Experience of house rabbits - are they REALLY destructive?

[eenybeeny]

We are getting two dwarf lops in a couple of weeks. We chose and reserved them yesterday and they are gorgeous - 2 months old exactly. They are going to be house rabbits with a lovely cage to call their own as well.

Been doing lots of research and I seem to be getting mixed results. A lot of people have houserabbits without living in a tip but some people swear they destroy anything that stands still. I understand each rabbit is different but I am trying to get an overall perspective.

I am, I admit, houseproud, and while I have 2 cats and several toddlers here all the time I like to keep it as tidy as I can manage. Will all my best efforts be destroyed when I get the buns or is there anything I can do to prevent that? I am happy to overload them with toys and activities to keep them entertained they will not be in a hutch all the time.

Also - I understand they love eating telephone directories. Doesnt the ink hurt them?

Any other info and advice about house bunnies would be great! As soon as I post this I am going to add a picture of them on my profile!

just one question - where do they poo? no experience of them indoors but had them as a child in the garden and they left pellets all over lawn.

Well yes and no.They can be relatively easily house trained-especially as they have their own cage but they DO chew.

We had to rabbit-proof the house which basically meant covering all cables which was for obvious reasons.I did have one which ate carpet but other than that they have been fine.

Cables are the biggest and most dangerous point.

Good luck!

they chew everything
you need to secure all wires etc for a start - in chew proof tubing or make them totally out of reach
if you have wooden furniture it will become 'interestingly distressed' for that lovely shabby chic look

they are easy to house train as far as toileting IME

you can train some rabbits to use a litter tray.

Dwarfs are mean!! My parents had a netherland dwarf who used to chase them round the house, trying to bite their feet and ankles! He used to lunge at them as well! He was a nasty bleeder! He used to thump his back feet on the floor really loudly when he was cross!

They had a dwarf lop as well, and he chewed through some wires and -- pooooff one very singed bunny! He also used to chew the carpets.

If you're going to keep a rabbit inside, if it's male, get it neutered, or it'll pee everywhere!!

there's some info here

thanks for the website Hecate!

I can sort the wires no problem. I only have really 2 pieces of furniture that I would be really upset if they got chewed. Carpets are an issue as I rent from the landlady from hell. So really I guess its carpets I am worried about.

My little bunnies are the sweetest things ever they love cuddles and give kisses and are just darling! I dont have any other experience with dwarf lops!

Oh forgot to mention, the netherland used to chase the cats too! He was a total bastard!

Dwarf lops are nicer but ime, the dwarf varieties are narkier than the others. I don't know why, but the bigger the bunny the nicer the temperament. That's been my experience anyway.

I am a veteran keeper of - rats, mice, guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters, russian hamsters, gerbils, cats and kids

how are you going to stop the cats eating them?

if i was renting there is no way I would keep rabbits indoors. Have you got her permission to do so? Sorry but if it were my flat i would not want rabbits in it!

I have very fond memories of the year we kept a house rabbit though it was only a temporary thing and she moved outside afterwards once we got her a friend. When they're young they're rather like any kitten, puppy, toddler in a playful stage and are a lot of fun. Ours had a thing for wellies and chewing through binbags to get banana skins

But theyre easy to toilet train and as long as you bunny proof then you should be okay but we never let ours out if we wern't in the house. What are you doing about the cat?

Agree with hectate, dwarf lops can be horrid and I speak from experience, probably due to the imbreeding. Get them netured as soon as you possibly can, even if theyre two girls. If can get it done before the hormones hit then you may keep your sweet natured rabbits! We also found ours had a host of health problems due to her small size, floppy ears etc and she didn't have a very happy life sadly. But that was probably just my luck!

Cats eating them - ha!- in my experience, the cats get the worse end of the deal! All the rabbits I have kept have been MORE than capable of seeing off the cats!

I remember telling my then bf (now dh) about the pets at my parents' house and how they interacted. He didn't believe me, until I took him to my parents', walked into the living room and there, curled up together in front of the fire were - the rabbit, one of the cats and the guinea pig (who was happily chewing the cat's whiskers while the cat groomed the rabbit).

dh watched, open mouthed. Didn't doubt me when I then told him how the rats (pet ones!!!) ran round the bedroom while the cat slept on the bed.

I think the cats weren't bothered because since they were kittens they'd lived with a variety of small animals. The funny thing was, they'd still go out and kill birds, mice etc. There was only one incident where a new mouse got out and was eaten by the cat. Ironically, the mouse was called Catfood. I am not taking the piss, btw!

I am allowed pets in my lease I dont need more permission. Its very clear. And I have heard the same that cats and bunnies traditionally either get one very well or ignore each other!

we have a dwarf lop, she has her own cage but is a house rabbit, she hope around and has a ramp ( she just hope over it though) to get into her cage. She hops into her cage when she needs a poo but she would eat anything! Wires, jeans or clothes on heaters, skirting boards, table legs, toys. shoes. ANYTHING left about. She chewed through my ghd wire :| and has stripped my skirting of paint a few times. but i have learned to keep an eye on her and close her cage when we are out.

our rabbit doesnt eat anything she shouldnt.but our last two liked wires!