Experience with rabbits??

[mummyofrb]

I am considering getting a rabbit for my child (18m) so they can have experience of an animal, I've seen lots of mixed reviews lots saying they are great family pets others saying the opposite. Anyone have any experience keeping rabbits?? I'm looking at getting a Rex.

You did the right thing by asking, thanks for listening! Guinea pigs are easier if you still want to get a pet, although obviously any animal should be considered carefully. I'm an ex vet nurse and have seen so many animals abandoned/put down because people dont research them first

I can't cope with a real life person who thinks a pet is a toy...
Bonkers.

Rabbits are not kid's pets. They bite and scratch, are very fussy about how they are handled, and die easily with incorrect care. If you want a pet that your child can interact with, consider a Guinea Pig. They are much more forgiving.

@Windyatthebeach at which point did I think a pet was a toy? By being responsible are researching before purchasing one? Asking opinions and advice as I have never owned one in the past? You didn't offer any advice just made rude remarks where as other people were helpful, offered advice and opinions that led me to a conclusion. People like you aren't interested in helping people just making them feel belittled and small

There are an estimated 900,000 pet rabbits in the UK (source: PDSA). It's a very common misconception that they are easy family pets. OP won't be the first, or last, to consider getting a rabbit, but will be one of few who are responsible enough to research it beforehand. Which she's done, and made a quick and informed decision against getting it. No need for the mean comments at all.

You’ve had some harsh answers here op, to a reasonable question. The majority of people on mn are for some reason complete morons when it comes to animals and are incapable of answering a question without becoming hysterical. As it is I think EVERY child should have a pet. I grew up with lots of animals. It was the happiest (probably only happy bit) of my childhood. All my children have been responsible for their own pet/pets since toddlers. Remember that you need to get the animal for yourself though, an 18 month old is going to have limited interest in an animal. A rabbit is probably not the best animal for your situation, I wouldn’t completely rule them out though contrary to the opinions on here. We’ve had 14 over the last 40 years and they’ve made wonderful pets, we knew how to put the work in tho

I think you are being unrealistic about the interest an 18 month old will have in a pet. She is too young to understand being gentle etc, and any timid pet like a rabbit or cat will steer clear of a toddler.

Rabbits are also not great pets for children. I had two as a child and they are boring and smelly. Looking back I feel sad that we probably didn’t give our rabbits the best life.

Wait a few years and Then rethink the pet thing, but do loads of research. Lots of people get pets thinking they will be ideal for their children only to rehome them shortly afterwards when reality hits.

mummyofrb

This breeder wasn't at Norfolk was she?

I have lots of bunny's over the years, dnt get me wrong they are so cute but they can also be very expensive to keep, i have spent thousands over the years, I am down to one bunny now, he is ok but when I go to feed him he always go for my hands, he dnt bite but just suddenly lunge at me,
He is neutered and he has the run of the garden everyday all day, that rabbit dnt want for anything!

But he is very territorial.
I think some breeders say they make perfect pets for children but sadly I wouldn't.

I would not recommend a rabbit for a child your age.

As a fairly recent owner of my own 2 buns, I’ve quickly realised that they are not easy pets to keep !
They are extremely messy for a start so aswel as cleaning them out completely twice a week, they also need daily tidy ups and even then shavings and hay still ends up everywhere. You will need a large hutch, and don’t bother with wooden ones as you can’t clean them properly and they always smell of wee.
Rabbits hate being picked up, and will really kick hard to get away. They have sharp claws and very sharp teeth. I handled my rabbits so much when they were babies but this made no difference at all.

There are also horrible viruses that rabbits can get so will need vaccines.
Rabbits are better off in pairs so you will need room for 2. A they will need to be same sex. Even then they can fight a lot.

Rabbits are amazing animals and give huge pleasure but I wouldn’t recommend them as a small child’s pet.
Plus your child will be in high school by the time it dies !

Maybe when she's older and can take responsibility. There's 4.5 year's difference between me and my sister so I was 3 and she was nearly 8 when we had our rabbits. I used to help my sister clean them out and when I was old enough I would do it myself. My grandad built a hutch for ours as they are better being kept in pairs and the hutches in the shop are very small and cramped. You do need a large garden space dedicated to them as pp have said they dig and chew on everything. As well as good quality rabbit food
We had these rabbits for around 10 years. Netherland dwarf rabbits. One of our rabbits loved to be held, the other one, not so much.
We didn't have pet insurance or injections. We had to check their teeth and paws regularly but if you had a chewing block for their teeth and they had plenty exercise outside their feet hardly needed attending too. Food wise they did have 'rabbit food' but also a lot of veg cuttings from us.
I loved my rabbits and when one of the was killed by a dog our other rabbit went grey with shock and didn't last long after that! We were too heart broken to get anymore!
Definitely recommend when your little one is older!

Really pleased you have listened. I had rabbits then children, as much as they were good with the children it was because it was all on their terms.. I has one totally soppy one who would tolerate the kids and three who would approach them for food and allow occasional strokes but that was all, none really enjoyed being held, all mine lived for 10yrs plus and were a huge commitment... They lived in pairs and need a lot of space...

Also OP - good for you for asking first.
Some people on MN seem very angry at everything so just scroll right past their comments.

So many just buy things on a whim without considering the animal. It’s heartbreaking seeing the amount of rabbits just stuck in a cramped hutch in their own for years on end.

We had rabbits for about 2 months, then we had to get rid of them. They were horrible. Would scratch the kids all the time. We got a cat instead (because a dog requires soooo much work). We love our cat and he's out all of the time and minds his own business.

And by getting rid of I don't mean kill them - we just gave them to another family with older children