Is. House rabbit a good pet.

[FREYASMUMMY2015]

Hi
It's my daivhters birthday next month and with us having Xmas not long ago I have no idea why to get her. She has been asking for a dog but I do work and it wouldn't be fair in the dog so a dog is off the cards for now. I was thi King of. House rabbit. And was soi sering if anyone has one and whether THEY re a good little pet to have?? Also she will be 4 on her birthday.

Thank you.

In those circumstances, no. Bunnies are very cute but need a lot of care and attention, suitable for adults or at least older, mature children. They don’t like being picked up, for one thing; what 4 year old could possibly resist?

Not suitable for a 4 year old, no.
They are fabulous pets, but expensive, high maintenance, and delicate little things!
My bun's vet bills (standard jabs and one tummy upset) cost me the best part of £400 plus his food etc.
They are prey animals and startle easily and it takes a long time to gain their trust, which you would need to do with a solo bun as they need a lot of attention and company.
When she is young teens a housebun would be a great pet but not when she is this little.

Rabbits are good pets, but not for small children. Perhaps look at guinea pigs instead.

Nope (ex-house-rabbit owner here): they often don't like cuddles or being held; they chew everything left at floor level; they are prey animals so prone to trying to drop dead at the least provocation - we spent a bloody fortune on ours. We had one before kids and she was fab, but not a pet for a young child imo. Go with 2 + guinea pigs instead: bullet-proof; love cuddles by and large; bid-able; have the same cute-and-furry appeal (we had those too and honestly, much more realistic for kids). You wouldn't want them free range like you can bunnies as i don't think they have the natural instinct to be litter trained, but a large indoor C&C gage (google them) would be ideal

I have kept guinea-pigs for years , never kept rabbits.
Guineas are lovely but they are quite shy and fragile .
Very rarely bite but they do have sharp teeth and they are utterly defenceless. So if they did want to bite you, they could .

They are also quite allergenic if your DC are sensitive to hay or fur.

Question is : what pet do YOU want.
You will be the one looking after it. You;ll be feeding, cleaning, catching, making sure they are safe.
Your DC will most likely get bored . (Look on sites like GumTree - most are 'Kids bored' 'Kids allergy' 'No time to look after them' 'Moving' )

If you don't want guinea-pigs , what about a young cat?
Far more independant than a dog , no hay (but there is the fur)

Or wait till she's older , 8-9 is a better age for a pet, They belong to the household. They can handle them, take responsibility more (though under if your DC 16yo it is your shout) .
My DD was 9yo when we got our first pigs, no we;re down to the last (of 8 over the years) my DD is 16yo now.

I can think of few worse reasons to bring a couple of fragile little animals into your home than "I don;t know what to get my child"

I have a house rabbit and she is the most high maintenance pet I have ever had. I love her but would never get a house rabbit with a 4 year old.

Rabbits can live as long as a dog so it's a big commitment and a child that age is likely to get bored.

As pps have said they aren't really good pets for young children.

Rats are good small pets. The're intelligent and love being picked up and played with. Theyre quite robust too so she will be safe holding them and picking them up. Very affectionate too. Although you really need to get 2 rather than one.

Or a hamster type pet (I don't like them as much personally but they seem to be a popular first pet)

Not for a 4 year old no. Rabbits need careful handling to build trust. Also they are very sociable animals so if you're out all day you'll need to get a pair. Otherwise they look very glum by the time you get home. They are actually also quite hard work and need dedicated space (cages are much too small). They are wonderful little animals but cats are much easier.

Nope. Adult home only for houserabbits.

They are not an easy pet to keep properly. In fact rabbits in general are a terrible choice for a child.

They chew everything. Mine shredded wallpaper, shoes, books, carpet, furniture legs...I really wouldn’t!

Rabbits are the worst possible pet for children. They are prey animals, get scared very easily and hate being picked up.

They eat phone chargers, skirting boards, table and chair legs, any cables they can get their teeth in.

They need lots of space to run around and play, they should be in pairs too. My rabbits lived for 12 years. Is she still going to care about and look after a rabbit when she's 16? It will be you paying the expensive vet bills, taking them to the vets, paying for their jabs etc

Thanks everyone for your replies. So it's a no to. Rabbit lol.
I will look into a ginie pig and have a think.

Guinea pigs must live in pairs so you need two. Also, the cages in Pets at Home are much too small. They need good quality hay and cost a lot more than you think to feed, and they make loads of mess. If you don’t want to do lots of cleaning, I’d wait until your dd is older.

I'm home all day with my house bun and even then she requires a lot of supervision and constant cleaning up with hay & litter. She is free range in a safe part of the house but even then she will chew door frames and anything within her reach. They really shouldn't be confined to small cages or hutches as they love to run free and binky. She's litter trained which is great. She's very friendly and loving and follows me about everywhere and is really part of the family. Rabbits are ideally kept in pairs so you would need 2 although mine is bonded with a cat just now. I would also agree that guinea pigs may be more suitable for your family. They make fabulous hands on pets, are so cute and love being held and brushed. When they're happy they popcorn with joy and recognize the voices of those who usually feeds them.

All pets will require lots of hard work on your part OP, so like others have said you need to think about whether you really want a pet at all. Not knowing what to give your DD for her birthday isn't really a good reason.
Does your DD love animals?

Having said that, our DD adores animals and we gave her a hamster for her 4th birthday. He's an adorable little thing and we're all so fond of him. DD loves him SO much and still gets him out for a cuddle and a play a few times a day (he's 2 years old now). He's a male Syrian - we were advised that this was the best choice because they're easier to handle.

I think we've been very lucky. He loves being held, never ever bites and wakes up to beg for treats every day when DC are having breakfast and when DP and I are getting ready for bed.

We also have pet rabbits (had them before DC were born) and we love them too, but they are much higher maintenance.

They make great pets (ive kept them since childhood) but I wouldn't recommend them for children under 6/7 for reasons others have mentioned already. A Guinea pig might be ok, if you can encourage her to be very gentle and quiet with it as they can be easily spooked.

No.
Pets are for adults not children.