Bunnies and Doggies

[kimberleyanddarren]

I have two border collies at the moment and would love my bunny which i am getting next week to be able to live together with the dogs happily i was wondering if there was any tips on how to do this? i know i shouldnt do it till the rabbit is settled but i dont want to scare him/her and i dont want to scare my doggies either (one is hyper and the other is scared of its own shadow) so should i just accept that they wont get along as they werent brought up together or should i try to introduce them after the bunny is settled? Thanks!

oh and ps. do you think an indoor hutch in a conservatory will be too cold for the bunny? it isnt heated and it can get a little nippy out there especially in the winter.. any ideas?

[Beka27]

i’m not sure what a conservatory is.  like an enclosed porch?  rabbits are very susceptible to drafts.  they should not be subjected to an extreme change in temperature.  if he is coming from a rescue where he was indoors, he should be housed indoors at your home as well.  his winter coat will not be developed enough b/c of living inside.  on the other end of the spectrum… rabbits are also extremely vulnerable in high temperatures.  it is recommended that they be housed indoors.  this also helps with health b/c you can check on them more often, whereas they tend to be forgotten after a time when left outside.

like i said, i’m not sure what a conservatory is… so if it is indoors, safe from predators, not in direct sun and is not drafty, that may work.

[babybunsmum]

beka’s right about bunnies & temp changes.  you’d want to keep bun indoors if he/she has been used to indor temps and its cold outside.  a spot in your house that can be closed off from the dogs would be the ideal spot i think. 

i successfully bonded my dog (was 8 months old & full sized) and bunny.  actually i had 2 buns at the time (brownie was 3yrs & baby was 1yrold) when i adpopted bogart.  bogart is a 66lb mutt (collie cross) who’s FULL of beans and just the happiest dog you’ll ever see.  i was skeptical that he’d ever be able to be trusted around baby bun but they’re the best of friends now!  when bogart came home i had both rabbits in a bedroom and i kept the door closed while bogart got used to his new home.  i’d do daily ‘meet & greet’ where i’d open the rabbit’s bedroom door & let bogart watch them.  at first i had to physically lay right on top of him to keep him subdued.  lol.  eventually he realized they wouldn’t come near him if he wiggled & he calmed down.  after that the buns began to come & investigate him so they could sniff each other.  i think it was almost a year before i trusted that the dog wouldn’t try to squash the buns out of excitement. 

that said, i think all animals are different.  my dog is a friendly but rambunctious guy and baby bun is very feisty so it works for us.  i think you’ll have to try controlled ‘meet & greets’ to see how they’re all reacting to each other before you can determine what possibilities of bonding they will have.  it is possible but you’re best to stay flexible & not expect any outcome.  also, i think you’re very right about letting the rabbit get settled first before starting any bonding attempts.  good luck!!!

[kimberleyanddarren]

a conservatory is like a porch yes it is indoors and we have sofas and stuff out there but it is mainly glass and so can get cold although there is no breeze coming through and shady in the summer

[Gravehearted]

I really discourage people from outdoor or porch bunnies. Rabbits are so social, that they are usually happiest when they are close to the family and near the heart of everything. Not to mention – the dangers they can be exposed to outdoors – like predators, extreme cold or heat and such.

I’d also be wary about introductions to your dogs – unless they are VERY mellow and you truly think they won’t hurt your rabbits. Bunnies have very thin skin, and a dog’s playful nip could seriously injure your rabbits. I’d worry the hyper one might freak your bunny out. However, I do know some rabbits and dogs that get along very well. I think it’s all a matter of personalities. I think once the rabbit gets settled in, you may be better able to access the situation and see if you should consider introductions.

[kimberleyanddarren]

we do spend alot of time out there as it is just part of our living room like joined on by double doors he/she would only be in there during the night on their own and so s/he will be a very active member of the family with access to the living room all day long and no predators can get in there!
I would never intend to leave them together.. i just want them to be able to accept each others presence thats all so neither has to be shut out whilst the other is inside. But obviously if they cant get on then this will have to happen i would never put either at risk!

[Scarlet_Rose]

Hi Kimberly, approximately how cold does it get in your conservatory? I am wondering if the temperature swing in there would be too much (anything more than 20 degrees farenheit (7 degrees celcius) can shock a bunny.  Can you just keep an eye on the temperature throughout the day and let us know?  Something also to think about, anything above 80 degrees farenheit (27 degrees celcius) is too hot for a rabbit.  Do you keep any indoor plants?  Check out the plant toxicity links:

Toxic Plants: 

• AdoptARabbit’s toxic plant list 
• 3BunniesRabbit Rescue – 10 Most Common Toxic Plants & full list
• Sacramento House Rabbit Society – Toxic Plant List
• ASPCA Toxic Plant List

As for with your dogs, go with very slow through the barrier introductions.  Here is an article with tips on introducing rabbits & dogs:

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/1/dogs.html

BeaI know that you would not hurt your rabbit, just bear in mind that some of the hyper dogs are not able to have time with a bunny because they love to play and might unintentionally injure them.  So be extra careful with the less mellow one and the one that is scared may nip as a reaction again, be diligent and go slow.  I would definately give the rabbit time to adjust before the introductions are made and even have a stuffed toy with the rabbit scent on it for the dogs to get a good sniff at rather than them getting overly excited with sniffing the bunny in person.  What type of cage do you have by the way?  Is it a wire bottom (you’ll want to cover it with pine board or linoleum because it can hurt their feet)?  Are you set up for litter training too?

 

[JK]

Speaking of heat what happens when it ‘s 100 degrees in the house in the summer?  It’s not that hot too often inside but there have been a few sweltering days. Edson is not in the hottest room by any means.  It’s a bit of morning sun and then shade in the afternoon.  Can we use a fan or is that too drafty? It’s hard to believe summer might be here in a few months. What do people do in the summer?

[babybunsmum]

i don’t have a/c & it can get pretty hot here in the summer.  i usually freeze water in margarine tubs & set them near baby.  she’ll try to play discus throw with them of course but some times she’ll lay near them & i feel like it at least cools the floor where she’s laying.  i also have fans going to move air around but i don’t aim them at her since i know she won’t like it very much.

[kimberleyanddarren]

it is not the heat out there that worrys me it is the cold because it has a cooling system for the summer months as it is an amazing place to sit on those boiling days hence why i chose it for the bunny to be but in the winter at night time it gets as cold as lets say.. when u come home and forgot to set the heating to come on and it is kinda nippy in there like nothing major not like standing outside in ur undies kinda cold i just wanted to know if they have an ok ish tolerance for cold as long as there is plenty of warm bedding? and also with the dogs i have a door which is just glass and was thinking about letting the dogs out in one room and the bunny in the other and just letting them see each other (obviously when the rabbit has been here for a few weeks and is very settled and dont worry the door is secure and locks!) and then i was thinking does the stunt double thing – would it work for dogs and rabbits? if i let the rabbit play with the dog toys and vice versa (under supervision!) would the smell kinda put them at ease and at least let me gage their reactions so if they are abit aggressive to the toys with the bunny scent then i will know it is probably best not to introduce them?

thanks for all your replies i love this site it is so helpful and this week is going sooooo slowly while i wait for the weekend to get my bunny hehe!

[MarkBun]

As for the dogs, it might work but you want to be very careful. The Border Collie was bred as a herding animal so it may want to try and ’round up’ the bun – which the bun will mistake for it charging at it to eat it.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Rabbits tolerate cold better than they do heat as they have wonderful thick fur coats. Provide some blankets (fake sheepskin or old towels) as it sounds like it doesn’t get real cold in your conservatory. Which direction does it face, East? The glass barrier sounds ideal for keeping them apart. As Markus mentioned, border collies are natural born herders. I am thinking that the “stunt double” will help familiarize them both with each other and is not a bad idea. I can hardly wait to hear about your new rabbit!

[kimberleyanddarren]

ow ow i have picked its name but its top secret till i get some piccies and stuff.. well i have picked one out but i havent seen the rabbit yet so i may change it if it doesnt suit but its so sweet.. i am so excited!

[RabbitPam]

I have a fairly large cage that came with a metal support and 4 wheels, so it’s slightly lifted off the ground and can be rolled easily. I’m wondering if you bought, or made, a platform with wheels for the bunny’s cage you could move it just inside the conservatory at night. (Away from the dogs of course, if that’s possible.)

I had my bunny in Massachusetts in an apartment without AC for a while, during a couple of weeks of real heat. I ran a tall oscillating floor fan that blew above his cage, not pointed at him directly, that also circulated the air. I used to fill plastic coke bottles (any round soda bottle, smallish) with water, freeze it, then lay it along one side of his cage. Peeled off the label first so he wouldn’t chew it. He would either lay against the cool bottle, or lick the condensation off the outside as it warmed up during the day.

Also, when you get home, run a washcloth under cold water, wring it out well, and wrap it around his ears like a turban. Spockie would let me leave it on him and just sit like a swamie, cooling off. Leave plenty of water too, though their regular water shouldn’t be too cold or too warm.

Anyone know how a bun reacts to barking in their own home? I never had dogs. Am amazed yours get along with bunnies.

[babybunsmum]

i’m lucky… my dog is not much of a barker.  he only barks to announce some one is in the driveway or on the porch, and as soon as i check out who’s there he stops.  baby seems pretty unaffected by his barks.  at the most, she may point her ears in his direction but it has never startled her.  i think because she got used to his noises from a distance.  she was living here before the dog came & was quite settled in her space.  and all along the dog has been restricted from her space unless he’s with me. 

sort of like the buns in the shelter near me where there are lots of dogs there always making noise.  some times there’s a ‘brew-ha-ha’ with loud barking bouts and all the buns ears perk up.  none seem to be terrified.

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