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Pets

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Original poster

Do you have a house rabbit? Is it true that they pretty much act like cats? Use a litter box etc?

38 replies

Aimsmum · 24/05/2009 20:19

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cornsilk · 24/05/2009 20:21

Yes they are easily trained. It's not cruel 'cos they've got more space. Our rabbit doesn't have a hutch at all, he sleeps under the bed.

southeastastra · 24/05/2009 20:27

i don't know really, my rabbit eats all the wires.

FrannyandZooey · 24/05/2009 20:29

they do eat everything
and they are a complete bugger to catch

Meglet · 24/05/2009 20:30

My rabbit was trained to use a litter tray. The little pickle used to try and sleep on the sofa too. And she ate through lots of telephone cables. She was free range in the garden during the day and completely spoilt and wonderful .

tatt · 24/05/2009 20:31

don't have one now but we have had rabbits in the conservatory for short periods. They can be trained to use a litter tray but you need to find out if they are trained already. One of ours used to miss the tray most of the time - older rabbits can be hard to train. One preferred to go back to their hutch rather than use the tray - but she never caused a mess anywhere else.

Personally I wouldn't keep a rabbit indoors unless I could also put a run on grass and let them hop about outside sometimes - with care not to change temperature too rapidly. However if you can do that they may be much happier than in a hutch outside and they make a good pet.

Raabits do like to chew - so things like television cables need to be protected. The RSPCA have many rabbits in need of homes and sell a good guide to rabbits called the problem with rabbits.

nickytwotimes · 24/05/2009 20:32

Mine was great at using the litter box, but ate my flat. I'm not kidding, the hairy fecker destroyed the place.
I wouldn't recommend it.
Also, they need compnionship of other bunnies.

Get TWO guinea pigs instead. They are far easier and are absolutely wonderful.

FairLadyRantALot · 24/05/2009 20:33

well, those lop eared dwarfs are definitely great pets, and can be trained to go into litterboxes, etc...they are, temperament wise very diiferent to other dwarf rabbits. They are much calmer etc....and like human company and cuddles...

however, cables etc. do need to be out of the way and unreachable....

mrsmaidamess · 24/05/2009 20:34

Our rabbit exercises in the house in the winter and does poop in a litter tray. I wuod be scared to let her be a house rabbit alll the time, as she chews and might get out if the door was open. I think you can compromise and sort of do 1/2 and 1/2.

Original poster
Aimsmum · 24/05/2009 20:35

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Original poster
Aimsmum · 24/05/2009 20:38

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tatt · 24/05/2009 20:41

although rabbits are social animals the RSPCA do let them go alone as house rabbits, because they have lots of human company. I don't know how they feel about indoors at all times but as long as you provide them with really good hay probably OK. They do get dental problems if they don't get the right sort of food and fresh grass is by far the best. You can also pick things like hawthorn for them.

When we bought turf for our rabbit run some people were buying it for their house rabbit.

nickytwotimes · 24/05/2009 20:42

Oh, I got electric shocks from stuff the bunny had chewed. The telly, the hoover...
Also, it was the hardest-to-care-for animal I have ever kept. Seriously. I would never have another one. They are adorable but high maintainance.

tatt · 24/05/2009 20:44

if you keep them in their run (or a bathroom) except when you are there to watch them you can manage the cable problem. You can also get other things for them to chew. But if you did go for a rescue rabbit the RSPCA take them back if necessary.

How do you feel about rats - good pets for children but I couldn't have one?

tatt · 24/05/2009 20:46

oops - sorry missed the comment about small things.

helsbels4 · 24/05/2009 20:51

I'm not sure I'd get one if you don't have a garden. We used to have our rabbit indoors but she was in a run in the garden in the daytime when I was there.

She used her litter tray most of the time but she did eat the telephone wire, the hoover flex, shoes, furniture etc!

She was adorable though and used to either sit on the settee with us watching tv or she used to lay on my feet - lovely!

Original poster
Aimsmum · 24/05/2009 20:51

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cornsilk · 24/05/2009 20:52

We can't get our little fella to go in the garden.

nickytwotimes · 24/05/2009 20:53

See, my MUm was a bit scared of rodents when i was a lass, but she did go for the guinea pig option as they are bigger and fatter and not as skitish. Also, they don't climb. She LOVED them and cuddled them more than I did. They make really good pets.

FairLadyRantALot · 24/05/2009 20:54

oh, btw, the supermarket type rabbit food used to be crap and wrong, despite being rabbit food...it is best to get pellet food, iykwim...

lots of hard stuff to gnaw and mineral stones and stuff and hay and straw ....

if you feel uncomfy about the purely indoor thing and wouldn't be to embaressed by it, you can alays take the rabbit out on a leash...

KingCanuteIAm · 24/05/2009 20:57

Ok, this may sound a bit mad but I am going to say it anyway - judge me a fruitloop if you please

Rabbits can be trained to walk on a lead (with a harness). If you have no outside garden you could train it to walk on a lead and take it out - you would need to find a place that is dog free though

Original poster
Aimsmum · 24/05/2009 20:58

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KingCanuteIAm · 24/05/2009 20:58

lol x post fairlady

nickytwotimes · 24/05/2009 20:59

Guineas can be skittish when they are young. Not like gerbils/hamsters though. They get mellow with age.

FairLadyRantALot · 24/05/2009 21:00

see, I loved my beautyful lop eared dwarfs rabbits, never liked the ordinary dwarfs...but guinepigs...hmm...they make that awful noise....

oh, and how funny kingcanute, I was just "talking" about you...

nickytwotimes · 24/05/2009 21:02

AWFUL noise?
It's lovely!

with the greatest of respect, m'lady.