My 4 y/o was a bunny for xmas... Need some advice... Hard, difficult to care for.. indoors, outdoors, poop..?

Question

Need the 411 (complete) on bunny wabbits.

"Wants" a bunny... not was...sorry..

Answer 1

Well I actually have both a four year old and two rabbits (one who we just bought for our 4 y/o) Bunnies are really easy to care for. They pretty much litter train themselves by putting a litter pan in the corner of a large cage. Both my furry babes are indoors and I tke them out on a leash and harness outside and/or let them roam the house. If you are thinking about getting a bunny I would bunny proof your house. Low wires will be chewed on if your not careful. The cage needs to be cleaned about once a week depending on how dirty it gets. My 4 y/o loves feeding them as well as taking them for walks. We even taught our oldest bunny a few tricks. The nails tend to need trimming every few weeks or so but basically the are just like cats. If you do decide to get one try and get an open cage that doesn't have that wire mess on the bottom. Stay away from pine shavings because they have shown to cause liver problems in certain animals. You need to get a small but weighted bowl and some good food like from Wild Harvest (available at Walmart) Try and keep away from Alfalfa because it is already in the food mix. Make sure there is an adequate supply of Timothy Hay (we put ours in a small tuberware container to reduce waste and mess) and of course a water bottle. I would recommend going to the pet store and find a bunny that speaks out to you and that doesn't try to jump out of your arms. Both my rabbits stayed near my neck and let me hold them and they are still the sweetest babies ever and have never even nipped at anyone. Even if there is a small mishap of poop every now and then on the floor they are in pellets and are sucked up by the vacuum without a problem. You don't have to worry about giving them a bath because they clean themselves regularly. Other that good luck and hope you find what you are looking for!

P.S. I have a now 4 years old short hair and a 2 month old long haired lop ear (the long haired bunnies required more hair maintenance than short hairs) Each personality is different for our guys,we affectionately call them our Cat-Bun-Dogs because they lay across the floor like dogs and come when they are called, jump in our laps and give us kisses or rub against our leg when they want extra attention and of course hop around the house and play chase with our kids just like the bunnies they are. Get one you will certainly not regret it! Plus you teach your child responsibility in the process.

Answer 2

Bunnies are great pets, and are actually fairly easy to care for. Most people keep them in a cage (a rabbit hutch), but I've had all of my pet rabbits just loose in the house. The worst thing about rabbits is that they chew things they shouldn't ... wires plugged into walls, the platen on my typewriter (it was a real antique, too, even before home computers). If you decide to get the bunny, you'll need to 'bunny proof' your house BEFORE you get the bunny ... and you will also need to train the bunny when you bring it into the house. DO NOT get the bunny while you have a Christmas tree up, and are opening the gifts, or have the gifts on the floor around the tree. If you decide to get him a rabbit, you should give him a 'gift certificate' that tells him he'll get his rabbit after the first of next year, and then you'll have time to 'get ready.' Also, DO NOT get the rabbit if your child is not a well behaved young gentleman/lady ... bunnies (especailly baby bunnies) are FRAGILE animals, and a four year old can be very rough with them. I had one for my three year old, though, and he understood how to care for it, and even changed it's litter box (which it shared with our cat). Get a good book on the care and feeding of rabbits for adults, and also get one that you can read with your son/daughter and be sure your child KNOWS that having a rabbit requires responsibility far greater than getting a puppy or kitten. Good luck and I hope you and your child have a very merry Christmas.

Answer 3

Hey, bunnies or often said to be "easy cared for animals" this is not the case unfortunately, I have owned rabbits nearly all my life and I love them! The one very important thing they need is iether another rabbit to go with it if it's going outside but if you aren't getting a companion then it's best to keep indoors where it can hear voices and get attention, bunnies are often ignored after a few months. Their cage/hutch should be cleaned out once a week but the toilet area everyday if possible. They are lovely pets to keep, a long as they are cared for.

Answer 4

I had a rabbit for two years and I don't consider it a very good pet for a young child. She will not be able to take care of it and he/she will want to carry it around and it isn't going to want to be held. I could be wrong all animals have different temperments. If it is cold where you live you will need to keep in inside and change it's cage bedding everyday or it is going to smell really bad. You can keep it outside but you will need to build it a cage up off the ground 3 feet or so high. we had the cage with an open area in the front for him to come out and eat, run etc..and the back was boxed in with only a hole to get in for when he wanted to sleep, hide etc...we filled the box with hay. I personally wouldn't buy one for my kid because of the upkeep, unless you are willing to be the primary care giver. How about a kitten?

I have to add though that my rabbit was pretty cool, we use to let him out and he would run all around the house. We had to follow him with the dustbuster though because he would leave a trail along the way. lol The reason I no longer have him is because he got very mean when I brought my son home from the hospital. He would actually run at us and try to bite. Not really sure why?

Answer 5

OK heres the deal.

Rabbits - if treated well - are an AWESOME pet. I had one growing up and he was a 'house rabbit' meaning he was completley domesticated and lived inside the house. He also had the run of the backyard and would only ever poop and pee when he was out in the yard - if he needed to go, he would wait by the door!

They are easy to care for - they are very hygenic, do not smell and keep themselves immaculatley clean. I would only advise getting one if you can keep it indoors, in an indoor cage or running free (will take a while to train but they become amazingly domestic) as I think its unfair and they don't reach their full potential if left in a hutch outside all the time.

Important fact: GET A YOUNG BABY. Any ones older in the pet store will be hard to train and will not be used to you. Get as young as possible and get your child to handle and cuddle its as much as possible while it is very young. It will then not be afraid of you and will be formed to love and bond with humans.

They really are wonderful sweet lil things and will make your family so happy. They are funny and loving and awesome. Go for it.

Answer 6

They chew on EVERYTHING!! You'd have to make all the wires out of reach of the bunny and anything else you don't want chewed up. They are also not friendly. They don't like to cuddle, some wont even let you pet them. They can be litter trained, but some will poop on the floor. It really needs a lot of room to roam, leaving it in a cage all the time is just cruel. They will dig if they are outside. Depending on their size they can jump REALLY high, kind of like a cat can. I won't ever get a rabbit...

Answer 7

Rabbits can be litter trained. Theyre about has difficult to care for as a gerbil. Easier than a fish tank, thats for sure.

Get some books on caring for rabbits to learn how to litter train them.

They can be kept in or out, just make sure they get enough warmth and care when outside, otherwise they will become mean and unenjoyable. Keeping them inside in a bunny cage where your son can take it out and let it hop around (on the kitchen floor or in the bathroom is best if you're not litter training) and keep it people-friendly is best.

I think it'd be an excellent pet. He can probably handle feeding it on his own, although you will need to change the litter as the fumes might be too much, and his fine motor skills might make a mess of it.

Have fun!

Answer 8

We have a bunny and we all love it. She's just like a little dog. She cuddles, she jumps in my husbands lap when he sits on the couch and licks his face when he lays on the floor, really she's a perfect pet. She stays indoors in a big cage and we let her out from time to time to run around the living room. She will chew cords, so just make sure you have them picked up, and she has been known to chew carpet. When she does that we just pick her up and put her back in her cage. They are very easy to take care of. Go ahead and get the bunny! You won't regret it. :)

Answer 9

Every single person I know whose gotten a bunny has ended up abandoning the poor thing...They get mean and angry and you can't even hold them anymore after a short while. They stink up the house in their cage, and I 've even known people to put them outside in a cage, well guess what, biggger animal came and had it for dinner!! I strongly suggest maybe a cat instead....they are more loving and fitting for a child to be able to hold, they require very little from anyone cuz they can take care of themselves, and aren't stuck in a cage. I suggest going to your nearest humane's society as opposed to a pet shop though!! each animal u get at a pet shop is a possible deathday for inmates at the shelters!! good luck... NO BUNNIES for kids!

Answer 10

I actually wouldn't choose a rabbit as a pet. They have been consistently inbred over many years and can have all sorts of behavioural problems. I've had psycho bunnies that have lept at the wire before & this is not unusual. Could you persuade your son/ daughter to go for a guinea pig instead? They are much more placid, tend to give more back to their keepers in terms of affection, make cute noises and are generally all round better pets for small children.