Hi Tin,

Wow, tons of questions!  I’ll try to answer the ones that I have some experience with.

Dogs & Bunnies: For the most part, this depends upon the personality of the dog.  Maltese are small, so that is usually OK.  Certain breeds like the terriers are very small prey focused and may try to hunt a bunny.  The only way to know for sure is to introduce them in neutral territory and watch the way the dog behaves.

I have not had a dog in years, but based on what I remember vet care for a healthy rabbit is less than for a healthy dog because there are no shots (at least in the US).  When a bunny gets sick, however, they are more expensive to take care of than a dog.  At least at my vet, the yearly checkup is the same cost for both.

My bunnies basically potty trained themselves or were already trained by the rescue when I got them, so I cannot comment on how hard it is to train them.  Based on my experience with foster baby bunnies, if you keep hay in the litterbox, they hop in to eat it and figure it out pretty quickly.

Bunnies can be messy because sometimes they like to dig in the litter box and fling the contents on the floor.  There are always (at least with mine) marking poops that they leave around, but these are easy to sweep up.  They do not have to be walked, and their poops don’t smell, a big difference from dogs.

Please check out the bunny info links along the top of the page.  Lots of great info there about diet, housing, care, etc.

Is it hard (up keep of the pet) to have a bunny versus a dog? (I have a maltese n she is 4) 
I have 2 border collies, i would say that the amount of time i spent ‘maintaining’ my bun is about 3 times that of both dogs, its alot more hard work in my opinion but the rewards are also greater. I ensure my dogs and bunny get an equal share of my attention each night but in terms of up keep yes a rabbit is much more demanding.

Will having the dog make having the bunny more challenging? Will they get along?
I had my dogs first and it did take a few weeks for one of my dogs to accept the bunny although the other didnt mind from day one, so there is no answer to this other than it will depend on your dog and bunnys personality, however as  have a maltese which is a small (and i believe but correct me if im wrong) doesnt have a huge hunting instinct like my border collies for example that you shouldnt have that much trouble. I would say 90% of bunnies and dogs can be bonded it is just how long it will take.

Is it expensive to have as a dog or more? – How much do you spend a month on supplies?
Again i spend about 3 times as much on my bun because i have to buy litter, specific pellets, timothy hay toys etc whereas all my dogs need are cans of dog food, biscuits, toys and the odd bone once a week or so. The prices of rabbit stuff is much higher where i am than dog stuff because basically no-one has a rabbit here i dont no about aus though. I would say i spend about 10 min on my bun each week and about 5 on my dogs

How much is vet cost for you, yearly maintenance stuff, like shots, check up etc?
this will depend on your area and your vet, for me the shots are £25 a year and the neuter will be £50 however this will vary hugely depending on many factors the easiest way to find out is just give your vet a quick ring and ask Q’s

I know bunnies r smart and can b toilet trained, is it hard?
This will depend on your bun some will get it straight away others, ie mine lol will take months, but every bun will get it eventually you just need to be patient its not so much hard as it is a waiting game i think it is just the same as teaching a dog though really, if not easier.

Is it better to have a female or male bunny?
I believe male bunnies are calmer and their neuters are cheaper, however you shouldnt really worry to much about this, you will go to pick a bun and will just fall in love with one it wont matter what gender the y are u will know when u have seen the one for u, i wanted a small short haired girl and i ended up with a good sized long haired boy! hehe

With a rescue, the bunnies available are mostly large breeds and I would like a small one?
Shelters have all kinds of bunnies, if you dont see one you want and would rather wait for a small one most rescues will keep an eye out and when one is available will let you know but most rescues have a variety of bunnies and im sure u wont have trouble picking one that u like.

Is a bunny a “messy” animal.. I mean with the pellets and hay all over..or does that all depend on me to keep clean?
No rabbits arent really messy, there will always be hay in places and the odd pellet and once they are litter trained this will be limited to hardly anything at all, the mess a bunny makes is nothing which cant be sorted with a quick go round with the hoover. It isnt a huge mess at all especially if you are used to having a dog, (except of course unless you are one of those hi maintenance people who have to clean something up as soon as they notice it and cant sleep otherwise! then u may have problems but for us normal folk it should be fine!)

Hi all

Thank you for the helpful answers. I sure have lots more of thinking to do..

Honestly, I’m not sure if I am more persistent in getting one.. or not getting one altogether I know, that sounds kinda crazy.. just cos I have been thinking of getting one for so long and its almost like a craving gone really wrong You know you want it, but with all this thinking… I think I have fried lots of brain cells! However, I also realise that having a rabbit is a serious commitment and I just want to know that I can deal with it you know … I saw the cutest bun over the weekend and I tot that he was it! But I just looked again and he is already sold He would have made all the fuss and mess worth it YKWIM (have a look at that face … )

But again I really am glad that I have found this site!! It is amazing! After lurking for so many months, it feels like I have known all of you.. and such a helpful and friendly bunch of people I think its cos all the rabbits! I was born in the year of the rabbit (in the chinese calendar) and I guess that is why something is calling me home…to get a rabbit of my own..

Thank you again for all your help! Lisa_43, osprey & kimberleyanddarren

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i commend you for really taking time to research.  rabbits are wonderful pets for the right person and impossible pets for the wrong person.  do you have a shelter nearby where you can help out with the rabbits… or if not a shelter, how close are you to Lisa… she basically has a shelter… lol.

loly,

Don’t worry, you’ll find another cutie. That’s the great thing about bunnies – they’re ALL adorable.

Hello Lolylop, Welcome to BinkyBunny!

I see that most people have covered the questions you asked – but I did want to say a few things in regards to the size of the bunny. I know that many first time bunny owners shy away from the thought of a “larger” breed, but often the larger breeds are easier to take care of then the smaller ones. Smaller bunnies tend to be more skittish, and like to hide out in corners and little areas, whereas the larger bunnies tend to like to just loaf around the apartment and sleep. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, but I will say that almost all of the rescue workers I work with started out the same way, they wanted a smaller bunny at first, but once they got to know the bigger bunnies we all want the biggest ones! I’d recommend going to a shelter and talking to people about the personalities of the different bunnies, because its really a bunny’s personality much more than their size that will determine how easy they are to take care of! That is also why it is easier to adopt a more mature bun instead of a baby, because you can really find out what kind of bunny you will be adopting more so than with a baby where they haven’t really developed their personalities yet.

you are welcome lolylop – dont worry you will find the perfect bun someday!

Welcome Lolylop! It sounds like you’ve done a lot of leg work and reading about rabbits. Like it was said earlier, don’t worry about the one slipping away, they are all cute! When the time is right, you will find the right one, or rather the right one will find you! You’ve gotten some great input. I also agree with Moobunnay larger breeds are a bit easier and are not so high-strung like smaller breeds. The choice is ultimately up to you, but don’t let size determine which rabbit you get, let the personality do that part.

Yeah me and Lisa lives like 5hrs flight away from each other =PP Or maybe more Lisa, since you are in Leonora ?? =) 5hrs to Perth and another couple by driving? right Lisa? Havent been there, just Perth (its really nice! )

It would have been nice to be near Lisa ..like you said she has a shelter already =P But I think she loves all of them too much to give them away =)

O I do have a question, if I do get a bunny from the rescue (adult or a young bunny) will it be harder to get along? toilet train etc?

Cos I have no experience with bunnies and hate to have a “difficult” experience with them that might make my liking them difficult… I know that sounds bad.. and I know rabbits are different from dogs ( i read up on the language of lagomorph). But what happens if the rabbit is resistant to humans because of their previous experience? Will they like me?

N are they able to be toilet trained even when they are already an adult? Like getting a dog from a puppy would be better cos training would be easier and old dog new tricks thingy etc..Like if they havent been taught or shelter does not enforce the rule – or maybe they would forget what they might have learnt from the previous owner??? (confused? hehe .. I am starting to confuse myself) =)

Thank you again for all your help! N thank you for the welcome (sorry been lurking for so long.. but yea like Lisa said you all didnt bite)

O Happy Easter everyone! Enjoy the long holiday! =)

Welcome Lolylop! I am glad you crossed over from lurking. You’ve gotten some great answers already, but I wanted to let you know that if you do get a baby bunny – well, they are messy, and they will be more expensive since they should be neutered later (especially if you want them to be less messy) and since their surgery is a bit more complicated, it can get expensive.

Regarding littertraining – Actually adults are easier to littertrain than babies.

Also, I just want to encourage you to give big bunnies a chance too, you may even find that they might be less shy and more mellow than a tiny bunny. (though really, my experience tells me not to fully generalize like this, as I have seen a variety of personalties in all sizes) but if you are looking for an easy-going rabbit, then I would just keep my mind on that, not on the size. Just make a list of what you are looking for in a bunny, and look for those personality traits when you go to shelter. They may be able to match you up with the perfect personality for you. So I encourage you to choose a personality, not a size, breed or color, for the best chance at bonding with your bunny.