Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Small pets

Mumsnet does not check the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you're worried about the health of your pet, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Ex just bought 6yr old DD two bunnies

178 replies

Birkenshock · 25/06/2020 16:56

It's her birthday tomorrow - he has bought her two 8 week old bunnies as a present (to live here Angry)

What do I need to know? He bought them off gumtree, doesn't even know their genders or if they have been vaccinated or even what type of rabbits they are. Hugely irresponsible, I know - but I know nothing about rabbits, and now I'm about to be the owner of two - what do I need to know?

OP posts:
CodenameVillanelle · 25/06/2020 17:44

You have to say no to this. You just have to. Taking on two animals you don't want is absolutely insane. Don't feel bad about him blaming it on you - you will be the bad guy sometimes but you need to suck it up.

MostlyHappyMummy · 25/06/2020 17:45

You need to work on your boundaries with him
Rabbits today, who knows what next

Ninkanink · 25/06/2020 17:48

Oh no our rabbits were well worth the love and effort and care we put into them! They give a lot back if they’re treated as proper pets not just stuck in a hutch at the back of the garden.

Our most special bunny was much more like a dog than a rabbit, really. He spent all day every day with free run of the whole garden and free access to the house whenever he wanted to spend time with us. Which was often. On the rare occasion I had to shut the door to the conservatory (if it was properly rainy or stormy), he would pop his head up at the glass door and wait to be let in when he wanted to cosy up with us. He was a great bunny and a fantastic pet. Really intelligent and loved being with us for hours at a time.

chubbyhotchoc · 25/06/2020 17:50

Also agree that they mostly don't like being handled. My dad did similar when we were young. Got us a bunny without asking my mum. It really didn't want to be picked up or stroked and it used to snort like a pig ( didn't even know they made sounds) and leap in the air if you tried. It used to chew through its cage and get out quite regularly cue hysteria from me in case next doors dog had had it. You're also meant to clip their claws regularly and they hate that. In the end my mum rehomed it. There is no chance on earth I'd let my dc have one. You'd be better off trumping his gift with a kitten which are far less trouble and much more fun.

Ninkanink · 25/06/2020 17:51

(But my girls were both very gentle, very calm and very careful, even when they were quite young. And I did all the work of looking after them, because I was the adult and it was my responsibility.)

Birkenshock · 25/06/2020 17:51

I can't say no. It's not because I care about being the bad guy - he just won't listen. I left due to DV and this is just another way to control me. The rabbits will be here tomorrow, and I either give it a go or find an animal shelter to take them to. No point giving them back to the gumtree seller - I asked questions about what type of rabbits they are etc so I could start googling thing I may need to know, and ExH said he doesn't know as the seller didn't speak much English, but sent me a pic of the gumtree listing, and from the pics and limited info, I don't think the bunnies will be any better back there, and who knows who else they could be sold to.

If I show I'm upset in any way, he'll think he won. He'll thrive off this. I think my best bet is to act thrilled with a "gosh they are gorgeous, this is an amazing present" but explain obviously I need X amount of money per month to cover them.

So I don't really want advice on whether or not ExH is a controlling dick (he is, it's why he's an Ex), or whether or not to keep them (I'm keeping them and will do everything I can to be a responsible owner), what I want to know is anything I need to know about rabbits.

So far I have

Definitely get insurance
Visit vet ASAP to neuter
Yearly vaccinations
Wood chews for their teeth
They struggle in this heat and need watching/extra liquid etc
Outside run and they need more space than I would think

Anything else?

OP posts:
Chloemol · 25/06/2020 17:51

Sorry but you need to refuse. Rabbits should be vaccinated annually, so that’s a cost, nails will need sorting, you have to make sure they eat stuff to keep teeth down, if they are boy and girl it will be expensive to sort, two boys may end up fighting. Vets initial consultation fee for anything is normally approx £40 then everything else on top.

Do you have room for a run, they cant be let out in a garden unless you are sure they can’t burrow to escape. They need cleaning out regularly.

Will you really have time to do all of this, and believe me the six year old will soon loose interest

Glowcat · 25/06/2020 17:51

You need to say no. Unless he’s secretly a rabbit expert then the only thing you can be sure of is that he’s going to hand over two rabbits he got from god knows where. They could be too young to leave their mother, sickly, pregnant (from 12 weeks and I doubt he can age a rabbit accurately), a boy and a girl (future pregnancy) or two males (future fights.) You’ll be the one covering all future vets bills. However difficult it is to say no imagine how it would feel telling your DD that the rabbits are ill or that one has to go when she’s got to know them.

If you want her to have a pet have a look at sites online that don’t sell pets for advice on what would be a good pet for her age and how best to house and care for them. A lot of pet retailers sell cages that are under the minimum size to humanely keep the pets they sell them for.

RandomMess · 25/06/2020 17:53

Find a shelter for them.

ButterflyWitch · 25/06/2020 17:53

Gosh OP it would be terrible if someone in your house was allergic and they had to stay at his.......

PatriciaHolm · 25/06/2020 17:53

So what's next? A puppy for Christmas?

It's not just the money; they are a terrible present for small kids and lots of hard work.

Chloemol · 25/06/2020 17:54

So when he says no he is not going to pay you anymore then what!

He is controlling you still because you are not prepared to say no, when the reality is that’s what you need to do, for the animals sake if not your child’s.

It is not responsible to take on two rabbits because your ex may win by you showing you are upset

It’s cruel to the animals

chubbyhotchoc · 25/06/2020 17:55

I can't say no?
Of course you can. Stand up to him for goodness sake! If you've managed to leave him due to dv you can turn down a couple of rabbits.

FlamedToACrisp · 25/06/2020 17:55

Rabbits can make lovely pets for gentle, confident children, especially if a parent is an experienced bunny-owner. You're not, so the chances are the rabbits will not be handled enough to keep them tame and healthy.

But your ex has no right to decide that you're going to be a pet-owner. What if he buys your DD a puppy for Christmas? Or a parrot? Or a goat?

It's time to draw a line in the sand. Say no.

Akea · 25/06/2020 17:56

I love animals(have cats, had dogs too) but rabbits scare the hell out of me!
I had one for one week and he was so aggressive even my cats were scared of him(it was a small one but kept running after them and trying to byte their legs and not in a playfull way). Do some online research..there are a lot of experiences with kids/adults bitten by rabbits even if carrefully handled.

Glowcat · 25/06/2020 17:56

X post.

Have a look at small, local rescues that deal with small animals. Contact them and explain the situation. They should be able to talk you through things on the phone and give advice on suitable housing, feed etc. If you’re lucky they might also be able to send someone out to give the rabbits the once over.

cd24x · 25/06/2020 17:57

We have an indoor rabbit and he is honestly the best pet we could have wished for. HOWEVER, this is two years down the line and it's taken a lot of learning and chewed wires/furniture to get to this point!

Outdoor rabbits require a large amount of space. Most hutches sold at pet shops are inadequate in size. Rabbits need the ability to be able to stretch up on their hind legs and not have their ears touch the top of the hutch at a minimum. If you choose to keep them in a hutch, they will need daily supervised exercise in a very large run (enough to zoom and binky). Both the run and the hutch need to be properly fox proofed - some foxes can get through the mesh on hutches. Don't forget they'll also need feeding/cleaning out on miserable wet and cold days too so factor in whether you'd be happy to go out in the pouring rain or snow to do this!

Rabbits require a diet of mostly hay, accompanied by high quality pellets (not rabbit muesli!!), with some fresh green vegetables. They graze over the day to help wear their teeth down and keep their digestive tract moving. As a pp said, they can decline very quickly if they stop eating/going to toilet, and as a prey species they will hide any symptoms they have so you have to be extra vigilant (I have spent a few nights syringe feeding critical care food my rabbit at 2am to ensure his digestive tract doesn't stop!)

Both of these rabbits will need spaying/neutering. Please ensure this is done even if same sex pairing. Uterine cancer is common in does that are not spayed, and bucks will tend to be calmer and not spray as much urine for territory marking when neutered. In our experience, we were only able to get ours neutered at 4 months old. He was too small prior to this. Rabbits also require regular vaccinations against myxomatosis/RHD1&2.

Again, as pp have said, not all rabbits get along. They need to be 'bonded' and it is not the case that this will automatically happen if they have come from the same litter. It's like humans, some rabbits will just not get on together. Bonding can be especially difficult with same sex pairs, but also with male/female pairs too.

Our rabbit is happy to be stroked (especially nose rubs), however is not cuddly in the slightest and fights against being picked up. So you may find your child loses interest quickly as they're not like other animals that will sit and be 'loved'.

As others have mentioned, they can live up to 10 years with correct care. You need to work out if this is the type of commitment you want to take on. You also need to think about care if you go on holiday - animal boarding is not cheap!

Please don't assume they will be easy to take care of. I definitely would not recommend rabbits as a first time pet for a small child. I was 29 when we got ours and it was still difficult! But now that we've got to grips with it all we wouldn't be without him.

I think your exH has put you in quite a difficult position and I would recommend that if you're not in the right position to be able to house and care for these rabbits, that you look up local rescue centres and pass those details onto your exH!

Good luck with whatever you decide!

Aquamarine1029 · 25/06/2020 17:58

Why on earth are you still allowing this man to control you? It boggles the mind.

RoseAndRose · 25/06/2020 18:01

I think you tell him that you hope he hutch will fit in his flat, and hand him a bunch of printouts about how to keep house rabbits happy and healthy.

If he blusters, tell him it is absolutely and always wrong to give animals as presents. But it's fine to get them for oneself, so you hope he will be very happy with them.

They are not to cross your threshold under any circumstances. You did not choose this, you did not want this.

Animals are not toys and not presents. I think you need a proper boundary on this one.

If you want to get pets for your DC in your home, I suggest you research it properly and buy ethically.

Heveahoovia · 25/06/2020 18:03

I’ve had a rabbit, it was fine for the most part but beware their piss stains and generally they are a mess to look after and kids aren’t the best for handling them. They can get scared very easily and literally die from it. Not all obviously but it’s something to know. Personally, I wouldn’t be letting him near the house with them. He’s a fucking idiot for not even consulting with you first, if he wants them he can keep them at his house. What an utter dick.

ToDoListAddict · 25/06/2020 18:03

Sounds like you have a good plan already for the bunnies.
I'd definitely request more money to cover their expenses.

Top tip for this hot weather, freeze water bottles and put in their hutch to cool it down.
You can even buy fans that attach to the hutches.
Be very wary of fly strike too!

They'll be all tiny and cute at 8 weeks but they'll definitely get bigger so please make sure they'll have plenty of room.

If the hutch is second hand, you'll need to deep clean it because the previous bunny resident could have had a virus or parasite - and the baby bunnies might contract it.

Don't use sawdust - it can trigger respiratory problems.

Lots and lots of good quality hay.

Bunny owner here so feel free to ask me anything x

onalongsabbatical · 25/06/2020 18:05

The rabbits will be there - how? Is he bringing them?
You can't let this happen OP.
If they're being delivered refuse them. If he's bringing them be out. He's bloody playing you and you're letting him.

mamas12 · 25/06/2020 18:06

Please say no because you may have to Be the bad guy anyway and let them go anyway in the future because he will not pay and it’s too much work and the kids are scared of them so why delay it and out you and your dcs through that

ChewChewIsMySpiritAnimal · 25/06/2020 18:06

Rabbits make shit pets, especially for children. They can be very aggressive and difficult to handle if they're not handled extremely gently all the time. She would have been better off with a couple of Guinea pigs.

Snozzlemaid · 25/06/2020 18:08

Get them checked for what sex they are ASAP.
I was sold two males apparently and within 4 weeks we went from 2 rabbits to 13!
Female had one litter of 8 and then 4 weeks later another 3 as the male got her pregnant again immediately after she gave birth to the first lot, despite me removing him as soon as I found a nest of babies.

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.