Ex charging daughter for animal supplies

[StitchHappens]

My ex got a rabbit for our daughter (now 13) around a year ago. At the time she was spending half her holidays at his, and half of her weekends fri to sun, the others just on a Sunday. He had an agreement with her that she was to pay for everything the rabbit needed (food/bedding/treats/toys etc). I thought this was unfair as essentially the only way she had of funding this was the pocket money I gave her and her savings, however it was an agreement between them so I didn't interfere.
Since then he has started a business with his partner which means if my dd is there she has to be with them at the shop for the day. Due to this she has started just going to his late on a Saturday night and staying til 4 on a Sunday (when she has riding lessons there - which I pay for). This means she has very little time to spend with the rabbit, basically cleaning it out on a Sunday morning before leaving around 9.30am ish. Because of this he suggested that she bought the rabbit to mine, which i agreed to. Ex came in to discuss yesterday when he dropped her off and asked if we had everything we needed including a cage. I said i wouldn't be buying a cage as I was under the impression it was just a case of moving the rabbit from one house to the other. He then messaged my daughter last night and said he would bring the rabbit when she had transferred £60 for the cage/mats. Am I wrong to thing he is taking the piss?? Or is this between them? I am inclined to transfer her the money as u don't think he should be asking her for it. They got the rabbit for free and she has paid for everything it has needed for the past year.
Aibu?

But the bunny now has extremely limited human contact. It's not even a pet at this point.

Re-home.

Your husband is financially abusing his own daughter. I'd check with a lawyer and revisit custody if possible.

I agree with PP, firstly your ex is an absolute waste of space to be charging his own DD for a rabbit cage. I’d buy a new one regardless of how much it cost and let him do whatever he wants with his one. Selfish prick.

So hang on, did she pay for the hutch the first time? And he wants more money off her? Or did he buy it? If she bought it, I'd be marching in and taking it. If he did, I'd rather buy the rabbit a new one then give him any money. Tight bastard.

I think to be a petty twat id go out and buy what the rabbit needs myself so he has the aggro of disposing of everything.

Including getting another rabbit. Poor little bugger, they're not supposed to be on their own and need enrichment.

You said he got it for free?

Seriously just take the rabbit and take it to a rescue. Poor little buggers probably sick of it's life.

Your ex is a prick and your daughter will get her measure of him eventually. That's when parents wonder why their kids don't visit. Just try and do this animal a kindness.

This and I bet it's a shit hutch if he only paid £60 for it.

Sounds like the OP is still planning to keep it in isolation though.

What bank account does your DD? Mine has a kid's royal bank of Scotland& it won't actually let her transfer money. So she couldn't pay anyone anything

When she first got the rabbit she was spending half her weekends and holidays there, and most of that time was spent with the rabbit. It's only been in the past couple of months it has gone down to the extremely limited contact she has now, as they decided to open a shop, so she doesn't spend much time at the house.
When it is here it will have plenty of interaction with people. I had ruled out getting another rabbit as I was very wary of going against the advice of the breeder, who said it was not suitable to be housed with other rabbits. It would seem like a huge risk to go against this and incredibly unfair on the other rabbit if it turned out badly, no??
As I said I have never have rabbits, but I am wary of taking advice over the internet about a rabbit when the advice was not to put them with others.
As far as I am aware, at 13 there is no point me trying to reduce the time she spends with him. She would resent it, and I don't want to alienate her. She only spends one day a week there currently and I don't plan to increase that.

Hsbc. She can transfer money.

Take advice from the RSPCA or a rabbit charity then.
Who even is the 'breeder'? What qualifies them to give advice?

I am not set either way. I will contact a rescue centre and ask their advice. What i don't want to do is to bring another animal into what could potentially be a bad living environment for them. I won't be making a decision based on people here disapproving either way. It would be incredibly irresponsible of me to try and integrate with another animal if the current rabbit is genuinely not suited to living with others.

This rabbit is going to live another 8 years, I'd seriously rehome it to a rescue now.

I will do.
You seem aggrieved that I am not going to run out and buy another rabbit on advice given here. I am 100% going to do this responsibly. I am sorry if you don't think that to be the case.

Rabbits are such a commonly abused and neglected pet and it is very sad to read about another one.

@VikaOlson Thanks for your input. It's good to know what you would do. I won't be basing my decision on that though. I'm sure you understand.
Not doing what you say just because you say it does not mean this rabbit will be abused.
I don't know you. I don't know what expertise you have in this area, and you may be genuine or you may just be looking for an argument, but rest assured I will take advice from appropriate people and do what is best for the rabbit, whether it is what you think or not.

Yes?

What have you misunderstood about my post.

My opinion was to get the rabbit from her ex’s because it’s not being looked after there but it also can’t be looked after properly at the OP’s house due to the fact she has a dog so what’s best for the rabbit is for it to be rehomed.

Never keep a guinea with rabbits either. rabbits eat different food and can easier injure / kill a piggie as rabbits thump and more likely to race around bashing into a piggy. It's a cruel combo.

Surely the cage belongs to the rabbit? Whats he going to do if you get given a free cage (for example)? He has no use surely for a cage if the rabbit isn’t living in it!

Can I ask why having a dog means i can't look after a rabbit properly? Genuine question.

Yes, I am aware of this, thank you. As I said I have done some research into it. It's ongoing!

Was literally coming here to call him a piece of shit.

I’d be tempted to get my own cage from marketplace. He can enjoy working out what to do with his empty cage!

I think i am going to message him telling him to return the money to her and we will arrange a cage here. Whether he does or not, I obviously cannot do anything about, and the chances are he will refuse and say it's nothing to do with me.

It's okay OP this wasn't directed necessarily at you but there are too many people who think rabbits and guineas are a good pairing so this is a good chance to get that info out there.
I have run a guinea pig rescue for over two decades and too many piggies have come to me with rabbit related injuries. Some CFs on hearing that I pay vet bills on mates rates for surrendered animals then claim they want them back after they are treated. That is a big jog off obviously.
Hope it works out with your dd and her bun. You sound like a good mum and well away from the twat.