Hrmph!

[RabbitWolf]

While I was at camp my mother talked to her friend, who had a rabbit (mainly for her kid). She worked in a vet clinic for a while so she knows how to care for them, probably. She claimes that rabbits are the worst pets. That there Pee is inpossible to get out and that they always run away from you.



She also said that rabbits still do haver accidents, and that I do know is true. But about what else she said, is it really true?My mom now isnt as fond as she was about getting a rabbit, and now I have to pay for it. Please?



Edit: She also said that Rabbits chew on anything that is wood, becauase they are horrible chewers. But I see you already covered that.

 

[ilovetoeatchocolate]

Well my dear, if rabbits are the worst pets to have then why does this forum have over seven thousand members!

The person your Mom talked to may have had a bad experience with rabbits. She sounds like one of those people that go around telling horror stories about rabbits. Believe me they exist. I have met many of them! But rabbits are often the most misunderstood pets ever! I read a book once that said this: There is no such thing as the finding the perfect rabbit for a person but finding the perfect person for a rabbit. A perfect person for a rabbit or a rabbit person is someone who understands rabbits and lets the rabbit be who they are. Each rabbit will have it's own unique personality. It's likes and dislikes.

See, they can't communicate like cats and dogs. They cannot meow or bark and a person who is not familiar with rabbits can misinterpret their body langauge and what the rabbit is trying to communicate. Also, if a person does not provide the proper environment and things for rabbits (such as things to chew on) and then the rabbit chews on things, then the rabbit is labelled as a bad pet. Meanwhile, chewing is a basic instinct of a rabbit. They need to chew things. It helps relieve stress and keeps their teeth down. So is a rabbit the worst pet because they chew things? Or is it the owner's fault for not doing their research so they understand all of the rabbits needs. So then they know what they are getting into.

As for the running away thing, the rabbit will run away of course! Rabbits love to jump, run and hop and play.It has legs and will use them. But he will also come back for kisses and cuddles depending on it's personality.

I don't know where you live but if there is a local rabbit shelter near you I would suggest that maybe you take your Mom to it to visit the rabbits. Some shelters let you visit with the rabbits individually in a room. I would suggest visiting the rabbits several different times so that you can find one with a personality that suits you. That is what I did with Oreo. I visited him three times to see what he was like, to see what rabbits were like etc. If you take your Mom with you then she can see what rabbits are really like and could help you pick one that she thinks is more suited for your house hold.

Also, may I suggest you get a really good book? It should be available at your local library. It is called The House Rabbit Primer. It goes into a lot of detail about rabbits.

Anyway, I hope that helps. If you have any other questions feel free to ask!

Shannon

 

[NorthernAutumn]

RabbitWolf, nothing you heard was true, except for the little accidents part (which you already know)

I'm so sorry that this lady has such a poor opinion of rabbits. I would guess that she is resents the rabbit that her child had, probably becuz that kid didn't do the work. Poor bunny probably sat in a cage all day, and no one ever took the time to litter train the poor bun, or let him out to play.

Rabbit also "ran away" because she and her kid probably never gained its trust and tried carrying it around like a kitten. Rabbits like to play rabbit games, and sit beside you, and be patted.
Just by saying that rabbits "always run away from you" shows that she has never experienced the strong bond with a rabbit that EVERYONE on this forum has had. Her kid probably chased the heck out of the bun.

As a "vet tech", she spends her time feeding buns, and knocking them out for an operation, or doing other painful procedures to them. Vet techs don't have the time to sit down and get to know a bunny really well, as they are working to provide the basic needs. Any fool can "care" for the bun by giving it food and water: it takes someone who loves the bun to build a trusting, loving relationship with the bunny

I just got my new bunny on Sunday, and she is already coming over to be patted, and get treats from me. Yes, she poops. They are small and dry, and don't leave a mark. She has peed twice outside her litterbox; I clean it up with pet stain cleaners. It comes out. If they were a horrible pet, this forum wouldn't have 7000+ members! :biggrin2:

So NO it isn't true!!!! Please get your mom to read this response, and have her browse through a few pages on the site.

Hey, 7000 people can't be completely crazy, with stinky stupid bunnies!!! We love our beautiful clean bunnies very, very much. You will love your bunny too! Good Luck!

(Sorry about all the writing, but that friend of your mom's..."Hrmph!":shock

 

[NorthernAutumn]

Haha, ilovetoeatchocolate!
We both wrote a novel!!! Gotta love that 7000 members statistic!

 

[RabbitWolf]

I forgot to add that it lived outside in adog pen with no roof and no matter how cold it is, though there yard was cecured (spl) so no animals can get in. Sadly it escaped a while back and never came back.

 

[Luv-bunniz]

If they're pee is "impossible" to get out of stuff - why would people keep them on fleece bedding?
If they run away from people all the time, why do I have one sitting with me right now bunny-flopped basking in the sun? Why would he allow me to hold him like this if he was scared and un-sociable? :

If they chewed on everything why would people have free-roaming rabbits living in they're bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, bathroom etc.
Every rabbit is different, thats what makes them special. Some rabbits will be difficult to litter train, most will have the odd accident, alot will run away IF STARTLED, but honestly? I think they are better pets then a cat or dog, and thats comeing from a cat lover! I love all my pets, I have birds of prey, rats, ferrets, guinea pigs, a parrot and Casper the rabbit, Casper is the only one that will jump up and give me kisses, lay beside me asleep on my bed and wake me up (ON TIME! lol) in the morning. Hope you can talk your mom back into buying/adopting you a rabbit.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

RabbitWolf wrote:

I forgot to add that it lived outside in adog pen with no roof and no matter how cold it is, though there yard was cecured (spl) so no animals can get in. Sadly it escaped a while back and never came back.

OH MY GOD!!! And this stupid, heartlesswoman is giving YOU and your Mom advice????:grumpy::grumpy::grumpy::grumpy::grumpy:

From all your research, RabbitWolf, you and I both know that an outsidebunny needs a safe shelter, with a ROOF to protect them from the hot sun, thunderstorms, wind... Can you image that tiny bunny sitting outside in the thunder and lightning, being drenched in bucket of rain? Freezing in the winter?:shock:

I'm so glad the bun escaped. It sounds like Hell on earth.

Just because she works in a Vet Clinic doesn't mean she loves animals deeply,or actually cares about them.:grumpy:

Please, get your mom to read these messages that everyone is writing to you.

BTW, my rabbits play in their cardboard fort. They chew that- never my ANTIQUE furniture (have a piano from 1896, and they have NEVER touched it)

 

[tort]

Not every bun or pet is going to do what you want them to do. I will agree with the little accidents but I have never had either of my buns chew any of the wood furnishings or their wood toys for that matter. I have had them chew on corners of books and I have found my Sunday paper ripped and chewed from time to time but that is the worst of it and even then it wasn't anything major that got me all bent out of shape.

I would have to go along with those that said that the lady had a bad experience with her bun.

 

[Dublinperky]

Not to be mean or anything but that lady needs to get her facts straight. Rabbits make great pets. I wish that people were more educated about rabbit to know how great they are!

Aly!:tongue

 

[Spring]

Rabbits are byfar the best pet (IMO) out there. The only reason why people have such bad views on them is that when they DO see rabbits, they usually are in tiny cages in petstores, scared out of their skin or bored silly in cages with no mental stimulation. That's why some people think they are 'boring'. Heck, I'd be bored to if I was stuck in a teeny tiny cage with only a toilet and a food bowl!

Rabbits can be a bit scared at first - they are prey animals.. but tell my 5 guys that rabbits always run away from you as they come stampeding to the side of the cage, standing up and doing their happy dances because they are so overjoyed to see me.

Apparently they lady has also never found the wonderful world ofwhite vinegar... it breaks pee down and cleans it so easily, it's crazy. It's not any harder to get out than dog or cat pee.

Every rabbit has his or her own personality, some are friendly and some are more cheeky. You just need to find a rabbit you click with, and you will be amazed at how awesome they can be. I've never once met a rabbit that I really adored, every single one out there has some funny quirks and a personality that will click perfectly with someone .

 

[sarazwagerman]

If rabbits are so impossible to love why would I have 9 of them as of today? I love each and every one of them. They all have their own personality. Some like playing with the others some don't it just all depends.

 

[Becca]

Wellll I know this has been said before buttt...

We have 7,025 members, 34,203 topics, 476,143 posts



We're the best :blueribbon:

 

[DazyDaizee]

Currently I have 3 rabbits at my house- two came in as rescues, one of which we've chosen to keep so long as we can bond him with our other rabbit. Of the three, two will run TO you rather than away from you for attention. Of course, if they think you're going to do something they don't like (one doesn't like to be picked up, one doesn't like to be groomed), yeah, they'll run away.. but so will any dog or cat who knows something bad is coming.

As far as their urine, if the rabbit is fixed (especially for males) there urine has a much milder smell and they don't tend to spray as intact males do. I've never had a problem cleaning up rabbit urine. In fact, I think it's one of the more mild scents and easier to get rid of than many other animals' urine. Cat urine, in my experience as a pet owner and working at several veterinary clinics, is the worst. Also, they do tend to use the litter box well, and don't tend to have problems with behavioral inappropriate urination like cats. I've seen so many cat owners come in to the vet concerned about medical problems with their cats who are urinating out of the box suddenly (often on beds), however most often it turns out to be a behavioral issue vs medical.

Every rabbit does have an extremely different personality, and I believe breed does play into that, so research the breed, adopt an adult bun who you know is friendly and healthy, or get a young rabbit who you can properly socialize. My first two rabbits were holland lop mixes who were 3 months old when we got them. They were friendly but territorial and pretty independent. My third rabbit was a minilop who I got as a tiny baby. He was the sweetest, friendliest thing. He did chew EVERYTHING- basebords, books, dvd cases, the run, the walls, the bed post, EVERYTHING, where the others just chewed wires if they could get to them. Now I have a dutch rabbit who I got as a 6 week old bunny. She is so affectionate, so loving. She will chew wires, but doesn't bother much with anything else, and she does have plenty of appropriate chew toys. We have the new arrival, an angora, who is an older bunny who doesn't seem to chew much, he's very friendly and affectionate. The last rescue rabbit (minilop) we took in has a questionable history where she may not have been properly socialized. She is VERY skittish, very territorial and does chew a fair amount. However, I am sure she would open up and become a friendly bunny with lots of time and commitment.

So, in short, rabbits are all different. Socialization, chosing the right breed for you, and putting in the time to bond, will most likely land you with a great pet, but there are rabbits who are more reserved, more independent, and there are rabbits who are more cuddly and friendly. Most rabbits will chew, you need to supply appropriate chews, train them what's correct behavior, and take necessary precautions to protect your items and to protect your rabbit from potential dangers.

Rabbits make great pets for the right people, so long as you know what to expect from them.

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

I agree with Luv-Bunniz.

Rabbits are one of the best pets you can have. Some like to cuddle, play games with you, etc. Sure, they do have accidents, but don't you remeber having accidents when you were little? How about your other pets? I'm sure they've had an accident a few times throughout their life.

If she claims them as the worst pet, she must NOT have known how to properly care for it (obviously, since it was kept outside :grumpy:without a shelter!). She must not have gotten to experience the good things a rabbit does bring to you....please, don't listen to her, because she is definitley wrong about them being the worst pet.

Explain to your mother that her friend is wrong

Emily