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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Advice Needed Before Bunny moves in

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    • Stina
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        Hi Everyone!  I am a new bunny lover and I am seriously considering adopting a bunny for my own.  I have recently moved out on my own to an apartment, but I’ve been entertaining the idea of having a bunny for several months now.  A few major concerns I have, is perhaps my apartment may not be a suitable environment for a bunny.  I am a little worried by posts from other users who have problems with bunnies chewing up their furniture and walls.  I have an antique chair, I guess I would move that to a closed off room, but this is an apartment I am renting, I don’t want the wall corners chewed up!  Not to mention, now that I look around, all my furniture is wood!  Do all bunnies like to chew up wood furniture?? I also have wood floors, and a few rugs scattered about.  The wood floors are rather beat up, certainly nothing to brag about!  Would this be an alright environment?  Also financialy, how much money would you say I should have saved up before I adopt a bunny?  Lets say, a months worth to pay for food, toy, etc bills for the bunny?  How much would you estimate?  I want to have a clear idea of what I need, before I go into this.  I already have a cage, but do I really need to get some sort of pen to introduce the bunny to my apartment?  I’m going to always keep my closets, bedroom, and bathroom doors closed, so the only thing left is my kitchen (very small) and my living area.  I also will be keeping my bunny in its cage while I am gone during the day and such. 

        Also I have recently started a new job that does require some traveling.  For now I think it would just be a few days, and I was thinking perhaps taking my bunny to my boyfriend’s place while I am gone.  There my bunny would potentially get an entire room to himself, with very little disturbance, that he could play a lot, and still be around people.  I am curious whether keeping my bunny in its cage for 8-12 hours would be alright?  And then if I were to go on an actual vacation, of 3 days or more, my boyfriend’s parents could potentially watch my bunny, and also have its own room to play in.   They do however have a cat, so maybe just seperating the cat and bunny would make things ok?  This cat is very timid and frightened of birds and mice, so it would not get rough.  Any information that you can offer would be very helpful, I have been reading the links and forums on this site for the past few days, and have found everything super helpful!


      • LittlePuffyTail
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          First of all I think it’s GREAT that it seems more and more people are looking for information and asking questions before deciding if a bunny is right for them.

          In my experience most bunnies like to chew (some prefer wood, others prefer things like electrical wires and remote buttons). Before getting a rabbit you need to thoroughly bunny proof your home (a good place to start is the bunny info section of this site). In my particular situation, my bunnies (who are not bonded) are kept caged when I am not home because I find there are just too many possible hazards even in my bunny proofed home (such as my bunny Stormy will occasionally dig up and eat pieces of carpet when he gets bored). I let them out as much as possible when I am home and they seem quite content with this routine.

          Well to start off, you will obviously need money for the adoption fee (if any) and if he/she is not spayed/neutered that is a must as well. I would check around for quotes to give you an idea on how much this will run you. Monthly expenses I experience for my 2 bunnies are food (pellets), hay, litter ( I like Yesterday’s News) as well as an added grocery expense of fresh vegetables. It might be a good idea to decide on a set amount to put away each month for vet emergencies (these can really get pricey if you are dealing with a serious illness). Your expenses will vary depending on what type of litter you use (no wood shavings, cat litter or corn cob bedding) and whether you buy your hay from a pet store or hay distributor (if you can find a good quality hay farm or stable who will sell by the bale it’s much cheaper this way.)

          With respect to you bringing your bunny to your boyfriend’s house when you travel, rabbits get very stressed out from travel and being in a new surrounding. Perhaps you could get a bunny sitter to come to your home while you are away.

          Hope this was helpful in your decision. Rabbits are really great, loving little creatures but they can be quite fragile and do require time and money so please make sure you think it through and will be “adopting for life” before you decide to become a “Bunny Mom”


        • Gravehearted
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            Hi Stina – welcome to binky bunny!  I always applaud people who take the time to research living with a bunny before making such a big commitment.

            I’d really recommend looking into rabbit rescues in your area it looks like there’s a group in Columbus

            http://www.columbusrabbit.org/

            or the house rabbit society of Ohio  http://www.ohare.org

            By adopting a rescue bunny, you’re saving a life and it is generally much less expensive than buying a bunny from a breeder or pet store.  Rescues generally have reasonable adoption fees (about $50) and your bunny will already be spayed or neutered. You might also consider fostering a bunny through a rescue group to see how a bunny fits into your life. 

            many bunnies do chew wood, but at my house we only let our bunnies out when we’re home to supervise them.  They generally get about 2 hours every evening for play time. We also have some deterrants – like toys, and some boxes to protect things.  It might be wise to relocate your special antique chair.

            if you check out the cool habitats section, you can see pics and information about how to build an NIC condo, which is a great rabbit home and is more less expensive than buying a cage.  As far as expenses go,  you will need to buy fresh veggies every week, plus pellets, hay and litter. I have three bunnies, so it’s hard for me to guesstimate how much normal expenses would be.  I’d think without a visit to the vet – a normal month might cost in the range of $40 – $50?  I’d agree with littlepuffytail about setting money aside for an emergency, since a serious illness incident could be several hundred dollars or more.  Rabbits are not low maintainance, they tend to be more fragile than cats or dogs and require lots of care, love and attention.

             


          • Stina
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              Thanks to both of you for replying! I am still very interested, and I have read about the possibility of fostering a bunny. I think that would be a good idea for me, as I have never really had full responsibility for a pet. But a bunny would definitely get lots of attention, care, and love while I am at home. I would guesstimate about 4 hours each night I could let it run around and play, under my supervision of course, in my apartment- and thats just during the week!

              Do you think its possible a bunny may be uninterested in chewing the furniture? It amazes me that I looked around after reading that fact, and saw how much of my furniture really is wood! I’m not sure if I could somehow cover most of it, or use the Perfume Spraying trick to keep the bunny away.

              Would you agree with littlepuffytail about not taking my bunny to stay with someone else while I am away on business trips? I currently know 1 person who has ever owned a bunny, and I’ve only known her about a month, so to ask her to take some of that responsibility, I feel a little funny doing that. So I really don’t have a bunny sitter. I thought even though the move might be a bit uncomfortable, she might be more comfortable around other people and not stuck in her cage while I am gone. This is a major concern with my new job, I am not sure how much travel time is required, also just going away a few nights to visit people out of town. Would my bunny be alright 1 or 2 nights a week not having play time outside his cage?

              Thanks again!


            • babybunsmum
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                welcome   i also commend you for researching before making a final decision!   i think binky bunny mentioned recently that she’s posting a break down of costs for care soon, and i recently saw people commenting on it.  if i find the thread i’ll post the link for you.

                i have never travelled with my bunny aside from vet visits so i’m not really a good person to comment about it.  i will say though, that dispite the fact that rabbits can be very freaked out in new environments & during travel, i do know that some people do travel with them successfully.  i think it may depend on your bunny’s personality a bit.  also what the frequency of the relocations are.  some times bunnies need re-litter training when you move stuff around on them, so this may be an issue for the set-up you mentioned. 

                my bunny has definitely destroyed some furniture in her day!  i learned the hard way to keep only select items in her room which she has free run of all the time.  and to keep her space full of paper & cardboard to shred.  since new bunnies are best kept confined to their cage for a while in a new home (helps with litter training & to establish that this is their own private place) it would likely be best to place the cage in a location where you could eventually set up NIC fencing or xpens to designate an area for your bunny to hop about in and where you spend a fair bit of time yourself.  several members here do this.  then you only have to rabbit-proof the fenced area completely and not your whole place.  also limiting their space this way (first only the cage & then the cage plus a small area outside the cage) is recommended to litter train.  absolute free-roam of your apartment could happen once your bun is consistant with using the litter, could be limited to the times you are there to observe what bun is upto, and you could stop any naughty chewing as it happens.  buns do need a fair bit of run & play time outside of their area every day…not sure how long exactly so hopefully some one else could comment on that. 

                a couple of people here have super-destructo buns for which bunny-proofing efforts never seem to end.  i would imagine that it can be quite frustrating but there are usually ways to deal with these situations.  i think the most important thing is to realize that you will quite likely have to make adjustments as you go before you get a set-up that works smoothly (or before your bun trains you properly ).  as long as you think you can handle this, having a bunny for a pet is very rewarding!

                good luck! 

                edited to add… i just fond that thread & its right here in this forum.  you may have already found it but just incase here’s the link anyways

                https://binkybunny.com/Default.aspx?tabid=54&forumid=2&postid=27576&view=topic

                it has some costs mentioned & some other good info for new bunny owners


              • JK
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                  Hi – Well I have a bunny who NEVER chews or digs!  I am very lucky.  So there are some that have no interest.  He doesn’t even chew those apple tree sticks. I wish he would at least be interested in those as I worry about his teeth but he does eat a lot of hay. Check out another post entitled" Thinking about adopting – have questions" by Sage Cat under House Rabbit Questions & Answers above.  There is a lot of detailed advice for potential bunny owners.  Good luck! Edit – that’s the link above to the post I was talking about.  Babybunsmum beat me to it!


                • Hedi
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                    We need more bunny parents!

                    You can always go to your local rabbit shelter and see if you can foster a bun before adopting to see how you and your home would work out for a bun. Buns are chewers by nature so you just need to be creative in protecting what you have. You can always go and buy those plastic corner protectors (used to cover edges with wallpaper from coming off) to cover your walls if the buns may chew corners. Block off stuff you want to keep from your bun using NIC cubes. There is a pic here in the gallery-we use NIC cubes to block off the kitchen or other areas the buns are not allowed. You can find a GREAT bun toy at Home Depot- those large cement cylinder cardboard things used for cement. We have one behind our couch so they run and play thru the cylinder behind the couch without bugging the back of the couch or wall.

                    OUr buns do not chew on furniture. Every once in a blue moon they will pick at the carpet but a quick spray of soomething smelly will deter them.

                    The best toys are the cheap free ones! Old blanky, the empty TP and papertowel rolls, cat balls with bells, baby plasty slinky from dollar store for $1.

                    If you adopt a bun already altered that will save you money in the end and worry about having to have that surgery done later on. Buns go thru a lot of hay and fresh veggies would be your most expensive bunny cost.

                    Your bun may end up being firends with the cat-just give them time. Our newest bun Hooper loves cats but we dont have any. His foster home he was best friends with one cat.

                     


                  • Beka27
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                      welcome here!  everyone has given great advice so far…

                      the recommendation is that house rabbits have run time for at least 4 hours a day.  of course this isn’t always possible.  i know some members have multiple unbonded bunnies that all need separate out times and other obligations throughout the day.  once littertraining is successful, like babybunsmum suggested, it would be a good idea to create an area for bunny using cubes or an xpen so he can have more space when you’re not home.  i’ve had Meadow for 6 months and i did this just recently and i wish i would have done it at the start.  it’s so great knowing she has some more space to move about when i’m not around.  a NIC cube cage is another great idea.  i’m not sure what kind of cage you have, but *most* cages commercially available are too small for rabbits to be in for any length of time.

                      i would definitely look into getting a petsitter to come to the house.  it is much less stressful for them.  depending on where you live, there should be people available that can help you out for a fee.


                    • bunnytowne
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                        hi buns are loads of fun. if you foster or adopt one you can ask about the chewing habits of the particular bun you are interested in. I have one who loves to chew. he chews cardboard,  newspaper which I give him to chew and a huge wooden bird perch I have used to dry my laundry. he chews on that but it doesn’t hurt it much. the other furniture he is not interested in at all. my other bun does not chew at all. not interested. he likes to throw things. but no chewing. he is such the little gentle gentleman type bunny.

                        and when training them spanking or shouting just scare them doesn’t work they dont’ understand that since they are prey animals it makes them afraid. and can hurt them. not to say a hearing a big no is not allowed. but the shouting and chasing them frightens them and they can get scared of you.

                        a squirt bottle for the naughty moments works as long as they don’t figure out it is comign from you lol.

                        I spend 20 on litter which lasts me 2 months bag is huge. hay about 8.00 and feed I get 25 lb bags for about 7.00 that lasts about 2 or 3 months. the greens I dont’ keep track of lol. as I am losing weight and getting healthier now that I have more greens around lol

                        adopting a bun works well you can look around for one who doesn’t chew much they are out there. they are usually about 6 mos to 1 yr old so the fosterer knows their personality and you will know how big they will get and so on not to mention spayed/neutered already.

                        some like my laith are very very mellow others like cotton are active curious and runs right up to me others follow you others just hang out in 1 spot others are like destructo bunny lol.

                        they are wonderful little companions some people sleep with theirs. I used to til the litterbox habits went kaput. they have great litterbox habits in the living room tho. so thats where they play now.

                        I know you will enjoy one. good luck


                      • JK
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                          I’m really curious what kind of feed you are giving your bunny.  You say you get 25 lbs and that lasts 2-3 months? Are these timothy pellets? I have gone through less than 3 pounds in 3 months at 1/8 cup a day.  I can’t remember do you have a lot of rabbits?


                        • Stina
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                            You guys are making this super hard to make a decision. I’m slightly worried about the money aspect, and I don’t want to sound horrible, but also the “high maintenance” that a bunny needs. And I know this sounds selfish, esp if I want a pet, but I love to go out, and spend time outside in the summer, and go to other places visiting my friends. My boss mentioned today long trips, more than 3 days, would not be happening for a few years. So that possibility is much lower now, since I don’t really have money for a vacation. So I’m less worried about being gone a few days and having to leave the bunny behind. And I already pretty much picked where the bunny would be, no free run of my apartment, but an area with no wood furniture, only wood floors, and of course I can stick in some carpet squares. But its also big enough for me to setup a pen for her. The cage I’ve actually never seen. My boyfriend suggested buying me a bunny for my birthday, because he knows how much I would love it. The cage was used to transport a large iguana from one house to another, so it isn’t commercial, and its free, and I’m pretty sure it would be big enough for a litter box to go inside it.

                            Fostering does sound like the best way to start, except I still have to pay most expenses up front. But really I can’t think of any other small animal I would enjoy living with. I’m allergic to cats, which brings up the point, if I would also be allergic to bunnies? Somewhere I read that theres a chance of being allergic to the timothy hay. That would suck. I already get super sneezy, stuffy nose, itchy eyes in the spring and summer!

                            I want you guys to be honest with me, if you think a bunny would fit into my lifestyle. I don’t want to be selfish and adopt a bunny, then find I really don’t have the money or time to properly care for it. So inquire about whatever you need to give me some honest POVs. I would love to have a companion, and bunnies are what I’ve been thinking about for several months now! So just lay it on me! Your honest opinion of how this would work out! Thanks guys!


                          • JK
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                              Well unfortunately rabbits can cost a lot. When I first got mine from the rescue I took him in for a check-up because he was drinking soooo much water. I spent close to $800 with no answers to his problem. Rabbits are just so much more fragile than cats or dogs. If you read different posts here you’ll see all the problems that can come up. Not to scare you off but you do need to be prepared financially. I highly recommend fostering in your case first. That’s what I did since I had never had a rabbit before. It’s a great way to see if this will work out for you. I was so overwhelmed at first with the constant cleaning up I had to do. But I got it figured out but not without a lot of “why the heck did I get a rabbit”! I have a cat & a dog and they are a piece of cake compared to a rabbit! They need lots of attention too. Don’t know about this iguana cage but the cage should be at least 48″ by 24″ and they need plenty of time outside of the cage. An xpen attached is ideal. Allergies? If you are allergic to cats I betcha you could be allergic to rabbits and/or hay. I think I am and have never had allergies before. Not a big deal but something to consider. It is not that easy to find bunny sitters. I still am at odds as to what I will do if I go away. I really hope I haven’t scared you off but so many people here lately have not been prepared and they have dropped off of this forum and we are worried that they have gotten rid of their rabbits! You do sound very responsible because you are asking good questions. i think fostering would be ideal. It may work out great for you but if not, you kind of have an out. Good luck and let us know what you decide.


                            • Scarlet_Rose
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                                Hi Stina,

                                You’ve got tons of great input and info here from everyone. I think everyone here has been quite up-front with what to expect as a potential bunny owner. To be very honest from what I am hearing, traveling will be a big part of your life and you will be gone quite a bit and money sounds a little tight at the moment, taking these things into consideration, it does not sound like at this time your lifestyle will not fit with any pet (Well maybe fish, it’s easy to toss a feeder cube in there, and they are great to watch!). I can totally understand get why you really want a pet, not so big as a dog, not so small as a hamster or rat and rabbits fit that little niche. Take some more time, heck even volunteer at a local shelter to get your “animal fix.” Wait a while and see as it sounds like you’ve got a lot of potential at work and you’ll move up in no time and re-evaluate then having a pet and what type.


                              • bunnytowne
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                                  Knowlton HI

                                  the feed well I have 2 small buns. I feed with a measuring cup 1/4 cup morning a little less at nite the full 1/4 they are lionheads pretty small about 4 or 5 lbs I am guessing. I have no scale to weigh me or them

                                  I give them lots of hay and some lettuce at nite too.

                                  and the pellets are alfalfa am I doing something wrong here? oh and Laith he hardly touches hay. I feed timothy and meadow mix cotton looks forward to his hay I have mix alfalfa in it in the morning but not at nite. and it is almost gone in the morning.

                                  I tried laith on less feed and more hay he got real thin I got worried and upped the pellets to what I am doing now.

                                  vet said he is just finicky hmmm. well. I will be ordering or finding timothy pellets beginning in feb.


                                • Hedi
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                                    Since you live in Dayton,  why dont you just come down to the Humane Society and spend some time with the buns? We have three babies right now that are up for adoption and are adorable! PLEASE do not consider buying from a petstore! We have NINE rabbits right now needing homes.

                                    THe cost of adopting is crazy cheap considering what the house rabbit society charges for their altered rabbits. If you ended up adopting a bun that hasnt been fixed yet you still would get a great deal on the surgery. Adoptions of rabbits that are not altered are about $15 which is less than petstores. If you fostered you would pay NOTHING while you fostered and if you decided not to keep the bun we would take it back no question. If you decided to keep the bun then you would pay the adoption fee. Pretty great deal dont ya think?!

                                    I have four rabbits myself and I would not trade them for the world! If you want to talk more in detail about the Dayton buns please email me!

                                     


                                  • Beka27
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                                      something to keep in mind.  if you’re not able to have a dog right now due to time or money constraints… a rabbit is maybe not the right pet for you.  and in fact, it’s probably easier getting a petsitter for a dog than for a rabbit.  single rabbits do need a lot of attention.  i spend hours a day playing with Meadow.  i only work on Saturdays, and when i get home she tends to be annoyed with me b/c i left her alone all day long.  they’re happier in pairs b/c they have a built-in playmate… but that’s double the food/care/vet costs.  even if you decide not to get a rabbit right now, please stick around on the board, so in the future you may be more prepared for one.  i also think you could volunteer at a rescue, even if it’s just occasionally.  they might be able to work something out with you.


                                    • LittlePuffyTail
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                                        I agree with Hedi. You should maybe do some volunteering and spend time with some shelter rabbits. Maybe that will help you decide whether you are willing to make sacrifices for a rabbit of your own. Also you could find out if you are allergic to rabbits/hay.


                                      • Stina
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                                          Thanks guys! I appreciate your honesty! In reality I was already thinking I wasn’t ready for this type of responsibility. It totally bums me out. But I was also thinking, before pet thoughts, that it would be fun to volunteer at the Humane Society. Heidi I will email you about information for that. Thanks everyone for all your help, and the time you’ve taken to reply and give me information! I will however, stick around the forum, I like to read about the bunnies and check out pictures! If I ever do get a bunny, I will let you all know, and it will be mostly because of this site. This was extremely informative.


                                        • Gravehearted
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                                            I’m glad you’re thinking about volunteering and it also sounds like you really were responsible in thinking about this big decision. kudos to you!


                                          • elle.em.gee
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                                              I agree with everyone. I’ll admit I became interested in bunnies because I "didn’t have time for a dog," but really, the biggest care advantages over having a dog is that I don’t have to take them out for walks (especially since my neighborhood isn’t super safe by myself at night), and personally, I do think that they are okay by themselves a little longer than a dog, provided they have ample food and water. Especially since they have each other to play with. Mine don’t dig or chew any furniture and are not ever enclosed in their pen anymore. They do seem to have a penchant for rubbery things over wood…

                                              The bunnies changed my lifestyle a bit, but I am definitely not complaining… I think they added a little much-needed "structure" to my life.


                                            • Scarlet_Rose
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                                                You’re welcome Stina! Oh I am so glad you are still going to spend some time with the animals at the shelter though! I know it’s not exactly what you had in mind, but you’ll still get your pet fix. Of course, hang about here and read about all of our soiled rotten house rabbits.

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                                            Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Advice Needed Before Bunny moves in