Adopting a Bunny

[mochi]

Hello everyone!

My best buddy, Thumper, passed away almost a year ago. It was absolutely devastating and I miss him everyday. Lately, I’ve begun to realize I am ready to open my heart and my home to adopt a new family member! I’m looking at local rescues to hopefully adopt a bunny who is maybe 2 or older!

When Thumper passed, I donated my old cage liner I had bought and demolished the grid cage I made. I was hoping to buy some new Cube organizer grids that I saw on amazon. I know buns love to chew on their cages (luckily Thumper was pretty tame at night) and as we will share a room — I thought the linked grids may be better but I’m not sure and would love opinions on the height and the make!

I was going to buy another fleece liner designed for guinea pigs that I bought Thumper.

All in all, I was just hoping for some advice and tips! When I first adopted Thumper, I was ignorant of a lot of what you needed for a rabbit. I realized my mistakes and built Thumper a new cage with a fleece liner! I don’t want to make any mistakes or look at adopting a rabbit through rose colored glasses. I would love any advice you have for me with cage building, bonding, and even rabbit breeds that may be best for me!

I am 23 years old attending college via zoom so I am home 90% of the time. The other 10% I am at my part time job. The only time I would want my bun in the cage is when I’m at work and when I’m going to bed as I know they’re chewers! I am not against free range if anyone has advice for bunny proof at night/during the day.

Sorry for such a long post! I am just looking for some advice and even some tough love if y’all don’t think I am suited to adopt. I would love to rescue a bun and give them the best life I can! However, I want to make sure I am capable and getting everything right before I look at rescues anymore!

Thanks for any and all help!

 

[pinkiemarie]

It’s great that you already know about rabbits and what they need! I would suggest getting an ex pen along with the cubes so you can make the cage his home base but always give him at minimum the cage plus pen if you have enough space for that to be possible. If you have the time, energy and money please consider adopting a bonded pair or two rabbits to bond. Rabbits are social and tend to be much happier with a rabbit lifemate. Please also make sure you have the funds set aside for spay/neuter and emergency vet visits. The fact that you’re thinking so hard about it and asking these questions makes me feel good about your ability to care for a bunny 🙂

For bunny proofing I use those same nic cubes and just line the bottom of the wall with them. It keeps them from chewing cords and baseboards.

 

 

 

[mochi]

Thank you so much for your advice Pinkiemarie! I definitely want to be as informed as possible. The last thing I’d ever want to do is bring an animal into an unsuitable environment!

Thank you for your advice on the cubes! Do you buns ever jump out of them? My room isn’t large; however, I can do just under the 8 square feet for the cage. The bun would only be in there during my work hours and when it was nighttime. I was hoping to use those cubes along with a fleece liner. When looking at rescues, I was hoping to adopt a rabbit who is a bit older who is already spayed/neutered! As for medical bills, I am 100% willing to do whatever is medically necessary to give a bun the best life! I already have a vet who specializes in rabbit care who used to care for my bun Thumper before his passing.

If I can figure out bunny proofing my room, I would not be against having a bunny free roam totally. I’d have to do more research on it though as I do have wooden furniture, a lot of books (I love reading! haha), and of course — charging cords. Thank you again!

[DanaNM]

It’s great you are doing your homework! There are tons of bunny proofing tips here: https://binkybunny.com/infocategory/bunny-proofing/

It’s kind of an iterative process, as for a while your bun will still be exploring and finding new trouble to get into. So supervising closely during initial roaming time is important to make sure they don’t find something you missed. You will likely develop a very acute sense of hearing for when a bun is chewing on something you don’t recognize. 😉

Some bunnies are OK with fabric, but many aren’t. Mine seem OK with it if it’s stretched really tightly, but I still prefer to have a solid, easily cleanable base for the bottom of their condo. I’ve used plywood with vinyl tiles stuck to it before, and currently I just have a sheet of vinyl. It’s slightly textured and the buns seem to like it. Grass and paper mats are a safer alternative to provide traction (plus they are a nice toy for them).

I would prob wait to buy fabric stuff till you find out if your bun is a chewer. Fabric can be pretty dangerous if they eat it, and bunnies tend to be more into eating it than guinea pigs.

8 sq ft would be OK for a cage that he was only in for part of the day, but a bit more would be ideal (during work ours and nighttime can add up to be a big chunk of the day). The nice thing about cubes is you can build up to give your bun even more space without taking up floor space, so you might look into building it up so the bun has 2 or 3 levels to explore.

I love that you are planning to go through a rescue and thinking of a mature bun! I adopted my Bun Jovi when he was 9 (he’s now 12) and he is just the best. <3  If you are considering having a pair, definitely check out already bonded pairs they might have as it could save you a ton of work! Rescues often have deals where you can get a bonded pair for the same fee as a single bun.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[mochi]

Thanks so much DanaNM!

I will take a look at the bunny proofing! I got lucky with my sweet Thumper as he wasn’t much of a chewer. He loved his toys but I never had issues with him chewing my belongings! He also adored fleece! Especially if it was freshly washed haha he’d flop over and fall right asleep!! Thank you though, I have to remember not all bunnies like the fleece! I have carpeting in my room so I’ll have to see if I can find a good base for the grids!

Good to know with the cage size as well! As of now, I spend all my time at home unless I am at work which is only three days a week for 4-6 hours depending on the shift as I’m only part time! Aside from that, I am always home! I definitely want to make sure I have enough space to offer a rabbit comfortably though!! My room isn’t very large — Its a nice size though! We also have a fenced in yard for outdoor exercise when the weather is nice again, plus I can bunny proof our living room for change of environment! I appreciate all the advice! As much as I’d love to adopt a rabbit and give them all the love, I want to make sure I am fully able to provide all needed. I am confident in my ability for choosing veggies, pellets, and toys due to my experience with Thumper; however, there’s still so much to learn! The last thing I’d ever want to do is rescue a rabbit and not have them in the best cage and room life!

Also, Bun Jovi!! That’s an amazing name! I definitely want to rescue and have even talked with some in my area! The one I talked with was very kind and has an extensive process to ensure their rabbits are happy! I’d definitely love a more mature rabbit! Thanks again for your advice!!

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