share it with her babies.
She was the best pet rabbit ever.
We also had one who liked to lick feet, so if you sat outside barefoot she would come over and lick your toes. she also loved a cuddle.
The only bad tempered one was male, he wanted to run free all the time, hated being in the hutch or being held. I think it may come down to where we got him from. He was bought from a farm where they were kept in a large indoor run (inside a barn as it was snowing heavily when we bought him), but were not handled at all. Where as the one who would come in to the house was bought at a pet shop, was clearly used to people and being handled.

So YANBU to get a rabbit, but do choose wisely, and go for one that has clearly been handled and well cared for.

I have a gorgeous bunny, she's awesome (I'm 31, no kids).

That said, she has destroyed parts of my house. She has managed to chew whole bricks out of the walls in places, gone through the burglar alarm system that was hard wired in and now sounds constantly (I disconnected the speaker), 5 pairs of headphones, 3 wii senor bars, about 10 meters of skirting board, the plud for the wireless router, a whole wall of peeling paint... the list goes on. (she very quickly got the hang on where she's supposed to crap though).

On the flip side, she is very curious and wants to be around me all the time, I chat to her as I get dressed in the morning, I take her for walks on her lead (I wear a special green kaftan - if you're going to be a crazy lady got to get the outfit right), she hops up on your lap when watching the telly.

Wouldn't be without her for a second, although once I start rennovating the house she is going to lose her free reign.

I've had loads of pet rabbits (admittedly, this one takes the prize for being nuts) and they're great company but far more hassle then most other pets.

boring pet.

great casserole though.

You worry too much what other people think. Get it if you want.

Rabbits are the most neglected pets in the UK so be sure to be careful to have enough time, money and space for them. You do have to get more than one as they are sociable animals (although they take effort and time to bond so if you can get a bonded pair from a rescue place then thats much easier). I have 2 which have free access to my garden and go in at night to a shed with a hutch in it with access to a safe outdoor run at all times, as they are dusk and dawn active rather than day time really. My 2 dont like people much but my previous one did. My son loves to watch them though. They are as much commitment as a dog or cat and live 6 or so years (i think its 6-10) so do think ahead in case you are likely to move house etc and you will need to factor in the space needed. Rabbits are lovely but need a lot and I fear they get a bad deal welfare wise as people dont realise it, and pet shops sell hutches that are completely unsuitable size wise. Rabbits are designed to spend hours and hours grazing over a large space and its when that doesnt happen that you get all the dental and gut problems that are so problematic(and expensive). They are basically mini horses.

We have a lovely rabbit, she's a black and white lop and lovely (now). She was kept by her owner in a too-small space and because of that she doesn't like other rabbits at all - but is great friends with the cat! (It was a condition of the rescue that we shouldn't have another rabbit with her).

She has a large hutch in a totally secure garden and loves getting the run of the place. Today she has lain in the sun beside the guinea pig run, played with the cat and chased a few bold wood pigeons away - how very dare they come into her garden!!

She likes me fine but she adores dd1, and that's because dd1 has put the work in - Alice was rescued after the late, great Speedy MacReady died, and he was totally bonded to dd1 too.

She likes being brushed, eating hay and chasing pigeons - it's hilarious.

I really think they are an older child/adult pet - our dc are 10, 12 and 14 - but very rewarding.

Alice refuses to be litter-trained but it's a great treat for her to be allowed to sit on a towel beside dd1 and watch tv!

Somebody posted similar not long ago! Go for it! I'm childless and got two rats in January. Two more in March and two more 7 weeks ago. I love them to bits, they really keep me going! We considered rabbits and Guinea pigs but lack of decent garden plus a small flat meant that it wouldn't be fair for those. Very glad to have ended up with our rats though!

Aren't rabbits like rats in that they usually need to be in pairs?

Rabbits are very time consuming, need a lot of room and are neurotic and prone to gastrointestinal and dental problems. I would never have one again.

Guinea pigs are much nicer pets or perhaps a cat or two.