Rabbits: TEll me about them please.

[northerner]

We'd like a pet for ds, after much debate it seems a rabbit will be the least problematic.

I've never kept rabbits - are they easy to keep? Are they nice pets for kids? Are they affectionate?

Ds is 4.5 btw.

Thanks

Mine's a stroppy little bugger, he hates to be picked up, even though he's around us all the time. He's housetrained but if he does poop somewhere other than litter tray, then the dogs happily eat them. Decent rabbit hatches are quite expensive so it might be worthwhile to look at your local papers to see if there are any secondhand ones for sale. I think the females are the friendlier type.

Does he live in your house then?

Didn't know you could litter train them.

we have a house rabbit too. they are more worlk than you think (outside or in) they need reg injections, can hump you and can be bad tempered if not neutered. They can be smelly, prone to blowfly (i think thats what its called) and some don't like being stroked.

Mine has unhousetrained himself since we went away and now will only let me pick him up as long as its not too often, he doesn't like much stroking and when he does its only allowed to be me in a particular way!

a guinea pig would prob be better tbh

Message withdrawn

Ours is fairly easy -she's 5 now. When she was little she poohed everywhere but they soon teach themselves just to go in their hutch in the corner. She was however a little so-and-so at about 6/7 months and she had to be 'done', vet said it's when they are getting broody and she was quite aggressive for a while. But after the op (cost twice the price of the rabbit!) she was lovely. Agree hutches are expensive, but other costs low. Oh and if you go on holiday you need a relative or friend who can come and feed them obviously. Am no expert but feel
free to ask anything. they do make lovely pets, dd was 6 when we got ours.

our house was already babyproofed snorkler, so no cables lying around anyway. He has chewed 1 cable and gave himself a little shock so he hasn't done it since!! He will nibble things of the childrens (books/mags/etc) if they are left lying around. I live on 1st floor too so don't have to worry about him escaping outside!

i keep mine in a drawer in the bedroom, he gets a couple of Duracell's every few weeks and grooming is easy.

Rabbits can be great but we have had some grumpy little whatsits in our time! Kids can often be scared to pick them up as when they kick out with their back legs they can cause some impressive scratches. We used to keep rabbits and guinea pigs together, they do make pretty good companions!

I would go for a Guinea Pig over a rabbit, more consistently docile and easier to cuddle. Especially at 4.5 a Guinea pig would be easier to handle.

We had a small hutch and then built a run from a few bits of wood and some chicken wire which we attached to the hutch to they could go in and out as they pleased, just closing the hutch door at night. Was pretty safe, we often have foxes around but they didn't get to them and the cat would just lie on top of the wire and stare at them!

get a nice breed like a netherland dwarf and handle it alot when young. i tend to find male bunnies can be tamed more than female. find a breeder and check the mother too and don't get one younger that six weeks. my ds(5) loves my bunnies, they don't like being handled much (they're females) but love to be cuddled.

baty you beat me to it

if you keep the cage clean they'll be fine. i've kept rabbits for years and have never had one with fly strike, the are great pets

i had rabbits all thropugh my childhood and ive never heard of blowfly, they didnt have it anyway.they were in hutches outside which were on raised bricks and were cleaned out every week and the utch disinfected with a special spray from the pet shop.

we held the male bunies from when they were little and they were really affectionate and would be held and stroked for a long time.

i think they're an ideal pet for a child.we got the lop eared ones that get quite large, therefore easier to hold for a child.

we also had waterproof sheeting on the top of the hutch and a see through plastic covering for the front of the hutch for the cold weather.

I work in a pet shop and was previously a vet nurse.

Male rabbits tend to be the friendlist and are much easier to neuter than the females as all their bits are outside!!!

They need vaccinations for myxi and VHD, if you live in the country then myxi is usually done twicw a year (this is the most important one) VHD is done yearly (viral haemaorragic disease - causes internal bleeding) not so common but is around. You can get problems with their teeth - some need regular clipping and burring sometimes every 6 wks or so. Flystrike can happen in the summertime, you need to make sure everything is clean and check there are no faeces around the bottom or any open wounds.

You need to buy as big a hutch as you can afford also a run for the garden, beware they can burrow under and out!! so dig down and put some wire mesh underground to prevent this.

TBH they are not great for young kids as they can be very strong and have a powerful kick. Guinea pigs do make easier pets for littlies, need no vaccinations, don't need as big a hutch and are much easier to handle. Most common ailment is vit c deficiency - just make sure they eat a diet supplemented with vit c and they get plenty of greens!! Also watch out for mites!! can get them from dodgy bedding, or sometimes already have them from breeder can cause hairloss and itchiness.

Sorry have gone on a bit, can you tell i talk about this day in day out along with fleas, worms, food, and lots of poop problems!!!

sorry me again, meant to add neither animal s are solitary animals, they like to be in pairs!!

There are usually lots of small animals looking for homes through your local RSPCA branch

how can you resist!