Can ONE rabbit live happily as an outdoor rabbit? Or are they better in pairs? Rabbit would be brought in for play each evening ...

[Bluenosesaint]

Following on from my previous thread ...can one rabbit live happily on its own outdoors, or is this cruel?

The bunny would be fed each morning and then fed again and brought in to play each evening.

I have read that rabbits are at there most lively in a morning and in an evening, so is it feasible to get one as long as it is socialised well each evening?

Just make sure you don't get two bucks! I did this once as a child and they ripped each other to pieces and I ended up with 2 hutches!
They can be kept outside quite happily although you might need to bring them in if it gets very cold (we used to keep ours in the garage in these circumstances.)

I have had rabbits on their own and in pairs.

They can also make great house pets. One of my friends had a rabbit she kept inside. It had a cage in the dining room and used to just roam around the house like a dog or cat might. Very clean too it used a cat litter tray too. Be prepared to handle alot if you want sociable animals.

It would live predominantly in the children's playhouse ...probably sounds soft but i hate the idea of it being out in the cold.

We plan to handle it a lot, but it would only be in an evening when dh and elder dd's are home.
At the moment i am on mat leave with baby and tbh i haven't got the time to play with it.
When i'm back at work i will be unable to play with it through the day anyway, so don't really want to get it used to what is not going to continue iykwim.

I have read that they sleep through the day and are active in the mornings and evenings - so this theoretically shouldn't be a problem ...just wanted to have it confirmed by someone who has had rabbits (we are rabbit novices ...)

We went to look at some yesterday and the breeder said that she wouldn't ever sell us two bucks anyway for the same reasons as you outlined. We were going to get one of each sex and get them neutered, but tbh i really only want to get one, and wondered if its ok to do this and not cruel to deny the rabbit a partner ...

The RSPCA and other 'bunny' experts advise having pairs of rabbits as they are less likely to be destructive and chew etc through boredom.
I have had a load of rabbits recently and all were indoors. What does tend to happen is that they 'pair up' and need their owner far less. Since I paired Daisy up with Charlie, she spends much less time grooming/snuggling/playing with us but seems more content.
Male and female combinations work best unless they are bonded fron babies, obviously though, make sure they have been neutered/spayed at least 6 weeks before bonding them.
Also, it can be difficult 'bonding' a pair, its not just a matter of getting another rabbit and putting them in the hutch together - they may not like each other and constantly fight. They also need space, they definately need more than a hutch - maybe a run attached. They have to be able to have space from each other.

In terms of caring and giving attention, one is obviously easier for the owner but i think 2 is best for the bunny!

Rabbits are social animals who live in large groups with complex heirachies and socal grooming and interaction.

One rabbit stuck outside by himself in a playhouse with nothing to do and nothing of interest to watch would be pretty bored and destructive. It would be rather an unnatural way for him to live.

And....it just so happens that i have lots and lots of rabbits to rehome!!!!

I would definetly get 2 and I think you should consider keeping them indoors, even if you had a little house for them inside. also, you should consider a rescue rabbit rather than buying one from a petshop (not the best place to get any pet)

also I think a pet should be part of the family not treated like a toy, i.e. taken out of it's cage for a while in the evening and played with for a while and then put back in when the kids get bored.

Hiya thanks for all your replies ...they were really helpful.

We have decided on getting two rabbits so that they keep each other company ...we are getting a boy and a girl and having them both neutered.

We have bought them from breeder and pick them up at the end of the week

Countrygirl - thank you for your opinion/advice and although i did take it into consideration when making my decision, we have decided against keeping them indoors.
We also have a 20 month old GR and i don't think it would be fair on either the rabbits or the dog to have the rabbits housed indoors.
I'm certain that the rabbits won't be treated as 'toys' they will be loved and cared for, and surely that is the main thing regardless of whether they live indoors or out? The girls will be taking the rabbits out of their hutch each evening to care for/play with/bond with the bunnies and they most certainly will be part of family life.

Will they also have a run attached to their hutch?

Ours spend a lot of time relating to each other, grooming, sniffing etc, so I think they will be happier together.

i have an indoor white rabbit called neville we had him before we had ds who is now 8 months nev is lively all the time!! and just before xmas we rescued a puppy wen a bloke was gonna dump him in the river behind my house, i think if u gna have a pet then it shud be kept indoors why have something u just gna keep outside its cruel, and u risk foxes etc getting at them. i dont understand the logic of keeping pets outside, whats the point of having them, no offence. my rabbit has his own lead and gets walked to the park evryday with the puppy (colin) and he is house trained, rabbits are very clean but u have to make sure they have their jabs. rabbits need so much exercise and they need to be able to go up on their hind legs in their hutch ect of the get really bad spines.

i have two rabbits outside. it's healthy.

the indoor one is very spoilt.

a run would be good...

line the corner with newspaper where they do their business (makes it easy to clean).

we have a house rabbit called harry potter (!) and he's lovely and affectionate. hoping to get a girlfriend for him soon though!

Thanks Blu and SEA - we are very excited

Countrygirl - yes there is a run.

Fanargadeb - whilst i appreciate you giving me your opinion and of course you're very much entitled to it ...i don't agree that it is "cruel" to keep the rabbits outside - I was worried that keeping one outside may be cruel (hence the purpose of my post) so we are getting two so that they have company and won't be bored .
We have looked carefully at where the rabbits are going to live and have minimised the risk of any other animal attacking them (they will be in a large hutch in the children's playhouse with a closed door in a residential area).
Don't worry, no offense taken I'm just not sure i 'get' the arguement that you can't have a pet unless it lives in the house, surely as long as the pet is loved and cared for and given lots of time and attention everyone is a winner?? My neices have a horse each which they adore and are extremely committed to ...they look after them every morning and every evening and all day on weekends ...this is surely the same principle, no?

Ahh very sweet Casbie - good luck with the girlfriend

i didnt mean it offensive but a horse is a bit different to a rabbit! i didnt mean u was being cruel or any thing i just mean that all animals want attention and get bored easily even if there is 2 of them but at least indoors etc they can look at more and there is more going on, as aposed to being in a shed or dolls house or wateva if they havent got anything to stimulate them they can turn on each other. r u gonna get them any toys? there is loads of rabbit toys out there and they love dried corn on the cob that u can hang from the top of their hutch etc if there is a shop any where near you called the range, try in there its got the most variety!

Yes we will be providing them with toys

its amazing the things you can get for rabbits these days!!!! i hope it all goes really well for u. please dont take anything i ve said offensivly its not meant that way i promise.

i'm offended fanargadeb! at this moment my outdoor rabbits are happily watching my neighbour barbecuing.

lol the only reason we ended up with a rabbit was we went to get fish and then i saw my rabbit nev being bullied by guinie pigs so i couldnt leave him there! we still havent got fish tho! we went to go and get sum shopping and ended up coming home with an abandoned puppy just b4 xmas!! i think i shud stay home from now on ha ha

I agree with you, Fanargadeb, I don't really see the point in keeping pets outdoors either, horses are an exception seeing as they aren't exactly house pet sized and don't even like being stabled really. :p

No problem Fanargadeb