Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not bother with rabbit insurance

130 replies

Cranfieldmc · 28/11/2014 21:42

Wondered if you can help me. I'm new to having a proper pet that you need a vet for (have lots of fish and am a fairly enthusiastic owner but I always self-diagnose and treat my fish (with the help of the internet) rather than go to a vet). I am thinking of getting a pair of bunnies and am currently researching all aspects of care.

I have heard it said many times on mumsnet that you should have pet insurance for your cat and dog. I am wondering if the same applies for these bunnies. I have been quoted circa £30 a month for the pair (sure I can get it cheaper if I search around). I'm just wondering if this is worth it in bunny world. Do you take your bunnies to the vet often for illnesses and is it expensive (more expensive than £360 per year).

Just to be clear, if I didn't insure the bunnies I would be able to pay high vet fees if they arose (and would do so rather than leave an animal in pain or to be unnecessarily put down). I just want to make sure insurance is a sensible option. Many thanks for your help.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
GraysAnalogy · 04/12/2014 11:13

Yeah krsty I adopted mine as a house rabbit and im glad I did. She had a huge run in the garden though where she would spend a lot of time. But she always loved curling up in my lap at nighttime. Or sleeping on top of the dog.

EveDallasRetd · 04/12/2014 11:53

Kry, my £3000+ bill was the result of a fight and a bite in a hard to treat place. Neither 'unlucky' nor 'unhealthy', just circumstance. Rabbits can and do fight, and a rabbit in the wild would have died, whereas as a pet owner it was my duty to treat it. Of course it didn't help that most of the treatment took place on Xmas Eve, Xmas Day and NYE - that I'll grant you was unlucky.

This was 3 years ago and both rabbits are still healthy and happy. They have a heated shed and can free range as much as they like in the summer months, in the winter they tend to stay inside.

krystellie · 04/12/2014 12:22

EveDallasRetd sorry to hear about the fight. Are they same-sex and have they been bonded?

Successfully bonded rabbits shouldn't fight. If one draws blood on the other, the general rule is that they should be separated so it doesn't happen again.

I hope your bunnies are both ok though.

EveDallasRetd · 04/12/2014 12:39

No they are a bonded male female pair, both neutered and had been living together for 6 months happily before it happened. Which is partly why the injury got so bad - we didn't notice it at first, and had no inkling of trouble. It was only when cleaning their shed that DD noticed a clump of fur that I then traced back to the female and saw the wound (underneath, on her belly, hidden in the fold of her leg (vet thinks female prob tried to hump the males head and he bit her to get her off).

Absolutely fine after, and still fine 3 years on - although the female seems to hate me now as I'm the one that took her to the vet!

krystellie · 04/12/2014 12:47

Poor thing! Glad they're both ok now.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page