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Forum THE LOUNGE How do you respond to people who don’t understand/value that you care about your rabbit?

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    • Alika613
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        I told my mom nonchalantly that I had a vet appointment for my rabbit Victoria.  I also told her that Victoria was getting spayed, and that I had to go to a special clinic to get it done because the vet that sees my cats and dogs doesn’t really do rabbits.

        My mom and I got into a stupid tryst about how much money I spend on my rabbit, and how spaying her is a waste of money.

        I expect this from my mom, since she isn’t really an animal person, but I also get it from other family members (my uncle frequently offers to cook Victoria for me so that we can have rabbit stew).  It’s not really an issue with my friends, except that they find it silly that I let my rabbit roam around and that I spend money on toys and stuff.

        Victoria isn’t my whole life, but she’s part of my life.  It’s weird that people think that pet rabbits aren’t on the same level as dogs and cats.  It’s not weird to spay my dogs and cats, but spaying my rabbit is a waste of money?

        Do you ever get this? 

        -Alika613


      • Lintini
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          My boyfriend teases me too about how much I spend on my rabbits, but I let that go in one ear and out the other. My parents didn’t know that you could fix rabbits and keep them indoors as great pets either. They were surprised when I was getting them fixed as well. I don’t fault them for not knowing how amazing rabbits are as pets when they are cared for properly. But they know I love them and respect that part of it and I just put up with any remarks that are not really wanted. I just know when it comes down to it, if I needed help with them (say if I needed a bunny to be picked up at the vets and I couldn’t get the time off work, I know my family would help me out) –even if they tease me. I constantly talk about my rabbits and other pets at work and my coworkers always greet me at work and say “Hey Linz, hows your bunnies? What did they ruin today in your room?” etc etc. I wouldn’t let it get to you; if it really annoys you, then you can speak out to how you feel. Let them know they hurt your feelings when they speak that way about Victoria.


        • Barbie
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            Yes I get that from some people in my life. My rabbits are a big part of my life and I love them to bits, but I understand that some people think differently about pets and animals in the house. I just try not to talk about my bunnies with people who I know don’t understand it. I have plenty of friends who love them and want to come visit so they can play with the bunnies, so I tell all my silly stories to them! (And to all my BBers of course!)

            If you’re up for it, you could always make up a list of reasons why bunnies make great pets and why they should be cared for just as well as a dog or a cat – for goodness sake, with the proper care, a house rabbit will live as long as a large dog (8-10 yrs)! – and present that to your family.

            Another thing you could do is teach Victoria some tricks that you can show off in front of your mom and uncle so they can see what intelligent creatures rabbits are. Mine are clicker trained and it’s a fun party trick when I have friends over to show them what the bunnies can do. Then I show my friends the commands and let them try to get the bunnies to do their tricks.   Simple tricks to start out with are “spin”, “stand up” (on hind legs), “target” (touch an item like a plastic lid from a butter container), and you could set up a small hurdle and teach them to jump over it.  clickerbunny.com is a great resource to get started.


          • Lintini
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              Great ideas Barbie!


            • LoveChaCha
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                My aunt SUGGESTED that I put the rabbit in the garage a while ago (our roof fell in the spare bedroom where my bun was. She is now in the living room). I said, “No, its too cold for her.” She believes that animals should be outside and that if the owners go, they want to take their animal with them, and that it is an attachment. Uh … duh?

                 

                By giving your bun toys to play with, he/she is less likely to become destructive


              • Sarita
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                  I usually just move on and don’t try to respond any longer. I do find that many people are fascinated and surprised by pet rabbits and that they can be litter trained and spayed/neutered.

                  I think if someone is receptive then I share more, if not, I just don’t. I figure those people are obviously never going to get a rabbit so there is no need to educate.

                  You really don’t need to justify what you do anyway. It just makes you irritated and that can be unhealthy.

                  Focus on those people who are interested and receptive – it’s much more fun.


                • Karla
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                    I get lots of it. My boyfriend’s family like to comment on the bunnies everytime we see them. I am just the weird animal-woman to them, but in my view, it just says a whole lot more about them. When I got my first bunny, my superior – who dislikes animals – went around telling everyone at work, because she thought it was so weird.

                    If people visit us and see the bunnies, they always ask if they are always outside a cage like this, and then I quickly explain to them, that it is like having a dog or a cat and that they are litter trained and cuddle with us in bed and that they can be clicker trained. And that it is, I don’t bother getting into details, because people always think it is weird. If somebody makes too many negative remarks about it, I tell them that not so many years ago, dogs were kept outside the house and not petted or trained, and that cats in old days used to be kept in cages for their fur, but that no one thinks it is strange today to have a dog or a cat sleeping in their bed. And then I ask if they can explain the difference to me.

                    As Barbie suggests, I actually began clicker training Molly to show people that there is so much more to bunnies…but with two other bunnies constantly being in the way, I gave up. But thanks for reminding me, Barbie, that it is a good thing to do. I should get started again.


                  • RabbitPam
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                      I agree with Sarita, and family is often the hardest to listen to. But just either ignore them. They are talking about stew to get you riled up. My brother teases me and my bunny with that line, but he adores my bunnies so much that he won’t help trim nails for fear they will associate him with bad things and not like him anymore.

                      You aren’t out to convert people, and only if one of them considers getting a bunny, with a bad outlook on their care, should you step in and discourage them. but you will encounter many people in the next several years who are fascinated, so you can tell them. My parents were amazed at what my bunnies did, and were won over after meeting them and seeing how fun life with them was. It just takes time. but arguing is pointless.

                      Most people have no idea that house bunnies are even possible, so it will be an issue, but that’s why we have BinkyBunny. We’re in the know.


                    • usagi
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                        It is amazing how many people I have come across that have no idea how “personable” and “receptive” a bunny can be. It’s like this big secret – I really don’t get it. Maybe it’s because there are so many people who mistreat their rabbits, and therefore their bunnies “misbehave” or “smell bad” – this is not the fault of the bunny, it is the fault of the caretaker! It’s the bunny myth, and it drives me mad!

                        I know I shouldn’t let it bother me either, but my parents first remarks were extremely hurtful to me. They still kid around every now and then about it, but they were definitely won over (mostly) when Lemony met my parents for the first time. Same with my friends – at first, they were like, are you insane? What could you possibly have been thinking? But once they met Lems they were extremely surprised and totally in love.

                        A family friend recently got a bunny (instead of a hamster, a bit of an impulsive decision), and now they are IN LOVE WITH HER (luckily)! It is such a joy to see that in action, and be able to interact with other bunny caretakers. I mean, there really isn’t anyone else that understands besides “our kind”, you know?

                        I’m a bunnophile for life now… People call me the crazy bunny lady. Hahahaha.

                        ****Aren’t rabbits the third most popular pet in the US, next to dogs and cats?****


                      • Elrohwen
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                          I honestly haven’t had any people who were really against my rabbits. My parents are animal lovers and as soon as they met Otto they loved him and called him their grand-bunny. Most of my friends think it’s a bit silly that I have bunnies and that they have such huge cages and get such good food, but it’s just that they don’t understand – they’re not against the bunnies in any way. I usually explain that they’re very much like cats (I’ve never had cats, so maybe they’re just similar to my understanding of cats) but cats that have cages and can be locked up at night to keep them out of trouble. Most people seem to understand that and it makes sense why the bunnies get to be free range much of the day and why they’re spayed and neutered. I also have a lot of people asking questions about the bunnies because they don’t know anyone who has them other than me.

                          I’m lucky that I live in a part of the country where pets in general are highly valued. Even though rabbits aren’t your typical dogs and cats, nobody I know would be derogatory about getting them spayed and neutered, for example. It’s more surprise like “Oh, I didn’t even know it was possible to get them spayed and neutered!”

                          The best turn around was my husband’s boss and his wife. They don’t currently have any pets and agreed to pet sit for Otto a couple times while we were on vacation. They knew nothing about bunnies other than that they were cute. He spent a few weeks there and they absolutely adore him now 😀 The last time he was there they were teaching him new tricks! Haha

                          eta: I do get the “let’s make the bunnies into a stew!” comments occasionally, but they honestly don’t bother me. I think it’s because the people who say it are all close male friends. They’re just doing it as gentle teasing and they know me well enough to know that teasing doesn’t bother me. If someone I just met said “why don’t you just eat them?” I think it would tick me off too! Luckily, like I said, no one living in this area would say anything like that to someone they had just met. I think that’s what happens when you live in an area fairly far removed from agriculture and farming.


                        • Ali925
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                            I know exactly what you mean and it’s very frustrating. Most people I tell usually laugh first, then ask more questions. By the end of the conversation they realize how much a bunny has to offer as a pet. A good deal of people also respond with, “oh I had a bunny when I was younger…” and I follow up with, and you kept it outside in a cage? and they’ll say yes and it died one winter or we gave it away or something along those lines. Another thing I get a lot is, did you consider getting a cat? Of course I say no not at all (no offense to the cat-lovers, just not for me). I just think it’s funny that people try to discourage it, like it’s not worth it.

                            Funny thing is, my brother and his wife have been married for a few years now and my parents can’t wait to have grandchildren. (Of course…who isn’t?) So when they called my parents with “good news” last year, and said they got a puppy, my Mom was less than thrilled to say the least. Like I said, she’s not an animal person, so she’ll never “get it” no matter what type of animal. Anyhow, they joke now about it being their grandpuppy, etc. and are just waiting to hear about them having a baby (which they plan to, but weren’t ready yet…). I just got married in the fall, and a few months after is when we got Oreo, and now we have Blu…I have to constantly remind my parents I won’t be getting more than 2 bunnies and I promise I’ll have kids soon enough! So now they added grandbunnies to their list. haha, my Dad is adorable and says he’s “granpa” to Oreo and was excited when I let him babysit her. But that’s my dad for you…

                            To sum this up, Sarita had it right, just pay attention to the people who have genuine interest, all others, try not to listen to them. We all sound like we’re in the same boat with our buns. The problem is, in general, people don’t appreciate or like what they don’t understand. I’ve been a runner for a long time, since high school, ran in college, etc.. and still train now and race on occasion. Even with that background, some people will never understand that I will always run…whether it’s waking up early to fit it in before a long day, or heading out in the pouring rain, or when the heat index is over 100 degrees, etc. The same people (including my Mom who has never run a day in her life) will always call me crazy and think it’s ridiculous, and still asks me, are you really going running in this?? But if I talk to a fellow runner, they’ll tell me they were out for a run that day too…and will appreciate hearing about how I did in a race, etc. I think you get what I’m saying…


                          • Beka27
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                              You will always have the people who cannot, or will not, understand. The best thing you can do is live by example and make your bun(s) a priority in your life. I rarely ever *recommend* a rabbit to anyone. It’s a very particular person who is a good fit for rabbit-slavedom.

                              The thing that bothers me the most are the “stew” comments that I’ll get from time to time. My favorite response is something along the lines of… “This is my animal companion. I am not barbecuing your dog/cat/child, please don’t make insensitive remarks about a member of my family.”


                            • Elrohwen
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                                Barbie, I love you for being so passionate about clicker training! I think it’s such a shame that people only associate training with dogs and I love getting the message out that bunnies can be trained too and that it’s a really fantastic way to bond with them.

                                Heck, maybe people will start training their cats next 😛


                              • Karla
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                                  Posted By Beka27 on 04/18/2010 07:55 AM
                                  The thing that bothers me the most are the “stew” comments that I’ll get from time to time. My favorite response is something along the lines of… “This is my animal companion. I am not barbecuing your dog/cat/child, please don’t make insensitive remarks about a member of my family.”

                                  I love that! I’ll remember that one.


                                • Sage Cat
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                                    I’m lucky to come from an animal loving family! They all think is is great that I adopted rabbits.

                                    Most of the time people find out I have rabbits – they actually ask lots of questions. But that has a lot to do with where I live – Denver / Boulder is VERY ANIMAL FRIENDLY! It is one of the many reasons I live here.

                                    I’m amazed that even when big burly delivery guys walk in to my house they say “Oh my gosh, you have bunnies!” Yes, they actually say bunnies! And they want to know about them.


                                  • Barbie
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                                      Elrohwen, yes I know you do a lot with clicker training too. My friends love it when they see my bunies doing tricks!

                                      Beka, your response to peoples “stew” comments is funny. I’ll have to remember that one, lol.

                                      Sage Cat, my apartment’s maintenance man likes the bunnies too, hehe.


                                    • LittlePuffyTail
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                                        I know how frustrating it can be when people just don’t understand or make jokes about rabbits as pets. My former boss used to bug me all the time about how “rabbits are supper, not pets”. I know he was just trying to aggravate me but it still upset and annoyed me. But he also thought I was a nut because I don’t eat meat and, in turn, I would get on his case about how hunting is not a sport and that would really grind his gears so I guess it went both ways.

                                        I’m pretty lucky though… 2 of the most important people in my life…my bf and my Mom, totally understand my passion for all animals and my special devotion and love for my rabbits. My bf likes the rabbits too (he still talks sadly about the lop we lost 4 years ago) but he thinks I go overboard sometimes with the expense of veggies and hay and things but at least he understands how important they are to me.

                                        The one person who gets on my nerves about my rabbits more than anyone is my brother-in-law. When Bindi was sick over Easter I mentioned that we had to take him into the vet and he thought that was really stupid…he said the worst possible thing….”Disposable”. As in if it dies, just get another. I was so angry I had to leave the room so as not to ruin our Easter dinner.

                                        I think it really depends on the type of person whether they will understand or not. My brother-in-law loves hunting and thinks I’m a crazy animal rights freak and can’t understand why I have so many animals and no kids. He also hassled me when my horse got an illness that no longer allowed her to eat grass or anything with sugar so she needs special care and expenses. There were lots of “glue factory” comments. I try to respect other people’s views but it’s very frustrating when it comes to someone being negative about my animals. And I as well can’t understand why rabbits take this abuse much more so than cats or dogs.


                                      • Elrohwen
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                                          Sage Cat, I had a cable guy over the other day and I apologized for having NIC grids surrounding the tv area and fur on the floor, because I had a bunny. He was so curious! Coudn’t believe that I had a bunny and let him run around like a cat. He wanted to see him and everything. It was so funny. I think I converted someone on that cable visit.

                                          My landlord also thinks I’m a bit crazy, but is so happy the buns are neat and clean! He took some convincing and thought Otto would be smelly and dirty, but after seeing the one bun and how clean he was, he didn’t hesitate when I asked if we could get a second. I know he thinks the gigantic cage is a bit silly, but oh well 😛


                                        • RabbitPam
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                                            All the maintenance guys and the managers at the apartment leasing office love my bunnies.

                                            When Spockie crossed the bridge, they sent me a condolence card. So sweet.


                                          • katiep
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                                              I think to one degree or another all of us have heard the remarks about having rabbits along with the why’s and what’s the point, i’m no exception. People think it’s odd I own rabbits as a pet and find it even more odd that I have 7…(<> they are addicting!) My co workers (the ones i’m more like friends with) know I have rabbits and I get teased that I am building a bunny minon army and we are going to take over the world…I just laugh and say they better carry raisins when that time comes. I have friends that are allergic so they don’t understand why the bunnies get their own room and can’t really come over to visit. My family is the hardest to ignore and defend my bunny ownership but I blame it all on my Mom! I say “When I was little, Mom said when I grow up and get my own place I could have a hundred bunnies…i’m still working on it!” Thats usually enough to keep my Mom quiet but I know she has a soft spot for animals and won’t give me too much of a hard time. My extended family doesn’t really get to experience them much so I don’t really advertise that i’m up to 7 with them. They know I love bunnies….that’s all they need to know! Regardless of who is questioning my bunny …(ok i’ll say it)…obsession I just always remind myself that I’m the lucky one who’s had these wonderful animals in my life! It keeps me going!


                                            • LoveChaCha
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                                                I was carrying around ChaCha when the delivery guy came to deliver my box of bunny toys (Oh my!) and I let the delivery man pet her! He said she is a cutie

                                                I’ve always had animals since I was little.. but this is the first time I’ve had one as an adult that I have had to take responsibility for. So far, I love it.

                                                My dad wonders why my bun freezes when she sees him He is a big guy, so he looks like a giant to her!!


                                              • ScooterandAnnette
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                                                  Scooter here.

                                                  We just ignore stupid comments. Especially from my parents. Although I gotta admit that my mother’s first reaction to Bailey was classic: “A rabbit? You’ll need to bring it back the next time you come home so we can have it for supper. They’re really nutritious and they’re great in soups!”

                                                  It came out much better in the original Cantonese. Keep in mind that my mother wouldn’t be allowed at any public aquarium if people understood that what she’s saying is along the lines of “these aren’t all that great, too bony. These are pretty good once they’re steamed properly.”

                                                  It also doesn’t help that Bailey is pretty chubby.

                                                  They’ll be visiting us sometime this summer, so we’ll need to point out a la Finding Nemo that “bunnies are friends, not food!” At least in our house.


                                                • Sonn
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                                                    People in my town and my entire family think I am completely insane. When I made the appointment to get Marshmallow spayed my mom flipped out and we got into a huge argument. My dad makes the rabbit stew jokes and so does his step kids but those just go in one ear and out the other. They all think rabbits belong outside and not pampered house pets.

                                                    I no longer let it bother me I am their provider so I am the one who gets to say how they live and where they live.


                                                  • Andi
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                                                      Posted By Karla on 04/18/2010 09:31 AM

                                                      Posted By Beka27 on 04/18/2010 07:55 AM
                                                      The thing that bothers me the most are the “stew” comments that I’ll get from time to time. My favorite response is something along the lines of… “This is my animal companion. I am not barbecuing your dog/cat/child, please don’t make insensitive remarks about a member of my family.”

                                                      I love that! I’ll remember that one.

                                                      Ditto… Much nicer then some of my reations.
                                                       

                                                      Many don’t believe me BUT… my family (grandparents) were quite poor and lived in the woods, they pretty much lived off the land, and yes bred rabbits for food   I grew up on rabbit meat as a small child, they told me it was chicken, I had no clue. So when people comment on eating my fur babies, I would just say to them “No, they are much to old and would taste aweful, like mutton but worse. ” and describe why further… because usually they just wanted to bug me and get a reaction, and instead I gave them an educational speach. Or I’d go into eating their cat/dog/child as i saw no differnece, i don’t eat pets/family.

                                                      But it became tiresome when Bo was so ill and I thought i was going to loose him, the remarks were to much to handle, I ended up deleting people from my facebook who would not stop with the rude and crude remarks. I didn’t need ‘friends’ like that.
                                                      I had family critisizing me because I was spending so much money on Bo, and decided to go through with a $1100+ surgery. As far as i am concerned, if I can afford that type of medical care for myself, then I can for my pet who depends on ME. Now if i cannot afford it even for myself, then things would be different. I coudln’t live with myself knowing I did not do everything I could to keep my bunny happy and healthy when there was a choice.

                                                      One thing I do think of when people say those type of remarks, is “I’m sorry my heart is so big, that i have love for all creatures”. Once my extended family came over, and I had been teased about my animal rescuing, but when my one Aunt saw all the critters, she handed me $20 and said “Wow, you do so much, i’m just shocked, heres something for them”


                                                    • Kokaneeandkahlua
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                                                        I think people tease as a way to interact with someone when they don’t know what else to say. I also think people tease when they don’t know how to interact at all, and also when they are uncomfortable with the topic.

                                                        So I think, as frustrating as this kind of thing can be, some forgiveness is in order

                                                        As for how I handle it. I often use ‘well your kids stink worse and are way more expensive so …’ Kind of response. Honestly everyone has their preference, whether it’s fish, plants, kids, dogs, rabbits what have you. And if you put it in context, jokingly It works.

                                                        I definitely got really offeneded when I had to explain about Chuck with people at work-it came up (why do I always go home at lunch) about his handicaps and current illness and I had a couple people react like I should be putting him to sleep, I’m obviously crazy, I must have my own issues, I am letting him suffer etc. It was not only frustrating but personally made me so mad-especially since they did know him, me or what the situation was-or want to hear it.
                                                        And it was the kind of ‘blah blah’ response where they just aren’t listening to you either you know? So I finally just said-‘well some people might do that, but I don’t euthanize my family members when they become expensive and inconvenient, but that’s just my personal choice’ -It was sort of mean to say, but they were definitely being rude to me, and condescending so I found a response that sort of turned it around and made them look a bit rude But that’s my secret weapon only used twice


                                                      • Lintini
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                                                          I like that Kokanee!


                                                        • TARM
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                                                            I will admit that before I became a bunny mom I thought it was insane to spay/neuter a rabbit or guinea pig.  I still think it’s insane to spay/neuter pet rats but I know people do it.  I also didn’t think many people would pay a $100+ adoption fee for a rabbit or pair from a rescue, even though they are spay/neutered before they’re even available.  I have since paid $100 for two of my rabbits and $175 for Amber’s pair. 

                                                            When I tell people about my adoption experiences with the rabbits I admit to them that I, as an animal person who has been involved in rescue for years, was surprised by the adoption fees and spay/neuter requirement BUT that my rabbits are healthier and much easier to get along with because of both.  The high adoption fees allowed for the spay/neuter plus vet care plus feeding and housing, etc.  I think people respond more favorably when I say that I was surprised by those things.

                                                            I have resigned from Bunny Lu and my daughters and I are getting involved in something completely not animal related.  We are joining the Civil Air Patrol and I can tell that my family thinks this is a much more worthwhile cause than animal rescue.  I’m pretty sure that I won’t be expected to blow off CAP related activities for impromptu family get togethers the way I was when I was “just” working with animals.  The double standard sucks and my mother in particular seems to forget that she didn’t raise me to blow off previous commitments.  That drives me insane.


                                                          • Andi
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                                                              “but I don’t euthanize my family members when they become expensive and inconvenient”
                                                              I love that! I wish i ahd thought of that when I had my handicap Bunyn Ebony, i got so much slack with her b/c she wasn’t able to use her back legs. I did put her down, but not till the quality of her life was gone, and she was no longer happy. Yeah so she didn’t hop, she pulled herself around and had other issues, but she ate like a horse, loved pet’s and woudl still trya dn kick a bunnies but if they went near something that was her’s lol. I try not to make comments now on peoples pets that i may only just met/seen adn have ilnesses, as you cant’ know anything about that animal untill you’ve spent some quality time with them.


                                                            • kralspace
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                                                                Ditto to everyone’s remarks, especially about eating my family members. If someone is visiting and asks to pet them I tell them they can ‘pet’ but not ‘grope’ to see if they’re ready for the stewpot.

                                                                I used to get a lot of teasing at work, but during the week I brought Hershey with me they got to see just how beautiful and personable they are and several nearly cried when they found out she had passed on.

                                                                Yeah, turning your spare bedroom into the bunny/piggie room really gets you labeled as the crazy bunny lady. and NIC interior decorating. 3/4 of your fridge is for bunny food.

                                                                and to the few that make tacky remarks, I say The bunnies live here, you don’t.


                                                              • Kokaneeandkahlua
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                                                                  I guess on a lighter note-I kind of started a new job recently here (same company was just moved) and everyone found out where I go at lunch (To look after Chuck) and you know-they ask at least once a week how he’s doing and seem to care I don’t know-sometimes it makes the jerks easier to deal with, when you remember that there are some decent people out there


                                                                • LittlePuffyTail
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                                                                    There’s no shame in being a “Crazy Bunny Lady”…


                                                                  • corpathina
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                                                                      i had a discussion about this with my boyfriend just the other night. most of his family heckles me about the rabbit and thinks i’m silly for getting down on the floor with him, picking up stray poos with my hands, bringing him with me when i travel, keeping him indoors (because rabbits are supposed to be outside of course.. ), and the list goes on. but his family members are not what i consider “animal people.” they like dogs, but that’s about the only acceptable pet in their opinion.

                                                                      i admit that i get very tired of the “stew” jokes after a while. it’s just not funny. still, i know that most people are just joking. my boyfriend brought up a good point that rabbits are considered food by many people and they don’t make similar jokes about cats and dogs because they are not considered food in america. do i still think people should be sensitive to your pet, no matter what species it is? heck yeah. do i expect them to still joke in this manner because they think it’s amusing? unfortunately yes.

                                                                      i try to just let it roll off my back. i think it would be much harder if i had a special needs bun like chuck. for all of you bun parents that have needy buns, i really admire your persistence and pateince, not only with your buns but other people! it’s so terrible that people can so easily suggest that you euthanize pets just because they’re “difficult.” i would surely punch somebody if i were in y’all’s shoes.

                                                                      i’ve just started playing the devil’s advocate and that seems to take the fun out of other people’s jokes. if someone says “when are you gonna cook that rabbit?” i just say “oh he’s not fat enough yet.” or something else sarcastic. then they usually don’t make any further comments because they can tell i’m not getting annoyed by their comments and they just move on.

                                                                      i understand what my bf meant by most people viewing rabbits as food, but they know darned well that there’s a huge difference between a house rabbit and a meat rabbit and i obviously am not raising a rabbit to eat so therefore they should just hush! it doesn’t matter what your pet is, if it is a PET people should be respectful as that animal is obviously a family member. but i’m slowly realizing that not all pet owners view pets as family members.

                                                                       


                                                                    • Moonlight_Wolf
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                                                                        Luckily in my area there seems to not be many people who readily eat rabbits. Most people are not that surprised that I have bunnies but are surprised when they learn that they live indoors and very surprised when they learn that my bunnies take up my whole bedroom! People normally tease me saying I am obsessed with my bunnies, but thats ok with me, I don’t mind being known as the animal maniac!

                                                                        Only my dad has ever joked about eating my bunnies but that was only when I first got Fern. I guess my area is not a very bunny eating area. My sister’s boyfriend, who lives in Britain (I know very long distance relationship), actually hunts bunnies and that makes me upset! In Britain he says a lot of the wild bunnies have this disease (forgot the name) and he says that is really sad because their eyes are bleeding and stuff, so I guess he does have a bit of a heart. And he told me he wouldn’t shoot my bunnies so….

                                                                        The thing that normally catches people off guard is when I tell them that both my bunnies are litter trained, then the person is like, “Oh, really? I didn’t know they could be litter trained!” So that actually puts my bunnies in a different light.


                                                                      • Nibbles_NZ
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                                                                          Mu husband teases me. I don’t care what people say honestly. It’s kind of funny that when you see or hear an animal getting abused or neglected on the news the same people that tease you are the ones to say “oh, that’s terrible” but then they turn around and make remarks about the way you treat your animal. The fact is, rabbits are sensitive and they need the extra care. They are not the easy to maintain cuddly Easter bunnies everyone else seems to think they are. People take thier dogs and cats to the vet. They spend money on toys for them. What’s the difference. NOT spaying or neutering your rabbit is neglectful (my opinion). A female rabbit has a high chance of getting uterine cancer in the 3 years of her life. If spayed she can live up to 10! Why wouldn’t you do that for your pet? I posted on Facebook that I was looking for another bunny and my sister in law says “ok. why do you need two?” She has two cats! WTH! Who cares what people say or think!


                                                                        • Lis
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                                                                            I grew up with rabbits, so my parents are understanding of the fact that I like bunnies so much. My dad passionately told me stories about Spooky and Spunky – a bonded pair they had when they had just gotten married, who were very interesting and personable (his favorite story to tell is how Spunky would jump into his lap and actually watch football with him, and one day did this to my grandfather and it scared them both). I grew up hooked on these stories and begged for my very own rabbit, and got my first when I was 5 (looking back, this wasn’t the most brilliant decision, but I was gentle with him, for a child).

                                                                            Surprisingly, my boyfriend has taken to it fairly well, as well. He owned no pets as a child, and no one he knew had rabbits, so I got to teach him how rabbits should be treated.

                                                                            However, I have this problem with my best friend. He’s always joking about making rabbit stew out of Stormy, and then reverts back to saying Stormy has no meat on him. For a while, I tried to explain to him that Stormy is like a dog or cat, but he isn’t having it. I’ve gotten to the point where I just ignore him. I’ve done my best to try and educate him about rabbits, but he just refuses to listen anymore.


                                                                          • Monkeybun
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                                                                              Lis, in your position I’d just ask your friend to stop, as it upsets you. If he’s a good friend, he will respect that and stop


                                                                            • Alika613
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                                                                                I think one of the slight problems, and I don’t know if BB is going to kick my butt for mentioning it, is that my uncle actually raises animals for slaughter, so when he offers to cook my rabbit, he means it.

                                                                                But at the same time, he also gives me a hard time about being vegan, so I should be/get used to it.

                                                                                Thanks for all the comments. I guess unless I feel that someone actually wants to learn more about my rabbit, I can just let it go.I suppose it may also have something to do with all the other pets I have. Perhaps Victoria pales in comparison with the massive, fluffy dogs and the cheeky cats. I think she beats out the hermit crabs though, which is nice, at least she’s not at the very bottom.

                                                                                -Alika


                                                                              • Alika613
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                                                                                  I think one of the slight problems, and I don’t know if BB is going to kick my butt for mentioning it, is that my uncle actually raises animals for slaughter, so when he offers to cook my rabbit, he means it.

                                                                                  But at the same time, he also gives me a hard time about being vegan, so I should be/get used to it.

                                                                                  Thanks for all the comments. I guess unless I feel that someone actually wants to learn more about my rabbit, I can just let it go.I suppose it may also have something to do with all the other pets I have. Perhaps Victoria pales in comparison with the massive, fluffy dogs and the cheeky cats. I think she beats out the hermit crabs though, which is nice, at least she’s not at the very bottom.

                                                                                  -Alika


                                                                                • Cassi&Charlie
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                                                                                    My BF gave me a lot of crap initially about my two rabbits but now that he lives with them, I always catch him doing sneaky nice things…like building a huge box playground in the hallway and pretending the boxes just happened to be that way lol. He’s not a huge animal person but I think he’s converted!


                                                                                  • mocha200
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                                                                                      my sister made a comment yesterday, she said ” i think you should let you bunnys free in the back yard” i HATE it when she does that. she knows i hate it and thats why she does it.


                                                                                    • LoveChaCha
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                                                                                        It is SO adorable how some people warm up to animals…

                                                                                        I don’t get made fun of a lot, when I do, it is by my friends that call me ‘ Crazy Bunny Lady , ‘ but it doesn’t bother me! A coworker said that “You spoil your bunny!” I said,”It keeps her out of trouble!”

                                                                                        My bunny is STILL scared of my dad (he tried to pet her today.. but it didn’t work!). He jokes that he is going to BBQ her.. it doesn’t bother me because I know he wouldn’t do that.

                                                                                        In the future, my boyfriend and I will be living together. I told him “You know, Koucha will most likely be coming with me. Is that okay?” He said its fine. I mentioned that I would like to have 2-3 bunnies and he said it would prefer that I have one.. but he isn’t the one that is going to watch over ’em!


                                                                                      • jerseygirl
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                                                                                          Alika, would you consider bringing it up with your uncle? Maybe it just needs to be addressed. You could try something like how you acknowledge his business but you don’t deliberately attack him about just because it doesn’t gel with your personal view. And that you’d like him to do the same toward you.   Getting others to see your pets as you do may be a waste of energy.  At the end of the day, anyone deliberately saying insensitive things is being hurtful toward you. The rabbits couldn’t care less. So for me, I would be pointing out that this lack of respect toward me and my personal choices is not welcome.


                                                                                        • babybunsmum
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                                                                                            i have to agree with sarita/jersey/rabbitpam… no use trying to educate people who are not interested about how amazing bunnies are as pets. i would reccommend instead, to ask for their respect in your decision to have a pet rabbit and to treat your pet however you feel is best. i have a lot of serious experience in this area. my extended family has a farmng background and my step family has a hunting background. so basically, aside from my mom and sister, my entire family thinks that i am a wacko bleeding heart liberal treehugger purely based on the fact that i have a rabbit as a pet. haha.

                                                                                            it wasn’t always easy to deal with. i think the younger you are the harder it is to be respected for the decisions you make that are not the same as others. what works for me is not talkng a lot about my bunny (except to those who ask or you know actually care) especially about the lengths of care i goto. i think this is really important. the hunters in my family do not want to hear about my bunny love and i CERTAINLY do not want to hear about their hunting exploits. (they figured out not to talk about hunting in my presence because of all the cringing and whimpering i would do). its an ‘agree to disagree’ situation.

                                                                                            amoung people who know me well and who should know better, i respond to the “cook your bunny for dinner joke” by saying “ya well i’m gonna cook YOU for dinner” in a silly mock tone. sometimes i stick my tongue out childishly after. lol. ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer!

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                                                                                        Forum THE LOUNGE How do you respond to people who don’t understand/value that you care about your rabbit?