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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be worried about the school rabbits? WWYD?

451 replies

lottieandmia · 13/05/2017 00:17

Dd's school acquired two very cute little rabbits recently. She has been very keen to sign up to take them home to look after for the weekend so today we collected them for the weekend.

I'm really shocked to see that they spend pretty much their entire lives in a tiny living space which does not allow them to move around or stretch out. My guinea pigs have a much bigger cage than they do. The rabbits cage allows them to only do one hop from length to length (if that)

We're animal lovers and I'm very worried about them. So much so that I'm willing to buy them a bigger hutch to donate to the school.

In my situation what would you do about this? We have never had rabbits but I do know they are intelligent, complex and are often rehomed due to a lack of understanding about their care needs. What would you do?

OP posts:
Tiggles · 13/05/2017 09:02

We have this hutch for our rabbits - the reason being that they can easily stand upright in it. We then have an outer covering for it so that it keeps the wind and rain out. However, despite being one of the bigger hutches it isn't big enough on its own for exercise, so we have it connected by 16ft long tubes to a couple of 8ft long runs. Even that feels small and the rabbits just get bounding along and have to change direction, so we are in the process of creating our own custom made walk in rabbit enclosure.

NotYoda · 13/05/2017 09:06

Tiggles

Wow

It's great that we know so much more now about how to keep pets

I have always had cats, and the vets advise so much more on cat behavior and how to optimise their wellbeing.

User246810 · 13/05/2017 09:11

That's so sad.

I would raise welfare concerns with the class teacher, then the head and offer to start a fundraiser for an ethical living space for them.

I'm a horse owner and I find it terrifying how little research other pet owners put into their pets before they get them, how can you look after an animal not knowing the optimal diet or social living conditions?

Coloursthatweremyjoy · 13/05/2017 09:14

I'd be talking to the head armed with information. My rabbit hates travelling, even a quick run to the vet, when we moved house I worried he wouldn't make it. No way could I imagine doing the it to him every Weekend!

But that hutch is just awful. I don't think you'll be the only paren't to bring it Up!

I

altiara · 13/05/2017 09:16

Midnight - you sound like a brilliant teacher !

JulesJules · 13/05/2017 09:20

My Mum was a primary school teacher and she would bring home the school rabbits and then refuse to take them back in to school. They spent a lot of time running round our house, and also had a big enclosure in the back garden. In the school they had a tiny hutch and children played with them unsupervised. This was 30+ years ago.

I had no idea schools still had pets and treated them in this way. It's a completely inappropriate environment for them.

JulesJules · 13/05/2017 09:22

Oh Midnight that sounds brilliant

FlorenceandtheWashingMachine · 13/05/2017 09:26

If you watch the Episode 2 of 'Trust Me, I'm A Vet', which was on the BBC this week, you can see a trial they did comparing the behaviour of a rabbit in a tiny hutch over 24 hours with the same rabbit in a new run with and plenty of space and 'toys'. He also got a companion (I realise that's not required here).

I think watching that would make the school realise just how much harm they are doing. That lovely rabbit was like a different animal. Good for you for caring

ohhereweareagain · 13/05/2017 09:27

Oh op PLEASE do something ie talk to the head AND rspca. I used to volunteer at a rabbit sanctuary. They only rehome them to adults and NEVER children. I HATE animals in cages including birds. Kids more often than not are too rough with rabbits plus get bored of them and end up neglected. They are sociable creatures and should be in groups. Breaks my ❤😩😩😩😩

ChickenVindaloo2 · 13/05/2017 10:14

Thank you OP. For being the person who does something and doesn't just stand by. Thank you on behalf of the rabbits. Thank God there are people like you in the world. :-) xx

pangolina · 13/05/2017 10:30

Please dont take them back. My rescue bunny had been kept alone in a cage slightly larger than that and severely neglected.
He is now an uncaged house bunny who has free range of the house 24 hrs a day and sleeps in his blankie nest in my bedroom at night.
They have a cruel, terrible life at the moment. Please save them.

Mysteriouscurle · 13/05/2017 10:31

Op that is terrible. Pet rabbits are no different to wild rabbits in the space they need. Wild rabbbits cover a lot of space. Their accommodation is in no way suitable even for one rabbit. Even if they are both female they need spayed or they will almost certainly get uterine cancer by around 3-4 years.rwaf website is good. They do print outs of what the minimum space rabbits need but a school is in no way an appropriate environment for rabbits to live. Tbh there is so much wrong here that I dont know where to start. My rabbit has for example a large 10 x 6 shed with an attached 9 x 3 enclosed run and gets free range of garden every day for at least a couple of hours. The mostimportant things for rabbits are hay (unlimited) space (as much as possible) and company. Do come back and update and thanks for caring about these 2 little gorgeous bunnies

glueandstick · 13/05/2017 10:41

Don't send them back. Gather the 'evidence' of bad bunship and contact a rescue for some advice.

That is really REALLY poor care.

Treat those little things to some parsley and coriander this weekend. They should like that. Or mint. Asda do huge bunches for about 80p.

Roughly speaking, they should have an egg cup full of nuggets a day (or one in the morning, one in the evening if they are large or very active), a mug full of veggies (careful of the sugar content and gas producing veg) a teaspoon of fruit (treats) and unlimited good quality hay.

Strawberry leaves are a real delicacy.

Poor poor animals. Good on you for being concerned.

DearMrDilkington · 13/05/2017 10:51

Poor bunnies, that's no way to live Sad.

Don't let the school have them back.

MyWhatICallNameChange · 13/05/2017 10:55

Poor bunnies. I know my DSs school has Guinea pigs, they have a huge area to run around in and the same people care for them at the weekend so they have familiar faces.

WorknameJimEllis · 13/05/2017 11:11

Fucking hell

Poor bloody rabbits. They get so stressed after an move, and they are NOT beginner pets and are totally unsuitable for kids.

GrumpyOldBag · 13/05/2017 11:14

I know nothing about rabbits, but it's pretty obvious that the school is not teaching appropriate animal welfare to the kids this way.

Kokusai · 13/05/2017 11:14

What stupid lazy twat at the school thought this was a good idea? I twohod hooe teachwrs had a vaguely reasonable IQ, common sense and an ability to research a topic (rabbits + children + pet).

This makes me angry.

Don't send them back.

samoyedydog · 13/05/2017 12:04

Those poor bunnies Sad please do something to help them OP this is just all kinds of wrong. I can't believe schools even do the sending animals home thing anymore, my DC school just send a teddy bear home for the weekend. They're sending a living creature off with just anyone who may not even know a thing about caring for them.

HazelBite · 13/05/2017 12:26

What Florence said, that particular episode of "Trust me I'm a vet" set out very clearly and scientifically about a rabbits requirements.
My Dsis is a member of the National Rabbit Council and she breeds dwarf rabbits, but she says they are not suitable pets for young children, andgenerally never lets hers go to any families with Dc's aged under 10.

Mexxi · 13/05/2017 12:40

Years ago I taught in a Primary school where one of the Y2 teachers decided to buy a rabbit and keep it in the classroom in a hutch like the one in your pic, OP. The poor bugger never got to go outside and spent its whole life cooped up. Despite being told it was not a fit place for a rabbit, she continued to keep it. After a couple of weeks, the recepion teacher and I had had enough and liberated it when the Y2 teacher had gone home one Friday (good job as she hadn't left enough water or food for it to last the weekend). The Reception teacher took it to the vet, where the bunny had a thorough check up and she ended up keeping it.

Starlight2345 · 13/05/2017 12:54

@midnight ...Can I ask what would happen if a child was phobic of dogs...My DS was and has now had CBT and is much better. However in early years I would not of got him into school if there was a dog in the classroom.

MistySparrow · 13/05/2017 13:06

Rabbits need consistent looking after because if they stop eating for a few days they will die - if you don't know the rabbit you don't know the usual eating habbits.

Original poster
lottieandmia · 13/05/2017 13:13

When I collected them, I was told to not give them fresh food because it makes them get diarrhoea.

I don't think I'm brave enough to not return them on Monday. Isn't that against the law? My dd has only been there a term and I don't want them to think I'm trying to steal them. What I certainly will do though is order them a much better hutch and arrange for it to be delivered to school asap. I will also speak to school and raise all these concerns. I wonder how I can convince them that moving them constantly is a bad idea.

OP posts:
Soubriquet · 13/05/2017 13:15

Fresh food is very good for them

Sparingly of course

So cabbage leaves, carrot leaves and things like that are good.

The actual veg itself needs to be sparingly as it can be sugary

But it's the hay like Guinea pigs that makes up most of their diet