Cost of keeping a house rabbit

Froom2

Hello there,

Before I start, please note that I'm definitely not in a position to have any pet right now. I just want to know what I need to aim for, spare money-per-month wise.

Would anyone be able to advise me on the cost of keeping a house rabbit?

I would like a rabbit because a friend of mine said they make good pets, and yes I am fully aware that it would massacre anything it got hold of to chew if I don't give it toys and play with it.

For a while I was hooked on getting a Uromastyx llizard, but I think that is too expensive for me yet as they require heating and lighting etc.

Eventually I would like a cat or dog, but I will be living in a small flat for the forseeable future and would feel a bit mean working and it being cooped up all day. I'd think a rabbit would have this problem less so? (Or am I wrong there?)

I won't be able to get anything until things are more stable for me money-wise.

~Froom~

krlyr

Rabbits are social animals and do better in pairs or small groups. They may be cheap in terms of housing (an XL dog crate makes a cheap cage - you can pick them up used but good condition on Ebay for under a tenner if you're lucky) and day-to-day maintenance (bale of hay can be picked up for about a fiver, they don't require a whole lot of dry food, and bedding is cheap enough) but they can be costly with vet bills. Malloclussion of the teeth and elongated roots, molar problems, etc. can easily wrack up bills into the £100s and rabbits are prone to this - especially the shorter faced breeds like the Netherland Dwarf, Mini Lop, Dwarf Lop, etc.
GI statis is another one - it's the rabbit version of colic in horses. Their digestive system needs to continuously keep working, so if guts slow down to a halt, e.g. if they've had an upset tummy or gone off their food, it can cause serious problems. A conconction of medication, an overnight stay or two in the vets, and again, you're looking at a large bill.
There are relatively few companies that will offer insurance on a rabbit, and I imagine it would be quite pricey, so if you do bite the bullet I would suggest an emergency vet fund of at least a few hundred pounds.
There's also the annual cost of vaccinations for myxamatosis and VHD - even houserabbits need these as myxi can be transmitted by mozzies/gnats/fleas, and VHD can be transfered by your shoes, clothes, etc.
This article may help
http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/care/rabbit_costs.asp

If you do decide to get some rabbits, I would recommend a rabbit rescue. The link above has a facility to search for rabbits listed on rescues nationwide, and also a good forum to do your research and find your rabbits.

Also bear in mind that they can have a lifespan of 7-9 years or sometimes more, so they're a fairly long commitment.

ClareEmily

My house bunny has cost us an absolute fortune, we adopted her 3 years ago.

We insure her monthly with petplan, which is currently £20+, and she has an excess of £92.

She has jabs for VHD and Myxi.

She has arthritis, so have had to pay for expensive x-rays and now on daily pain meds. She has had numerous episodes of stasis, which has meant travelling an hour each time to a rabbit savvy vet.

Her indoor hutch cost us £130, she is free range when my toddler is in bed.

We get dust free hay (as that is her main diet, so need good quality and don't want loads of bits of hay around the house). This lasts about 2 months but costs £50.

Veg we have to get every 3rd day and this all adds up.

We haven't had a holiday for 3 years mainly due to her falling ill so often, it's not like someone can just pop in and feed her.

Saying all this, she is lovely and very much a member of our family and watches tv with us at night laid out on the carpet.

go visit rabbits united forum, some helpful people on there.

Froom2

Thanks for your replies guys Lots to think about I think, and certainly I can't afford to keep one properly yet.

~Froom~

spugzbunny

Have you thought about a pet rat? They make excellent pets and run a little cheaper in costs from my experience.

krlyr

spugzbunny wrote: »

Have you thought about a pet rat? They make excellent pets and run a little cheaper in costs from my experience.

I did almost suggest them but to be honest they're not as cheap as you'd think. Again, day to day care is a matter of pounds but vet bills can be extortionate. I've owned rats on and off all my life and I would dread to think what I've spent on them. Out of the most recent I had, I had one with a thyroid tumour - about £20 on antibiotics incase it was an abcess, and then about £60 for a tumour removal, and ended up losing him to complications anyway.
His brother had a stroke - consultation steroid injection at £20ish followed by euthanasia at £25 as he didn't recover.
And those two would probably class as some of the cheaper ones! When I had females, mammary tumour removal was a cos to be factored in. Antibiotics for respiratory infections, anbiotics and steroids for ear infections/head tilts, diuretics and beta blockers for congestive heart failure, neutering for hormonally aggressive males, an emergency op and re-patch of the digestive system when it herniated at the intestine end and clogged him up internally with poo - for little critters, they can get a wide range of illnesses and conditions which can cost a lot to fix. I don't begrudge the money, I know many would say "it's just a rat", but I wouldn't leave any animal suffering and wouldn't euthanise one with a long life ahead of it just to save a few pennies.
Also rats are very social animals and don't do well on their own, so at least a pair would be necessary and a large cage to suit them too. For 2-3 rats, the minimum size would be something like the Freddy 2 or a Critter 2, if not bigger - so bear in mind the cost and space needed.
Some other small furries might be a bit more economical, they can still be prone to minor health issues like a respiratory infection, but the smaller ones like dwarf hamsters etc. don't tend to be a candidate for many surgeries due to their small size, so the choice is already made for you.

Froom2

I am indeed very tempted with a smaller furry until I can afford a larger pet. A hamster I could have now too, as long as when I let him out it was in a ball so he can't find a hole to creep into.

Rats are a lovely idea, but I might stick to a simple hamster for now. With hamsters, it is also fairly straight forwards to get someone to look after it if I go on holiday or anything.

This is a bit harsh, but right now feels like anything will be more affectionate than my oh, including a nocturnal hamster. >.<

Thanks for the ideas everyone!

~froom~

spugzbunny

Froom2 wrote: »

I am indeed very tempted with a smaller furry until I can afford a larger pet. A hamster I could have now too, as long as when I let him out it was in a ball so he can't find a hole to creep into.

Rats are a lovely idea, but I might stick to a simple hamster for now. With hamsters, it is also fairly straight forwards to get someone to look after it if I go on holiday or anything.

This is a bit harsh, but right now feels like anything will be more affectionate than my oh, including a nocturnal hamster. >.<

Thanks for the ideas everyone!

~froom~

Oh - sit down and see what you can afford. If you are feeling unhappy in your life a pet is perfect to pick you back up. If you thinking of getting a small one, try local rescue centres or the Pets at home rescue bit (although I'm not sure of their reputation!).#

I reckon you need cost of a good size cage, water bottle, bowl and toys. Then work out cost of food and bedding each month. Add to that say £15 to put aside for vet costs (self-insurance).

violettasomerset

If you're not sure about your finances, have you considered fostering an animal for a rescue centre? They will usually cover things like vet bills, and it might be a way to "try out" a few different types of pets that you might not have considered. It will depend on how attached you will get though - and whether you'll be happy to pass it on to its permanent home.

A_Phoenix_of_Tangerine

In my experience, hamsters can be quite sickly (at least, Russian Dwarfs) - and when they do get ill, often they pass away in less than 24hours. The hamsters I've had before were always a source of heartache, and resulted in numerous (usually unsuccessful) trips to the vets.

I had a couple of rescue gerbils which were MUCH healthier than any other small pet I've owned; one died from old age at the age of around 5, and the other I believe is still going strong. They were both always bright eyed, inquisitive & spent their time burrowing new networks of holes (definitely buy a 'gerbilarium' cage, so they have an extra tank for digging!). They kept themselves occupied, rather than going cage-crazy.

They wee much less than hamsters, as they are desert animals they don't waste much water in their wee. The result is less smelliness, and you can get away without having to clean their cage quite as frequently, i.e. with a big cage and burrowing area, 2 weeks would normally still be fine as opposed to 1 week max with hammies.

They're also very sociable, and if you get a pair (of males or females), they will entertain each other and reassure each other with grooming and play. My gerbils even took to grooming me! Treat them gently, let them come to your hand for food etc, and they will bond with you.

They're also not nocturnal, unlike hammies, so you'll be able to see them during the day and so that (hopefully) you'll not have them keeping you up all night on their wheel!

Your gerbilarium would be the biggest expense, after that the food, even for 2, costs hardly anything with how long it lasts (a small bag would last at least 3 weeks for my 2, & I would buy the food on a 3 for 2 deal that always seems to be on in Pets at Home).

For happy rodents, you'll also want to get them a vitamin block that they can nibble at will; animal-safe cleaning fluid; lots of old toilet roll tubes; a dust bath (shallow "chinchilla dust" in a small dish - they love using this!); dust-free & pine-free bedding (these can cause respiratory problems in all rodents); chew toys, and water bottle.

Good luck with whatever you decide upon!

Person_one

krlyr wrote: »

I did almost suggest them but to be honest they're not as cheap as you'd think.

So true! After the £150 cage and the £70 hospital/travel cage I still spent on a fortune on toys, cage accessories and hammocks before even thinking about vets bills!

OP, I've read your thread in the couples forum so 'i know you're having a tough time in your relationship at the moment. I first got rats when I was miserable with a partner and they really did perk me up, both when I was plucking up the courage to leave and after I left and was feeling down.

I don't wish to offend any hamster fans here, but I don't think they make great pets. They are nocturnal so unless you are too you won't get to interact with them very much, and they don't really seem to get any benefit from human interaction. A rat will get to know you, will want to play, will sit on your shoulder and will come running to the front of the cage when they hear you arrive home. They're really like mini dogs.

Sorry for being a rat spammer, I just love them!

The downside is that they don't live long enough, but then, no small furries do really, unless you want a chinchilla!