adult rescue pair or babies

I am looking to get two bunnies, im looking into all the options. Dont know if i should get adult rescue bonded bunnies that are already litterbox trained, spayed etc. or baby bunnies. I am leaning towards the rescue but of coursee the cuteness of babies is tugging at my heart and would like some other thoughts from people who have done this. I had rabbits as a child when having them in a hutch outside was the norm, this time I plan on having them in my house.

I think to some degree this may depend on where you live and what your options are for acquiring rabbits. I've always adopted adult rabbits and I really like that I can get an idea of their adult personality before I take them home with me. Plus it's nice if the bonding has already been done for you. In many cases it's also possible to rescue baby buns. Rescues even need foster homes for pregnant or nursing moms so you can get the full span of baby cuteness that way.

I would suggest getting an adult pair. Then the spaying/neutering is done for you (ideally a good rescue would have this done) then you're not dealing with it. As well if you get babies and they will likely get along while their young but as hormones kick in they will likely fight and there is no guarantee they will get along past that 3 month old point, they will need to be separated, spayed/neutered, wait wait wait, attempt to bond again, no guarantees. Getting a pre-bonded pre-fixed adult pair is probably the easiest option with the least amount of stress involved!

:yeahthat:

I agree with Watermelons. Getting an already bonded, fixed pair will be so much easier -- evident personalities and easily trainable.

I was also going to add that there was an RO member (can't remember who) that recently posted that she struggled with the same question -- baby or adult. She ended up getting the baby... then having to go through the hormonal time, and then having to fix the rabbit.... Her comment was that if she had it to do over again, she would go with getting an already fixed adult rabbit.

Thank you for your input. I live in Massachusetts we have several good animal rescue sites here, and i have been on their web sites. I've seen a few bonded pairs ready for a new home. Hopefully soon I will posting pics and stories about my new bunnies.

It sounds like you've already decided to get a bonded pair, but I just wanted to add that I agree that is a really great way to go. I did not have success bonding any of my three rabbits so now I have to house them separately. In retrospect, I wish I had adopted a bonded pair. Bunnies are cute when they are full grown as well as when they are babies so you can't go wrong adopting an adult bunny.

do note though.. even if you get a bonded pair.. that bond MIGHT not last in a new environment.

The advantage to adults from rescue is normally they come spayed/neutered so that's a cost/risk you do not have to take and generally what you see for behaviours is what you get. you are also trusting the integrity of the rescue agency.
The disadvantage is you don't get to see them mature. And some rescues do a better job than others.

The advantage to babies is ...cute bundly fluff. watching them mature. seeing personalities emerge.
the disadvantage is.. if you plan to neuter, the cost. The baby bond may not hold (sometimes it does). If gendering isn't done properly .. babies happen. Dealing with teenage crisis (can be as short as one day of the growls, to as long as Cage protective/space protective/sprayng behaviour lasts .. from as little as three weeks to as long as forever .. with or without neutering).

Depends a lot on the bunnies you get.

Ended up with a bonded pair in need of a good home. So far so good they come to greet me when i go to their cage. They have hopped over to check me out as I sit in their area and let me pet them. Snowflake did a binkie hop this morning

I'm so jello I wish my bunnies could have their own room instead of just a condo. Next house I always say..

Sounds wonderful! And what a lovely set up -- love the shelf hop by the window.
Congratulations on the new buns!

Oh... just looked again. Is that a huge bowl of pellet food back there?
It looks like there is a week's worth of pellets in the bowl.
Bunnies over 6 months of age should only get limited pellets. My two share 1/4 of pellets per day.
...just checking since you're new with bunnies...

Blue eyes said:

Oh... just looked again. Is that a huge bowl of pellet food back there?
It looks like there is a week's worth of pellets in the bowl.
Bunnies over 6 months of age should only get limited pellets. My two share 1/4 of pellets per day.
...just checking since you're new with bunnies...

Click to expand...

As a child I had bunnies, but they were outside in a hutch where they had access to hay, water and pellets all the time. I have found info on what to feed bunnies but it didnt say only give X amount each day of pellets. So on a daily basis are you giving them unlimited hay and water, only 1/4cup pellets, how much veggies a day are you giving? I have a list of what veggies to give but again it doesnt say how much. Thank you for any help, just want to have happy healthy bunnies.

Bunnies over 6 months of age get limited pellets based roughly on their weight.

A 5-7 lb rabbit should get 1/4 cup daily of timothy-based plain pellets.
Hay should be unlimited.
Greens should be 2-4 cups daily.

Rabbits that are fed too many pellets tend to get overweight and may eat less hay than they should.
Here is an article that explains this in more detail if you'd like to see it (from the House Rabbit Society).

I also offer a summary of a good rabbit diet following these recommendations on my own website. It has some extra tips and additional links as well. (I don't sell anything )

Congratulations on the new additions!

It helps if you know what they were eating previously and ideally you'd slowly transition from there. The usual rule of thumb is 1/4 cup of pellets per 5 lbs of bunny body weight per day. My 5 and 3 lb bonded pair share 1/4 cup of pellets/day, unlimited supply of grass hay in their hay rack and ~ 2-4 cups of fresh greens. If they haven't had greens before, introduce them slowly.
That does look like a great indoor setup for them with plenty of room and a great hidey hole! I'm guessing there's a litter box somewhere out of view?
What is the purple flooring? It looks like it could be some sort of foam and if so be careful if they decide it's tasty and want to eat it (that sort of thing can really vary from bun to bun and yours could totally ignore it).