Can I keep a bunny in my closet?

[4 Georgia Hens]

With proper housing it's not cruel at all.

Do you keep your tiny chickens in the house?
"6 Silkies, 3 Bantam Cochins"

My chickens live outside. I have had a house silkie for a while.

 

[4 Georgia Hens]

You do NOT want a bunny in the house. Seriously. I've had bunnies in the past, in the house. It was a disaster! Rabbits chew EVERYTHING they can get their teeth on, even if you do supply then with plenty of wood chew toys. They will shun the wood chew toy, and go straight for the electrical cords in your house...and the molding....and the cabinets....and anything else they should not be chewing.

Additionally, there is the issue of rabbit excrement. Ok, the balls of poop are easy to clean up, I give you that. However, something you probably don't realize...rabbits PEE A TON. They are always drinking and peeing. The pee is high in ammonia. The bedding must be completely changed daily, or the ammonia builds up. While rabbits are usually litter-box trainable, they aren't always good about it, so you risk pee on your carpet (although my bunny was pretty good about using its box).

Anyway, long story short... I had a bunny in the house. It was way too much maintenance, and I vowed to never do it again.

Thank you very much for the input!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Rabbits live outdoors all over the planet, and have done for millennia. If you provide your pet with food, water and adequate shelter, no cruelty is involved, as millions of bunnies and their owners will attest.

 

[4 Georgia Hens]

Rabbits live outdoors all over the planet, and have done for millennia. If you provide your pet with food, water and adequate shelter, no cruelty is involved, as millions of bunnies and their owners will attest.

Thank you. It is seems to be a controversial topic because I have met/read about/ watched so many people advocating rabbits as indoor animals. It’s all really confusing

 

[aart]

The pee is high in ammonia

It's like caustic acid...will 'rot' metal and wood you name it...and do it pretty quickly.
Funny, as the poops are the best fertilizer, no need to compost can use fresh when planting.

 

[4 Georgia Hens]

Would it be better to keep a rabbit in a section of our car-free garage?

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Would it be better to keep a rabbit in a section of our car-free garage?

Yes!

 

[aart]

Would it be better to keep a rabbit in a section of our car-free garage?

I wouldn't keep it anywhere you don't want rabbit pee.
What's your goal for keeping a rabbit?

 

[NatJ]

Would it be better to keep a rabbit in a section of our car-free garage?

Garage: hot in summer, cold in winter, little contact with other people/animals.
Outside: hot in summer (but more chance of breeze to cool down), cold in winter, lots of fresh air, more contact with other animals.
House: might be air conditioned in summer, heated in winter, contact with people when they're home/inside.

They all have their good and bad points. Any of the indoor options--house or garage-- will have more trouble with odors than outdoors. The smell of rabbit waste is unpleasant to people, and can be harmful to the rabbit.

House rabbits can work for some people, but overall I'm sure there are a lot more happy, healthy outdoor rabbits than indoor rabbits. (That's counting total rabbits, not number of people that keep them--because people with multiple rabbits are more likely to keep them outside, and because wild rabbits live outside.)

 

[21hens-incharge]

One thing i will add......

Outdoor rabbits require shade.

I live where it gets hot in summer (100°F+).
My hutches were set up under a gig shade tree.