I'm thinking about adopting a rabbit. I've been researching all about them for a couple of months now.

Question

I currently have 2 cats and really want to know how they would react if I were to bring one home. I'm not very worried about my 2 year old female messing with him/her. I'm definatly going to wait to get a little rabbit at least until my male kitten is about 1 year old or so. I still need some simple questions answered though still. how long do rabbits live? (all the sites I visited all had different answers) should I spay/neuter my rabbit when I get him/her? (none of the sites I went to answered this question) if they need to be spayed/neutered then how old should they be when it is done? what kind of vaccinations do they need yearly? (I looked everywhere, couldn't find this answer at all) what do rabbits eat? besides lettuce, carrots, veggies etc. money ISN'T an issue for me at all so whatever my rabbit needs to have done for his/her health, it WILL be done!!!!! if anybody could answer any of these questions then it will be greatly appreciated!! Thank You!!!

this Saturday I will be taking my female up to my vet for her yearly shots. I will ask my vet all these questions and listen to what she has to say about my situation.

I will adopt one from my local SPCA.

I'm only getting one.

Answer 1

Don't listen to anyone who tells you rabbits are boring. And they do not poop everywhere. They can be litter trained just like a cat.But you should get it a litterbox of its own. Use corn cob pellets or recycled newspaper, never use cedar or pine shavings. Rabbits are herbivores... So any plant material ... they will like. Feed pellets and hay every day, and fresh water at all times. Keep the bowls full at all times. I have 2 bunnies, and they like apple peels, and celery the best, but you should always feed a variety to keep it from becoming bored with the food. You need to offer it a chew treat at all times too, as the bunny's teeth grow continually, and if you do not, and the bunny is loose in the house, it will chew on everything. They especially like to chew on electrical cords, and you know what will happen then. I offer mine peach, hack berry or mullberry branches and leaves. If you do not have access to these, then give them the little chew blocks (wood) that they sell at the pet store. Veggies to stay away from are iceberg lettuce (which has no nutritive value)and potato peels (which can kill them). Only feed gaseous causing veggies like cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower in small quantities, as they make the bunny get bloat. Bunnies like them, but these veggies do not like the bunny.
In answer to when you should get the bunny, get one today... your male cat will acclimate easier if done while he is still young. It would be smart to keep the cats nails clipped for a while, so they do not inadvertantly harm the bunny while getting to know each other. Also... Keep the bunny's nails clipped as they are diggers, and will ruin your carpet or furniture if not kept blunt, and long nails makes it difficult for them to walk comfortably. If you get a young bunny, it will grow up knowing the cats and have a smoother transition, than if you get an older one. Sometimes, they even think they are a cat too. Or dog as the case may be.
Next question, captive bunnies usually live about 6 years. There is good news though, I had one that lived to 9 and 1/2 years. So... the statistics are not always correct. A rabbit does not need vaccinations if kept indoors, except for rabies. And as long as the bunny is a solitary bunny it does not need to be spayed, males do need to be neutered as they start marking territory when they hit puberty, I hope I helped you, if you have any more questions. email me and I will help. If you still want more ideas, like common grasses, weeds or herbs to feed, go to the library and get a book about rabbit care, they are very informative. I did, can you tell? LOL!

Answer 2

I've had several rabbits before, and one was an inside rabbit. It is possible to litterbox train him, you just need patience. =) They won't naturally just poop everywhere, like that one guy said. Rabbits are pretty cool pets over all. As far as how long they live, well, I had 2 that lived to be 5-6 and died of old age, so that would be my best answer.

As far as what you need to take care of it, you should have a cage, at least to keep it out of trouble when you are gone, or at night. A quality rabbit pelleted feed should be its base diet. You can supplement with stuff, like plain, dry oatmeal, apple slices, carrots, greens of all kinds, they like dandelions, clover, etc. Also its recommended to have a salt/mineral wheel hung in the cage. Use the brown one, not the white, cause the white one only has salt, no minerals.

As to your spay/neuter question, I would say yes whether it is male or female. Female because they are supposed to get ovarian cancer/tumors and die by the age of 1-2 if you don't, and male because they are very territorial and will flick pee everywhere if you dont.

Well, I hope this was helpful! =)

Answer 3

I don't think you will have too many problems with your cats as long as you get a large enough bunny(no dwarfs or anything) Rabbits can be pretty intimidating to some cats and will chase them off if they get bothered. I would suggest you get one at least as large as your kitties just in case. Most bunnies live 8-10 years in my experience.

Everywhere i have read about bunnies said they need to be fixed so they won't be aggressive and pee all over your house, especially the males, but I have not found this to be true. I have an unneutered male dwarf bunny and he's very sweet and completely litter trained and I have had no problems with him. I would suggest getting it and then seeing if getting it fixed is necessary. If you get it from a rescue, it will already be fixed and litter trained, so that's the best choice probably.

I wouldn't think you bunny would need any vaccinations if it will be inside all the time. If you plan to keep it in an outdoor pen without supervision at any time, you might talk to your vet and see if it needs a rabies vaccine.

Bunnies need to eat mostly Timothy and oat hay, at least 40-50% of diet (no alfalfa, it will make them fat) and green leafies(mustard greens, collards, dark lettuces) You should feed it at least three kinds of veggies a day including one with vitamin A like carrots. And you can feed it pellets too with no more than 12-14% protien and not alfalfa based. You can feed it 1/2 cup pellets maximum per each 3 pounds of bunny. Feel free to feed it less than that and just give it more hay and veggies.

Answer 4

to spay or not to spay is opinion. many claim they'll get cancer if not spayed and just as many have had many rabbits and *never* had a case of cancer in them...so where that myth comes from is ?? Rabbits don't need vaccinations; as for food...lettuce is *not* a base food. A better idea - use a good pellet at a rate of about 1 oz per pound of rabbit. Get hay - preferably clean bale of hay (this will last one rabbit a LONG time so store in a dry place with a plastic bag)...if you can't find hay there are hay cubes you can get many places...50# will run about $10 and will last a long time. Use the veggies etc as a treat...your rabbit will be healthier and less prone to deadly digestive upsets. And they LOVE treats in moderation..get bananas and slice (peel and all) in about 1" sections...slice up apples...freeze these and give one a day to the rabbit. Mine LOVED these! Avoid cabbage...use lettuce sparingly. Go to www.arba.net and join for a year...you'll get a monthly magazine but more than that you'll get a care book that is AWESOME reference. It has all kinds of information and is *well* worth the cost of joining for a year (it's not just show rabbits either).

Answer 5

First of all, is the rabbit going to roam free in the house, or remain in a cage? If you are planning on keeping him in a cage, I wouldnt worry too much about the cats. Keep an eye on them at first. You will want to provide a little wooden 'house' for the bunny to hide in. If possible , put his cage in a place that the cats can't get to.
Now, your bunny can roam around the house. I don't know if you are aware, but they are very easy to train to go in a litter box. The only problem with them roaming the house is that they chew on wires, furniture, etc... and you'll have to 'bunny proof' the house.
Rabbits live about 7 or 8 years. I did see one that was 9 once at a petting zoo.
YOu should spay or neuter your rabbit. If the rabbit is a male, it will spray, and leave fecal markings in the house. If you are going to let him roam free......you have to neuter him, or your house will be destroyed. If you are keeping him in a cage, he will jump and spray all over the wall . I have also heard of male rabbits becoming agressive if they aren't neutered. If it's a female, and you are only going to have the one rabbit...I don't think it's absolutely necessary to have her spade. We had our rabbit neutered at 8 months. You'd have to ask your vet what the best age is though.
I don't think rabbits need any kind of vaccinations.....OUr vet never suggested it, and the bunny is very healthy. Just make sure you keep his cage , water bottle and bowl clean, and wash your hands after touching him.
Rabbits eat rabbit food. You can get it at the pet store. This should be the staple of their diet. You should also feed them Timothy Hay....not alfalfa hay(it is in the food). Give your bunny fresh greens every day......lettuce , spinach. Try things like carrots as a treat every once in awhile. Make sure he gets plenty of water. They can get dehydrated easily.
You can also walk your bunny.....sorta like a dog, but not quite.. You can get a bunny harness at the pet store. Just follow the bunny around. He wont really go where you go, but needs the exercise, and will enjoy the fresh are and sunshine. Let him hop around the yard for a few minutes.

Answer 6

Thats a lot of questions. A lot of them can be answered on this website http://www.rabbit.org Rabbits don't need vaccination unless you are outside the USA. I take my buns for a yearly check up just to make sure they are a good weight and teeth and eyes are ok. I would take the rabbit you want to adopt to meet your cats if possible. Rabbits are prey animals and cats are predators. Rabbits should absolutely be spayed or nuetered. They are much happier that way. It should happen at puberty around 4 months old. Rabbits should NOT eat iceberg lettuce. Dark leafy greens are ok. Carrots and fruits should be given in small quantities because they are high in sugar. Sugar= fat=unhealthy.

Answer 7

1.Rabbits can live in a variation from 5-15 years
2.You shouldn't spay/neuter if you are only getting one
3.If you do spay/neuter then don't do it until at least 3 months old
4.They just need a checkup unless they are sick
5.Rabbits have certain nutrition snack bars you can buy at a pet store. You can also buy something like honey glazed seeds at PetCo. And is you don't find one at your local SPCA then get one at PetCo or a breeder. Sometimes stores have sick pets so if you don't get an SPCA rabbit then make sure you can trust the store.

Answer 8

well my cousin had a rabbit and aguinea pig and they had a giagantic dog called snowy. If you pick up the cat and introduce the cat face to face with the rabbit it will stay and play with it and that means it likes it but if it turns away from the rabbit it wont accept it. You hav to take the rabbit out first and let them get aqquainted but if the cat trys to swipe the rabbit scold the cat and try again a few times. There is alot about this and how you can make it work if you go to the library and search up on cats. good luck from Hannah p.s they live about up to 8 years and you wanted them to be spayed then wait if it is a baby then wait 12 weeks and then hav it done

Answer 9

Quite a few people gave you good answers...especially that cats and rabbits can get along (if you introduce them correctly). I know everyone else said you do not have to get a female bunny spayed if you only have one, but there is one BIG reason you should: cancer. I have bunnies and after much research, I found that not only does it generally keep them from being aggressive, but that unspayed females are VERY likely to get ovarian/uterine cancer and die younger. Also, TIMOTHY pellets should be only a small part of the diet (once grown--young bunnies should get unlimited alfalfa pellets), you should have hay available constantly, and veggies should also be fed (more than pellets).

Answer 10

1. they live for 5-10 years. 2. i didn't neuter my rabbit and now he pees eveywhere to mark his territory. 3. they should be over 5 months old to spay or neuter 4. they dont need vaccinations 5. rabbits eat pellets everyday. vegetables are recommended close to everyday. my rabbit likes carrot tops, brocolli and carrots. fruits such as apples and watermellon should be given as a treat once in a while. it has too many calories.