Do you have a house rabbit?

Question

If so, would you recommend one? Can you give me any ideas as to what to expect? How should I rabbit-proof my house? I just want an idea of what they're like to care for, as I am considering getting one.

Answer 1

I have a house rabbit and she is the fuzzy-love-of-my-life. She's such a joy and I wouldn't dream of life without her.

Keep pellets simple. The more coloful bits and seeds in it the more fattening and hard on their digestive system it is. (Rabbits have very delicate digestive systems). So keep their basic diet to simple pellets and as much Timothy hay as they can eat. Basically, let them munch on timothy hay as much as they want. Its good for their tiny bones. :) As for treats, most vegetable greens, carrots (of course), broccoli, dandelions (any part, flower or green, they loooove the whole thing), some fruits. Only a little fruit is okay and steer away from too much citrus and NO avocado. It'll make them very sick. Always watch their pills after you've fed them something new. If the pill is discolored or very runny then stop feeding them whatever vege or fruit you tried. It could be making them sick.

Rabbit proofing your home can be easy. Pull any electrical chords out of reach and place boards along in undersides of your couches and chairs. Rabbits can climb up inside the furniture and begin to chew on and eat the lining and stuffing. This can be very dangerous for them, not to mention the destruction for your furniture. So board up the couch! My rabbit looooves to climb up inside and sleep, and since she doesn't chew out the innards of my couch...no worries. So if you'd like to run a trial period and watch your rabbit to see what it does before boarding up the furniture, thats fine.
Some rabbits love to dig as well, so always be aware of the corners of your living room (or whatever room the rabbit roams in). Watch for bits of carpet that have been pulled or dug up. If they begin on this habit and dig at your carpet, something that works for me is to clap really loudly when she begins digging. (which means that until your rabbit is well adjusted to the rules, always stay in that room with it and babysit!) If she doesnt stop I clap louder and faster. She hates the noise and soon learns that IF she digs, THEN the loud noise comes. Classical conditioning.

As for litter box training, its wise to get them young (although, older rabbits tend to learn faster than young bunnies) and watch them for a couple days. See where he/she pees first. And second. And third...Hopefully it will pee in the same area (usually a corner of the room, or under a chair) and that is where you should put their first litterbox. It is easier to teach them about the litterbox first and worry about placement later. As he/she gets used to the idea and learns that the litterbox is where he goes, you can move it to a more practical part of the room. It is also best to put a litterbox in the corner of their cage that they like to eliminate in, this way they begin to understand the purpose of a litterbox. As for their pills...they usually come out dry (if they come out runny, then they might be sick) and they are easy to vacuum up.

Between males and female rabbits its a catch 22. Usually male rabbits have a few more behavior problems than females do--such as marking their territory and spraying. However, if you get a female it is best to have her spayed because female rabbits have a high uterine cancer rate. Unfortunately, a veterinarian clinic considers rabbits and cats in the same category and this means that the spaying will run you about $200 to $300. Its costly but perhaps worth it.

You can also put your rabbit on a harness and take them to the park (if you dont have a yard they can run in, like me) Meg loves the park and so we go at least three times a week.

I love rabbits and I think they are a joy to live with. I wish you the best of luck~! Sorry I'm so long winded!
If you have any specific questions [e-mail]

Answer 2

I have rabbit that lives in my house and 30 in the garage. The best thing is to get a young rabbit that uses only one corner of the cage to potty. Find a breed that matches your personality, normally the larger the rabbit the calmer the personality. Flemish Giants and French Lops I have heard make the best house pets. Depending on how much out of the cage time the animal will have will determin how much cage space it needs, normally 1 sq ft per pound of rabbit is adiquate. Buy a good quality feed from a feed store and don't be fooled by all the pretty tid bits in some feeds, a plain pelleted feed is best like Purina pet chow. Have some sort of resting material put into the cage, my rabbits like carboard boxs and white sheet rock. Make sure it has plenty of fresh clean water and timothy or orchard grass hay.
When the rabbit is loose in the house you need to be in the room with it. Anything that can fit into a rabbits mouth will go into a rabbits mouth. You can put PVC pipe over any obvious cords. Keep the rabbits cage close to the floor so it can hop in a use the facilities. The more time you spend with your rabbit the more it will want to have to do with you and the more it will enjoy your time with it.
If you are under 18 finding a local 4H club can help you learn all you need to know about your bunny!

Answer 3

I would absolutely recommend a house rabbit for a pet. They are fairly clean (clean themselves constantly and can be very easily litterbox trained just like cats can), easy to care for as far as food and water go, don't require extensive grooming (unless you get a long-haired such as an angora), and there are so many different types and colors that it's impossible to not find one that you'll just fall in love with instantly. Rabbit-proofing your house involves making sure that there are no electrical cords or wires that bunny can chew on and electrocute himself on (rabbits will chew on anything that they find tempting...which unfortunately almost always ends up being any type of cord or wire), and making sure that any poisonous plants are out of reach. The best website to go to is www.rabbit.org. This is the website for the house rabbit society which has all kinds of information for you from different breeds to how to litterbox train the little guy. You can also e-mail me directly with any questions, and I'll be happy to help! [e-mail]

Answer 4

Rabbits require a lot of attention. I would recommend a dwarf rabbit because it's smaller than most other breeds.
If you buy a rabbit I suggest you keep it in one room and only let it out if it's closely supervised. Rabbits' front teeth are always growing and they will chew on whatever they can reach, be it wood moldings, furniture, electrical cords, etc. You will need to remove any decorative mouldings and furniture that you don't want the rabbit to damage. Always provide vegetables and/or rabbit-safe chew toys for it to munch on.
A rabbit can be trained to use a litter box like a cat, but it takes a bit of patience. The box will need to be cleaned at least every other day because rabbit urine has a stronger smell than cat's.

Answer 5

Any rabbit can be a house rabbit, and be litter trained. You can go to the ARBA website and click on breeds and it lists all the rabbit breeds, pick one that size and appearance suit you and then find a breeder in your area, tell them you are looking for a pet and some of the qualities that you would like in a rabbit.

Answer 6

I have four house rabbits. They are great. Save a life and go to a rescue. The House Rabbit Society is national and you can find a shelter on their website. To bunny proof buy a bottle of fooey or bitter apple (hopefully your rabbit will dislike it) and spray baseboard and furniture with it. Buy split loom cable and wrap lamps and tv cords with it. You should read the book The House Rabbit Handbook. Here are some great websites.

Answer 7

I would recommend a rabbit as a pet based on the below criteria for you:
1.) You are able to allow the rabbit at least 1-2 hours of supervised out of cage time each day.
2.) You are willing to devote the time and care to the rabbit, seeing that it gets proper medical attention, love, fresh greens, and a clean litterbox regularly for his/her lifespan
3.) There are no small children or predatory animals [dogs, cats, snakes] in the house.

I have to be honest when I got my bunny, I didn't quite realize the magnitude of my responsibility although I was 1000% devoted to adopting a bunny. Not to say a bunny is as much maintance as Barbaro, but it just as much work as a cat.

a.) Bunny proof your home -- an open wirefree room (i now have a little reading area) would be ideal, but if you don't have that, as long as you ensure block off areas with wire (you can buy wire tubes at a hardware store) and don't mind your carpet being chewed on that should be fine.
b.) Devote proper medical attention. Sadly, so many bunnies get surrendered to shelters -- or worse, let loose (NEVER DO) b/c baby bunnies grow up, go into adolescense and their hormones cause them to be aggressive. Nipping, running, buzzing, spraying, dropping all over the place --- Your bunny should be fixed. Male or Female it is important that you devote the time to find a Vet who has specializes in bunny neuter/spays. Ensure that he/she has not only worked on cats! Once they get fixed, you and your bunny will be much happier. This may sound cruel to do this for the sake of your satisfaction of a pet, but rest assured it also is to prolong their lives. An unfixed female bunny has a much higher rate of developing ovarian cancer and dying quickly.
c.) Fresh hay & greens - Rabbits need a healthy constant amount of hay to ensure their digestive tracts are always working and they depend on you to supply this for them. Greens are a wonderful to keep your bunny happy. You can read more about the types of greens you can give your bunny which are good for him/her at www.rabbit.org. NEVER give your bunny iceberg lettuce!
d.) Be prepared for the commitment, devote yourself, and you will be rewarded with so many joys of owning a rabbit.

Hope this helps and good luck!!

Answer 8

I just got regular rabbits and I couldn't train them to go in one place. They were always scared of us and they ate the wooden trim on the stairs.
I gave up and sold them.
I think certain breeds are better for keeping in the house.
i don't know which ones but by the time I've typed this ( v. slow typer!) I think you Will have a few suggestions!

Answer 9

I have one and it's not to much work but they do like attention. Like a cat they want to be petted and played with. I didn't bunny proof my house I just made a large penn that I put up for her to run around in. It's much larger then her cage is. I am happy we got her. Her name is Harley and she is a pure breed Dutch bunny. We called her Harley cause of the way she zips around every where.

Answer 10

i have about ten rabbits its good when you get a rabbit that is not too furry get a baby rabbit cause old rabbits some times get sick real fast. all get a female rabbit because the male rabbit when it feels treat he will pee you. color full rabbits makes nice pets hey if you are going to buy one buy it form me i will sale it cheaper than other stores.