Bunnies and guineapig with chickens

[MammaHen]

I would really love to get bunny and a guinea pig for my 8 yr old twins for their birthday. (one boy and one girl!) Is it possible to house them with or near to my RIR's or are there disease issues with these pets I don't know of?

 

[miss_jayne]

you can. i personally kept them in the coop for awhile.

now everyone has their own space. (the guinea pigs and rabbit are housed together in a tractor.) some people prefer to keep their guinea pigs and bunnies separated also. to each his own, and all animals have to be monitored together anyway, because they are all different on how they will act.

this is the major issue i had with the rabbit in the coop....when we had to put our rooster down, the rabbit took over 'rooster duty'. he stated trying to mate the chickens and spraying them to mark them also, so out to a tractor he went.

hope you find a solution that works for you!

 

[Southernbelle]

I've heard it both ways. Personally, I keep mine seperated. I keep my rabbits in all-wire cages in the barn with the chickens, but not right in the pen with them. The wire keeps their little feet and bellies so clean and they don't get stinky and my kids love to cuddle them and love on them. I have Holland Lops for our pets - they're just the right size for little people to hold and so sweet!

There are some illnesses that chickens and rabbits can pass to each other; it's come up in different discussion threads, but I don't know exactly what to watch out for. I know coccidia (sp?) is one - rabbits are VERY prone to it.

Guinea pigs and rabbits can co-habitate if they get along, but still not my first choice. Guinea pigs can't handle the cold, so I always put mine outside in their own all-wire cage for the spring and summer and brought them inside during the cold months. Rabbits are clean in that they won't soil their nesting space, but guinea pigs have no problem soiling every space!

Hope that helps! Rabbits and guinea pigs both make excellent pets.