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Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Rabbit Breeds

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    • colleenbunny
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         Which rabbit breed would be best for me? I want a rabbit that is laid back and mellow (I have a young brother and even though the rabbit will not be near him very long, I’m still worried my brother will want to “give the rabbit some love”.) I know that most rabbit breeds don’t like to be picked up or held, so I know I am probably not going to find anything that fits this. Another thing I want is a rabbit with a shorter life span. I know rabbits (unless they have a horrible disease) don’t die any sooner than 5 years old depending on the breed. A rabbit that is less active would be nice also. Thanks!


      • colleenbunny
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          Forgot to ask, how do you tell visitors (and siblings) to leave the rabbit alone?


        • Roberta
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            I don’t know why you would want a bunny with a short life span but must assume you have your reasons. You may change your mind after a few years and your bun has you firmly by the heart strings.
            Can I suggest if there are time restrictions that you consider getting an older bun from a shelter and give them a wonderful life. Many older buns, white or black buns languish in shelters never having a real home. You could give one of them a special life.


          • Roberta
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              Oh and my French Angora Piglet is as laid back as they come.. However the grooming is demanding.


            • BunsMommie
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                I have a French lop. He is 3 years old now and is very calm and relaxed. He just lays on the floor for most of the day or just walks around in a small area. Although sometimes, he does get hyper and wants to run all over the house – he probably thinks its a game making me chase him all over the place! For most of the time though, he is very relaxed and calm. As far as picking him up and handling him, being held isnt his favorite thing but he doesnt completely hate it. I think that all depends on how you raise him from the first time you get him and how often you hold him and handle him as a baby. I held mine a lot when I first got him so he got pretty used to it. Hope this helps!


              • MoveDiagonally
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                  I second Roberta with not understanding why anyone would want any pet to live a shorter life.

                  Breeds don’t really affect personality that much. Everything I read about English Lops said they are prone to being overweight because of inactivity. My EL’s are more athletic than my other bunnies.

                  I think the best way for you to find a bunny that meets your needs is to adopt an adult rabbit from a shelter. That way you can meet a bunny and get to know it’s personality before you bring it home. It is also likely to save you money because rabbits from shelters and rescues are spayed/neutered (the adoption fee is usually less than the cost of the spay/neuter).


                • Elrohwen
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                    The tricky thing about rabbit breeds is that they are not bred for temperament the way dogs are. So, you can make some basic generalizations, but they often don’t hold true and most rabbits are truly individuals. Probably the best generalization you can make is that bigger rabbits are calmer and more easy going than small rabbits.

                    I’m also not sure why you would want a rabbit with a shorter life span?


                  • Emmie
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                      I think adopting an older bun is definately the way to go with this one. A bun that has overcome their ‘teenage’ years is usually much easier to handle than a younger bun. My buns are 2 and 5yrs old and I love them to bits, I can’t imagine how heartbroken I’ll be when that time comes.

                      I adopted a bun from a family and she is just the most affectionate and patient little thing ever. Maybe doing something similar would suit your needs?


                    • Deleted User
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                        I would really recommend a Flemish Giant, with some reservations. With their larger size, they are far less skittish with the usual predator-outlook behaviors, just much calmer and sensitive to human emotions the way a horse is. As large rabbits, they will not tend to have the longest lives.

                        My caveat on this is that the bigger the rabbit the more it poops and pees and work it requires. And I hate to have to say it, but my Flemish have been the laziest when it comes to actually HOPPING into a litter pan. In the end, they always just seek out the most absorbent thing so I tend to use towels and then wash them with clorox and rinse with vinegar. They simply will not hop into a box. They will sit on a swirled up towel placed over plastic.

                        I hope I am not “busting” myself — I did briefly breed and show Flemish but do so no longer. And based on those few years experience I can tell you that Flemish is one breed that is bred for compatibility. Flemish do not bite. And if one does, no respectable breeder will breed that rabbit. Even one of their categories for points in showing is having “a reposeful gaze.”

                        If you decide you want to visit a breeder and see how comfortable you are with the breed, I would highly recommend going to the breeders directory on the National Federation of Flemish Giant Rabbit Breeders. Then check out animal shelters because often very good Flemish end up in animal shelters because the original buyer did not understand the different needs of a larger rabbit. If you can’t find one at an animal rescue, I would go back to one of the careful breeders who is in the National Federation. You would not believe the number of stories I have run across of non-Flemish being marketed as Flemish. SOmeone even passed off a Netherland Dwarf to an unwitting buyer!


                      • MoveDiagonally
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                          I’m going to disagree with Sam’s Mom and strongly suggest that you DO NOT get a Flemish Giant.

                          Not because I don’t like them (they’re one of my dream rabbits!) but because in your other post we were talking about the limited space that you have for a bunny. Flemish Giants need A LOT more space then the average bun.


                        • Sarita
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                            You have mentioned in a previous post that you need to convince your parents to get you a rabbit at all…is that the reason for the rabbit with a shorter life span??? I have to admit, that is a very odd request and my best advice to you is NOT to even consider a rabbit at this point in your life until you are well on your own and responsible for your own life.


                          • Deleted User
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                               Yes, Flemish need a lot of space.  They also have extraordinarily thick fur which makes for cleaning issues when moulting.  Finally, bucks are always in excess but for some reason Flemish bucks, until neutered, have a VERY STRONG MUSK.  But maybe you can figure out the space you have and go with the biggest breed you can (or even mix from an animal rescue), as it is my experience that larger rabbits (other than runners like the Rheinlander) tend to be calmer.

                              If you really need a small rabbit, I would definitely recommend Dutch.  To me they are the most level-headed of the smaller rabbits; sometimes a little more independent because they are problem-solvers so taking a little longer time to bond, but very very loving, entertaining, creative, mischievous and adorable.  And darn smart!

                              Certainly you can lay down some ground rules with your brother about being with the rabbit until you are sure he has adequate handling skills.  (Don’t doubt kids.  I didn’t transition to handling the larger Flemish readiily. . . . until I saw a 6-year-old hoisting them around with ease.)


                            • NewBunnyOwner123
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                                I really don’t think breed matters when it comes to the personality. Sally is like 5lbs and is the laziest thing I have ever seen. Harley is about 7-8lbs and he is a lot more active than my lop, but he is still pretty lazy as well. He is A LOT easier to handle than the smaller bun though.

                                I think the best thing you can do is instead of going to a breeder and getting a young bunny, just go to a shelter and pick out a bun that is already like 4 or 5 years old. They will be the calmest and they are half way done with their life and won’t “last as long” not to mention, purchasing or adopting a young rabbit is a hit or miss with the temperament. They don’t really come to their own until they mature a bit more and it doesn’t matter how you handle them… they are either going to be crazy and energetic or calm and lazy… it doesn’t matter the “breed” buns have their own, individual personalities. Whereas at a shelter you are looking at adults… you will get a better idea of what you are getting into.


                              • RabbitPam
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                                  A shelter bunny is also going to be known to the people who work there, and usually you can ask for a particular temperament and they will let you meet the suitable bunnies.

                                  I’d like to suggest an alternative that may meet your needs even more: a guinea pig. Piggies are very easy to hold, they stay in their cages and need less out time than a bunny. They are easy to clean along with their habitats, they live about 5-6 years on average, and they are great for kids to pick up and hold as well. They are fun, but need less complicated entertainment and also are much less expensive to feed, care for, and have fewer vet costs. I loved our 3 piggies growing up. It wasn’t until I lived on my own for years that I discovered a bunny was a great pet for working people. For a decade at least. Only an older bunny adopted from a shelter will be likely to be with you for fewer years.


                                • Sam and Lady's Human
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                                    You might look into fostering if you are just trying to get some short term fluffy love Get to know how different rabbits may act while also learning about rabbits, and its a short commitment. No breed is guaranteed to be mellow, Flemmies generally are thats true, but they are a HUGE commitment in more ways than one. Mine costs a small fortune to feed and requires a lot of space, she’s not meant to be caged at all. And the shedding, oh my goodness the shedding.


                                  • Eucalyptus
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                                      Agreeing with Sarita. It sounds like a stuffed animal would suit your requests.


                                    • tanlover14
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                                        The life span is definitely an odd request. As Sarita mentioned, if you are saying this because of your parents I would not get an animal at all until you are out on your own.

                                        As others have said – I would not go on breed but instead would go to a shelter and pick out a bun that suits your personality better. You will be able to have one-on-one time with all the buns until you can find one that suits you perfectly and what you’re looking for.


                                      • colleenbunny
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                                          I have contacted my local shelter about fostering a rabbit, and this is one of the rabbits that I want to foster. http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/25226855


                                        • colleenbunny
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                                            They say that they think he would be fine with children which is good.


                                          • colleenbunny
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                                              But if I get a pair I am really leaning towards this pair:

                                              http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/25226874


                                            • Roberta
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                                                Another question is about housing. Will you be able to keep them indoors and both options are rabbits accustomed to living indoors and they will suffer if placed in an outside environment.


                                              • colleenbunny
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                                                  Yes there is available space indoors.


                                                • bunnylova123
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                                                    Can I just ask what the site means by Perry being rescued from ‘being born’ ??????


                                                  • Roberta
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                                                      I suspect it’s a misprint bunnylova… They probably meant from “being bred”


                                                    • Sam and Lady's Human
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                                                        Well let us know what you end up doing and if you have any questions! Have you figured out what type of habitat you are going to use? (xpen, nic cubes?)


                                                      • bunnylova123
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                                                          Thanks roberta, that sounds a lot better.


                                                        • colleenbunny
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                                                            I think I want to do an expen, because they are pretty large, but not too large that I can’t fit them in the room. But I want to attach NIC grids to the top to make sure the bunny doesn’t escape.


                                                          • bunnylova123
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                                                              You could attach a blanket or sheet to the top, it would probably be a lot cheaper. Or you could buy some mesh, I don’t know if that would be cheaper. You can get x pen ‘lids’ made of see through fabric.

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                                                          Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Rabbit Breeds