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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

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Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Basic care questions!

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    • Lulu_rose
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        Hey all  

        I’m new to the forum, my name’s Bella. I’m going to be getting a rabbit this coming spring for my birthday, and I’m pretty excited about it. I’ve been wanting one for years.

        I have a LOT of questions.

        I’m (MOD EDIT), going into a boarding high school where they allow you to bring small pets (like guinea pigs, rabbits and hamsters). I’ll be keeping it at the high school, but before I move in there it will live at my home. I have 5 dogs and 6 horses, all of our dogs are extremely well behaved and I have a latch on my door that will prevent any of my dogs from getting in the room and giving the bunny a heart attack. 

        What kind of rabbit should I get?

        I will not be getting it from a pet store. I saw two (mother and son/daughter) at PETCO yesterday and my heart broke. Kept in ten gallon aquariums. Anyways, I’ve considered getting one from a breeder but I’d like getting one from a rescue. I was wondering if anyone has ever gotten a meat rabbit and kept it as a pet? There’s a farm probably three miles off the highway that’s’ connected to my street, and it sells meat rabbits. I thought it might be nice to save one.

        The amount of space it needs is not an issue. I was hoping for a breed that’s pretty laid back, not super active just happy to be petted and to lie on the floor. Is a flemish giant like this? I like really BIG rabbits, I think they’re hilarious

        How do you guys recommend I set the cage up? What have you guys had success with? 

        Also, I’m a horse person so the hay is not an issue. We feed our horses a very high quality timothy/alfalfa mix and we also feed pure orchard. 

        I know some of these questions I can look up in the care quide, but I’d really like t hear everybody’s opinion. 


      • Tibbs
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        28 posts Send Private Message

          Hello Lulu Rose!

          Im not sure what you’ve heard, but rabbits are really high maintenance, and relatively expensive. As well, to have a happy rabbit, it should be almost cage-less; or spend many hours outside of the cage. Or else you could end up with a rabbit that not only resents you, but has severe depression.

          I’ve had rabbits for quite some time now, and they’ve always made great pets! But sadly, health problems are frequent and expensive. In many breeds: aka all of them, dental problems are prevalent. Malocclusion is a common problem resulting in abscesses if not treated, and as a student myself, I know how expensive it is to treat, and it is a multiple year problem.

          If you plan on getting a flemish giant, I recommend you do not use a cage at all. As a rabbit of that size would need a cage atleast 5 feet long and 3-4 feet high. All rabbits are super active, and regardless of how much they move, they need the space and lots of it.

          I recently adopted a rabbit who spent too much time in a cage and now has near immobile back legs as his muscles were rendered lame from the lack of activity. Rabbits are prey animals and are therefore designed to run through open spaces.

          I, along with most rabbit lovers would probably recommend using a cage that is firstly, properly sized to the rabbit. Secondly, door-less during the day allowing the rabbit to go in and out and lastly, clean all the time. I have built my two rabbits a condo that is about 5 feet high, 3.5 feet wide and 6 feet long. This is about as much space as they need when they have to be in their cage; however, they also have run of the house for most of the day.

          Along with hay, a healthy rabbit also needs a lot of hearty greens. Fruits are to be served only as an occasional treat; you can find a list of suitable foods online! However, greens are expensive, and not every rabbit likes every green. My rabbits don’t even like carrots. Pellets should be served on a ration, as they aren’t as nutritious as pet stores would like you to believe.

          Honestly, I think you should stray from getting a rabbit as a first time, “away from home” pet. As they are a lot more work than one believes. Up to date, Ive spent tons of money to make sure my rabbits are happy and healthy, and unlimited amounts of time to give them everything they need.

          Please do your research. Remember that its not only your life, you will have another in your hands.


        • MoveDiagonally
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            Welcome to BB LuluRose! I edited your post because minors are not allowed to post their age on the forums.

            How much space will they allow for your pet when you are at high school? A small-medium sized rabbit will need a cage that is at least 4ft X 2ft while a large – giant sized rabbit will need 4ft X 4ft. Both will need an additional out of cage area to exercise in each day (about 24 additional sq ft). Knowing the space you have to work with might limit the size of rabbit you can get or if a rabbit is a good pet for you at this time at all.

            I would check out the articles in the Bunny Info section because it will really help outline diet, habitat (lots of pictures), bunny proofing, ect… You will also want to find a rabbit savvy vet near your high school and figure out how you will get to the vet if something goes wrong. Is there someone there to drive you? If your school isn’t near your home will the vet take your parents credit card over the phone? Is the vet rabbit savvy? Will you be able to get fresh produce for you bunny? They need fresh leafy greens daily. And so on.

            https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/tabid/53/Default.aspx

            I’m not trying to discourage you from getting a bunny but rather encourage you to look at this from all angles and plan a bit ahead committing the next 10+ years to a bunny.


          • Tibbs
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              Meat rabbits are often mean as theyre not associated with people. They’re usually feral! I would check that out first

              I recommend adopting.


            • MoveDiagonally
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              2361 posts Send Private Message

                Meat rabbits are often mean as theyre not associated with people. They’re usually feral! I would check that out first

                Rabbits bred for meat are usually far from feral. A lot of the “meat breeds” are actually quite friendly and can make great pets. What’s most important is researching and making sure you can properly take care of a rabbit before deciding where you’re going to get one or what type you’re going to get.

                Adopting can be a great option because you can pick a rabbit that suits your personality. They are usually already spayed/neutered which saves you money as well.


              • Bam
                Moderator
                16835 posts Send Private Message

                  I have to agree with MD, meat-rabbits are often friendly and trusting and easy to handle. Which is practical for the breeder. Goodness, it makes me sad to think about it =(

                  Meat rabbits are often bigger than your average pet bunny though, but Flemish giants are not considered good meat-rabbits, they have a meat-to -bone ratio that makes them uneconomical to breed for meat, because they eat so much. New Zealand white I think is a very common meat-rabbit.

                  Sadly, the production meat-rabbits are a growing phenomena in my country. I guess it’s not actually sadder than any other meat-production but to a bunny-lover it’s kind of like thinking about having a dog for dinner =/

                  Enough said on this awful subject. I’ve met a beautiful tan that the owner saved from being meat. He made it a house-pet and he’s even won prizes with this rabbit on rabbit-shows. I think it’s a lovely story =)

                  Edit: I know we’re not supposed to discuss meat-rabbits, I just wanted to point out that rabbits once intended for meat-production can make excellent pets. If a moderator likes to erase my post, I’ve no problem with understanding it. 


                • Sarita
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                    At my Petco’s the rabbits they have are from rescues so that may be the case at your Petco – I know they keep them in those horrible “cages” which is not ideal but I guess with the exposure it’s just one of those trade-off’s – might ask the Petco if their rabbits are rescues and get the contact info for the rescue.

                    Saving a meat rabbit would be a great idea….I think they are normal New Zealands which are very sweet and gentle rabbits – they are large so if he/she could eventually have free roam once they are old enough, altered and litter box trained that would be ideal. In the meantime they would do best in a 4 feet by 4 feet tall exercise pen.

                    Would you be bringing your rabbit back home for vacations…just wondered if you had thought about that because they cannot be left when you are gone. Also does your room have enough storage space for the litter, the hay, the veggies? That takes up quite a bit of storage space – I have 2 rabbits but have rabbit supplies all over my house.


                  • Elrohwen
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                      Welcome! Good advice so far.

                      A meat rabbit would be a good choice – as others said they are often gentle sweet bunnies, though they are also large which could be an issue if you don’t have much room. Adopting from a rescue is also a great option.

                      Minimum cage size is 2’x4′, but I prefer at least 4’x4′ for a medium sized (~5lb) rabbit. Exercise pens are typically 4’x’4 and make great rabbit enclosures – you just need to decide what to put down on the floor. Bigger is always better! Some rabbits can be trusted to free range around a bunny proofed room or home, while others while always need to be locked up while you’re not around to supervise.

                      Have you looked into spay/neuter? Rabbits are much cleaner with their litter habits and easier to live with when they are fixed. Females also have a very high rate of reproductive cancer if not fixed. Rabbits need to see exotic vets, as standard dog/cat vets don’t have the experience with them, and that can get expensive.


                    • CheriB603
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                        When you say “the amount of space it needs is not an issue”, do you mean because it will have your room to run around in? Because I have never seen a dorm room of any size that was big enough for a rabbit. Ever. I know there are a lot of people who keep their rabbits in their dorm rooms, but I have had large and mini rabbits and they all had my ENTIRE HOUSE to run in and sometimes I feel like even THAT is not enough! I can’t imagine keeping a bun confined to a small room that is going to be stuffed with everything you own for the school year. Many people also complain that sharing a room where you sleep with a bun is difficult because either the bun is confined to a cage at night and makes noise or rattles the cage at all hours wanting to be let out. And if left out, they can climb on you at night or pee on your bed! (Washing bed linens is annoying and expensive if you have to walk to a laundromat). And if there is a sudden health emergency arises with your bun (and they ALWAYS seem to be sudden!) will you have immediate transportation to get to a rabbit vet? Will you have several hundred dollars set aside to pay a vet, buy medicine, x-rays, surgeries etc?

                        If you want to have the best possible experience with a bunny, and you TRULY want your bun to have an amazing, happy life, I suggest you wait til you’re out of school and have a good job and your own home before getting a rabbit. Take your guinea pigs with you instead if you must have a pet. Or fish.


                      • Lulu_rose
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                          Thank you all SO much for all the helpful responses.
                          The reaso I said the size of the cage won’t be an issue is because they have a huge “small animal” room, and they don’t allow ferrets so the rabbit is safe. I was thinking, if I just got a really big exercise pen and gave it places to sleep and climb, it would have plenty of room. I won’t be there all day, of course, but the high school I’m applying to allows a lot of free time out of class, so I was thinking I could study and get homework done in the rabbit room. That way it would have time with me giving it attention.
                          Yes, there is lots of room to store everything on campus- the small animal room provides storage space for veggies and fruits (big fridge) and it’s also a horseback riding facility, so there will be hay there and I’d probably just bring some flakes in every couple of days.
                          I’m going to be boarding there full time, but when I do come home the rabbit can come with me. It’s only a forty minute drive. I also have friends there already that are old enough to drive me around when I’ll need to go grocery shopping.


                        • Lulu_rose
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                            If you think it will really be better for the animal, I won’t take one. I’ll take a pair of guinea pigs or something to keep me company. I keep fish, and to me they’re just kind of a pain… I have a forty gallon aquarium so the maintenance sucks. I’ve had it for years. I’ll probably have to take it with me. 

                            Oh, and the small animal room is around the size of the gymnasium. And the girls all have their own dorms, but they all sleep together in one big room. There are different dorm houses for every grade, each having it’s own laundry room with a LARGE amount of washers and driers.

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                        Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Basic care questions!