Mom and Dad will not let me get bunnies!

I really want a bunny, and I have for a while now. I have done tons of research, thought about the long commitment and everything. I have made a few prezis, and I am responsible. But my Dad doesn't want another animal in the house, even though we only have two animals, and one he only knows exists and has nothing to do with. (Pepper, the Guinea Pig). And none of these pets are mine, so it's not like I would have too many pets already. I have the money and everything, but he still will not let me get a bunny. Please help! Can you tell me how you convinced your parents?

I got my mom on board and then she got my dad to the point that he let me. I bought everything myself and even found a breeder and everything. Granted, I'm not sure if you made prezi's about school or about your future bunny. If it's about school, probably not the best way to show that you're responsible. I also bought all of the stuff for my bun before I even found the breeder.

The prezis are about bunnies. I have already talked to mom, and she is not going to help *sigh*

My mom has a website that she looks at, someone had a bunny that was litter trained that she could not take care of anymore because she recently got a bunny! I bet you could look at a few websites to see if there is something there! 🐰❤️

Not recently got a bunny, it was because she recently got a puppy! LOL

Get your mum and dad to look at bunnies with you online...the cuteness will win them over! lol.
No really, the best way to convince a parent (as i am a parent myself and if my son was to do this it would show his maturity and commitment ) is to show you are able to care for the bunny by doing all the research and hard work to show you are serious and that you are committed. Look after the pets your family has now and show how responsible and serious you are and that it wont just be a faze. drop a million hints ALL THE TIME so that they get sick of hearing about it and eventually give in....lol
print out photos and hang them everywhere. and talk CONSTANTLY about rabbits.....

if that was my kid i'd just give in and know he is obsessed and will be a good pet owner.

p.s. (my son) he is asking for a yabbie and i'm going to get him one when we move.

I will, thanks!

😄😄😄😄

Until you're an adult and you have your own place.. Its your parents house so their rules apply. Constantly challenging your parents wont get you anywhere. Rabbits are potentially a 10+ year commitment, do you know what you will be doing in 10 years?
Respect for your parents is important.

That's true, but I think bugging them about it is your best bet 😊

I'd say they're pretty firm if you've done presentations and the answer is still no. Not that they have to, but did they give you a reason WHY you can't have a bunny? Knowing why could determine if you have a chance or not. For instance if their reason is money, you could show them that you have a contingency fund if you had to take a sick bun to the vet.
That's where things get expensive...it's not so much about the planned expenses, it's the unexpected ones that come up that end up biting a person in the butt, so to speak.

Many parents end up having to take care of their child's pet, even though the kid had good intentions. Not saying you'd do that but as a parent they would have to worry about that.

I did talk about it with my mom some.... She said it would all boil down to dad just not wanting another pet.

How old are you and what do you plan to do when you leave school? I'm 24 now and I got a bird when I was 17 that I didn't tell my parents about (not recommending this AT ALL) I didn't know what I was going to do after high school at the time and she was a bit if an impulse buy, anyway I joined the navy at 19 and couldn't take her to initial training with me which was 6 months long and mum and dad were moving and couldn't take her with them so I had to find her a new home and didn't even get to say good bye. As much as you want one now you really have to think about what would be best for not only the rabbit but your parents who will be left with it if you have to go away for some sort of training

I agree. Think about what your life plan is. What do you plan to be doing in ten years? Can you see an expensive, time consuming little fur ball being part of your life? Are you ready to have to possibly pay for emergency vet bills or other unknown expenses? If you think you can handle all this then that's good.

I don't have exact advice for winning your parents over. It took me a year and a half at least before my mom gave in. I just want to tell you to think about the responsibility involved and be patient. If you're like me and want a bunny enough, it will be one of your happiest days when you finally get your baby bun. 😊

I'm so happy to see all the mature responsible people on here... i almost feel like a bad mother because i would give in to my own child so easily. But saying that i am an animal lover and do accept the fact that in the end if things were to change in life i'd happily take over care of just about any animal for my son if need be.


And also GREAT maturity you are showing not just going and getting a pet and disregarding what your parents say. i know when i was a teenager i would just do whatever i wanted and wouldn't have even considered asking my parents permission. I'd have gone out and got a pet and considered the consequences later. I got fish and a bird when i was younger. both didn't last too long as the bird got out and flew away (wind blew the cage over when it was outside) and the fish died after a few months...
I'm glad you are not like i was as a kid....

I hope they do come around in the end and agree... Bunnies are sooo great! I'd hate to live without my Bunny.

I proved to my mom that I was responsible by stacking a whole (yucky, fungusy, moldy, insecty) log pile. She let me get a rabbit then. She hasn't regretted letting me at all.

I would say that showing your parents that you are responsible by taking care of the two animals already in the house is a great way to show your parents that you are committed to taking care of a rabbit. Guinea pigs are more sensitive to things than rabbits. Maybe if the guinea pig needs a check up or needs vet care, you could pay for it. Dads are harder to convince than moms are sometimes. Also keep saving money is another way to convince them that you are responsible. Help pay the bills. Being responsible with your money can help get them to see that you are responsible. Maybe your dad isn't convinced that you are responsible yet and needs to see that you are. It will take awhile.

I agree about thinking about where your future will take you. I got my son a bird a little more than two years ago. He had been wanting one for so long and even thought about buying his own parakeet because he could afford (but not the cage, food, etc.). Well, I like birds so we surprised him for Christmas. He loves Freddy. We all do. Thing is, I wouldn't have gotten him if I wasn't willing to take care of him if Adam lives in dorms for a while or makes other choices that don't involve Freddy. That is something that your parents need to consider, too.

Thanks for all the great advice. 😊 I really appreciate it. I believe I have mom as a neural now, so that's a big improvement. Once again, I really am thankful for a the wonderful advice everyone gave.

As sucky as this may sound, and unlike the rest of the people here. I do not encourage trying to *convince* your parents to do anything. A rabbit lives for a decade, and some have been known to live more. Where do you see yourself in a decade? In college? Staying at a dorm where pets aren't allowed? Can you, right now, pay $500 vet bill because you accidentally stepped on your rabbit?


Whether people like to think or not, the fact that you live in your parents home means that at ONE point in time, you WILL need them to take care of your pet. Whether it is when you move to college "just for a little while", or when you're house shopping and you can't find an apartment that will allow pets, etc. Convincing ANYONE to do something and then expect them to help in the future is not only unfair, but it's immature.


If you're father doesn't want any more pets in the house, respect his decision. The other animals aren't yours and that's tough luck, but that's what you have to live with when you live in a home that isn't yours. Sit your parents down and ask the reasons why they refuse to have another animal in the home (notice that I said why they don't want one in the home, not why they wouldn't let you get one, it is NOT the same thing). If it boils down to money, save. If it boils to responsibility, take care of the house, chores, bills, pay for your room for a while even if they didn't ask you. If it boils down to them thinking they'll have to end up taking care of it in the end make a deal, if you want the rabbit a YEAR from now, would that prove to them you're determined that it isn't a phase? Etc.


If it boils down to the fact that your father simply doesn't want any more animals in the house, be respectful of his wishes and wait until you move out and do whatever you want. A rabbit isn't just an animal that will take a corner of their home, it needs hours of exercise outside the cage in a large room that doesn't have anything that would endanger it, it needs a LARGE cage (at least 2 x 4), and no matter how clean you are, due to your busy schedule one or two times it'll stink up your room because you took the time to study for a test or were just too tired from coming home from work, and that is a smell your parents will have to deal with or clean themselves (and since it isn't theirs, they shouldn't have to). It isn't just another animal in the home, it's another animal taking space, time, responsibility, money, potentially ruin house property (chewing cables, etc).