CuriousBun
Member
So I have been looking for a house pet or two that's a little different. I'll be perfectly honest - I'm from a rural area where bunnies are kept as meat animals, outside in tiny hutches, and for most of my life I thought this was just the way to keep them. I've had bunnies before... a rescued male/female pair of meat bunnies who lived exactly as I described because I didn't know any better until they died of old age. And I very briefly had a trio of Holland Lops that lived indoors in a cage but I didn't let them run around really.
Now I am looking for something I can let run around during the day while I'm watching. I have all the cords picked up and think everything's safe. I bred small rodents (as pets) for many years until I developed a bad allergy and I ache to have a pair of something to breed again, but if that's not possible a pet or two is fine too. That is what this/these bunnies would be for primarily either way.
Questions: Can I keep an intact male/female pair together if I let them run around for the majority of the time? Is there some issue with this? (I see everyone seems to spay/neuter their house bunnies. Not sure why? None of my previously mentioned buns were... though they never bred either so that wasn't an issue. I can see if a male/female pair were constantly "bred back" this might be an issue but I'm not sure if rabbits do this - I know rats and the other fancy rodents I had certainly would if you allowed them!) If not would getting two females to roam around be better? I could always get a male somewhere down the line if I decided to go in that direction.
Just so you know I am planning on building two 6 foot long cages, indoors, for them to sleep nights in anyway, perfect if I have to separate them (I hope not but I realize bunnies can be hard to predict as far as getting along.) When the snow melts I'll even have an outdoor run for them- not a hutch - an actual enclosed large run, shaded.
And what are Belgian Hares like? I know they're intelligent, nervous, and high-energy, all things I find admirable, but does anyone here have actual experience with them they'd like to share? And where can I find a breeder in New England? Having a hard time there.... really have my heart set on a black and tan if it is at all possible....
Thank you for any advice in advance.
Now I am looking for something I can let run around during the day while I'm watching. I have all the cords picked up and think everything's safe. I bred small rodents (as pets) for many years until I developed a bad allergy and I ache to have a pair of something to breed again, but if that's not possible a pet or two is fine too. That is what this/these bunnies would be for primarily either way.
Questions: Can I keep an intact male/female pair together if I let them run around for the majority of the time? Is there some issue with this? (I see everyone seems to spay/neuter their house bunnies. Not sure why? None of my previously mentioned buns were... though they never bred either so that wasn't an issue. I can see if a male/female pair were constantly "bred back" this might be an issue but I'm not sure if rabbits do this - I know rats and the other fancy rodents I had certainly would if you allowed them!) If not would getting two females to roam around be better? I could always get a male somewhere down the line if I decided to go in that direction.
Just so you know I am planning on building two 6 foot long cages, indoors, for them to sleep nights in anyway, perfect if I have to separate them (I hope not but I realize bunnies can be hard to predict as far as getting along.) When the snow melts I'll even have an outdoor run for them- not a hutch - an actual enclosed large run, shaded.
And what are Belgian Hares like? I know they're intelligent, nervous, and high-energy, all things I find admirable, but does anyone here have actual experience with them they'd like to share? And where can I find a breeder in New England? Having a hard time there.... really have my heart set on a black and tan if it is at all possible....
Thank you for any advice in advance.