conflicted, help me

[FloppyBunny]

Hi im new here and my name is Chrissi. I love bunns and im hoping to get one if not i still love to hear stories about them  ive done lots of homework on bunnies and saved up my money for one too. but the reason i am writing this post is because im in a sticky situation…  my friend is possibly going to give me a baby bun if my parents allow it. i really want it but i dont really want to pay the fixin price or go through all those problems.. and when i told her that she said that she doesnt fix her buns and they have been fine all of them and she has had bunns for more than 5yrs.. so she told me that i dont need to fix mine unless theres problems… and i have heard that not all bunns go nutty so i am really conflicted because i want to take the bun but if it goes nutty ill have to pay a lot of money for it and i dont think my parents would love that if the price is waaay high! help…  any advice welcome

[Sarita]

Part of taking responsibility for a pet is paying the price to have them “fixed”.

Now, having your pet altered is not the only cost you are going to incur. Have you thought about the costs for food, supplies, medical bills in the future – it’s going to add up. Rabbits are not cheap pets.

[Otti]

Hi BunnehLuvr,

My understanding is that not all rabbits ‘go crazy’ even if they are not neutered/spayed, but I think most do go through hormonal ‘destructive’ phases. However, neutering or spaying is highly recommended for health reasons (prevention of cancers related to reproductive organs).

My brother’s rabbit that he had while we were growing up in Italy was never neutered, and he died of testicular cancer (I’m not sure how old he was), so I’m making sure to neuter my rabbit Sammy, as I’m worried of that possibility.

I’m sure other people have better explanations …

[FloppyBunny]

I have thought about the other costs and those are fine. im ust worried of the biggest one of the moment which is fixin. ill see what i can do about the cost of a neuter/spay. i wouldnt want to hurt my bun by not doing somthing that could of prevented it in the first place.

[Sarita]

If you have a rabbit rescue near you they can recommend some vets who probably are affordable for spays and neuters for rabbits.

[Otti]

I don’t know if the rabbit you are planning on adopting is a male or female, but just FYI neutering (males) is often cheaper… not to discriminate, but if the cost of the neuter/spay is really an issue, that might be something to take into consideration.

Maybe call a few vet offices in your area and figure out both if they are rabbit-savvy and what their costs for spays and neuters are to get a better idea?

[FloppyBunny]

sadly i dont know any near by rabbit rescues, just ones for dogs and cats :/

[Monkeybun]

IF the baby bun is a girl, there is an 80% chance she will get uterine cancer, by age 4. It is really quite painful for them, and most die.

Rabbits can live 10+ years, having them fixed greatly increases their quality of life, from reducing hormonal urges to mate constantly, tot he elimination of reproductive cancers. It really is in their best interest.

I would suggest NOT getting the baby bun if you don’t want to pay to get it fixed. Adopt an already spayed or neutered bun from a shelter instead. Spaying or neutering can cost anywhere from $100 to over $600… adopting one for less than that from a shelter is a good way to save that money. And do remember… they can get quite expensive, just for food, toys, housing, and regular vet visits, not to mention emergencies.

You mention your parents. Are you going to school? Have you thought of the bunny’s future? What if you have to move, and can’t take him/her to the new place. Will your parents be willing to take care of the bun then? There is alot to think of before getting a bunny, before you are on your own.

[Andi]

Hey

Honeslty from your post, I’m reading “I’m undecided and not ready, but i love bunnies!”
I ended up with my little cousins rabbit that she got when she was 14, at 18 when she graduated and had to go to college the bunny had no where to go. It didn’t mean she didn’t love that bunny she did, but she didn’t think of the future at that time. He wasn’t neutered (until he came to me) and his only real bad habbit was peeing when he was allowed in the house (at their place he was a outdoor hutch bunny). if I had not taken him, her mother would have put him in the paper for free… and he probably would have been on someones dinner table.

I’m an adult, I own my own home & have a full time job, it actually wasn’t until i bought my own place did i adopt my first bunnies. Before then i rented and I was terrified of the thought if I had to move to another rental if i could bring my pets with me. My Gerbils weren’t much of an issues, but anything bigger a lot of landlords discriminate against
My Vet’s 13 yr old daughter recently wanted a bunny, but being the bunny lives 10+ years and she would be going to college after high school her Mom convinced her it wouldn’t be a good idea…. so, instead she adopted a OLD bunny! This way she gave an enderly bunny a loving home and she probably won’t have her when she goes to college. It was win-win (But then her Mom’s a Vet so no bills there… i wish my Mom was a vet! lol).

Even though fixing a rabbit can cost a lot of money, i believe it’s 100% worth it. But I find if someone thinking the say $200 is a lot to fix, a rabbit may not be the pet for you. I spend so much money on my rabbits just annual vet care it’s pretty crazy (One appointments $55 without meds).

So if you’re not 100% sure, then I’d not jump into it. Make a list of pro’s and cons, find a rabbit savvy vet in your area, find out what it costs to spay and how much appointments are. Maybe the work and real ‘downpayment’ (spay/neuter) for a baby rabbit isn’t something you are interested in taking on right now, BUT maybe a older rescued bunny is (If you can foster a bunny then the rescue pays all the Vet bills! you just pay for food), most are already litter trained, and their personalities are already set in place, no crazy hormones LOL.

Good luck on whatever you decide

[RabbitPam]

Hi,
I think it’s great that you are consulting us here before saying Yes to your friend. Your friend has not been exactly responsible regarding the care of her bunnies, thus the litter and the desperate need to give the babies away. You are doing the right thing in looking at the costs and long term needs of giving a bunny a home. If you want a clear breakdown of the costs, go to the Home Page of this site where you’ll see a list of topics. One of them is about what the overall maintenance costs of a bunny are. It really helps.

If you love bunnies, then going to a shelter is a good idea. But that doesn’t solve your friend’s problem and won’t stop her pressuring you to take one. I think you and your parents should discuss what is best for your own household for the next 10 years. Getting a bunny fixed is the best route for health reasons, but also to prevent pregnancy in females if it should ever even accidentally come into contact with another bunny.

I don’t know your age (Please don’t post it here) but we have a rule about the age of our members, so please read over our rules section. I only mention it because you sound like a great young person who lives with her parents, and in that case your folks are actually responsible for your pets legally which means also financially. So it’s a family decision.

If you want a good pet for now, without all the work and years and expenses a bunny requires, may I suggest getting a guinea pig? I had them growing up and LOVED them. I wasn’t at all prepared as a teen for the care required by a bunny – by comparison, piggies are easy and fun.

Let your friend contact a rescue or vet to get assistance in rehoming her babies. And she needs to get her doe spayed now! No more litters.

[angelicvampyre]

Ok just to let you know that Rufus my male bunny cost me $230 to get “fixed” a lot of money yes, however Rufus has molar spurs and jaw abcesses. We have now done three operations with all cost approx $500 each, plus had to do bloods one vet visit which was $110 and then there is his meds which is a weekly injection, that I have to give him, so I have to add on the cost of that plus the cost of the needles and the cost to dispose of them (have to get a special container from the Pharmacy/Drug Store and when it is full pay them to take it and buy a new one). Now granted Rufus may be an extreme case but what if that happens to your rabbit? I had Rufus approx 4 days before the vet told me that all this was going to have to happen and i am lucky I can pay and did but could you? Would your parents help out if 3 or 4 years down the track this happened?

I don’t want to put you off rabbits (I have three) but I work full time and can afford all my pets and have back up money and if that is gone then I go onto the dreaded credit cards to pay. As others have said Rabbits are NOT cheap and if something goes wrong then they can get less and less cheap!

[eyorelop]

Just another option. I adopted Eyore at 3 yrs old and there are pro’s and con’s for getting young bunny vs older bunny. Older bunny had already been neutered, our HRS won’t adopt any out until old enough to have been neutered first. Also an older bunny doesn’t have to go thru the teenage stage and their personalities are already developed so you kind of know what your going to get. I have been told that youger bunnies may seem a certain way. It felt really good adopting knowing I was giving an animal a good home and his past was not so great. It also makes room for another bunny to get rescued and find his forever home. I would also recommend spending some time with whatever prospective bunny you are thinking of getting to see how they react to you. I visited Eyore several times for many hours each before deciding on taking him home.

It is definitely not cheap, I have spent a small fortune. Mostly in toys and housing + adoption fee. Food and hay and treats are not bad. But it seems like I am buying stuff all the time. But it is worth it.

[FloppyBunny]

Thank you all for the replies and your stories. I have tried to discuss with my parents about everything you guys have told me that i should consider before making that final decission. They said it would take them a while to discuss and everything and see if we are capable of taking the responsibility of owning a bunn. i love the idea of adopting an older bunn! so i am going to to refuse my friends offer and hope her bunns are able to find great homes and live long happy lives.

[Otti]

Hey BunnehLuvr,

I just wanted to say that it’s so great that you have such great communication with your parents, and very mature of you to realize that they have the final word/say on getting a rabbit, as it will be their financial responsibility. Just wanted to say it’s admirable that you’re being so responsible and smart about it!

ciao,
Ottavia

[Monkeybun]

Glad to hear Adoptign an older bun would make one very very happy.

[Andi]

I want to Ditto Otti & Monkeybun

[Beka27]

Choosing to adopt an older bun is a very mature decision. It is easy to be swayed by the tiny cuteness of a baby, but this shows your parents you are thinking of what will be the most cost-effective decision for long-term. Plus older bunnies are typically littertrained, etc…

And when we say “older” that doesn’t mean “elderly”! An adult bunny is one year and older. So even if the bun is between 1 and 3 years old… they can still live up to 12. You are still looking at having the bunny for a long time.

Many of us on this site are very rescue-oriented. So we prefer supporting shelters or rescues and saving lives over acquiring baby bunnies. I am concerned tho that your friend is breeding rabbits. This can become a complicated situation when she can no longer find homes for the babies, then the babies get older and can start multiplying, etc… Someone responsible (not you!) may need to step in.

[RabbitPam]

What an excellent choice. Good for you for deciding on those “older” one year olds and up. You can get a bunny who’s already speutered, plus the personality is known by then too. And your parents are becoming informed – they will probably LOVE a bunny once they have one in the family.

I’m sure the baby bunnies belonging to your friend will be fine. Otherwise, she may have to take them to the same rescue where you go, and a year from now, they will be adoptable “older” bunnies themselves. I hope this is her last litter.

[FloppyBunny]

sorry for not being responsive for a couple of days   But my parents asked me about some things about owning a bunn and i didnt really quite know what to say so im going here to get some awesome help from you guys!

okay my parents wanted to know what to do when we go on vacation. the longest we ever take last 1 week and i was wondering is it better, leaving it home and having someone come over everyday or dropping it of at their house so they can watch it? i know it mainly depends on the person taking care of it but what do you guys suggest?

also they wanted to know how much it would cost a month to take care of it. this includes food, (fruits,veggies,pellets) litter, chew toys. if you can please specify what brand of pellet and litter you are talking about or would reccomend.

also thanks to everyone for their help

[Monkeybun]

Alot of bunnies do not like change. So it’s often best to have someone drop by your place to feed them and let them out for exercise.

For monthly costs, its hard to say. Things have different prices everywhere, so what my veggies may cost here, may cost something different a state over. And, of course, it depends on what your bun likes to eat!

I use Oxbow brand pellets, I buy the 10lb bag from BB.com. It lasts quite awhile with my 3, as I don’t feed them much for pellets. Litter, I buy Carefresh. It is the expensive thing for me, but my buns like it so that is what they get. Veggies, I buy them organic when I can, so that raises the price there. You may want to go explore your grocery store and see what prices there are like.

[Otti]

I live in Los Angeles and spend $5 to $10 a week on Sammy’s veggies – 3 different types per week, about 2 cups per day or more. However, I do tend to only buy organic for him, so it’s somewhat more expensive. I also tend to buy prewashed veggies to make it quicker/easier for me, and that’s also pricier. It’s helped me waste less though cause I used to buy the precut organic salad mixes or romaine for myself before having Sammy, and would never be able to get through the entire container on my own before it went bad. So if you can share veggies with the bunny, it’ll be good for everyone! 

Pellet bags are usually about $8 or so and they last a long time (like a few months).

I use carefresh too cause my bunny prefers it. I try to find the best price options by searching for the one he likes online on google shopping. Definitely helps me save money. I divide the cost of the litter +tax and shipping by the number of liters to determine the price per liter of various online retailers, and then pick the lowest one as long as it had good online reviews. I probably spend about $30-$40 on litter every two months or so.

[LoveChaCha]

I really don’t know about week vacations…

This is what I pay (I live in Washington)

Veggies – 4 dollars (weekly expense)
Pellets – 10 dollars for a 5 lb bag of oxbow pellets (I’ve had thiis bag for 3+ months)
Litter – 23 dollars every 2-3 months, depending on litter type
Toys – 30 dollars (depends on what you wanna buy) .. some toys are hand made
Housing – varies. I paid about 130 for a kennel and 45 for an xpen. Housing varies really. There are many ways to even make your own rabbit home.
Treats – 5 dollars every few months
Hay – 10 dollars a month
Bunny herself – 40 dollars

Rabbits are expensive but fun animals

I use oxbow brand pellets

I hope you can work stuff out with your parents!

[Beka27]

Veggies are an expensive habit. For one bun, average costs per month would be $30 on the low end, up to maybe about $50. Just for veggies. My two buns easily eat 12-15 dollars worth of romaine a week, and this doesn’t include the other veggies they get daily.

Litter can range in price from $20 for a small bag, to $6 for a 40 pound bag of wood pellets. It is more cost-effective to use wood pellets which can be found in hardware stores, or horse stall bedding.

Hay is very expensive in petstores. You can order large boxes of high quality hay online. You will save a ton of money going that route. Or depending on where you live, if you can get bales of horse quality hay, that is another option. Don’t buy the small plastic bags of petstore hay. They are marked up a ridiculous amount.

I would expect to spend $100 a month, with anything not spent on the bunny going into an emergency vet care account and towards premiums on vet insurance if you choose to buy that.

[BinkyBunny]

 As far as costs — check out our “Cost of Having A Rabbit” Page. https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/Cos…fault.aspx

You can spend even more than what is broken down on that page — but that’s covering some of the basics.  I personally spend a heck of alot more on greens for my own bunny and the type of pen and cage you get can also make a difference in costs, but at least the page offers a good starting point. 

As far as vacations… you said it right – It depends on the person who can take care of them.  If I have a person I trust but they can only have the bunnies at their house, then that’s what I would do.  My preference is that I have someone that I trust come to my place twice a day to care for them and check on them.   However, there are benefits of having your bunny be monitored all the time with someone at their place.  It really depends on the situation and the person. 

[Dee]

I really admire Chrissy’s maturity and ability to look at the whole picture, instead of just the immediate want for a cute bunny. But I agree, bunnies are not cheap pets. Here are my costs:

Hay- $20/month
Pellets- $4/month
Bedding- $30/month
Hay Cubes/Papaya- $10/month
Veggies/Fruits- $68/month!!! (I just figured that out- WOW! Greens in Massachusetts are expensive- $2.50 a bunch for dandelion & collard greens, $.89 to $1.69 for parsley, and about $1.50 for lettice/escarole/argula- I buy greens 2Xwk so it adds up!)
Nail Trims- $10/month
Housing- $0 – They have no cage- they just roam the downstairs.
———————————–
Grand Total- $142/month

I’m really surprised to see how much the buns cost! I never thought it was this much, but of course they’re worth every cent. I know I could cut back on the veggies, since they really don’t need a bowl of greens available to them 24/7. The hay I could get in bales- I might check that out. I found an AWESOME farm in Sherborn, MA called Sweet Meadow Farm. It has the freshest, most fragrant hay- I almost feel like eating it myself when I smell it- lol. I’m not sure if you can order online- but it’s worth checking out. I buy bags of hay cuz I like the variety, but they sell bales of “rabbit hay” and “horse hay”.

One thing I think Chrissy should discuss with her parents is how expensive vet care can be if the rabbit gets sick. My bunny got GI stasis a few weeks ago- the vet bill came to over $350. If he had needed more care, or emergency care on the weekend, it would have cost much more. That is really something to consider. When I had my hamster and was on a hamster website forum, I saw so many posts from young kids saying that their pet was sick and their parents wouldn’t pay for vet care. It really broke my heart- I felt horrible for the children and the poor animals who had to suffer. Some people simply will not or cannot spend lots of $$ if a pet gets sick. We always hope our bunnies will be healthy through their lives, but sooner or later, most require some veterinary care besides check-ups. I have learned here that there is health insurance for animals, which is a great idea. But vet care is a subject that really requires lots of thought and planning for worst case scenarios.

Good luck, Chrissy! You sound like you will be a great animal mommy- and even if it doesn’t happen now, it’s something to look forward to .

[BinkyBunny]

Posted By Dee on 09/26/2010 02:41 PM
I really admire Chrissy’s maturity and ability to look at the whole picture, instead of just the immediate want for a cute bunny.

Absolutely!

[Author]

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