Welcome to the Group! Bunnys are awesome!!
Things I recommend:
*Ceramic food dish
*water bottle
*food pellets
*litter box
*bedding (Carefresh is a good one, don’t use cedar or pine shavings this can cause respitory problems)
*litter (I actually use Carefresh for litter, it’s cheaper and cuts down muliple bags)
*Timothy Hay
*Toys (wood chewing sticks are good for their teeth)
*nail cutters (cat or ferret cutters)
*brush
*If you decide to use a cage get one with a solid floor or you can even build a NIC condo. Go to BUNNY INFO then COOL HABITATS then CUBES, it will show picts and have links to sites with instructions on how to make them.
(as long as you give your bun food pellets don’t worry about a salt/mineral lick since it will have all the nutrients they need in the food)

From what I hear/read a male and female are alot easier to bond than same sex, but it can still be done. No matter if you get same sex or opposite you should nueter/spay it will help with future behavior and health problems, usually vets like to wait until they are 4months at the youngest to alter them.

ALso if you do have the rabbit in the room, I recommend a baby/dog gate ( to prevent hitting the rabbit when you open the door and not to mention they are social and will like see you. Plus make sure to rabbit proof the room: outlet covers, cables covered with tubing or blocked off, anything you don’t want chewed picked up, take in to consideration furniture/carpet/baseboards might be chewed.

I hope this helps!  Also this site is absoluetly wonderful with info and the members are so helpful and nice!

Check out the "Links" at the top on this site and click on any of the websites under the "General" category under "Resources".  I used the Save A Bunny site which is very good and gives you a "shopping list" of things you need. Just click on "Rabbit Care & Behavior". Good luck!

Good choice of pet! Ok well make sure if you let it rome the room there are no cords or dangroues objects! Also make sure it is spayed! If not get it spayed after you get it or else you’ll have pee and poo all over!! LOL! If you get a bonded pair they must be together 24/7! Have you read http://www.rabbit.org? It is very helpful! Make sure you also have at least a hour a day to play with it! Also bigger the bunny the more cuddly and more waste! Big bunnies are more loveable, but eat more! Small bunnies tend to be very hyper!! Good luck!

Well said Binky Bunny!  My other concern is that you say you don’t have enough money for a cage.  What about vet bills? When I adopted my rabbit from a rescue he appeared to be extremely healthy BUT I have spent over $800 in vet bills so far trying to figure out why he is drinking so much water.  Still no answer.  Even with healthy rabbits you will incur vet costs at some point.  I don’t want to be a downer either but I’d think really hard about the financial aspect before you adopt!

I think I would be concerned that about what she/he can get into if she’s not contained. Small rabbits can squeeze many places, get under beds, dressers, etc…I would be fearful that she might injure herself. Young rabbits are very active and have no fear so being in a room unsupervised there could be many dangers in my opinion. In my opinion you should be 100% prepared before you bring a new pet into your home especially if you don’t know what to expect and do have concerns. That’s part of being a responsible pet owner. Your pet’s safety and welfare should be first and foremost in your mind.

Sarita is absolutely right!  Also, most bunnies actually like their cages – it’s a place to retreat to and feel secure. Even though my bun has an xpen attached to his cage, it’s amazing how many times he goes into his cage for a nap.  I’m glad your parents will help with vet bills!

Welcome to Binkybunny!!!

I think it would be a little strange for your new bunny to not have a cage and then have a cage!! Have you thought about checking some classified
ads for a cage or hutch that is used and maybe a little cheaper? A lot of us make our own cages!! Have you seen the section on this website about
NIC CUBE cages?
You can buy the cubes and then make a cage for your bunny and this might work for you too….The cubes also make pretty good ‘baby gates’!

I would also strongly recommend looking for a bunny from a shelter because then you will not have to save up money to get your bunny spayed/neutered! It is pretty expensive to do this, usually more then it costs to spay/neuter a dog even! If you get your bunny from a shelter he
may not be a baby bunny (I know they are very cute!!) but he/she may already be litter trained (a good thing!!) and you can really see their personality better!

Have you looked at Craigslist or a Freecycle group? 

Craigslist is like an online garage sale and they have it grouped by cities and then by topic, Pet, wanted would be a good part to go into. in the search spot use every possible word to find a result it (rabbit, bunny, catch, hutch, pen, etc)

Also the Freecycle group allows people to place items on there or place a "wanted" item and it all is completely free, hence the FREEcycle. I’ve seen many bunny cages/hutchs on our craigslist and freecycle. 

If you can’t find an affordable cage, why not look for a baby play pen area (not a play yard) my 2 1/2 month old is in a play pen area. This allows her a good amount of space all to her self and later on if I make a cage the play pen can be used for multiple other things (blocking off tv in the living room, backyard run, possibilities are endless). 

ALso a reminder, since the bun will be in your room make sure to place a litter box in each open corner since they really like the privacy to go potty   I’m glad to hear your mom will help with the vet bills if something comes up.

this message is also intended for all of the young people we’ve had on here recently who are expressing interest in getting a rabbit as a pet.  please share this information with your parents.  if your parents will not allow you to get a dog or cat due to the amount of time, work, or money required, a rabbit is not the right pet for your family.

please (PLEASE) ask your parents to come and check out this site and check out http://www.rabbit.org

it’s not fair to your family (or to the rabbit) to go into this without a clear picture of what it will be like.

i am going to echo the other’s suggestions and encourage you to definitely wait to get a rabbit.  rabbits are not inexpensive pets and if you’re unable to afford even a cage at this point… you cannot afford a rabbit. 

the cost of supplies for my rabbit last summer were over 200 dollars.  this was just for the cage ($100 alone), litter (which you will need to buy more of usually about once a month depending on what size bag you get.) and other things… litterbox, food crock, water bottle, toys, food pellets and Hay (which also needs to be replenished often.) 

since then i’ve needed to spend another 100 dollars (and countless hours) on NIC cubes and wire covers to bunnyproof my rabbits running area.  we also had to buy a new mouse and computer keyboard because the cords were snipped in two.

you need to keep in mind that money will need to be spent every single week on your rabbit.  every week you will need to purchase fresh veggies or greens for your rabbit.  i usually spend between 5 and 10 dollars on greens every 4 or 5 days (b/c i can’t get them to last longer than that in my fridge…)  so veggies bills in my house are at least 30 dollars a month… and very often this amount is up to 50 or 60 dollars (or more) PER MONTH!  if you include the 25 dollars worth of bedding and hay each month… you will be spending much more.  EVERY SINGLE MONTH.  with two rabbits in the house, all of these amounts will be doubled.  are your parents able to (and willing to) spend between 150 and 200 dollars a month for two perfectly healthy rabbits?

this is of course not to say what would happen if something were to go wrong.  i’ve never had a vet bill (for a check-up) below 60 dollars.  a sick bunny will incur vet bills in the hundreds or thousands.

bunnies are terrific pets, but you must  have the money and time to devote to them.  if your rabbit is not spayed or neutered, your room will most likely be marked up with pee or poo… including your bed.  rabbits do not discriminate in what they mark.  many of our members on here have rabbits that pee and poo on their couches, their carpeting and their beds.  fixing your bunny is vital!  this also cuts down on aggressive behavior.  my rabbit would bite me (and it hurt very badly) before she was spayed.  she did this often before her surgery.

many rabbits do not like to be held or cuddled.  this is just a myth that’s associated with rabbits… that they’re very cuddly.  usually… they’re not.  large breed are not necessarily "nice"… small breeds do not necessarily take up less space (they are oftentimes MORE ACTIVE and need more space!)

please take these things into consideration before getting a rabbit.

Excellent excellent excellent!!!! 

Binky Bunny – can this be posted somewhere on the Home page so that people see this info easily?

Beka – I totally totally agree with you to! Well said. You are an excellent rabbit advocate.

I’m going to strongly agree with Beka..Bunnies are wonderful but they are as much work and expense if not more then dogs and cats!

Have you and your sister considered Guinea pigs? They are much more manageable then rabbits, cheaper and easier too! And they come in lots of varieties and are very cute! I had four while I was growing up, and I’d recommend them! What do you think G-A?

i’ve had guinea pigs and hamsters growing up.  guinea pigs are still more expensive to care for then hamsters, and they need a good amount of space as well.  hamsters are such wonderful pets because they require minimal work, but they thrive on attention.  they are inexpensive to care for and can still provide many years of joy (i think average lifepsan is 4 years… is that right?)  when i got married, my hamster came along with me b/c he didn’t take up much room.  a hamster can also be a pet in a dormroom in college as well.  you could easily have a hamster in each of your rooms… and your bed won’t get peed on… your belongings won’t get chewed up.

here is the wiki site on hamsters, it provides some basic info on their care as well as links to other sites.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamster

i don’t want to turn you off of rabbits as pets, but please wait until you are on your own and you are able to provide the best care for your rabbit.  rabbits are not going away anytime soon, and they’re actually gaining in popularity as housepets.  if you still feel this way as an adult, then please, rescue a rabbit (or two or three) and share your life with them.

I agree with Beka about the guinea pigs – they needs lots of room to play and their care is as much as a rabbit. My friend runs a guinea pig rescue here and has over 150 guinea pigs in her rescue at one time because people don’t understand their care as well and realize just how much work they are. Cleaning guinea pig cages is alot of work too and they need the veggies and vitamin c supplements as well. They are also prone to kidney and bladder problems and unless you know a vet who knows guinea pigs and your guinea pig gets ill you will have a problem and the guinea pig will suffer.

Hamsters can be a good choice and you can find hamsters at rescues too. Although I even had a hamster that cost me alot in vet bills as I had to have both of her eyes removed – she had issues I believe from inbreeding and she wasn’t very friendly – she was a dwarf hamster – her brother was sweet though. The teddy bear hamsters seem to be a little more sociable and easier to handle.

I think we spend more on regular upkeep for the bunnies than we do for the cats! Plus there’s the cost of replacing all the things that the little darlings have chewed through (Aeryn has killed quite a few phone cords and adpaters already, various pieces of electronic/electrical equipment, gnawed on many others including my laptop cord… When we got our first bunny, Bailey, we thought we were watching him so carefully and thought oh how sweet a baby bunny he is, he’s not even chewing on anything… then noticed that he’d already killed the cord for my computer mouse. Not even 24 hours and we were already replacing things!

I also ditto Beka’s plea – Please have your parents research this more. Being prepared is key, and at this time, it seems as if you need more time to get prepared financially and mentally. There are so many things that you as a family really need to understand before bringing home these bunnies. One of the main reasons rabbits are given up is because people realize they don’t have enough money, time and the space for a rabbit. Many people think they are easy, inexpensive and don’t need alot of time or space, so either the rabbit is stuck in a small space without the proper care (which can easily happen because rabbits don’t express discomfort and unhappiness the same way cats or dogs do) OR people do try to care for their bunny properly and feel overwhelmed. The cuteness quickly wears off. So please share all of this with your parents so you are all more prepared. I know it may be hard to wait and you dont’ want to ruin your chances of getting a bunny if your parents may see anything negative about getting them, but believe me, if they are prepared, you will all be happier.

I have also pinned this topic to the top as it seems our forum or site in general must have been referenced somewhere on a youth site or?? as we have an influx of younger members. I have also added an new bulletin “Are you really ready for a rabbit?” on the homepage.

That’s perfect Binky Bunny!!!!  Thank you for adding that to the Home Page.  I’m impressed that you have taken such quick action!  This will really help a lot of people!

knowltons4 – You made a great suggestion, and so there ya have it!

You’re awesome!

How big is it?  It should be at least 2 feet by 4 feet.

With the dog cage, make sure the holes aren’t big enought for the rabbit to get through or only partially though and get stuck.

Just curious, you say they are free… where are you getting them from? Were they found in the wild? Shelter? Rescue? Pet store? You really should take it to the vet when you get him/her to make sure its healthy.

Binkybunny- that’s awesome that you “pinned” this and have on the homepage.
I honestly didn’t do enough research when I got our mini-lop and learned as we go. We’ve had him since October and I’ve been looking up stuff about rabbits a few weeks before we got him and still am today. I learn something new everyday! I think it’s great to her other rabbit owners expierences.

First off, I think its really great that kids/tweens have been proactive in obtaining info and freely asking questions.  I believe that is the initial step in planning for a pet.  It sounds like most kids are looking to personally fund their "initial pet investment" and then utilize their parents for health expenses.  I think that can help establish responsibility for kids.  The issue for bunny devotees is…to be blunt….None of us want anyone to get a seet cutie bun that ends up looking for a new home when its no longer wanted, cared for, or has become a burden.  This is why info seeking posts often come off as negetive towards getting a bunny.

With that said, all of us only want you and your parents to know that this is a commitment!  You should be prepared to care for a bunny that may be around for 10 years.  For many tweens that means that youll be going off to college during your pet’s golden years…so know that and make sure your parents know that.  Sometimes kids have all the intention and commitment and their parents don’t have that same vim & vigor, especially since small mammals are oft considered "throw away pets".  W/ that said, make sure that your family is going into this fully education and committed!  The best intentioned kid, still has to abide by thier parents rules and in their home!

I often recommend that families foster pets prior to adopting them.  This provides a needed home for a pet, healthcare is paid via through the rescue, and it enables you to try and see if this is the pet for you and your family.  If you decide that this is for all of you, you can officially adopt your foster.  Its a safe trial run w/o adding xtra burden to the animal welfare organizations.

If you do decide to adopt…I highly recommend getting a bonded neutered pair.  Also get pet insurance to prepare for those bumps in the road.  My Leo has had terrible teeth issues and it costs me hundreds of dollars every few months.  Good Luck and know that we will all be here to help w/ your needs and questions.

Yes that is a great idea to foster first.  That’s exactly what we did since we had absolutely no experience with rabbits.  We fostered Edson first with the intention of adopting but I wanted an "out" if need be because we have a cat and a dog so I really needed to make sure they would all get along before we completely committed ourselves. Then we totally fell in love and became completely attached to Edson and at that  point never would consider returning him to the rescue!  But it is a great idea to foster to make sure you can really handle the responsibility. Me, being a complete neat freak, found the rabbits chores overwhelming at first BUT as soon as I got the "system" in place it was much easier. 

To add on to making sure you are "prepared" when you first get a bunny – I was 22 when I got my first rabbit, and I was still overwhelmed for about a month, and I had read "Rabbits for Dummies" had a boyfriend with a rabbit, and volunteered at a rabbit rescue, and I STILL was overwhelmed. A bunny requires a lot of attention, a lot of care, and also a lot of $$, as others have mentioned, the bunny needs hay, vet attention, and fresh veggies, as well as many different supplies.

The first thing you really need to do is bunny proof your room, that in itself could take the money that you have now. Rabbits chew on cords, wood, and will probably take a test "taste" of anything you leave out on your floor or in your room. If your bunny chews through a live cord, that could severly injure the bunny. Have you covered all your cords with cord covers as well as bunny proofed everything in your room? If not, you will be brining the bunny into a very dangerous environment.

Also, the bunnies at the shelter are not less expensive than rabbit store bunnies. But if you do get a bunny from the store you will need to get it spayed or neutered within the next 3 months, and that will require usually a minimum of around $100, will you have that within the next three months? If not, you should not get a rabbit yet.

Rabbits are great pets and I can understand why you are excited to get one, but it does not seem that you are prepared resource-wise, which could make things very difficult for both you and your rabbit. If you really want to enjoy your rabbit, and you really care about your pet, you will make sure you are adequately prepared before getting one.  In my opinion, and having worked with many people adopting rabbits, $55 is not nearly enough to start out with a rabbit (even if you exclude vet bills) to be adequately prepared for bunny proofing, buying necessities, supplies, food, I would say you need at least $200, plus as others have mentioned enough per week to buy fresh vegetables, pellets, and to buy items for a medical kit, and then a reserve for vet bills.

MooBunnay is offering excellent advice. Complete preparation is the key to a happy rabbit and happy owner!

I really think that you need to get your mother involved in the forum to tell you the truth. Ultimately a pet is a parent’s responsibility since they will be spending the money, paying the bills, transporting to the vet if needed.

that’s wonderful that you’re adopting your rabbit.  is he or she altered yet, do you know?  if it’s not altered yet and if the shelter doesn’t do it there, you should ask them for the name of a good vet that can do the surgery.  they may know of a place that is relatively low-cost.  if you have any questions, please ask.  and i’d still consider having your mom look over the website if she has a chance.  it’s much better to be prepared.

congratulations on your bunny. I am glad to see you are here on the site asking questions getting information. they are lots of fun. I did same I researched  buns and guinea pigs me and hubby agreed on either one. I saw laith in the pet store and here he is my little bun. I spent about 50.00 in sling tubing covering wires. yes you know when you have entered a bunny owners house hay on the floor and spliced wires all over. if you dont’ have $ for that right now you can put perfume or camphor on the wires. I tried camphor and it worked for about 2 weeks. then went m y sleep number bed adjuster. well it is spliced together now too. and covered with tubing just in case they get in my bedroom again.

I have taken my bed off the bedframe so they can’t get under the bed and chew up or pee etc in there and put cushions under the couch so they can’t do same there. and blocked their way behind the couch.

you can get bunny harness to go outside with them they walk you tho. so be careful. and another 100.00 went to a big wire playpen. I spend 30-40 a month on them at superwalmart for 25 lb bag of feed 20 for aspen pine unscented and hay. depends on what they are out of that month.

vegies greens also well I eat them too I am eating healthier due to my bunnies talk about salad whew. romaine green leafy etc.

house rabbit society can help with info too but by far this site is real good. very sociable.

a lady called me about adopting pumpkin she had also researched a bit on computer. I did tell her they are lots of work and about the sling tubing at radio shack or hardware store to cover wires and so forth. I never heard back from her. well maybe is for the best in pumpkins case if they were too much work for her or expense at least she was honest with herself.

not to say you aren’t honest with yourself. as a child we raised rabbits for 4H outside.

I had them in the house too my Mom tells me I was ahead of my time lol since england has had them as housepets for many decades and me and my aunt across the street had them in the house when I was a child.

the litter training will take time if it is young older ones may sometimes catch on right away.

don’t be discouraged if bun leaves poo or pees here n there be patient this is a new place for him and he is trying to learn his way around and get comfy may take him some time. if he is young he may still pee or poo on you at first due to  not good control as it gets older it will more than likely stop.

you can’t spank them or shout at them like cats or dogs. it only frightens them. when catching it peeing jsut quickly move it to the correct place the litter pan. they also can chew on cardboard boxes and use them for litterbox but yo would have to change them often since they will stink. Oh put hay in the litterbox that will help and a tissue with their urine and throw their poop in their too so they get the idea.

an unneutered male’s urine will smell. call around and call the humane or rescue societies in your area for low cost spay/neuter. make sure the vet has rabbit exp. one thing to know is rabbits don’t fast b4 surgery if vet says fast them vet is not rabbit savy.  some antibiotics can kill them and frontline flea stuff can kill them also. ask the rescue society about that if you need more info or here of course.

I am babbling on sorry I wish you the best and am happy for your understanding mother.

Welcome bunnytowne!! Great advice-especially about not spanking or yelling! That would for sure not get through to a bunny

How long have you had your bunny? Do you have an pics you’d like to share?

Hi I am new here. I have had buns as a child for 4H and pets. my buns now I have had for 1 yr. I love them. I rescued pumpkin from being eaten and he just found a home yesterday. One of my neighbors daughters came by. Her Mom also had rabbits as a child and lived on a farm. I felt he would be in good hands so off he went. I did explain about chewing and litter box training the food poo and marking new home and so forth. I referred them to this website too.

I tried to put pics of my 2 buns on but not sure how to work this just yet. I have 2 lionheads cotton and laith both neutered. they get along great. I couldn’t keep pumpkin cuz they fought so I doubted they woudl ever bond. and cotton so jealous he bite me if he smells another rabbit on me.

I am an adult now. and happy to have buns as pets. I am going to put a barrette in laiths hair and take his pic he has a nice mane. hard to see cuz it is white tho. so the barrette.

ahhh I think I figured out the pictures and how this works oh cool.

awe my pics too big I dont’ knwo how to make them smaller to get to y’all I will have to work on it

welcome bunnytowne! 🙂

It sounds like you’ve found a happy home for Pumpkin, but it sure is hard to say goodbye. I hope you’ll share some photos of Cotton and Laith/

welcome bunnytowne. It would be better if you would copy and paste  your introduction to a new thread in the lounge section so you won’t get buried in this thread about Gishebawk.