Pet Rabbit advice

[lisalisa]

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My friends rabbits were always in a run/hutch in the the garden. Have to make sure the hutch and run is fox proof though.

Yes, get a guinea pig! We have a gp and a rabbit and the gp is by far the more child-friendly pet.

If you do go for a rabbit, it's fine to keep the hutch in a shed as long as it also has a run outside. We used to keep our rabbit hutch in the garden during the summer and in the garage in the winter. If foxes are likely to be a problem, then you might need to take some precautionary measures.

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Yes, our rabbit was a free-range garden rabbit, scared the dog and us to bits and used to hide under a prickly bush so we couldn't get to him, in the winter he would go to his hutch for food and I could shut him in overnight - however, in the summer he didn't need to go in his hutch as he used to eat all my plants, and I couldn't get him in there at all. One day I couldn't see him in the garden and I found his de-capitated body in a corner of the garden - got by a fox presumably, poor thing. IMO, rabbits shouldn't be left for long in a hutch as they are too big, and whatever your intentions they won't get enough attention out there. I think I would try and house-train a rabbit now and have it as a house-rabbit, were I to get another one I mean.

Agree with Freckle - guinea-pigs are much easier, friendlier creatures.

Get 2 guinea pigs (sociable creatures!) They are very sweet and if they do get loads of attention will be extremely tame and chatter to you.

NB If you decide to have a house-rabbit watch it very carefully with electric and telephone cables.

We did have 2 gps and they used to chatter endlessly. Unfortunately, one died so we put the remaining gp in the run with the rabbit (they have their own hutches) and they get on very well. Remaining gp now chatters even more!

I have a rabbit and she is very dopey and nice. There were 2 of them but they were vile when they were together, used to growl at me ! I had a male rabbit before that and he was just so loveable but didnt live very long

I had 2 guinea pigs when I was growing up and they were lovely and I used to have conversations with them ALL THE TIME!!! Even in teenage angst I was absolutely devastated when the last one died, I still remember it now!

Any allergies in the family. People who are allergic to cats are often totally allergic to rabbits. I am so allergic I can't wear anything that has any rabbit (or angora) hair in it.

Having had both I would say Guinea Pigs are better too. Smaller and easier to handle for kids, not as smelly as rabbits either (we always kept ours, both when I was a kid and when we had them until recently) in the kitchen and there was never any problem with that, but you could keep them in a garden shed too. Our last one died a couple of months back aged 8 and we would have more if we weren't going travelling next year.
Rabbits are nice too but gps are nicer!

Not read the whole thread, but we have many rabbits! They all live in the garden in hutches, and are perfectly happy, winter and summer. The heat is actually more of a problem than the cold - they used to live in the garage but it got SO hot in summer that we moved them into the garden and they are so much happier. We get loads of foxes, but they can't get into the hutches - they're just ordinary rabbit hutches, and the foxes leap on top of them and then give up. Male and female rabbits are very different in character - the friendliest I think are males who have been neutered! We've got one really friendly female, and one really grumpy one, and then 2 moderately friendly females, and a friendly male. 2 rabbits is often better than one too (same hutch though), as they are company for each other. Ds LOVES feeding the rabbits, and can do it all himself, even though he is only just 3, and it is really good for him to care for another creature.

We originally bought a rabbit then decided to buy a guinea pig to keep it company. They are lovely together and if you decide to do this apparently its far better to do it from an early age and also to make sure they are the same sex...lol. We keep ours in a hutch in a garden and it has a big run attached as well. We put a waterproof covering over the top of both for when its raining. HTH.

I've had guinea pigs too, but never found them as friendly or as interesting as the rabbits.

having had both from a young age id say get both ...rabbits and guinea pigs dont like living alone but theyre great company for each other.theres no extra work involved with having both and in the winter when they wont get as much attention due to the weather theyll keep each other company and warm...all this advice is of course for if your planning to keep them outside!
a run or escape proof garden is a must and either a sheltered spot or shed for the hutch ,id advise the shed preferably so they can be secure at night.
ive always lived in a semi rural area with both foxes and squirrels about and never had a problem .squirrels may go after the food and if theyre shut up well at night the foxes wont bother them either.
also one tip i have is in pet shops you can buy small litter trays that fit in the corner of the hutch get one!!!just watch which corner they go to the loo in then fill with shavings and theyll use it.you just clean that out every day esp in hot weather due to flies and it saves having to clean the cage out so often.

I would not advise that you keep a rabbit and a guinea pig together, they are different species and have different dietary needs. Also, rabbits are much stronger than guinea pigs and are often seriously injured or killed by rabbits.
One of our rabbits died while we were on holiday and we have just got another from a rehoming site. He is already neutered and as he is an adult you know what you are getting and is gorgeous. If you get a baby from a pet shop, you take a gamble, you don't know what their temperament will be nor will you know whether it will have dental problems later in life. You may want it spayed or neutered (at least £50) and innoculated (about £25). Have a look on www.rabbitrehome.co.uk for advice and information before making your decision.

We've got 2 rabbits - a brother and sister (after being told they were 2 brothers!!!) - boy has since been "done" The boy is lovely and dopey, but the girl is a bit "hormonal".

I wouldn't get them from a pet shop, I would get them from a breeder or a Rescue Centre (we got ours from the nursery rabbits!) - that way you can get to see them with their parents plus the owners know their temperament etc.

Ours have a huge run in the garden which they are in all day (winter and summer). I've got some sheeting that I lay over the top so I can provide some shade/protection from rain.

In the winter, their hutches are in the shed and I move them back into them at night. During the summer, the shed is far too hot so I move their hutches out into the garden.

The other place you can get them from is garden centres - they are often more family-bred from garden centres, and tend to be friendlier!

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Hi Lisa,
The pet shop is talking rubbish I'm afraid. It is really important for rabbits to have a constant supply of fresh food. Their teeth grow continuously and they need to be munching alot of the time so they can wear the teeth down. Commercial rabbit food should not be the sole diet. They need lots and lots of good qulaity hay and veggies. See which veggies spot is best at eating as they can get diarrhoea.
tooth problems can be a major source of illness in rabbits, so do make sure he eats well as a good diet will help to keep the teeth healthy.
Make sure he gets handled everyday to get him used to the kids and flip himover every day to make sure his anus and prepuce are clean. If this area becomes soiled for any reason flies are attracted to it and (sorry TMI, but it is important to know) he can get a horrible maggot infestation.
Sorry if this sounds like a lecture -it is just that I get upset when people are given rubbish advice from pet shops who should know better.
Good luck with Spotty, he sounds sweet.

lisalisa....rabbits need veg. It is good for them and they need to chew on things like carrots to keep their teeth down. I would advise not to give too much lettuce or green stuff though as it can make them poorly with diarrhoea....a little bit is ok though.

Get as good a rabbit food as you can afford.....the all in one pellets are usually a good choice as the rabbits can't just pick out the bits they like from the combined food, and therefore get everything they need.

Lots of straw or hay in the hutch will keep bunny warm as well.

Get a run as soon as you can afford it.

You can buy a small indoor rabbit cage if you would rather have him in one of those inside at night when it is cold. They have plastic bases and are easy to clean and disinfect.

You can litter train rabbits as well!!!

And the best bit....lots of cuddles to get the bunny used to you all!!

Yep - utter rubbish about the veg!

I don't give our rabbits any lettuce, but they eat cabbage, carrots, dandelions, daily along with their usual dried food.

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