DD wants a rabbit - where do I start ?? Help neede please

[scatterbrain]

So - DD is 8 very soon and has decided that she NEEDS a bunny!

I have been googling away and got myself in a bit of a pickle! So I need sensible bunny owners to sort me out please!

Firstly - can they live outside all year? I am loathe to have an indoor bunny as we have two elderly cats and I cold do without more mess!

Secondly - we are out all day and I was thinking of getting one of those combo hutch/run things so they/it could run about in the run at will during the day - is this a good idea ? We live in t'country near woods so foxes etc likely - but have never seen one in day time.

Thirdly - one bunny or two ?

and finally - I was thinking that bunny could come in for a play in the house in the evenings - when cats out - but I keep feeling it would be mean to put t to bed outside in winter - should I maybe buy an small indor cage for it to sleep in inside in winter ?

God life is too complicated !

Have found a hutch place on ebay that looks pretty good - has anyone got any recommendations of good places to buy hutches/runs etc - and what about the bunny themselvces? Someone said to avoid pet shops as they are mass bred and local breeders better?

Thanks so much for any advice!

[scatterbrain]

My DD has promised that she will do all the looking after ! To be fair she does feed the cats most days and would love to clean out the fish but I won't let her !

I guess we'll have to give it a try and see how she gets on !

Is it a total disster if we forgot to let them into the run in the morning ? Am just thinkiung that this is highly likely to happen !

[theultimatethreadkiller]

No it won't be a disater. Occassionally we leave our bunny in her hutch all day.

[DaphneMoon]

I sometimes leave our rabbits door shut if it is particularly nasty weather, because they can be a bit dumb sometimes and sit in the rain! Also if it is snowing, I just like the idea of them sitting all cosy in their little bed in Hay. If it is really bad I keep the plastic sheet down as it is clear plastic so they get light in and can see out of it but keeps the snow/rain out.

[scatterbrain]

Well bugger me - I just discovered the eglu for rabbits - and was sold - it comes in pink is a doddle to clean and has a foxproof run - then I found the price - Bugger me - £360 for a rabbit hutch !

[allgonebellyup]

our rabbit spends many a day in his hutch

[scatterbrain]

Sorry - me again !!

Was on the verge of buying a lovely hutch on ebay - 4 foot wide with a run of 6 x 4 underneath - but bottled it because the floor doesn't have plastic liner or covering !

Does anyone know whether it would be OK to cover the floor with that sticky plastic you can buy on rolls from placed like Robert Dyas ?

Am just thinking if it's not got plastic coating the wee will sink into wood and pong !

Am I worrying unnecessarily ?

Read on t'internet that lining floor of hutch with newspaper and putting wood shavings on top of that was good idea - but some people were saying it was terrible idea and bunnies got inky paws - am so utterly confused now !

[OneLieIn]

Our hutch has a floor that is coated in some dark stuff, a bit like tar, that repels the wee. The floor of our hutch is woodshavings, newspaper and lots and lots of hay and straw. The woodshavings are OK, but don't work well for one of our fluffy bunnies, who comes out looking like a ball of woodshavings every time!

We also bought (do not laugh) a rabbit toilet that is like a litter tray in the corner of the hutch - they do nearly all of their poos and wees in there which makes cleaning out the hutch a lot easier.

[southeastastra]

lol at inky paws!

i just have some lino offcuts and a bit of perspex on the bottom of my cages, they do wee in one place so it's easy to just clean that bit out every couple of days

[DaphneMoon]

Nearly all rabbits will use a litter tray. You can use cat litter for it. If you put some of the already wee sodden wood shavings and a few bits of poo in the tray they will almost definately start using it. Rabbits are very fussy animals and would prefer to use one place to wee and poo. Our rabbits use it for nearly all their poos and all the wee. The wee is the stinky bit and the litter de-odourises this making the cage odour free. My cage is only wooden bottom and I use sawdust. I did used to use paper too but they hated it and just used to shred it to bits. You can buy a litter tray for a rabbit at the local pet shop, they are triangular in shape to fit into the corner of your cage as that is where most rabbits go. Put it in the corner they use at the moment.

[DaphneMoon]

sorry that was supposed to be all not all

[DaphneMoon]

Sorry scatterbrain just realised you are the OP and you have not got a rabbit yet! Mean put it in a corner of the hutch and move it if they use a different corner.

[StripeyKnickersSpottySocks]

Scatterbrain - was it the Happy Hutch you saw on ebay. I have a Happy Hutch and its good, I got a different run though 'cos I wanted a bigger one. I bought a bit of lino from a carpet shop for £5 and cut that to fit.

Rabbits will need neutering - about £45 each. Mixi jabs are £20 each. Definetly get 2 rabbits not one. They are very social creatures.