New To Rabbits: Getting One Soon: PLEASE HELP!

[Katrina_K]

:happybunny:

Hello everyone! I joined this forum to get some advice. I feel as though I'm in desperate need. Sorry if this is in the wrong section, I was fretting about where to put it... Here’s the deal:

In about 1 week, I’ll be the proud owner of an 8-week old Holland Lop baby. I live in an apartment and am home all day long since I work from home. While I’ve been around rabbits before, it was as a young child and, if I’m honest, they weren’t very well cared for. Outside in cramped, messy cages and never handled, to be exact.

I know she’ll be my friend and family for the next 10 to 15 years if I take good care of her and I’ve read a lot. Here are my questions:

• Can I hold her all the time? She’d sit in my lap while I’m lying in bed typing on my computer. Every now and then, about three hours a day, I’d get up to play with here. Is that an okay idea? She could sleep in my lap, relax and hop around the bed when she wants.
• How young is too young to litter box train? Do I really have to just let her pick a spot? Will she get up from my lap and hop over to the litter box if I keep it on the bed with me?
• I plan to put her in a big cage to sleep so she’s never unsupervised. Is this okay? Or is it somehow okay for her to sleep on the bed with me?
• What vegetables are safe? The breeder I’m buying her from said that vegetables cause tummy troubles, but most websites I’ve been to say something different. When can she start eating vegetables?
• I want to introduce her to bathing at a young age so water doesn’t terrify her. After her bath, I would dry her with a microfiber towel, wrap her in a warm blanket and hold her on my lap to keep her warm. Is this an okay plan?
• Should I be worried about her hiding under my refrigerator and stuff? Do I need to block her out of the kitchen?
• I dehydrate food for myself all of the time. Can I dehydrate fresh pineapple and papaya to make her treats? Which fruit is better? Can she eat other kinds of dried fruit? Bananas? Apples?
• Does she need to be harnessed trained? Are outdoor walks essential? Or can she live indoors all of her life?
• Is there a point to “trancing” bunnies?
• I plan to get two small dogs in about a year. How do adult rabbits cope with puppies? Will they ever be friends?
• When will she be ready to be spayed? How will I know?
• Do you have a general list of supplies I need? Cage, soft brush, nail clippers, bedding, timothy hay, alfalfa pellets, wicker toys, blanket, bed, litter box and microfiber towel is on my list so far.

Sorry this is so long, but I’m bringing a new family member in to my home and want to do EVERYTHING right.

 

[Blue eyes]

Wow, you do have a lot of questions!
Let's see...

You can begin litter training as soon as you get her, BUT... it's not uncommon for bunnies to lose their litter training when their hormones kick in. Once this happens, you may see a drastic change in her behavior. Then it will be time to get her spayed. Spayed bunnies train more easily.

Once your bun is spayed, you'll get a better feel for her personality. She may like to sit on your lap, she may not. It totally depends on her. Some like it, some don't.

I'd avoid letting her get on your bed until she's spayed and litter trained. There's something about the softness of bed and blankets that make it irresistable for some bunnies to pee on there.
Some people allow their bunnies to sleep with them. Others keep them in a cage at night. Even if you let your bunny free roam, it's a good idea to have an established area for litterbox and hay and food dishes, etc.

There are numerous thoughts on greens for buns. Generally, they shouldn't be introduced until 12 weeks of age (some say wait until 6 months). In either case, one type is introduced in a small amount. You have to see how she reacts to it (no mushy poos). Gradually you'll increase variety and amount. Many on this forum feed their buns about 2-4 cups of fresh greens daily.

Baths are out for bunnies. There is no need to give a bath to a rabbit. In fact, the House Rabbit Society recommends never doing so unless recommended to by a vet to bring down a fever. Soaking a rabbit is potentially dangerous to their health. On occasion, a rabbit might get a messy bum (from improper diet or dirty cage). In that case, only a damp cloth is used to wipe his bum, or, if dried on hard, just his bum is wet.
So, no, do not get your baby wet. I've never given any of my rabbits a bath. Even my solid white rabbit was always perfectly white and clean.

Fruits shouldn't be introduced until she's adjusted to regular daily intake of greens. 1 tablespoon's worth per day is the maximum.

Bunny proofing is needed to keep her away from places you don't want her to be.
She can live her whole life indoors. Harnesses can be used but are not necessary. I've only had one that used one. Some buns don't like them. Other people just set up an x-pen in their yard to take their rabbits outside occasionally.

The cages at the stores are all small. Take a look at the thread on here "your 2012 cages you made" to get some good ideas. Also, for a list of needed supplies and their costs (and more habitat photos) take a look here:
[FONT=&quot]http://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/tabid/53/Default.aspx


And I'll do a separate post about dogs since this is getting long. :construction[/FONT]

 

[whatathymeitwas]

I'm no expert, but as a semi-new bunny owner as well, I figured maybe I could tell you some of the stuff I responded to when I read this. If I'm wrong about anything, some of the awesome people on here will surely chime in, but here's my 2 cents.

Can I hold her all the time? She’d sit in my lap while I’m lying in bed typing on my computer. Every now and then, about three hours a day, I’d get up to play with here. Is that an okay idea? She could sleep in my lap, relax and hop around the bed when she wants.
I'm speaking for my bun here, but he's really not big on being held. Every now and then he'll come climb up on my lap, but more often than not, he wants to be running and binkying around, doing his own thing, Especially since he's so young. He's very hyperactive. Mind you, this is just my bunny, but from what I've gathered from other bun owners, most do not want to cuddle. And if they do, it's not for very long periods of time. I could never imagine a bunny sitting still while you were on your computer typing for more than just a little while. Rabbits are most active in the morning and at dusk, and mine especially sleeps off and on in between those times. They're the same way about eating and going potty, it's whenever it suits them, on no set schedule. From what I've seen, there's different ideas from everyone about how often bun should be "out". I let my bunny out for hours each day, and we're working towards giving him complete free reign around the house, once it's bunny proofed. They do need daily exercise, and room to binky and stretch, otherwise their muscles/bones can atrophy (this is if they're in a cage/hutch all the time). Are you planning on keeping your bunny only on your bed with you, or are you planning to give it a room, a hutch, etc?


How young is too young to litter box train? Do I really have to just let her pick a spot? Will she get up from my lap and hop over to the litter box if I keep it on the bed with me?
My bun took to his littler box very quickly. I got him when he was 6 weeks, put his litter box in, put his bun-poos in it, wiped his urine up on paper towels and put that in his box as well, along with some hay, and he took right to it. I'm sure someone else on here can give you a good age estimate for what would be too young, but I've read many opinions that there's no too early or too late for litter box training. Again, most buns like having their own area (a hutch, a cage, whatever, even if it's just left open for bunny to go into from time to time) where their food, water, and potty is. I keep an extra litter box out when my bun is running around the bedroom, so he can use it if he wants to instead of going back into his hutch.


What vegetables are safe? The breeder I’m buying her from said that vegetables cause tummy troubles, but most websites I’ve been to say something different. When can she start eating vegetables?
There's a good veggie list on here, on the Bunnies 101 forum. There's also a list of toxic veggies and such. From what I've read, some people start their bunnies at about 12 weeks on veggies, always one at a time, to see if anything disagrees with their tummy. Some people wait even longer, and some people don't even do veggies. I'd think 8 weeks is too too young for veggies, but that's my opinion.

I want to introduce her to bathing at a young age so water doesn’t terrify her. After her bath, I would dry her with a microfiber towel, wrap her in a warm blanket and hold her on my lap to keep her warm. Is this an okay plan?
Don't bathe your bunny!!!! They don't need baths like humans do! They clean themselves. If your bun ever gets very dirty, wipe them off with a damp cloth, or if necessary give them a butt bath. There's more info on here if you search the forums. But don't put your bunny in water!!!

Should I be worried about her hiding under my refrigerator and stuff? Do I need to block her out of the kitchen?
Probably. My bun always dashes for small, dark spaces. If you don't want her somewhere, or it's not bunny-proofed, find a way to block her from going there. Common sense dictates to also keep an eye on her while she's out until the area she is in is bunny-proofed.

Is there a point to “trancing” bunnies?
Once again, a matter of opinion. Some people trance their bunnies to facilitate tooth/gum checks, nail clipping, and other health checks. It can make it easier to do without them fussing or bolting. Some people disagree with trancing, with the idea that it is a prey response. Regardless, if you do trance, read up on how to properly do so, because if bunny comes out of the trance and falls or bolts, or kicks it's back legs hard enough, it can hurt itself. Once again, if you search, there are great threads on this forum regarding trancing and how to keep bunny from hurting itself. The bunny burrito (wrapping bun in a blanket) is also helpful, it helps keep bun secured and safe!

I plan to get two small dogs in about a year. How do adult rabbits cope with puppies? Will they ever be friends?
There are plenty of people who have dogs and rabbits. That said, someone else can chime in about it. It has pro's and con's and depends very highly on how you train the dogs and how they react to bun. I personally wouldn't want my bunny around dogs, because of the natural prey/predator thing, but like I said, I've seen bunnies and dogs hang out as happy as can be.

 

[agnesthelion]

Welcome to the world of rabbits! You've come to the right place for help RO is a great forum full of rabbit gurus.

Congrats on your new bunny to be. I LOVE holland lops. We would love to see pics when you get her. Does she have a name yet?

To answer your questions:

**rabbits don't generally like being held but this varies from bun to bun. When you first bring her home, you might want to let her get used to her cage and new home for a bit. Don't overwhelm her right off. But after that, handling her and holding her will only help to get her used to you I like the ignore method. Let her out in a bunny proofed area and let her come up to you

**definitely start litter training from the start. She might not catch on right away but you want to start the good habits ASAP. And yes, putting the box in the corner she chooses is THE best way to start. In fact, my girl Agnes, who has great litter box habits, was trained in that very way. I tried to change her "spot" with no success. Don't tempt it. As far as hopping over to the litter box at first? Nope, won't happen. To help with litter training her free run area should be very small at first. As she grows, that can increase later. But as a bay expect TONS of poops everywhere (that may never improve FYI) and lots of pee accidents. Especially on your bed and couch

**going in a cage at night is safe and a good idea especially when she is young. I would not advocate sleeping in bed with you at first. It *may* be something you could work towards later but it's not common and sometimes difficult to stop peeing on beds even from the best litter trained buns.

***veggies should not be introduced until 3 months at least, some follow the 6 month rule. Introduce one at a time so you can figure out which one may cause problems. Also, start in very small amounts. For a young baby diet should be unlimited pellets and hay (preferably alfalfa). Veggies will come later.

***baths are not safe for buns and never recommended unless there I'd an extreme need. Don't plan on it at this point at all. They can actually be dangerous to buns. IF cleaning is needed, a wet rag and spot cleaning is usually sufficient. But again baths are only needed in extreme cases.

**not sure of your fridge but bunny proofing is needed. They will chew on most anything. Wires, clothing, carpet, walls, etc. Make sure dangerous material and chemicals and wires are out of her reach.

**dehydrating is not needed and actually makes the sugars more intense which fruit is already not good for buns (should only be a treat to older buns whose digestive systems are "figured out") so I would not recommend

**harness training is not needed but definitely something to consider ad a safe way for her to enjoy the out of doors. If she is inside, just make sure she gets some natural light and fresh air which is fine. Rabbits actually do better as indoor pets with the family. Their life span is even longer when kept indoors.

**trancing is not a fun thing for buns at all. Some are easily tranced and owners find it a good way to keep up on health, ie clipping nails, checking teeth etc. But if you can do that without trancing I would recommend as the trance is simply a shock type state for bunny as a last survival resort and is no way enjoyable for them.

**rabbits can get along with other pets but of course it depends on the rabbit and depends on the dog. Close supervision in introduction is important.

**holland lops could probably be spayed around 5-6 months according to most vets. Find a rabbit savvy vet now. Spaying is a great choice for a female as cancer risk is high in unspayed buns and plus spaying makes them all around better companions.

**your list looks good so far and kudos to you for all your research sounds like your bun to be is going to a great home!

I have two buns and they are SO much fun and great pets, I hope you find the joy in them like we all have. Again congrats and looking forward to hearing more!

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

I would not recommend holding her all the time. Rabbits need to be rabbits and most won't tolerate cuddling for long periods. Rabbits love to explore and play and do need to move around. I have never really had a rabbit that would sit with me for long periods, they would much rather go off and explore. You can try having her with you for short periods, but if she wants to do something else you should let her.
You can start working on litter training when you get her, but many young rabbits don't have the control over when and where they eliminate to be consistent with litter training. It can take a few weeks or months until she is good with the litter box. Spaying can help as well once she is old enough.
Sleeping in the bed is not really a good option. Rabbits don't sleep for extended periods like we do, then tend to nap when they can and are usually aware of their surroundings. Rabbits also need to eat (and poop) quite often, so going 8 hours without eating is dangerous. A cage or pen when you can't supervise is great. You should bunny proof at least part of your house so she can run around without too much supervision.
There are many safe veggies and many lists of safe ones. Generally, leafy green vegetable and herbs are best. Waiting until she is at least 3 months before giving veggies is good, but some people do like to wait longer. Start with small amounts and one veggie at a time to start with.
Bathing is not needed for rabbits. Rabbits are very good at cleaning themselves and don't get oily or greasy coats like other animals. Brushing is good to do on a regular basis. You can use a damp cloth if there are some stains. Some rabbits do need a butt bath if they have problems, but a full bath is really not needed.
It is good to block off areas that are unsafe for her to be. Getting under things is a problem, especially when wires are present.
You can dehydrate fruit to use as treats. Since fruits are high in sugar, they should only be given in small amounts. It would be best to wait until she is a bit older before giving fruit.
Rabbits can be harness and leash trained, but don't expect to go for a walk like a dog. Rabbits tend to run and stop and usually won't go in a strait line. A harness is more for safety than getting them to do what you want. Rabbits can do perfectly fine living indoors. If you do take her outside, you need to supervise her closely. Also make sure any grass or areas are rabbit safe, so no chemicals and preferably limited other animals around.
Tracing can be used if you need to trim nails or otherwise get your rabbit on her back. Not all rabbits will trance.
Rabbits and dogs can get along, but you do need to take precautions. There are some breeds that will hunt or even kill rabbits. I would not recommend leaving dogs and rabbits alone together unsupervised as you never know when a dog might get annoyed if the rabbit is bothering them.
Females can be spayed at about 5-6 months old. Not all rabbits will display hormonal behaviours, so she might not show that it is a good time to get her spayed. It can be good to get her done before she starts becoming hormonal if you are going to get it done anyway.
Your list sounds good. You should also get a carrier, cleaning supplies (dust pan and brush, litter scoop, spray bottle with vinegar). Using towels or fleece instead of other bedding like shavings is good, you will need litter for the litter box though.

 

[Blue eyes]

So here's my additional post concerning dogs. I'm sure you'll get varying opinions on this, but I will share my experiences.

I favor large dogs. I think larger dogs tend to be more laid back and less nippy than smaller dogs and so *I think* they are better suited around bunnies.

We had a Newfoundland already when I got a rabbit. So the dog was already established in the home. We taught him that the new rabbit was a part of the family and I never had any problems with them together.

Years later, we had a pair of rabbits (Newfie had since passed) and we got a labradoodle puppy. The puppy and rabbits were fine together, but once puppy started teething, I had to keep them apart. With those pin sharp teeth, that puppy brain just wanted to play with the other "puppies" (ie, rabbits) and couldn't understand not to nibble.

Those bunnies were older and when they passed, we waited a year or more before getting new rabbits. With the labradoodle out of the puppy stage, it was no problem teaching him to respect the new rabbits as part of the family.

The key is for the dog to understand that the rabbit is part of the family, part of the "pack" so to speak. My labradoodle will chase a jackrabbit in a heartbeat, but never chases our rabbits that are loose all day in the house.

I don't have experience with 2 dogs at once, however, as you mentioned. I do know the dynamic of 2 dogs is vastly different. Others in that situation would have to chime in on that.

 

[missyscove]

Can I hold her all the time? She’d sit in my lap while I’m lying in bed typing on my computer. Every now and then, about three hours a day, I’d get up to play with here. Is that an okay idea? She could sleep in my lap, relax and hop around the bed when she wants.

Some rabbits like to be held and others are more independent. Most rabbits are initially afraid of being picked up (remember, their instincts tell them that the only time they are picked up is by a predator). My two rabbits have free roam of my bunny proofed room. I spend most of my time at home studying on my bed or at my desk. When I want to handle them, I usually do it on the floor.

How young is too young to litter box train? Do I really have to just let her pick a spot? Will she get up from my lap and hop over to the litter box if I keep it on the bed with me?

Most rabbits like to use a box in a corner of their cage. I've found that putting a hay rack at the end of the litterbox helps as rabbits also like to eat and poop at the same time. Litter habits typically improve a lot after a spay or neuter. In my experience, rabbits love to pee on soft things. This is why my rabbits aren't allowed on my bed.

I plan to put her in a big cage to sleep so she’s never unsupervised. Is this okay? Or is it somehow okay for her to sleep on the bed with me?

While we have had members that sleep with their rabbits, as I said above, rabbits love to pee on soft things. They're also crepuscular which means they're active at dusk and dawn. I, for one, like to be sleeping at dawn.

What vegetables are safe? The breeder I’m buying her from said that vegetables cause tummy troubles, but most websites I’ve been to say something different. When can she start eating vegetables?

Unless a baby bunny is introduced to its mothers veggies at a very young age, it's generally recommended to slowly introduce veggies around 4-6 months of age. The real staples around here are any lettuce that isn't iceberg (never feed iceberg!), cilantro, basil, parsley, spinach on occasion.

I want to introduce her to bathing at a young age so water doesn’t terrify her. After her bath, I would dry her with a microfiber towel, wrap her in a warm blanket and hold her on my lap to keep her warm. Is this an okay plan?

I'd recommend against bathing your rabbit. In a healthy rabbit at an appropriate weight, there really is no reason for bathing. They are very good at keeping themselves clean! Again, I think you're expecting much more of a lap bunny than you're probably going to get.

Should I be worried about her hiding under my refrigerator and stuff? Do I need to block her out of the kitchen?

There is definitely not enough space under my fridge for a rabbit. You'll definitely need to do some rabbit proofing though. Be sure all cords are covered or out of reach and block off or put away absolutely anything you don't want chewed on. This includes shoes, papers, furniture, remote controls, etc.

I dehydrate food for myself all of the time. Can I dehydrate fresh pineapple and papaya to make her treats? Which fruit is better? Can she eat other kinds of dried fruit? Bananas? Apples?

Dried fruit is okay as an occasional snack, but remember that fruit has a lot of sugar. Personally I'd rather offer them fresh fruit.

Does she need to be harnessed trained? Are outdoor walks essential? Or can she live indoors all of her life?

Rabbits do not need to be harness trained and they can certainly live indoors all their life. I train my rabbits to be comfortable wearing a harness and occasionally take them outside to run around on the grass and eat parsley right out of the pot.

Is there a point to “trancing” bunnies?

Trancing can be helpful in nail trimming or scent gland cleaning, depending on how deeply your rabbit will trance.

I plan to get two small dogs in about a year. How do adult rabbits cope with puppies? Will they ever be friends?

My roommate has an adult rat terrier who is great with the buns and both of my rabbits were exposed to dogs at the shelters I got them from. It definitely depends a lot on the dog and I would never leave a rabbit and a dog alone together.

When will she be ready to be spayed? How will I know?

This question really depends on your vet. Unlike in males where you need to wait until the testicles descend into the scrotum, females can basically be spayed whenever they're big enough. Many vets like to wait until 4-6 months and in a smaller breed like a holland lop, your vet will likely want to wait until she's a bit bigger.

Do you have a general list of supplies I need? Cage, soft brush, nail clippers, bedding, timothy hay, alfalfa pellets, wicker toys, blanket, bed, litter box and microfiber towel is on my list so far.

I would skip any sort of bedding and just put the litter in the litter box if you're using a cage with a solid bottom. Putting litter anywhere but the box jut confuses them. Some bunnies are okay with a blanket or a bed (my Watson loves his bed) but I would expect a young, unaltered rabbit to pee in it for sure.
I'd recommend a bunny first aid kit with critical care and a feeding syringe, simethicone (infant gas drops), some soft of pain relief that's bunny safe, some bandaging supplies, a heating pad or sock filled with rice that you can microwave, some canned pumpkin or fruit baby food, etc.

 

[Katrina_K]

I'm at work right now, so this'll be short. I read all of your wonderful replies and couldn't feel more confident! I won't bathe her after read all of that, that's for sure. I remember the rabbits I grew up around liking cold water, but come to think about it, that was on really hot days so maybe it was just to cool them off.

I had no idea that trancing was so hard on them! The breeder says they love it and told me I could keep her in my lap all day if I just trance her... I'm now considering finding a different breeder, as she also didn't caution me against bathing when I brought it up.

I'll reply more when I'm off of work, thank you all so much for your helpful answers! I'll certainly post pictures when I have my bunny.

Oh yes, and she doesn't have a name yet. I plan to let her "tell me" what her name is supposed to be based on personality, though it sounds weird to type that.

 

[missyscove]

The sort of life a rabbit lives in the care of your typical breeder and the sort of life a house bunny with its own room lives are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Both can be happy healthy rabbits, but your breeder may not always be the best source on how to house and care for a house rabbit. Remember that when you adopt a young rabbit from a breeder, yes, you will get to raise it yourself, but you will also not necessarily know that rabbit's personality. If you're really set on having a rabbit that will cuddle with you, I would suggest looking at rescue bunnies whose adult personalities may already be known (not to mention many are already spayed or neutered so you don't have to worry about them going through bunny puberty, etc.).
I also want to make sure you have realistic expectations. Remember, you're getting a rabbit, not a cat. Yes they have great personalities, but you'll find that many of your interactions are more on their terms. Some of their favorite activities are destroying things (willow tunnels, phone books, toilet paper tubes, my shoelaces, etc.) and the majority of rabbits are not going to want to run over to you for snuggles all the time.

 

[chorxley]

You have defiantly come to the right place for info everyone on here is so willing to help.. I am relatively new to bunnies myself and everyone has been so helpful!!
I just thought I'd put my two cents worth in... Mookie sleeps on my bed with me, she just jumps down to get to her litter box and it works great for us
Also because she gets time outside and has free run or my bed, sofa, etc and the heat here.. It was 43 the other day (not sure what works out to be over there but its hot!) She has had baths.. I have talked to the vet and she said as long as your not washing there head its fine..
Good luck with everything!

 

[JBun]

All these things, ease of litter box training, snuggling or not, being able to sleep with on the bed or not, being able to bath a rabbit without overly stressing it or not, will it be a big chewer, will it be ok around dogs, really all depends on the personality of the rabbit that you end up getting, and to some extent, how well socialized it is. All rabbits are different, so it's going to be picking out just the right rabbit for you. Most rabbits are chewers but you will find some that don't. Most rabbits don't like to be picked up, but you'll find some that don't mind a bit, some that learn to tolerate it, and some that absolutely hate it. For bathing, rabbit's are basically clean freaks. They are constantly cleaning themselves. So you really will not ever need to bath your rabbit, and usually shouldn't unless really necessary, as a majority of rabbits will get stressed by it, which is not a good thing for rabbits. But of course, there are always exceptions. I had a bunny that jumped out of my arms right into a mud puddle. She was wet and muddy, so I had to clean her off. I gave her a bath in lukewarm water, in the sink, and blew her dry on the low setting. But this bunny was a really chill bunny and not easily scared or stressed by things, so bathing and blow drying didn't faze her a bit. But I have rabbit's now that it would totally freak out and probably stress them so much that they would get sick. If you find you have to give a bath for whatever reason, you want to make sure to minimize the stress, not to over heat, and not to chill them.

With litter box training, again, it's going to depend on the rabbit on how easily it is picked up. I've had some that took right to it, then other's that I had to figure out which litter they liked so they would use it, or how to set up or place the litter box so they will use it, and some just need to be fixed to get really proficient at it. The same goes for cuddling or sleeping on the bed. Some rabbit's will like to cuddle, some will just stop for a short pet and they are off to play again, and some don't really want to be petted much at all. But, if you do find a rabbit that likes to cuddle, then I would guess that it may also like to hang out on your bed and sleep there as well.

So you see it is pretty much dependant on individual personality and socialization. Baby bunnies are fun to have and raise. I've loved my baby bunnies, but the down side is that you have to deal with the baby and teenage phase, which may or may not be hard. And it also may be difficult to get a really good idea of the bunnies personality, and they pretty much grow up really fast and aren't a tiny baby very long anyways. If you aren't really set on a baby, you may have better luck finding a good match for you by looking at rescues, shelters, etc. and looking at adult rabbits that are already fixed if possible. At a rescue or shelter, you may also get to spend some time with the different rabbits that you are interested in, and so get to know their personalities better before you decide on one specifically.

Becoming a rabbit owner really becomes a learning process. You may find things that work for one persons rabbit, doesn't work for yours, so you start to experiment to find just the right thing that works just for your own rabbit. Lots of luck finding your special bun

 

[Katrina_K]

I deeply apologize to all who took the time to reply to me. Tonight, while at work on night shift, a new employee and I were discussing my desire for a bunny. She quickly told me that her Mother is about to give three guinea pigs to the shelter and they're in need of a loving home.

To me, this feels "fated," so I will abandon my want for a rabbit and take the guinea pigs in. She says they love to cuddle, so they're probably more what I'm looking for anyway. I'll be taking them in later today. I just can't stand the thought of letting three loving animals go to the shelter because of my selfish desire for a floppy-eared, hoppy companion. And I don't have time for a rabbit and guinea pigs, I just don't think they'd get enough attention.

Your answers helped me a lot. I don't know if I'll ever get a rabbit as I've realized that I might not be the right kind of Mother they need.

Thank you all, and again, I apologize. :happyrabbit:

 

[whitelop]

Good luck with your guinea pigs!

 

[missyscove]

You should be aware that, in my experience, guinea pigs are less "interactive" than rabbits are.

Please be sure you know what you're getting into!

 

[LakeCondo]

Maybe you should just get the dogs you were mentioning.

 

[Blue eyes]

I deeply apologize to all who took the time to reply to me.
Your answers helped me a lot. I don't know if I'll ever get a rabbit as I've realized that I might not be the right kind of Mother they need.

Thank you all, and again, I apologize. :happyrabbit:

I'm just glad you asked alot of questions and learned about rabbits before getting one. It would've been worse to bring one home only to find out that a rabbit isn't the right pet for you.

 

[Big Boy Wallace]

I know you've switched to the guniea pigs, so might not be checking this...

If/when you plan on getting two dogs, I would reccommend getting them at different times. Two dogs (especially puppies) will bond to one another, not to you. It will be that much harder to train them, and have them respect you as leader. If you got one dog/puppy, had it for at least a year or som trained it well, then added another, the new dog would train faster and respect you more quickly, as the other dog would "teach" it the rules.
Also, and this is critical, NEVER get two female dogs! Females become the alpha dog in most pair dynamics, so two females will likely fight, and lead to unnecessary heartache for you!
Given the amount of research you did for a rabbit though, I'm assuming you would do the same for a dog, and be a great owner. Hope the cavies work out well for ya!

 

[Katrina_K]

Quick update for everyone: The cavies are doing WONDERFULLY! I adore them and they're beautiful. They both love being on the bed with me and they crawl onto my chest and fall asleep. They're litterbox trained and have yet to have an accident on the bed, except for the blanket I give them to do their business on, so I'm very happy. They're exactly what I was wanting. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been nearly as happy with a rabbit, so thank you all.

It perplexes me to think that anyone would get rid of animals so sweet.

About the dogs, they will be for my fiance and I when we move in together. I haven't researched them yet, since it's far off and I don't want to make myself impatient, but I will be sure to. Thank you for the advice. While I've had several dogs in my youth, I've never gotten two at once and it sounds logical that they would bond to each other.

This is likely the last time I'll be checking this forum, so thank you all once more. Back to work for me.