my first pet, rabbit, please help

dustinjames

hi
im considering getting a rabbit or a guinea pig.
ive never had a pet before.
i am afraid of all animals.
so id like to go see some somewhere, and see how
i feel, and try picking them up, overcome some fear etc.

ive got loads of questions.

ive gone through popular pet lists and decided on above two animals.
i dont want a noisy pet, eg dog. the above two look the cutest to me.
Saw rabbits and guinea pigs today in pet shop, guinea pigs frightened me a little, i liked the idea of rabbit and i think i can eventually grow to hold one. I liked the look of them.

sorry to ask all these questions.
- rabbits are not noisy?
- you have to feed it daily? or few times per day?
- do you have to hold it and play with it?
- can it live in a cage all day? or have to let it run around a room?
- what are the costs involved?
- can i get one from a rescue centre?
- can i get a baby rabbit? i think it will be easier to have a baby one and have it grow with me, ease it in with me...
- can i travel with it? eg to friends houses?
- can i have a leash around its neck and go for a walk with it? on streets?
- do they bite?
- do you have to bathe it? how often?
- what would be the minimum care/attention i would need to give it?
- are theyre any other pets that would suit me?
- are rabbits hard work to keep???
- would there be vet costs involved?
- how much would rabbit food cost per week?
- do they need toys to play with?
- so im thinking have a rabbit hutch....and also a travel cage to transport it with me in car.
- am i missing any obvious considerations?

thankyou for any help.

tankgirl1

Hi dustinjames

Sorry to say this but I foresee a potentially huge problem. The thing is that in order to have a small prey animal such as a bunny, who is friendly and happy to br picked up, you need to be handling them every day from day one, and getting them used to the idea - otherwise they are likely to a) be a complete so and so to catch, and b) may scratch or bite out of fear when you finally do pick them up, which would not be good for either of you.

I would suggest trying to spend some time volunteering, perhaps at a local small furries rescue, until you know you are able to handle and socalise a baby bunnie from the start, and also just to cement your decision.

I hope that helps! Good luck

dustinjames

tankgirl1 wrote: »

Hi dustinjames

Sorry to say this but I foresee a potentially huge problem. The thing is that in order to have a small prey animal such as a bunny, who is friendly and happy to br picked up, you need to be handling them every day from day one, and getting them used to the idea - otherwise they are likely to a) be a complete so and so to catch, and b) may scratch or bite out of fear when you finally do pick them up, which would not be good for either of you.

I would suggest trying to spend some time volunteering, perhaps at a local small furries rescue, until you know you are able to handle and socalise a baby bunnie from the start, and also just to cement your decision.

I hope that helps! Good luck

thankyou
yes that sounds like a brilliant idea.
I would love to spend time with rabbits before buying my own.
how would i find a place to do this? in or around birmingham.

Elle7

Rabbits aren't really noisy - they make no noise, but can kick their legs to create a banging noise. You feed daily, a mixture of vegetables, dried rabbit food and hay. Some rabbits like to be held, some don't, and it can be quite difficult to play with a rabbit - they entertain themselves, really, but they do like getting attention, being stroked and fussed. It'll need vaccinations each 6 months, mine cost around £60, and there will be vets costs for consultations and treatments, such as having teeth or nails clipped, or treatment for conditions such as fly strike which occur quite randomly.

Rescue centres will have rabbits, and you can get baby rabbits, although you might be better off getting an older one so the rescue centre can choose one with a good personality for you. I doubt a rabbit would like being walked on a leash, or being taken to other people's houses...they will be happier in their own environment, and as they poo a lot, your friends might not be too happy about having the rabbit around.

Rabbits occasionally need baths, but not often, and they can bite - they have very strong teeth, but if they are happy they are unlikely too. You might get bitten if you try to walk it...I think the rabbit would get quite distressed, and you'd increase their chances of getting diseases from areas wild rabbits have been too. Minimum care and attention to keep it happy would be daily, but if you are time stretched, it might be worth reconsidering.

Costs are difficult to estimate. I pay £20 a month in hay, £30 in rabbit food, £60 every 6 months for vaccinations, £45 if he needs to see a vet, maybe £20 a month on toys/treats. They do like rabbit toys...things like hay tubes and balls.

You'll need a rabbit hutch big enough for the rabbit to pay in, and a transporter for taking it to the vets, but if you want a pet to take to friends houses and walk, a rabbit probably isn't for you.

If you think you'd still like a rabbit, I'd recommend buying a book on rabbit care, to check you are certain before you commit yourself.

tankgirl1

dustinjames wrote: »

thankyou
yes that sounds like a brilliant idea.
I would love to spend time with rabbits before buying my own.
how would i find a place to do this? in or around birmingham.

You're welcome

I've found a list - are any of these places any good?

http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/centres.asp#West%20Midlands

tankgirl1

This one in particular looks good - its in solihull
http://www.fatfluffs.com/

albacookie

I think guinea pigs make much better pets than rabbits, especially for someone who is nervous. They're much easier to handle - bunnies can be quite flighty. Getting experience at as a volunteer is a great idea too.

tilly2484

Also if you google rabbits united forum they have all the info on rabbitcare. I have always looked after buns.

They must not be kept in a hutch all day. The hutch needs to be big enough for them to do 3 hops in each direction and stand on their hind legs. Most hutches sold in pet shops do not fit this. The hutch will also need a bunny proof run attached. Mine are house rabbits. They have an indoor cage where their food and litter tray is but they roam the whole of the downstairs 247.

The trouble is that people see rabbits as easy pets and they end up being neglected and not receiving proper care. i see this time and time again. Getting a rabbit is the same as getting a cat or dog. It takes money, time and commitment.

Just an idea on costs. Vaccines 2 year at £40 each. Food I spend about £10 a mth but I have 2 rabbits. Hay and bedding I get from my farm so about £5 per mth. And other things like treats etc £10. Mine are fed pellet food morning and evening but have unlimited supply of hay and a few veggies as treats. My buns are only bathed if they have a messy bum- do not bath them if they don't need it.

Mine have some rabbit toys you can buy from pet shops but they are very happy with empty loo rolls and cardboard boxes! They will need something to chew to keep their teeth down.

If you don't think you'll be able to do this- i.e giving it lots of time to roam around etc then maybe a smaller animal is better- gerbil, hamster, fish?

But if you want to get a rabbit i really recommend reading http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/index.php

Turtle

It's good you are asking lots of questions, but from what you've said about yourself I don't think a rabbit would be a suitable pet for you I'm afraid. Rabbits can scratch and bite and you have to handle them very confidently. We have two house rabbits at the moment, one in particular is very difficult to handle - she really does not like it, but it has to be done for nail clipping on a regular basis. You also need to check ears and teeth very regularly and their bottom on a daily basis.

As they are prey animals you need to be on the lookout all the time for anything out of the ordinary - bunnies are very good at hiding pain.

I think it's a good idea to try and get some experience before deciding, a rescue would be a good place to go and an adult rabbit would be best as their personality is developed - cuddly babies don't always turn out that way! A rescue would know an adult's personality. They would also recommend you get a pair as happy bunnies usually have bunny company.

They are not easy pets but have brought us great joy. They need time, love, vets care, good food (not too much of it), very well sized accommodation, water, toys, neutering / speying (this will probably have been done already if they are rescue bunnies), company. Probably other things that have slipped my mind.

Do some research, www.rabbitrehome.org.uk is a brilliant place and lots of advice on the forums.

tankgirl1

tilly2484 wrote: »

The trouble is that people see rabbits as easy pets and they end up being neglected and not receiving proper care. i see this time and time again.

So so true! They really are quite difficult to keep in terms of husbandry, nutrition, constantly being on the look out for problems as they hide it so well, fly strike, difficulties with anaesthetics, finding a rabbit savvy vet etc etc

And yet people can just buy them on a whim from PAH :mad:

Sorry OP - Just needed a mini rant

I stand by what I said earlier - spending some time doing regular volunteer work with a bunny rescue, will give you an excellent idea of what owning one entails - plus the people you would work with there would be able to answer all the questions you posted, and then some

tilly2484

Defo tankgirl- Easter is a time i get involved in a campaign called £"Make mine chocolate". Trying to get people to buy a chocolate bunny instead of a real one as a few months after easter so many get left