Active discussions

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

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think rabbits make shit pets?

102 replies

IHateBloodyRabbits · 02/03/2015 11:19

They look nice and soft and cuddly but they really aren't. Most of them hate being picked up and cuddled. They bite and scratch and dig and chew everything.

They also cost a fortune in vet bills with the bloody neutering and vaccinations and other shit they need.

And they live for bloody 8-10 years, sometimes longer Angry

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
FarFromAnyRoad · 02/03/2015 11:24

YANBU. Never understood the attraction of rabbits as pets. They're not even as entertaining as hamsters and hamsters are pretty pointless!

crazylady12 · 02/03/2015 11:24

It's how you choose to keep them, many people buy a rabbit and shove it in a cage I have two house rabbits they are potty trained and love to snuggle I think tgere amazing pets if socialised from a very early age

ZestyDragon · 02/03/2015 11:26

Our neighbour has one who is an amazing escape artist - and loves our garden and plants. They are great for exercise though because once you have spent half an hour trying to catch the little bastard you are knackered Grin he is gorgeous though

EponasWildDaughter · 02/03/2015 11:30

They are absolutely not suitable for a child's pet. This doesn't make them 'shit' though.

It's a shame so many rabbits are sold as pets for children.

Andrewofgg · 02/03/2015 11:32

I think they are wonderful - on a plate with roast potatoes and peas!

ClashCityRocker · 02/03/2015 11:32

I've got a house rabbit, he's lovely, really affectionate and is snuggled on my stomach grooming my chin as I type.

I think they're misunderstood. Most of them hate being picked up - prey animals - and those that tolerate it are actually frozen with fear, but if you let them come to you and take your time they really are the most loving and remarkable little animals with such big charactar.

ClashCityRocker · 02/03/2015 11:32

And I agree, they are not an 'easy' childrens pet.

JamesAndTheGiantBanana · 02/03/2015 11:35

Yanbu, they make terrible choices for kids pets. I do feel sorry for them though as the majority are left in a hutch at the end of people's gardens over the winter and it's so sad and cruel. No way to live. I don't believe in keeping creatures caged who want to be free. Dogs and cats are different, they want to be here.

aprilanne · 02/03/2015 11:55

we have had jim .think rosie and jim .for 6 years he is an indoor rabbit .he sits on your knee is affectinate .he is great really .but shoving them outside in a cage is a bit cruel ours roams the house .he goes to his potty for toilet and cage at night for bed but other wise is a free spirit

BarbarianMum · 02/03/2015 12:02

YABU - rabbits can be great pets but if you just want something you can shove in a cage/tiny run and then let the kids maul them occasionally than they are definately not the pet for you. They need quite specialised care, careful and regular handling (if you want them to be tame), space and company.

If you want something that needs minimal care but will interact with the kids when they're bored try a Texta puppy.

Also, many people would consider longevity in a pet a good thing Hmm

farewellfigure · 02/03/2015 12:07

I had two miniature lop-earred rabbits as a teenager and they were horrible. I always thought that as they had each other they didn't need us. They bit, scratched and were generally unpleasant. If we brought them into the lounge, they would run and hide and were impossible to catch (only tried that a couple of times). I should have got one big fat one that liked sitting on laps instead. I agree that they should't be outdoors either. Ours lived in the washroom!

SusanIvanova · 02/03/2015 12:24

I have 6 rabbits and each one has its own personality. Some like being picked up. One likes a tummy rub. One likes his eats being scratched. They are all wonderful, funny characters and I wouldn't be without them.

YABVU.

itsallgonetitsup91 · 02/03/2015 12:24

I've got one house rabbit and he's an absolute terror, eats everything - but I we love him dearly and he's a great pet. He's more responsibility than I expected to be fair, I had to enlist 3 people to look after him when we weny on holiday, have previously had massive vets bills as well, but we should have got insurance.
He doesn't like being picked up, but he'll come and sit on your knee. He's a rescue and I think he'd been terrorised by children loving him too much because he's really wary of stranger children.
We've got a big garden which is half rabbit proofed which he goes out in most days, he does escape quite alot but he just comes back of him own accord. He chases the neighbours cats! I keep meaning to get him a girlfriend because they get lonely on their own, but never have enough money aside.
farewellfigure if I lived in a washroom I'd be a twat

PeasinPod1 · 02/03/2015 12:25

Guinea pigs all the way.. great range of noises/sounds, much character and to top it off, they just LOVE getting cosy on your lap and snuggling, all fluffed out and fat for up to 1 hour at a time without running off anywhere. So perfect for kids (& grown ups...!) alike.

Squirrelsmum · 02/03/2015 12:26

Yabu, we've had rabbits previously they make great pets, they would come when called, were litter trained, would often sneak into bed during the night for snuggles. Would follow me around the house and trip me up in the kitchen when preparing meals as good as any cat would.. I would have another but my dogs would probably eat it :(

smilingthroughgrittedteeth · 02/03/2015 12:33

They aren't good children's pets but yabu to say they are shit pets in general.

I currently have 2 rabbits that live outside, they have a big multi storey hutch each as they don't like living together although will happily play together all day Hmm and both run up to the top level whenever anyone goes past them to get some attention. They love playing with toys and can be amusing to watch and during the day are out together in a big run and if I sit in there with them will both climb on my lap for a cuddle.

One is happy to be picked up and will jump up at you till you do pick him up then he will snuggle in like a baby, the other one tolerates being picked up but would prefer not to be which is fine, as long as I can pick him up for vets visits I don't push it.

Neither one bites or scratches

Hoppinggreen · 02/03/2015 12:37

I'm not keen on them to be honest but it seems that the CAN make good pets, I just think that people's expectations of them as children's pets are totally unreasonable. Most children I know who have them end up totally ignoring them.
I also don't really like pets that live outside or in cages either. Pets should be in the house as part of the family.

GertrudePerkins · 02/03/2015 12:39

i have my friend's baby substitute rabbit to stay with us while she's away, and I would fancy having one all the time

she says he's litter trained but I have lots of evidence to the contrary. and he chew cables. I know some people keep them outside instead but I don't seen the point in a pet who doesn't share the house with you. I"ll stick to my moggies.

tabulahrasa · 02/03/2015 12:42

They're not an easy pet that children can look after or treat like soft toys...but they're not shit pets.

They're affectionate as long as you don't manhandle them and you can clicker train them to do tricks, they have really strong personalities as long as you give them enough space to act like rabbits and not stick them in a hutch or cage.

BreakingDad77 · 02/03/2015 12:43

i never get the whole gerbills esp with their short life span - or is that the point so that you can teach kids about life and death or do you have to keep finding similar looking ones to replace Tiddles1/2/3/4?

Sleepingbunnies · 02/03/2015 12:48

YANBU! Guinea pigs all the way! They make the best pets for small children too but I agree, house pets, not ones shoved at the bottom of the garden in a cage are best :)

smilingthroughgrittedteeth · 02/03/2015 12:55

I used to have a house rabbit but DP is very allergic, he lived on antihistamines when we first moved in together so when my gorgeous boy passed away I decided I still wanted rabbits but they would have to live outside.

They are more than happy because they still get lots of attention and aren't shoved in a tiny hutch and forgotten about.

Their routine is, a cuddle in the morning then out for the day together in the run with lots of hay and water and they have grass pots to eat and dig in (we don't have a lawn) unless it's pouring then they get 30 mins in the conservatory, hutches get a quick clean, food bowls topped up. In the evening if they've been out all day they get put in their hutches which are 3 storeys, the bottom storey is a run so they can see each other and has lots of toys, middle storey is food and water plus toilet, top storey is thick straw bed to burrow in with a heat pad if it's cold. If they've been in all day which is rare they get to play in the conservatory for a couple of hours.

I really do believe if they are properly cared for they make great pets but they are so often just ignored then when people do decide to pick them up they get frightened and scratch then get ignored again Sad

calculatorsatdawn · 02/03/2015 12:56

another house bunny owner here and agree with the above sentiments. They're not pets for children, but they are awesome pets. As long as you let them come to you they will jump up for a snuggle. Mine hops into the bathroom in the morning and sits on my feet whilst I put my make up on she loves being near people but hates being picked up, but sit down for any length of time and she's straight up on your lap. the house is really empty when she's not there. I have two little sisters (5 and 3) and they just don't have the patence to sit back and let the rabbit come up to them, they want to stroke her all the time and I feel very mean for limiting them to what she will put up with.

smilingthroughgrittedteeth · 02/03/2015 12:58

I should also add that that they live just outside the back door so get attention throughout the day not at the end of the garden where they can't be seen.

BarbarianMum · 02/03/2015 12:59

There are a worying number of people who think "good pet" equates to "antimated soft toy"

My tortoises live in the garden in spring/summer because they like it there. I prefer it when they are marauding around my kitchen/back room and climbing on my feet (as they are now), but it would be pretty selfish to deny them the thrill of hunting dandylions and digging holes in the flower beds just for my own amusement.