Pet rabbit.....pros and cons please!

[zephyrcat]

I'm just taking DD up to the shops to look at rabbits. We aren't getting one just yet but the thought is there. I've never had a rabbit so don;'t really have a clue about them.

DD is 4. Rabbit will ideally live outside but spend lots of time in the house.... where do we begin?!

they eNEVER look after htenm
everyone i know hwo has got a rabbit ends up doing it hemselves
borrow one for a week

They're not cuddly, they have very scratchy claws, they bite when you annoy them, they dig in the garden, they pee willy nilly around the house if you let them in (unless you take the time to train them) and rabbit urine is, well, interesting to get out!

On the plus side they're cute as babies (as is everything!!) and if your kids bond with them enough they'll follow them around which is adorable..

you also need to get the males castrated or they are awful, and the girls neutured because they will leave big messy smears around.... neutured males are the best, they can get super cuddly!

Don't do it!!!!

I had onw as a child and I never wanted to clean it out.
And you couldn't cuddle it as it scratched all the time.
My poor mum had to clean it out and it used to stink.

Don't htink we ever had it in the house though.

(If they're at all fluffy their poo will stick to their bums and you'll have to pick it out/soak it off with cotton wool and water/chop their bottom fur off!!)

And get one from a reputable person because I've had lots from pet-shops die inexplicably too!!

Hmmm perhaps not then!!! I thought they were quite straightforward... Can't be doing with paying to get it neutered etc. I was under the impression they were quite cuddly and friendly and would just hop around the house! Definately don't need anything that's going to wee everywhere - there's going to be enough of that with 3 children!!

Thank you all for your advice!

Harpsichordcarrier is the inhouse rabbit expert, I shall point her over here. They are lovely if you don't mind the work, I used to have 2 myself.

Another vote for don't do it I'm afraid

We've got 2 - they were for my DPs dd, she got them out to play with them for about 2 weeks and hasn't bothered since. We have to get someone to come round to feel them every day when we go on holiday, they really are quire a PITA

OOPS! That should have been feed them every day

We've got one, and I'd say don't do it! They can be bad tempered, not very cuddly and they stink. And the poo they produce is in inverse proportion to their size

We had a guinea pig, but she died, sadly. I'd get another one again, definitely - far better natured, happier to be cuddled by enthusiastic children, and not so smelly. Plus they make very cute chattering noises!

We looked after one last year and we adored it but by the end the novelty was wearing thin. I loved him (Dh got sick of the garden being dug up) but he would kick his hay out overnight and tempt rats (the cat dealt with tho). And he bit. DS3 also released him a few times .

there was a rather amusing moment when DS1 and I went out to feed him in the dark and DS1 stepped on a hedgehog lured by his food. LOL (hodgepig was OK). .

But with all the doesn, i'd have one like a shot. Dh not so keen tho!

LOL @ coming round to feel them every day! hehe

Hadn't thought about a guinea pig...maybe that's a better option?