Rabbits

[FrankieDoodle]

Aww she's adorable!!



Thank you for adopting and loving them

I hadn't thought of adopting one but now I think I might.



Ohh good idea!

Thank you!

 

[townchicks]

I don't currently have a rabbit but I have had a number of house rabbits. They can make amazing pets if you know what you are getting into. They do chew things, especially cords! Those can be wrapped with protective wraps, which helps, and just keep them out of the rooms with computers. They should be spayed or neutered, females go hormonally nasty PMS if not spayed, and males frequently spray if not neutered. Females are also very prone to reproductive cancer if not spayed, so they live longer when they are. Check out the HouseRabbit Society, they have lots of good info about keeping rabbits in the house.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I don't currently have a rabbit but I have had a number of house rabbits. They can make amazing pets if you know what you are getting into. They do chew things, especially cords! Those can be wrapped with protective wraps, which helps, and just keep them out of the rooms with computers. They should be spayed or neutered, females go hormonally nasty PMS if not spayed, and males frequently spray if not neutered. Females are also very prone to reproductive cancer if not spayed, so they live longer when they are. Check out the HouseRabbit Society, they have lots of good info about keeping rabbits in the house.

Thanks for the tips! I'll definitely check that out! Is spaying and neutering for rabbits expensive?

 

[Bunnylady]

Thanks for the tips! I'll definitely check that out! Is spaying and neutering for rabbits expensive?

Anesthesia in rabbits is tricky, so yes, it is usually pretty expensive to get a rabbit altered. Also, you may have to hunt around a bit to find a vet that sees "exotics."

Every type of rabbit keeping has its hazards. House rabbits can get electrocuted chewing on wires (I've heard a fixation for computer cables is common), develop wool block from chewing on carpet or upholstery, get injured jumping or falling off of furniture or stairs (yes, they climb on things). Even neutered rabbits mark their territory, so even a litter box trained rabbit may leave the odd pee mark in a corner (and some never learn to put all of the "bunny berries" in the box). However some people may feel about animals in cages, sometimes, the safest and sanest way to keep an indoor rabbit is to cage it when you can't be there to keep an eye on it.

Outdoors, of course, has its own hazards, weather being the most obvious. Rabbits are more tolerant of cold than of heat, but care must be taken to provide for their needs in both. Rabbits on the ground may be exposed to a variety of parasites, and need to be checked or treated for them periodically. And, of course, there are predators. No yard, pen, or cage is completely predator-proof; the best you can do is hope that you have built confinement for your pet in such a way that the predator doesn't feel it is worth all the effort it would take to get in, and seeks a meal elsewhere.

A word of caution about rabbits and dogs: I have seen rabbits killed and injured by dogs, when the rabbit didn't get out of the cage, nor did the dog get in. Don't ask how; I have images seared on my mind that I'd rather not put into yours. Just know that it can happen; if you have a high-prey-drive dog (or worse yet, more than one), you need to be sure that the dog can't even get near the cage unsupervised.

In predator situations, the cage itself can become a hazard. Rabbits have two defenses; sit tight, and hope that the predator doesn't see you, or run like the devil himself is after you! If a rabbit gets startled and tries to run, its explosive acceleration can get it moving fast enough that it can hit the cage wall hard enough to break its own neck (this could happen in a house, too, if you have a sliding glass door or something that could look like an opening but really isn't).

When it comes to keeping rabbits together, I like to say that they get along, until they don't. For some rabbits, that may mean a lifetime of apparent harmony, but I have seen even siblings do terrible things to each other when the need for their own space overruled whatever "bond" they were supposed to have. Space seems to be main consideration; some rabbits may not want that much, while for others, a whole city block might not be enough. Spaying and neutering seem to be imperative if you mean to keep rabbits together, though you will probably see some sexual/dominance behavior, even after the reproductive organs have been removed.

A lot of care must be taken if you are putting adult rabbits together; a certain amount of scuffling is to be expected (in any gender combination), but if it becomes an honest-to-goodness fight, the rabbits may never learn to get along - so much depends on the personality (fursonality?) of the rabbits.

 

[ShrekDawg]

@Bunnylady thank you so much for all the info!! It's really helpful!!

I found these links which seem pretty good?

https://rabbit.org/faq-how-to-find-a-good-rabbit-vet/

https://rabbit.org/vet-listings/

And on the list, I found one who appears to be very close but they are also a VCA which can sometimes be pricey even for dogs and cats but we'll see. I'm going to at least try I think. But I might find a low cost spay and neuter clinic. I think the list also lists a couple.

And the odd thing is my dog isn't really high prey drive at all andnis getting pretty old so I think he might be olay but he sees rabbits and squirrels as fair game to chase and still gives the cat the occasional chase so I guess he is high prey drive in a way? Cause he also chases and tries to catch mice and chipmunks and freaks out at turkeys and deer. He's so lazy in other ways and sleeps all the time I guess I don't relly normally consider him high prey drive or figured all dogs did that. He is half Lab though so I guess it comes with the territory hah

Anyway, I think it would be too risky to get one with him though or at least to put it in the house. I might move out next year though so maybe I could have a house rabbit in an apartment. Or get an outdoor rabbit for now. Do they do well going from outdoor to indoor if I ever move?

And can they be alone? Only reason I would have them together is because I thought they might be lonely alone.

 

[townchicks]

Spaying and neutering costs about the same, generally, as a dog or cat, except cat neuters are often cheaper because it is a different technique. Rabbits can be alone, but usually do better with a companion, though, as Bunnylady said, that can be tricky. When they fight, it can get vicious. If you get a rabbit from a shelter, depending on location, it may be already neutered. It is always best to confine even indoor rabbits when you are not there to watch them. I found that a dog x-pen, placed over a scrap of linoleum, is great for rabbits. Most commercially sold rabbit cages are way too small, especially since you are looking at larger breeds. Your dog does sound pretty high prey drive to me, the chasing of the family cat is particularly concerning. Even if he means it no harm, the chasing alone can kill a rabbit.

 

[Bunnylady]

Spaying and neutering costs about the same, generally, as a dog or cat, except cat neuters are often cheaper because it is a different technique.

That may depend on where you live. Locally, you can get a dog or cat altered for $35 or less, but a rabbit spay will cost in excess of $100.

There is a vet that works with a local rabbit rescue that does their rabbits for whatever the cost of materials is for him, but that is passed on to whoever ultimately gets the rabbit as part of the re-homing fee.

 

[Happy Novogens]

I've housed my rabbits indoors for decades. There absolutely is a way to house rabbits indoors without smell!! Honestly!

I keep my rabbits in the main living area. People come to visit and are totally unaware we have rabbits until they see them hopping about. I've had many comments from visitors that they are surprised there is no odor whatsoever.

It is just a matter of having the right set up that is to your advantage. (I explain it in detail on my website.)

You may also want to consider a French lop. They are large and mellow too and have great personalities (generally speaking since breed doesn't dictate personality with rabbits).

I had a French lop from a rescue that escaped from his indoor cage the first night (a cage with a female rabbit that had never escaped). In the morning, I found him cuddled up with our Newfoundland!

Our current dogs are a half lab-half Newf, and a labradoodle. They also have been trained to get along with the rabbits. (also explained on the site)

With indoor rabbits, dogs (most, not all) can quickly understand that the rabbit is just another member of the family. They know the difference between a family pet/member and the wild rabbits outside. My labradoodle will go in full chase of any cottontails or jackrabbits he sees outside. He doesn't at all have that attitude with our pet rabbits.

Here is a photo of the labradoodle with the rabbits followed by a photo of our earlier Newf with the French lop we had. (I see you have a part Pyrenees. We had one growing up. She was about the same size as the Newf in the bottom photo below -- to give you an idea of the size of the French lop.)

 

[Happy Novogens]

I missed a page of replies before I posted above.

Spays for rabbits in my area are $250!! - crazy expensive. I've seen them more too in other areas.

I like to get rabbits from a rabbit rescue (as opposed to a generic shelter). Rabbit rescues typically only adopt out rabbits that are already spayed/neutered. That means a huge savings for you since the adoption fee is less than the cost of the spay.

The other advantage of fixed rabbits is that you can see their personality. Baby bunnies don't exhibit their adult personality and, no, getting them young won't make them bond better to you. That doesn't happen (for real) until after hormones or being fixed.

Also, fixed rabbits litter train much more easily. All of my fixed rabbits have been 100% in the litter box for urine (since the late 1980s). The dry droppings are seldom 100% but aren't a big deal since they don't have odor and are easy enough to sweep up (unless you have a dog, of course, because they will "sweep up" for you!)

A single indoor rabbit can often be just fine as a single rabbit since they are around people and activity almost all day. Outdoor rabbits should have a companion. If you go through a rescue, you can often find already fixed and already bonded pairs if you choose that route - for either indoors or out. (However, some rescues do not allow their rabbits to be housed outdoors.)

 

[Cellomama2]

I know when I adopted mine they were already spayed/neutered and the adoption fees are much less. I think I paid $25 for the adoption fee that included the neuter, vet check and microchip. Pretty great bargain to get a buddy and save a life.