Can you tell me about rabbits please

[Curlybrunette]

Hey everyone,

Ds and I have started volunteering at a pet rescue centre and it's only taken us 3 weeks to fall in love with a rabbit! I've got guinea pigs who live indoors but I don't really know much about rabbits so would appreciate your advice, especially the hardest bits, as I would only take them (the centre are going to try and pair the rabbit with another gorgeous bun they've got) if I'm totally sure it's the right thing for us and them.

The main thing that worries me is them being outside. I was chatting to one of the rescue centre ladies and she said that buns are much hardier then pigs, she's got 14 buns and only brings them inside if they are really old, or sick. Are they really ok to be outside all year, even if it's freezing and snowing?

I've been looking at hutches and thought about something like this www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B014EGLY00?psc=1 and then also getting a separate run for more room/change of environment.

We have a kitchen diner so had thought they could come in and have a wander about for a while every day, but I don't want them to live inside (unless they were ill or something and needed extra tlc of course). Our garage only has a tiny window so it's always really dark, it wouldn't be a nice place for them to go into (I know some people move their buns into the garage in really bad weather, I wouldn't think my garage would be a very nice place for them).

I've been reading about rabbits and saw they can be sensitive with changes of temperature, is it ok for them to be outside, then into a warm house and then out again?

So, please tell me about rabbits, the good and the bad so I can decide if it's right for us though I've totally fallen in love already and have put in a bid on a bargain hutch on ebay

Bit of an update, I've spent all week researching rabbits and think they probably aren't for us!

I've been at the rescue centre today and after a good chat with the lady there, we ended up talking about 2 Guinea pigs she's fostering. Basically a helper at the centre is terminally ill and had 6 rabbits and 3 pigs which are now being fostered. One of the 3 pigs developed an abscess and died this week, there's a (neutered male) and a female left. The male has been poorly this week, not eating, staying hidden etc and also had a lump on his back which needs removing but the vet won't do it until he's eating and is better in himself.
So to get to the point, I'm going to take them in, I'm keeping everything crossed the boy gets better.
So not bunnies but going from 3 pigs to 5! I need to get extending my pig house. They're in a 4 x 3 C&C at the moment, I think I'll add a 2 x 2 bit on the side, and a small upper level.

Thanks for your advice this week, I wanted to get lots of advice before I made a decision.

Good for you taking the pigs in....and for Checking what you were letting yourself in for with rabbits. If more people did that the rescues wouldn't be so busy!

Ah, you know the pigs make sense

My DD used to help with the school rabbits in Yr6 (mainly cleaning out and escorting the male from A-B . IIRC he couldnt live with the others ). She enjoyed it but it just galvanized her opinion that her guinea-pigs were her number one love and she never thought about getting her own rabbits.

Ours (we have 5 guineas in a 3+2 group) have started coming in at night time, I made a C&C run but I reckon I need to get the spare panels from the garage an enlarge it (I managed to make a 56" x 28" which I've sectioned up but its only just enough for a snug bed , they really need more though they're the laziest animals in history and go out to their Pighouse by day)

Whenever I read up on rabbits (and I have a big fenced off concrete area at the end of my garden sitting empty that I whistfully think I could fill with a huge run then put a Run-Around tunnel to the lawn) I get myself a reality check. I know my limits and rabbits are outside of this limit.
It is really depressing to see rabbits in petshops just lie in a tiny cage. I'm sure a lot of people think that's all they need or are in the belief they're saving them from the Petshop. Until the next one takes its place....
Wild rabbits can cover 5 miles a day, I'm sure their domestic cousins could too given the chance.
What I love about the pigs -greedy,noisy,cuddly,totally dependant and just a bit dense- is everything rabbits are not.

You can still help the rabbits immensely at the Rescue , and the Guineas at home.
Good Luck with the fostering , hope you have good results with the boar.