Over the Weekend

[iloveme88999]

Hi I'm Julia and I've been thinking about getting a bunny. I know it might be a bit of a challenge to convince my mom, but I have confidence. My parents are divorced so I travel back and forth between houses every other weekend. I just learned that not being there to monitor your rabbit can be a very dangerous thing. Do you think it would be okay if I just asked my mom to feed them every morning? Or is a rabbit maybe not a very good idea? I need help, I really would like to have a rabbit, but this is a big issue.

 

[stevesmum]

I think you should consider another pet, if you absolutely must have one. If your parents are not on board, it's not a good idea because you will need their help to care for your rabbit when you are not home. Rabbits are a lot more work than people think, especially if you want to give them the best life possible. If I were you I would wait til I was living on my own, with a stable predictable lifestyle.

 

[Blue eyes]

I agree with stevesmum. A rabbit is not just a "caged pet" that is easy to care for. They need to be fed throughout the day and given daily exercise. Also, if there is a health issue, it usually requires immediate attention. Such health issues show themselves in a very subtle way. Usually only a primary caregiver (you) would notice such a slight change. So if you aren't home to notice....

Perhaps you could consider some alternative pets that would be easier for a parent to keep an eye on over the weekend. A Syrian hamster is one alternative. A pair of rats could be another.

 

[MissyAndMoonlight]

I agree with what everyone else is saying, but if you have the money it could be done. You would need a cage at both houses, and since it's only every other weekend, it's not like your rabbit would be transported every other day or anything like that. If you could do that, you would need supplies at both houses and a good carrying cage (I use a cat carrier). Good luck!

 

[Buns4Life_Cinder]

When I got my first rabbit I knew nothing. I recommend spending as much time as you can researching how to take care of rabbits

 

[Buns4Life_Cinder]

Also make sure your mom knows your rabbits eating patterns and not to be gross pooping patterns because in 12 hours something seriously dangerous could happen and your rabbit may need immediate vet care. Do just make sure your mom knows your rabbit so she can take proper care of your rabbit

 

[stevesmum]

Get a little hamster. They make great little companions. I used to have one named moochie. He was a lot of fun.

 

[3bunmom]

Remember, getting a rabbit is a long term commitment. Rabbits can live more than 10 or 12 years. NEVER think of getting rid of a pet when you're tired of it. For a rabbit that could mean becoming snake food. If you and your parents are not ready for a longterm commitment, dont do it. In deciding whether you can make that commitment the best investment is a good intro bunny book from the pet store. That will help you understand practically what such a commitment would mean. A shorter lived pet, like a hamster might be a better choice. . .

 

[Buns4Life_Cinder]

Ya hamsters are great sorry yen pets and they are always making you laugh or you could get mice either one of great!🐀🐭

 

[Blue eyes]

In my post I mentioned a Syrian hamster since they are larger than the dwarf hamsters. If you decide to go with a hamster, remember that minimum recommended cage floor size is 360 sq inches.

Here are a couple photos of my Syrian - "Pumpkin!"

 

[Preitler]

Hi Julia.

I'm not going to talk you out of the rabbit idea, but there are some points to consider:

As already said, rabbits are a long term commitment. Take your age, add 12 years, and try to picture where you're going to be then. Or get an older rabbit, but be careful to know why someone parts with it and that it's healthy.
I would recommend a good breeder who culls for charakter, beeing friendly to humans is not natural for rabbits, but a selektivly bred in trait. There are pet breeds that are better in that respect, but the bloodline is important too. Don't flinch at the price - one or two vet visits can cost you much more.

Also, be sure what to expect. Rabbits can be sweet, cudly pets, but also a nuissance reducing your furniture to splinters or cutting you up like Freddie Krueger , you'll have to embrace any of this escapades

About beeing away for the weekend: Wouldn't worry about that if that doesn't change much in the rabbits routine, and whoever cares for it will give it some petting and so.

Imho, monitoring by you all the time isn't really necessary, but the point with rabbits is that they are prey animals - if something is wrong they hide it as long as they can. In nature showing weakness or pain means death by predators. That's why some people think their rabbits do fine under obviously bad circumstances, these people are ignorantant of the subtle signs.
So, if something goes wrong there sometimes is a short time to notice it and do something about it. But having that as the prime thought is like always looking for that car that could run you down the moment you leave your home. I don't do that, and it took me some time to realize that there is no point in beeing paranoid, I was after reading too much on the internet.

It's great that you think about all that and ask questions beforehand. Keep doing that, and maybe meet some rabbit owners and their bunnies, just to see if this is really the kind of animal you want. Imho many people have a something wrong conception about rabbits, in media they are almost always pictured wrong (what comes closest to a good movie in that respect is "watership down")