Rabbits!

[balloonflower]

What? Don't want to talk about spiders--yes I suppose we went down a rabbit trail...

For someone wanting a pet rabbit, do you recommend a buck or doe? I know I've read that a solitary bun should be fixed, but is one nicer alone? I know my buck is much sweeter than my does, but is that standard or was he just handled more.

 

[User395221]

but is one nicer alone?

(sorry about the spider talk....)

I am "funny" about my animals. I like them to have a friend of their own type, not just rely on me for their companionship. My bunnies are all adopted, and came in 2 pairs. One pair was very tame, had been handled a lot, the other not as much. I think the male of the tamer pair was "easier" than the female (she'd thump, he wouldn't), but she has more "personality". The male from the other pair is quite a cranky-pants. I think it boils down to individual personality and how they've been brought up as to how they are, rather than just their sex. I don't think you can generalise, everyone's different, which is the fun part of having them. If I was getting a new young pet bunny, I'd get a boy, just because the sterilisation is easier. It was quite stressful having my girl's operation.

 

[balloonflower]

Will buns bond with other animals? My daughter's teacher is considering getting one of my kits. I know they have a couple of Chihuahuas and cats, but the cats are pretty old.

My first litter, so I'm just learning how to sex the kits, but I think I may have four lil does.

 

[Silkie2]

Will buns bond with other animals? My daughter's teacher is considering getting one of my kits. I know they have a couple of Chihuahuas and cats, but the cats are pretty old.

My first litter, so I'm just learning how to sex the kits, but I think I may have four lil does.

Rabbits don't "bond" to other animals as they would to there same species. But they can "get along with them" if introduced properly, it also depends on the animal, the cat may be aggressive towards the rabbit or vice versa (my rabbit chases my cat)

Also if she isn't breeding or showing, you should definitely get the rabbit spayed. It'll live longer and be less aggressive

 

[balloonflower]

I know that is one of her concerns--that the large silver fox bun might be too rough for her old cats. We're still in the research and thinking stage--but the nice thing is there's a relationship there, so she may even try fostering for a weekend to see how things go first.

 

[Silkie2]

I know that is one of her concerns--that the large silver fox bun might be too rough for her old cats. We're still in the research and thinking stage--but the nice thing is there's a relationship there, so she may even try fostering for a weekend to see how things go first.

Fostering to see how it goes is a good idea. She'll need to introduce them in a neutral area. Like maybe a bathroom,
Where the cat and rabbit haven't been before so they haven't had a chance to mark their territory.

 

[Chonke]

Im thinking about getting new zealand or californian meat rabbits when my coop is done. Does anyone know the best place to get them? They hardly ever show up on my local classifieds and if they do, theyre a different breed than what im looking for.

 

[Silkie2]

Im thinking about getting new zealand or californian meat rabbits when my coop is done. Does anyone know the best place to get them? They hardly ever show up on my local classifieds and if they do, theyre a different breed than what im looking for. 

Have you tried like Craigslist or Facebook? Facebook usually has some people selling meat rabbits/kits. (You just gotta search for it Lol) Craigslist usually has some too

 

[braehedge]

I show rabbits all of the time! It's a lot of fun, and I learn something new every show day. There is a site made by a Holland lop breeder called the Nature trail that you should check out, it's the best one for beginners in my opinion.

 

[supersymmetry]

Im thinking about getting new zealand or californian meat rabbits when my coop is done. Does anyone know the best place to get them? They hardly ever show up on my local classifieds and if they do, theyre a different breed than what im looking for.

Have you tried like Craigslist or Facebook? Facebook usually has some people selling meat rabbits/kits. (You just gotta search for it Lol) Craigslist usually has some too

If you are serious about getting into rabbits, I highly recommend finding a great breeder to start off with good stock. It's extra cost / challenge far exceeds the ease of buying rabbits with a completely unknown history. It's also imperative for biosecurity reasons.

I would suggest going to a local show and meeting some local breeders and asking around. You can find local shows here:

https://www.arba.net/showsSearch.php#showsearch

If you are specifically interested in NZ rabbits, and don't have time for shows, I'd reach out to any number of the people on this list. If it is outdated, ask them who might be able to help you out close by. It's a relatively small community.

http://www.newzealandrabbitclub.net/breeders.htm

Hope this helps.