Rabbits?

[Saz12]

I’ve been seriously considering 2 pet rabbits. I have an idealised view of a pair of ultra-tame, confident litter-trained rabbits hopping around contentedly, being happy to spend time with us, and seeking out strokes etc - I realise they’d not want to be picked up and cuddled. We’ve wooden floors that we’re not precious about, and could block off cables etc...but would they trash any wooden furniture, chair legs, skirting boards?
The plan would be that they’d have a “den” and could roam freely in the (scruffy!) room it was in when we were out, but would have freedom of the house the rest of the time. The room has about 5m by 3m of “empty” floor space with an adjoining corner of where they’d have their “house” area.

Does that set up sound OK? Am I being naive? Will they be nervous of us, territorial, unfriendly, unhappy house-destroying nightmares?

All rabbits have different personalities so it's difficult to say. If you get a pair from a rescue they will more likely be able to tell you some of their likes/dislikes.
Some bunnies are not keen on wooden floors as can be a bit slippery for them. But you could put down old carpet tiles/blankets etc
Some bunnies are extremely naughty so might chew cables etc - defo get the cable tidies/covers.
Some rabbits like to pull wallpaper off the wall.
Some rabbits like to "dig" in the sofa cushions!
I'm speaking from experience 🤣
But house rabbits are definitely a joy to have.

Definitely go to a rescue where they can match you with a confident pair who would be happy to live indoors with you.

Anticipate and prepare for house destruction, basically prepare for the worst and hope for the best!

My elderly pair were perfect indoors, but that's because they were ancient (they were 11 years old when they came indoors). When I lost them, one at a time, I first got a 1 year old gentle boy, and he now has a new girl the same age as him (they're both 3/4 years old now). Unfortunately the youngsters were way too wild to be indoors, waking us up every morning at 3,4,5am because they were in the spare bedroom next door to ours, so now they have an outdoor fortress to live in (shed and aviary).

They are clever creatures and always drawn to "forbidden fruit" - if it's behind a fence or you keep stopping them getting to it, it becomes even more desirable. My old boy knew how to lift and move puppy panel fences, my girl now would chew on and shake doors if they were closed. I think she also worked out that if she dug on the walls at 3am a human would come in and scatter food to make her stop so they could get a bit more sleep - rabbits will train you well.

They are brilliant little animals, they will make you laugh every day. But you will also worry about silence, or when they appear chewing something and you're not entirely sure what it is, "what is Ava eating now?!" is a sentence I utter every day.

Definitely speak to rescue.

I had two indoor rabbits before but they were very destructive and I ended up moving them outside. They chewed furniture and skirting, even some clothes that were left to dry and a countless amount of cables that no amount of rabbit proofing could protect. The hay also gets everywhere and there is a lot of litter to clear (compared to a cat for sure).
Definitely get an insurance for them as the vet bills can be sky-high, they are classified as exotic pets and are prone to gut and dental issues.

Could you try fostering first? I've been fostering and it's been a great way to find out if we want to adopt. We look after a rabbit/pair until they've been vaccinated and neutered, and then they can go on to their forever home. We also then get a chance to learn about their individual personalities, and have since decided that we are going to keep one of the pairs that we've fallen in love with.

Thanks! I’m particularly worried about how destructive they’d be. I really don’t want them as outside pets - in the winter they’d feel more like a chore than companions. DD has 2 guinea pigs, which are from a rescue and about 8 years old now. They’re indoor pets but get a play outside (in a safe run) in fine weather. I’d like something more companionable- the piggies aren’t interested in people (beyond food). Are rabbits more sociable toward people?