tell me all I need to know babout rabbits...the fluffy kind!!!!!

[Nemo2007]

ds has been asking for a rabbit for ages so tell me all I need to know about them please.

they can be v tame and lovely, but occasional ones (esp boys imo) may bite. They need a good clean out 1/2 a week and will eat lots of your kitchen waste - apple cores, melon skin etc.
Some get pooey bottom which is the most disgusting thing ever.
on the whole a v suitable animal for a first pet imo.

thanks stinkypete. we do have a dog and goldfish which ds is very good with.

What do we need to get???
How much do they cost per week to keep?

depending on whether you have space for it to be in the garden at all - a regular hutch and run; or a large hutch. Lots of newspaper, shreaded paper or sawdust type stuff; water bottle and feed bowls; whatever you fancy in the way of entertainment...

iirc, rabbits are quite socialable - have you thought about having 2, or a rabbit and a g pig?

can't remember mine costing too much, but most of what they have is recycled tbh

other thing worth knowing is many rabbits don't actually like being picked up. At least to start with, the best thing to do is to let the kids sit somewhere rabbit-safe with some food, and let the rabbit come to them - eventually they'll hop all over you (depending on your garden size/security, it can be easier to do this indoors - bathrooms usually good as no wires/usually no carpet in case of any accidents.
We had a house rabbit before kids and she was fab - would run over to you when you came in from work and circle you before giving your ankles a vigourous licking!

I can have a hutch and run no probs. If I was to put the rin on woodchip would that be a problem?
didnt think about 2 but am sure ds would love it, not so sure about dh..lol
do they have to come in at winter?
what is the best breed? is there a book explaining care suitable for a 3/4yr old?

can't see wood chip being a prob? they like to eat fresh grass, but of course they like a run around too.
i never brought one in for winter - but had a cover to drop over the hutch in v cold weather and put extra bedding in. can't recommend a book - hope someone else comes along for that...

Don't know on the books front either, but if you're buying from a pet shop,. they'll probably have one they could recommend - or you could get a few out of the local library?

Breed wise, we had a dwarf Dutch & they have a good reputation - pretty docile, friendly etc ...

Handle them loads when they are little. My mum has 3 rabbits and she regularly got them out for a cuddle even though they weren't that keen to start with. Now, they are the friendliest things you have seen. They run up to you when they see you and my dds just adore them.

Also, make sure you take them to the vets when they are about 12 weeks old for their injections against miximitosis (spelling?) and something else. They are really important as we had a rabbit that died from it years ago and it is not a nice experience.

They are very sociable animals so it might be worth getting 2 so they don't get lonely.

thanks all
will do a trip to library and take it from there.