best rabbit breed for children?

[koolaidsmiiles]

Hello I'm considering adopting/buying a rabbit. It isn't for my children but more for me but of course I have children so they will want to pet & handle him. What breeds are more docile friendlier I know spaying & neutering helps. I'm not looking for a huge rabbit I live in an apartment.

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Each rabbit is different and breed only plays a part. I would suggest going to a shelter or rescue and meeting some different rabbits to see if one suits your needs. Look at adults since you know what they will be like. Ideally ones that have been spayed or neutered for a few weeks can give you a good idea of what they will be like as well.
Breed only gets you so far, you have to look at the individual rabbit. Some are more tolerant of handling than others.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

:yeahthat:

 

[FreezeNkody]

Dutch rabbits tend to be friendly, or a holland lop. But I would recommend getting one from a local shelter, most will be fixed, and handled a lot

 

[zombiesue]

A larger rabbit is probably your best bet, they will be a bit less fragile. you don't have to get a flemish giant but rabbits in the 6 - 10 pounds range might be better if your children are supervised and taught to respect animals and be gentle with them. I had my 8 pound rabbit in a 2 bedroom apartment for two years.

In general, rabbits aren't suitable pets for children--however they can mix just fine, and often do.

I know that with dogs, a breed can make up a great deal of its temperament--personalities can vary within individuals, but you can usually trust that a young terrier will be energetic and a great dane will be a gentle giant. That's not so much the case with rabbits. Personalities can vary vast and wide within a breed, within a family even. If you adopt from a shelter, and I really think you should, they can usually tell you what each rabbit is like--who scares easily and who bites.

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

Personalities vary between individuals, but I highly suggest the more common small to medium size breeds as pets for children or in families with children. Polish and Mini Lops have fantastic, docile temperaments. Holland Lops are very sweet too, though more energetic. Jersey Woolies have great temperaments, but longer coats that require a little more maintenance.

Are there any breeds that interest you in particular? There are so many that it's hard to generalize. But if there are a couple you're interested in learning more about, I'd be happy to give you a better idea of how they may fit into your family. Even though individual personality plays into it, there are breed generalizations that are helpful to know as you're searching.

 

[selbert]

I would say go to a shelter, you will get the best advice from people that want the best possible outcome for you and the rabbit. Plus they are usually neutered, so no hormonal troubles like spraying or digging, and you'll be saving a rabbit that needs you! I hope you find a lovely rabbit and you should post some pictures when you do!

 

[koolaidsmiiles]

Personalities vary between individuals, but I highly suggest the more common small to medium size breeds as pets for children or in families with children. Polish and Mini Lops have fantastic, docile temperaments. Holland Lops are very sweet too, though more energetic. Jersey Woolies have great temperaments, but longer coats that require a little more maintenance.

Are there any breeds that interest you in particular? There are so many that it's hard to generalize. But if there are a couple you're interested in learning more about, I'd be happy to give you a better idea of how they may fit into your family. Even though individual personality plays into it, there are breed generalizations that are helpful to know as you're searching.

I'm looking into Holland lops, Thank you

 

[selbert]

I have a holland lop and she is super calm and loveable, not keen on being picked up though. I also have a nephew and a niece that absolute adore her and she's great around them. I would advice talking to your children about how long it takes a rabbit to build and earn your trust, they do make you work for their love!

 

[koolaidsmiiles]

I have a holland lop and she is super calm and loveable, not keen on being picked up though. I also have a nephew and a niece that absolute adore her and she's great around them. I would advice talking to your children about how long it takes a rabbit to build and earn your trust, they do make you work for their love!

Yes I def plan on speaking to them, thanks for commenting

 

[PolishRabbitmama]

My 9 yr old does 4-h and we got a Polish from a breeder. He's super sweet and jumps into her arms. I would definitely recommend a Polish. He lives in her room and she is responsible to take him out for a minimum of 3 hours a day. So I would say a Polish. Daughter first looked into a lop but decided a Polish would be better.

 

[geekgirl101]

I wouldn't recommend rabbits for children at all because they are high maintenance, have tempermental attitudes, and they scratch and can bite if mishandled. I recommend guinea pigs instead or hamsters.

 

[Kipcha]

I would just be aware that a certain breed isn't always the same way. They aren't like dogs that way where a certain breed tends to be a certain way.

I have a few Hollands and each of them is extremely different.

I've got Babbitty who is very high strung, high energy and may bite certain people, but he is very social. Flynn is super sweet and loveable, loves to cuddle, comes running to you. Then I have Nemo who is crossed, but she is extremely skittish and difficult to handle, it took a long time to even get to the point where you could handle her without her having a little panic attack.

I would just recommend, as others have said, meeting a number of bunnies and judging off what you see. A lot of people say Netherland Dwarfs are little biting terrors, but so far I haven't really met a mean one. A lot of people say Mini Rex are sweet and loveable, the meanest rabbit I've met was one.

 

[selbert]

No worries You should post some pictures when you get your bun!

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

I wouldn't recommend rabbits for children at all because they are high maintenance, have tempermental attitudes, and they scratch and can bite if mishandled. I recommend guinea pigs instead or hamsters.

All animals have the potential to bite or scratch, but rabbits are great family pets. They do need to be handled a little differently than a puppy or kitten, but with attention to their needs, children can enjoy bunnies too.

 

[DogCatMom]

I've been reading this thread for a few days, hesitating over whether to post or not since I don't have children and have had my current--and only--rabbit just since September 28. (I've had cats all my life and Bernese Mtn. Dogs since 1998, though.)

I did try to adopt a rabbit from the local HRS chapter in late July/early August. When I went for a visit to the potential adoptee, HRS put her in an ex-pen in their "meeting/greeting room" and started a DVD playing, even though I said that I couldn't stay to watch it and would have to leave soon.

I saw enough of the DVD to view HRS's recommendation on rabbits for families with children, though. They used an analogy: "If you don't expect your young children to pick up the family dog, why expect them to pick up the family rabbit?" Then HRS showed a family dog (Golden Retriever, IIRC, so sweet ) lying on the living-room carpet next to a maybe 4-year-old little boy *and* a 12- to 14-lb rabbit, judging from its size next to the Golden and the little boy. It wasn't a Flemish and it wasn't a Checkered Giant, but it *was* a Big Rabbit.

So that might be one way to look at things, courtesy of the HRS.

 

[selbert]

^ That sounds like great advice

 

[njbunny]

I wanted to chime in here because I am a new bunny owner (1 month) with 3 children (ages 2, 5 and almost 7). Many people told me not to get a bunny because my children are so young. I was referred to hamsters, guinea pigs and lizards. I have owned all of those animals myself so I did not feel like they were really that good of pets for young children. Yea, sure a hamster is fun to watch for 30min but then what? The guinea pig was a strong contender but I knew I would be the primary care giver of the animal and did not like the idea of having to clean an entire cage because the pig was going bathroom everywhere (including outside of the cage). I also was concerned because a guinea pig is REALLY small to be loose in a room with a 2yr old around. Not that a rabbit is so much tougher but the shear size difference makes our bun much easier for my 2yr old to see vs. a guinea pig. The lizard would have been fun but with young kids it is not as easy to get to the pet store regularly for crickets. Anyway, we decided on a bun and I am so happy we did. It has been a great pet for ALL my kids. They know and respect the no-pick up rule and have no issues with keeping the bun on the ground (even my 2 and 5 year olds). They also LOVE to sit and pet our bun and he in return will sit for hours and be pet. He follows them all over the house and they laugh so hard when he climbs on their laps begging for treats. They make him toys, help to feed him and shred paper for his litter box and my 2yr old is always running around with the dust pan picking up any stray poops (he is seriously obsessed with it). It was the best decision and I am so glad I did not listen to the people who told me homes with kids under 8 had no business getting a rabbit.

Now with that being said I am very careful with the kids around the bun (especially the younger 2). When I let him out of his pen I announce it to everyone so they know to look out and I keep reminding them. If the kids are getting wild (running around and not really paying attention) I put the bun away. Even my 2 yr old is very aware of our bun and watches out for him. I would never have the bun free roam 24/7 just because we have the kids and I cannot supervise them all the time.

I would definitely get a bigger bun. Now that I have ours (he is 6lbs) I am so thankful I did not get a dwarf. Even he is a little on the smaller size for kids so young so I would say 7lbs + would be perfect if your kids are younger. The bigger the bun the more visible and the less likely your kids will try to pick him up. Keep in mind however the bigger the bun the bigger the cage.

I also would go for a older bun. definitely an adult so you have a good idea of his personality. Ours was in foster care so we could really get an idea for his personality in a home environment. He came right up to me when they put him down so I knew he was perfect!

Look for a bun who likes to be part of what is going on/social. I find our bun is right in the middle of the action which is perfect for the kids. If we are reading stories on the floor he is right in the middle waiting for someone to pet him.

Look for a bun who is easy going/calm. With kids in the house it can get loud at times and our bun is really not phased by anything. If a kid goes running by him he just continues to sit there like nothing happened.

So, go to every shelter/rescue in the area and check them all out. You need to be more selective because you have children. You want to make sure you spend time with them sitting on the floor and watch to see how they react to your being there. If the bun is avoiding you or seems really super cautious in it's own environment move on. The poor thing will just get stressed out being in your home and you won't be doing it any favors.

Last comment, the kids are not a problem at all, it's my stinking cat who is being a pest to the bun!!!!

 

[njbunny]

On more thing. Make sure you tell the person with the bun you have kids and what you are looking for. I did not mention breed, age, gender, etc. I just told them about our family and asked them to make recommendations. The rescues were great because they really know the buns. They could tell me, "this one is more territorial of her cage so she is probably a no", and such. I was putting my blinders on to looks as I did not want to be swayed by how cute the bun was. Because a cute bun is no good when it attacks your kids. Also, I would not let my daughter come to see the buns because I knew she would select only on looks which is not what I was concerned about. Just a thought.