# Bunny...



## PetMania (Mar 28, 2013)

So, my friend is giving away her rabbit for free (food and caged included), and I asked my parents if I could adopt her, and they said no. I asked why and my dad said that I will get attached. Well, duh. Everyone gets attached to their pets. 

So, if I somehow convince my parents to say yes, should I get her?


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## RainbowhLizzie (Sep 15, 2013)

Bunnies are a huge commitment. If you have the time, I say go for it. House bunnies are a pain to train at first but are so rewarding.


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## Vergil (Nov 10, 2013)

Hi there. I'm new to the forum and betta fish but I've had a few bunnies for some time now.

Anyway, I'm not sure about your place but do you have enough room to house a bunny? Bunnies require lots of space. Basically they run the equivalent of 30 tennis courts daily if they were human-sized.

Bunnies also need hay, pellets designed for them, toys, etc.
I'm not underestimating fish as pets since my betta is new but from my end it is way WAY easier to care for Hiko and Lark.

Beware that bunnies' teeth grow continuously throughout life meaning it has to be worn down with hay/grass and other appropriate chew toys. Cute? Not to your wires and chargers. This means bunny proofing the house and a mound of other extra costs. They're also notorious climbers with fragile bodies so they require a good amount of supervision.

Anyway, if you're dead set on bunny ownership please read about rabbits on the internet. There are other forums similar to this one that are intended for rabbits. 

Hopefully you'll be able to get a better idea of their needs.


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## cowboy (Apr 14, 2013)

Keep one thing in mind. Potential vet bills. My friend has a rabbit who's front teeth grow too long so each month she has to bring him to the vet to file down his teeth. He can't eat properly without it. It's about 20 a month for the teeth. This is the first time I've heard of the problem but its something to think about.


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## RainbowhLizzie (Sep 15, 2013)

Bunny vet bills pile really high, not to mention finding a vet who works with rabbits. Most rabbits don't get sick, but emergencies can prove fatal if not rushed to a vet 

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## Vergil (Nov 10, 2013)

The teeth shouldn't grow too long if the bunny is fed right. Usually the teeth become a problem if the bunny isn't getting enough hay or grass to wear the teeth down.


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## cowboy (Apr 14, 2013)

Yeah that sounds logical but I really have no idea what she is or isn't doing. I have never heard about it before. I know she just tolerates cleaning and feeding him (her daughter dumped him off) so anything is possible. I will do some research and try and broach it with her. Hopefully it won't cause a war lol


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## Elsewhere (Dec 30, 2012)

Ah, I love bunnies, they're so cute! But I totally get where your dad's coming from. I once had a guinea pig (his name was Chester) and he was my world. I was a really lonely child, and he was my best friend. I did everything with this little dude, but he eventually got sick, (we still don't know what caused it) and he died. I'd only had him two years. It absolutely crushed me, and even to this day (the 6th anniversary of his death) I cry when I think about him. So I get where your dad is coming from, even the little animals can really get to you.

Bunnies (as mentioned) are also a lot of work. They run A LOT. And we had friends that had a bunny, and he got once- that was bad, they nearly lost him in the backyard! 

But if you have the time and space, totally go for it! Little animals like that are so rewarding! I would advise an outdoor area for him, too, my friend made her bunny a completely enclosed little outdoor area for her Tigger and he LOVED it! Best of luck to you, Pet, whatever you decide!


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## MCW (Oct 13, 2013)

Some rabbits are just genetically prediposed to overgrown teeth no matter how many hard chewing things they have :dunno: A good web site to learn more about rabbit care, common health issues, etc is http://rabbit.org/care-2/



RainbowhLizzie said:


> Bunny vet bills pile really high, not to mention finding a vet who works with rabbits. Most rabbits don't get sick, but emergencies can prove fatal if not rushed to a vet


Finding an exotic/small animal vet may be difficult in some areas. Some regular vets may treat small animals but their knowledge and expertise is usually limited. You can find an exotic/small animal vet from the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians http://www.aemv.org/


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## PetMania (Mar 28, 2013)

Thanks guys! Sorry, i couldn't get on until now. So, I can't get the bunny, but thanks for the info. I have done so much research befoe hand. I am going to adopt when I can as shelter bunnies are so awesome. I do know how much it takes to take care of a bunny. For now, I will save up money for emergency vet bills, back up money, and money for a petsitter when needed. 

If and when I get a bunny (or two, lol), I'll mkae sure to share a ton of photos with you guys.

Oh, and if I can only house smaller rabbits, what breeds do you recommend? Thank you, you guys rock!


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## Elsewhere (Dec 30, 2012)

Are you kidding? We would DEMAND pictures of such an adorable little dude! Sorry you couldn't get him. Hopefully sometime in the future you'll be able to rescue!


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## PetMania (Mar 28, 2013)

Yep, I'm kinda bummed. She was totally free. Came with the cage and a month of supplies. And my friends offered to pet-sit her if need be. 

Oh well, I guess I can save up the money so I can get two or more. That way I can get lost in all of the cutness!


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## Vergil (Nov 10, 2013)

PetMania: Bunny breeds have no bearing on individual bunny behavior so just go with what you click with. Each different breed has some specific needs. Here are some breeds I've worked with:

Lionheads = More grooming
Lops = Pay more attention to their long ears as they can be a breeding ground for bacteria and all sorts of things
Netherland dwarf = Their jaw shape makes them more prone to teeth problems
Domestic = They tend to be bigger than the above breeds when they reach adulthood so bigger hutch


cowboy: There are bunnies as mentioned with head shapes that make them more prone to some disorders. Hay/grass should be plenty in their diet to prevent those things and it's usually all that's needed - unless your friend's bunny has some congenital thing that makes its teeth grow more...


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## MCW (Oct 13, 2013)

If you have the time, you can volunteer at the shelter and spend some time with the rabbits (and other animals) and learn about proper care  By the time you're ready to get your own rabbits, you'll know how to care for them 

Hay/grass is more for fiber needs than for keeping the teeth trim. Wooden sticks and other chew things from the pet store will keep the teeth trim.


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

To go along with everything mentioned I must add that the tooth thing is called malloclusion. (spelling) I had a mini rex who had it genetically (byb breeder, I rescued her afterwards). The malloclusion caused a rare disease in the eye called retrobulbar which basically causes so much pressure on the eye it pops out, gets infected etc. . . Costly to remove a rabbit tooth and VERY risky since they cannot be under long. Another major problem with house rabbits you need to be aware of is abscesses. Rabbits operate under a different set of rules when it comes to injuries. Instead of walling off an injury (like a cat scratch or torn nail) rabbit pus is like a tree in that the abscess will form but regular manual draining will not stop the infection like it would a dog/cat. Rabbit pus is thick (like mayonaise) and hard to extract from the branches in the infection. .. I'm getting carried away! You're not even getting a rabbit yet!

I have to disagree with you on the breeds thing. The larger meat/fur breeds like angoras, new zealand whites and flemish giants are bred to hold onto their calories (for meat production) and as such- they are lazy couch potatoes and very family/other pet friendly. The smaller the breed, the more problems they have. Like someone mentioned, netherland dwarves have a funny shape to their head which causes malloclusion almost by default. This means a misalignment in the teeth and needs lifelong care. Small netherlands and other dwarf mixes need a lot of space and time to zoom around and they're way less family oriented and prone to skittishness. Some of the lops like french and holland are docile as well, as are mini and standard rexes. In terms of breed differences think the larger the better if you want a family pet in a home with other pets. 

That said, it should never be forgotton that these are all guidelines and do not represent the statistics for domestic bunnies who live outdoors, are used for their intended purposes or rescued from extreme or negligent homes. 

Continue your research on rabbits, they're fascinating little friends. I would recommend adopting a bonded pair since rabbits are much happier together.


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## PetMania (Mar 28, 2013)

Vergil said:


> PetMania: Bunny breeds have no bearing on individual bunny behavior so just go with what you click with. Each different breed has some specific needs. Here are some breeds I've worked with:
> 
> Lionheads = More grooming
> Lops = Pay more attention to their long ears as they can be a breeding ground for bacteria and all sorts of things
> ...


Okay, thanks! I would want to be able to get a pair (the shelter usually keeps them like that) so that my bunnies can play with each other when I'm gone. Right now (and for the next few years), I have 5-6 hours to spare for my pets


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## PetMania (Mar 28, 2013)

MCW said:


> If you have the time, you can volunteer at the shelter and spend some time with the rabbits (and other animals) and learn about proper care  By the time you're ready to get your own rabbits, you'll know how to care for them
> 
> Hay/grass is more for fiber needs than for keeping the teeth trim. Wooden sticks and other chew things from the pet store will keep the teeth trim.


Yeah! I was considering that. How old do you have to be to volunteer?

EDIT: I was thinking about these breeds: Mini Rex, Dutch, Holland lop, Mini lop, or a lion head. I don't mind the extra grooming, as stated before I have hours to spare. I don't think I will be able to afford to keep a large rabbit, and my rabbit will most likely never be a house one (my mom doesn't have a liking to them). I have heard of health problems in the really small breeds, so I may lean towards medium breeds. 
I have heard that, like bettas, bunnies can become addicting.


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## MCW (Oct 13, 2013)

PetMania said:


> Yeah! I was considering that. How old do you have to be to volunteer?



The typical age is about 16. Younger teens may be allowed if a parent accompanies him/her to the shelter and stays and the duties may be more office-like (copying stuff, answering phones, making cute info cards to place on each animal's cage, taking pictures of the animals to post on the web site, etc) and not animal care. Or a shelter may have specific things for kids/teens, like holding a bake sale, advocate for animals by contacting the local lawmakers, make cat toys, etc.


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## PetMania (Mar 28, 2013)

Okay, I'll look into our local rabbit shelters. So sad that they are the third most adandoned pet. We literally have 3-5 shelters in my area dedicated just to rabbits.


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

If you have 3-5 shelters for rabbits, they shouldn't mid an extra volunteer! Jeesh, that's a lot of rabbits! 

If you cannot keep a rabbit indoors, you now need to think about the type of SECURE enclosure you can keep outdoors. One protected from the elements, I don't know where you live but too warm outside can kill a rabbit in a few hours if they're confined and so can too windy. It's much more work to care for outside rabbits and a lot of shelters will not adopt out to people who intend to keep them as such because the needs won't be met. (house rabbits are house rabbits)


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## PetMania (Mar 28, 2013)

That's why I am not getting one because I cannot keep it outside.


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

Oops, sorry I missed that. I thought you said, "until I can get one" which I took to mean you were getting one soon! But you meant when you move out from your moms?


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## PetMania (Mar 28, 2013)

Oh, no. Just until we move to a place that allows indoor pets. My mom wants a dog, so my dad is going to look for a place that allows that. Then I can have my bunny as long as I can afford it (aka a job). Sorry for the confusion.


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