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jerjess80

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I recently got two new rabbits. My dadgave them to my son without asking. I'm very confused on howto train them and take care of them. A friend told me theyare like cats. Can they stay in the house like housecats. Do they have to stay out side? I don't evenknow where to start. Are they harder then cats or thesame. I don't mind keeping them, but just scared.How can they be litter train, do I just buy kitty litter andthe box and have a seperate cage? Please helpstressing:?

Jessica Sandoval
 
Hi Jess!!

Welcome to the World of Buns!! So many questions!! Thousands ofanswers!! I have 10 of them!! My goodness, where to start?! Yes theycan be litter trained. Yes they can/should be in the house (you'll haveto rabbit proof!!). They are just as easy or hard as cats...dependsupon how you look at it!

I take it that the buns are young.

One of the first things you are going to have to do is find an "Exotic"Vet for them. You should have them given the "once over" and have themsexed.

Right now, you'll need a large cage. If you get one with a wire bottom,you'll need a board on the bottom to protect their feet so, i recommendthe plactic bottomed ones. There must be enough room for the buns tolay down and stretch out. You'll need a plastic litter box (not toobig, either shoe or sweater will do). Fill it (2 inches) withYesterdays News, not kitty litter (can poison if eaten). Littertraining is usually quick. Within the first two weeks, they get willpee in the litter box. Those thousand, or so, poop balls are adifferent story!

For now, they can be together in the same cage. They should be allowedout of their cage for at least 3 hours a day. Allowing them to play ina confined, safe, area such as the kitchen would be good. Have a litterbox in a corner, for them. (Mine are no longer caged.)

They should be spayed/neutered by the time they are 5 months old. Thefemale can be done at 4 months. Their hormones kick in at an early age.They can begin producing when very young.

You will need to get a good pelleted food for them. Not the prettystuff with all the colorful things in it! Timothy Hay is a must. Thegreeener, the fresher, the better. A water bottle is better than acrock as they will knock it over. For now, no veggies. Not until theyare about 4 to 5 months old and then, gradually introduce them.

If you are going to use a bedding, shredded Alpine is recommended.Cedar and pine can cause respitory problems. A cardboard box, in thecage, can be used as not only a hiding place and something to jump on,it is also great to gnaw on.

Toys are essential. The cardboard rolls from paper towels and toiletpaper are wonderful. The plastic keys that babies play with are great(they love to fling things). Wooden bird toys work well too. Neverforget the cardboard box! They love to dig!

On the whole, they are great pets. To say that they are not a lot ofwork, would be a lie. They need fresh food everyday. They need theirareas cleaned on a regular basis (every 2 to 3 days). Same with thelitter box. They are a commitment. They live, on average, between 5 and8 years.

They are a joy to watch!! The antics....LOL!!!! They do make me laugh!

A good book to get is "Rabbits for Dummies" by Audrey Pavia. It will give you the basics, and more.

Good Luck with your little ones. I'm sure that you will enjoy them as much as I do.

Charlotte





 
Thanks for the advice on the rabbits. Isit expense to own a rabbit. I have two and the parents seemprettie large. Will the rabbits be able to live in a cageafter they get larger or you said that your rabbits are no longer incages. Where do they sleep or lay, do you havecarpet" Do they always smell? Thanks forall the help!!:)
 
LOL!!!!! Aside from the vet bills for spaying andneutering, they are not expensive to keep. It is advised to have thisdone, to keep them healthier, in the long run.

Mine have run of the house (all my wires are covered) and all arelitter trained. They sleep wherever they want, usually under a chair. Ihave carpeting in most of my rooms.

I am curious! They smell?!! I love the smell of my rabbits. Are theirbutts dirty? Rabbits, like cats, are very clean animals. Actually, Ithink they are cleaner than my cats!! Is it possible that they haddiarrhea and it's stuck down there? If so, that will have to be cleanedoff. Cleaning the area with a little mild soap and water should do thetrick. Sometimes, it takes a few washings. If they stink, all over, abath using warm water (never hot) is advised. Mild soap, dry them well,keep them out of drafts. This sometimes happens if they were kept inunsanitary conditions before you got them.

If the insides of their ears smell, that's usually an indication ofmites and your Vet can give you medications to eliminate them.

I'm glad that I can help you. I'll be waiting for your next round of questions!!! Have a good night. Charlotte
 
I'm just really scared to keep therabbits. I know that I need to read up on them. AndI do want a pet for my children. Joshua 3 years old andAngelo 1 years old. You have cats too. How do theyget a long with the rabbits? Which is easier to take careof. I heard that rabbits are like cats. I waslooking into getting a cat instead. Because they seem thatthey would be more easier. But I'm just scared to get anyanimal. Do the rabbits do wellwith your kids? Myrabbits gave me a scare today. My son didn't close the cageall the way and got out outside. I thought I was going tolose them, because their very fast. But luckily I caughtthem. My dad said he would take them back if I didn't wantthem, but I don't want to give up on them just yet. I justwant the best pet for our family. What kind offunny things does you rabbit do. I read on this site that a man rabbitknows when he open the refirgator and ran grab the grapes and tookoff.:) What 's the funniest thing your rabbit hasdone? Thanks for taking time to talk, I mean write tome!!Jess
 
Hi! Idon't think I'd be much help on the rabbits with children and cats,seeing as I have neither in my house, but I have heard that they canlearn to get along alright. Your children are pretty young,so if I were you I'd definitely make sure you supervise anyinteractions with them and the rabbits. Just make sure theyknow not to be too rough with the rabbits, and I think things will workout okay.

Rabbits can sometimes take a whilebefore they trust you. So I would spend as much time aspossible with them at the beginning to establish a bond withthem. I'm sure that after a little while, you and the rabbitswill get used to each other and calm down a bit. Even I wasscared when I first got my rabbit, and I had been planning on it for ahalf a year! ;)

Good luck with the new family members!

--Melissa and Umbra (my rabbit)
 
Hi Jess, Honestly, rabbits are not for everyone.They are not pets for very young children as they usually don't like tobe picked up and carried around. They also do not appreciate beingchased. All rabbits have different personalities. I only have one thatactually enjoys being held for long periods of time. They like havingtheir heads scratched, not their bellies. If they feel threatened theywill bite, kick, and scratch. Your children must be supervised whenwith them, especially, when holding them. Their ears are delicate andshould never be pulled. Their backs can be broken if held improperly ordropped.

They are not like dogs that perform tricks on command. However, justlike a dog, they will eat your furniture, your walls, remotes, etc..Did I mention shoes?!

They do require more care and attention than cats. They shed a lot morethan cats so they need to be groomed. Their nails need to be clipped ona regular basis. Their cages and litter boxes have to be cleaned moreoften than a cats. They are a lot more work. They require a lot ofpatience and time.

Being that they cannot tell you when they are ill, or in pain, you haveto watch them and get to know their body language. Mine get checkedover everyday. They think I'm petting them!!! A competent Vet is a must!

They do get along with cats. The cat has to be taught from an early age that the rabbits are not dinner!

Some will go to the fridge and beg for, or steal, food. My Lumpy wouldhop in and check things out. Frenchie and Oreo stand on their hind feetand seem to say: "anything good for us, Ma?"!!

Oreo attacks the new stray cat that came into the house a short time ago to have her kittens. She likes the other cats and dog.

The most wonderful thing to see is when they are doing "blinkies". Theyliterally do running jumps, leaping through the air and flipping!!!They do this when they are happy.

From reading into your posts, I think that perhaps a cat would bebetter for you. A cat would definately be better with, and for, thechildren.

Charlotte

 
I feel bad giving up the rabbits. Justwatching my children with them. They really try play withthem like toys and I have to explain to them that they don't want topick up like that or pushed. My kid doesn't likeit. My dad said he will glady take them back. Butlike I said I feel bad. I'm not sure on a pet for my childrenyet. But I am looking into a cat, but this time I'm going todo research before I get them. I like the rabbits, but theyseem so hard to take care of. Thank you for all your help andthe writing. Its amazing to see so many people decated totheir pets.I come from a place where pets are keptoutside. But moving to the city, I see a lot of people treattheir pets likepeople.Thanks!!JEss
 
Jess, Don't feel bad. It's better to give themback to your Dad now, then to wait until you lose your patience witheither them, the children, or both. I've had cats all my life and onlyhad one Bun over 30 years ago. I began "collecting" Buns a little over3 years ago. I'll never go without one again. They do give me a lot ofpleasure. However, 30 years ago, I had 4 kids and would never had 10rabbits!!! Too much work! So, don't feel bad. It's better that they gonow. Charlotte
 
Well i still feel bad, I'm going to takea while in getting a cat. I want to make sure i"m ready forone. The rabbits will have to stay with us for awhile, seeingthat my dad lives in another state and were not going home until theend of this month. So I will enjoy them until then.Maybe I'll get use to them that when the time comes I'll endup keepingthem.Jess
 
Hi, there! I also recently adopted two rabbits andam trying to help them get adjusted to their new home.. I have ownedrabbits before, however and agree with the others that they are not anideal pet for children. You may think Im crazy but I always recomenddomesticated rats as a first pet for children. They are easy to carefor, can learn their names, and enjoy being handled. I know those tailsare kind of ugly- but if you can get past that...
Not to say of course that buns aren't very satisfying pets. Leteveryone know if you decide to keep them, and I'm sure we will all havesome great tips on how to make it easier.
 
Today was a very scary day. I took therabbits outside in their cage to give them some fresh air.Don't worry it was in a nice shaddy area. JustKidding. I went back inside from my patio , becausemy son hurt himself. Then I went back out side to get them and theywere gone..........ooh no!!!!! I was scared and the rabbitcame back thru the little hole on the bottom and looked at me and ranin the patio and back out. So I chased them forawhile. Their fast!!! So I had fun makinglittle traps and like the cartoons. I finally got them backin and Iwas tired. But they prettie much played all day withme. The amazing things was they stayed around thepatio area not taking off far. Amazingliittle bunnies. I took a napafter!
 
Hi Jess, It sounds as though you are adjustingvery well to them! :D I'm looking into my Crystal Ball and seeing youas their forever Mom! :cool: They do grow on you, don't they?!!
Charlotte
 

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