Rabbits....

[MrsPiddlewink]

Kind of inspired by another thread.

We pick up our baby dwarf lop at the weekend. I realise after reading the thread about rabbits as pets that I know very little.

Please help! Top tips?

Would love it to roam the house. We have a well behaved doggy and a not so well behaved moggy - will it be Ok with them?

How do you train them? How do you litter train them?

I had intended on sectioning off part of the garden. We have a hutch. I thought it could go in the well insulated summer house during colder months, but perhaps better in our house?

Any chance you could pick up 2 bunnies? They need company of their own kind really, especially if you're going to keep them outdoors. A rabbit will not be okay with a dog and cat. You could never leave it to roam the house with them. The rabbit would be scared and the dog/cat would view it as lunch.

It would be better to have 2 rabbits in a secure hutch and run outside. You would have to supervise your dog outside so it doesn't scare them by sniffing round.

Rabbits also need neutering for health/temperament and annual vaccinations. They need their claws clipping regularly and lots of space to run about. Most pet store hutches don't meet minimum requirements for their housing. Check out the RSPCA website which has some good advice.

Thank you. I always thought rabbits were better alone?

The dog has been fine with guinea pigs - it's the cat I'm more worried about.

I don't know where you're getting your rabbit but they should have told you that rabbits need bunny company. No reputable pet store or breeder or rescue would happily hand over a single bun. They are better in pairs, either 2 females or a male/female pair - obviously all need neutering. They will be happier and healthier.

On the training side - once neutered a lot of rabbits are easily litter trained (which makes cleaning out easy). They will decide where they like to toilet (they pick a place that suits them), then you put the litter tray there with some of their poo in it to encourage them. Add some hay as they like to eat on the toilet . They soon get the idea.

Rabbits can also be trained like dogs to come when called and to obey commands but that takes patience and time. Not all rabbits respond to this, but some do. They are usually too silly to learn very much as youngsters but as they get older will learn more easily.

Okay - so 2. We're gonna need a bigger hutch

Yes, two are better. I'm not sure if you've actually chosen your rabbit, but if it's possible to go to a rescue, you can get an already bonded pair that will be neutered and as well as meaning there's much less chance if fighting breaking out in the future, (sometimes happens as going bunnies reach maturity) it will also save a lot of money as most rescues charge £40-£100 per rabbit and it will be vaccinated and neutered. Vaccinations cost about £30-£45 per rabbit and neutering is usually between £60-£150 per rabbit. Both vaccs and neutering are essential for health reasons, neutering particularly in does.

The Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund has lots of excellent information on their website about caring for rabbits, including what get should eat and how to provide correctly sized, appropriate accommodation and stimulation for your bunnies.

You mention a summer house, if that's not something you use regularly, could you use it or part of it to house your rabbits? You could then use your existing hutch as a 'shelter' or hiding place in there, but they'd have a lot more space.

We have the one ... couldn't get two. He's in our lounge at the moment - with a safe cage - but he's allowed to roam regulary. He's getting lots of cuddles. He seems happy - skips around the lounge!

We plan on letting him have the run of the summer house all year. Dh is going to connect his hutch with a tunnel/catflap and we going to have his hutch contained within a large run that will come out the side and round the back of the summer house. Having him in the lounge has made it clear he needs a lot of space!

Posted another thread actually re: oats - safe for buns to eat?

You don't have to get another rabbit - so long as you give your only rabbit lots of attention.

If you do want another you can't just buy another rabbit - your current bunny may not bond with the new rabbit and then you will end up with two single buns. Best to check first - go to a rescue rather than a pet shop and they will help you find a suitable rabbit who can come home with you for a trial.

Your rabbit will need lots of exercise. My current bun, Dylan, lives in my office in a cage which is open most of the time although he doesn't really come out in the day. They are most active morning and evening. As your rabbit gets older he/she will need less exercise but still need to run around daily - baby buns though are really energetic and quite mad so lots of exercise is needed!

All rabbits tend to poo lots and everywhere - mine is ok for a while and then as he runs along and he leaves a trail. I have a dust buster to follow him around with which is great. He's not neutered and so does tend to have little "accidents" (hmmm) but once a rabbit is neutered they are much better.

If you have a female rabbit you must get her neutered (called spayed for females) as not doing so causes health problems.

Make sure all wires are hidden in your house. Any wire your bunny finds WILL get bitten. They can't help themselves. Any you can't hide get plastic tubing from a DIY store, cut it to the length you need to cover the wire and then to get the wire in the tube just slit the tube lengthways and push it onto the wire. I also shove cushions down the side of the sofa - every rabbit I have ever had has been determined to get down the back of the sofa and then preceded to scratch and dig at the sofa and carpet!

As for the dog and the cat - depending on the nature of the animals involved they may get on well or they may hurt each other and your bunny will come off worst. I would watch the cat especially - although a dutch rabbit I once had used to bully next doors cat so you just never know!

Enjoy your bunny - they are really amazing and funny and loving!!

Well, we had a house rabbit, who was allowed out in the garden on her own. She frequently got out of our garden and into the neighbours' gardens. She was more than capable of seeing off any cat that wandered into her territory - we saw her do it many times.

Rabbit was allowed free reign of the house during the day, but locked in hutch in kitchen at night. She was toilet trained (used her hutch, never anywhere else). She spent most of each evening on our laps infront of the TV, apart from a mad hour each night around 10ish when she'd tear round and round the house at top speed.

She would come in from the garden when called.

I didn't know they needed to be in a pair - ours seemed happy enough with human company.

They can/do seem happy on their own. Our first bunny was three years old when we got him and had always been a single house bunny. We got him from a vet nurse friend who was a bit put out when I said we were getting him a companion and it was true, he had seemed happy on his own. It was quite challenging finding a wife he liked, but once we did it was blatantly clear that he was much happier with a wife.

There are a few rabbits who won't be bonded with another and really do need to live alone, but they are the exception and it is recommended by the Rabbit Welfare Association to keep rabbits in pairs or groups. Many rescues won't rehome single rabbits.

We do have the option of getting a brother or sister.... DH thinks one is enough though.