First time Rabbiteir

[Phenz]

Hi, first post.

i’m looking at getting a rabbit and wanted to find out the answers to some not so obvious questions and see if a rabbit is for me.

i’ve got a cupboard in mind for keeping the rabbit in, its about 2.5mx1m which is about 3.5′ x 8.5′.  Will this, along with a tray to sleep in, litter tray, food, water be enough for him or is there anything else that i’m missing?

The cupboard is carpeted and its an old carpet so it doesn’t really matter if it gets ruined as its just for the rabbit anyway.  Would it be better if i fittd linolium to make it more hygenic?

The cupboard is under the stairs and there might be a lot of noise, i’m not sure, will this be a problem for the rabbit?

Do rabbits need light?  the cupboard has a light but no window.  if i leave the cupboard door adjar then light will get in with sunlight but if the door is closed for say 2 days is it better the have the light on or off?

Will the rabbit need attention every day?

if i care for the rabbit will he sit with me on the sofa while i’m watching tv or playing computer games?

Thanks

`¬Phenz

 

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Hello and Welcome!!

*Your area you are thinking of sounds like where my bunnies are…Yes I would *definitely* fit it with lino, its very hard to clean pee out of carpet and any one can have accidents…I would also recommend buying some of those wire cubes you see on here, to make a door for your cupboard, I will include a picture of my set up so you can see what I mean

*Do you think there will be excess noise or just a little? If its not too loud or constant your bunny should get used to it, but remember bunnies are frightened by loud noises!

*a light should be fine for them…Is there an outlet in the room? My bunnies have a nightlight as well, so that they can sleep but still navigate if they want to get up and play…Bunnies are diurnal so that means they are most active in the morning and late evening.

*Yes, bunnies need attention AND time out of their cage EVERY day!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Sorry it’s actually a video that shows our "door"

 

Here ya go!

 

http://s213.photobucket.com/albums/cc181/kokaneeandkuhluha/?action=view&current=MVI_0321.flv

 

 

 

[Phenz]

If their in their own room which will effectvely be their cage with a huge running space will that not be enough exercise for them?

[Gravehearted]

hi Phenz,

welcome to binky bunny! it is great that you’re asking questions before bringing a bunny into your home.
rabbits are very social animals, they really like to be around their families. I don’t think living in a dark cupboard under the stairs sounds like a very happy place for a bunny, it sounds isolated, dark and lonely. I would recommend looking into some kind of living arrangement where he can be a part of your family. I think if it were open up somehow, the space might be able to work – but it sounds like you’re describing a enclosed dark space.

rabbits do need lots of attention and out time every day to play, run and develop a bond with their people. rabbits often like to be low and hopping on the ground. my bunnies sometimes hop on the couch to visit, but don’t usually hang out for long periods of time with us.

bunnies are not a low maintainence kind of pet, they need care – supervision during their out time, you’ll need to buy fresh veggies 1 – 2 times a week and such.

please let us know about any other questions you may have

[babybunsmum]

welcome

the space you describe sounds like a great sized ‘warren’ for a bunny, but i agree with gravehearted… since bunnies love to socialize & interact, you’d still need to let the bun out to explore & hang out with you.  the more your bunny sees & hears you. the more socialized & hapy they’ll be.  so if the space you describe is in a room where you’d spend time (like a basement rec room) then the set-up may work well if you use a door like in kokanee&kaluha’s video.  if the space is in a basement used only for storage / utilities, it would probably be too isolated for a bun. 

[Phenz]

If i got 2 rabbits would that make a difference to the attention needed?

the cupboard under the stairs isn’t as dark and dingy and harry potter esque as you might think.  The door can be open all the time as its just the oven and grill thats behind it and it doesn’t really get used that much.  Its in the most used part of the house, ie. next to the fridge, freezer, sink, hob, snacks etc so it will get a lot of attention.  the kitchen is bunny proof so can be let out but there is probably more floor space in the cupboard than in the kitchen.

There would be light shining in to most of the room but i was just curious how he bunny would cope being in the dark.

 

112153486171.jpg

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

hrmm…Are you really busy? I am wondering how much time you think you could give a bunny?
I am just wondering why you want a bunny, when it seems like what you are saying is you don’t have much time for one! Is that the case? How much time do you think you could spend with your bunny?

[Sarita]

I don’t think that living arrangement would be suitable for any animal. It sounds dark and lonely and unhealthy. Rabbits need some light just like you and I do.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Hi Phenz,  I really hate to discourage anyone from rescuing a bunny but it also has to be going to the right home and living in the right conditions with the right family.  From what you describe, unfortunately the space you have illustrated is not suitable for a rabbit.  While it is not Harry Potter-esque, it is not appropriate for any animal to be living in.  I am very glad that you are asking a lot of good questions before-hand. 

I think a much better idea would be to consider a cage in your room or living area (like a NIC condo-check out the COOL HABITATS section).  As was mentioned earlier, rabbits like to be in the middle of the social scene with humans and placing your rabbit in that space is not only inhumane but very isolated and your rabbit will not be so friendly and sit with you on the couch and perhaps won’t come out and you will not know when your rabbit is sick and needs to be taken to the vet.  Are you also prepared for an emergency and to take your rabbit to an exotics vet?  Is there one nearby?  This can be expensive so you might want to call them and get an idea of how much an annual exam is and a spay or neuter costs. 

Most rabbits do not like to be picked up and forcing them to have time with you on the couch is not something that one should do.  You should also know that rabbits love to mark territory with pee and poo, especially on the couch so a lot of training, patience and getting your rabbit fixed would have to be a priority. 

Are you prepared to let your rabbit live in the space of your bedroom or living room (if not perhaps another pet would be better)?  How about committing to 15 years of care for this one rabbit (rabbits are expensive pets)? Do you plan on going off to college? (Sorry I do not know your age but dorms and young life in general are not well-suited to having a house rabbit.) Is anyone in your house allergic to rabbits or hay (people who are not allergic to cats are allergic to rabbits so get tested before-hand)?  Can you give at least 4 hours of supervised out-time? Does the place you live in allow pets? Do you have expendable income so you can properly care for your rabbit?

I know these are a lot of questions and I urge you to take more time and think about this decision and also take a look at this discussion as well:

https://binkybunny.com/Default.aspx?tabid=54&forumid=2&tpage=1&view=Topic&postid=22218

These are also some great places here to check out on Binky Bunny if you haven’t already:

COOL HABITATS

BUNNY INFO

Of course if you have more questions, please ask, we’re here to help.

[JK]

I must say I have to agree with the advice you are getting from everyone.  Rabbits are highly social animals and your anticipated arrangement does not sound good.  Ideally this rabbit should be a part of the family, just like a cat or a dog. Rabbits are a tremendous amount of work, more than cats or dogs in my opinion. I was a little overwhelmed by this when I first got mine.  I’m not sure either what your reasons are for wanting a rabbit but please think carefully about this decision.  Also, check the links above under Bunny Info for the things you will need and the care and maintenance of a rabbit.

[babybunsmum]

nice sketch!  it’s too bad the space under the stairs isn’t completely open to the living room.   it would definitely be too isolated and not practical at all for keeping clean.  with that layout i’d also strongly recommend building a rabbit condo for your living room.  you can design the condo to suit your space & build it up higher with levels, so it’s not taking up a huge chunck of you floor space.  it’s probably disappointing to find out your original idea isn’t going to work, but i really don’t think that set-up would do at all.  what others have mentioned is true. 

the reason rabbit condos work really well is that they give buns a spot all of their own, but allow lots of air circulation & light & a view of whats going on around them.  plus… and this is really important… it allows for you to open up a door or two for access to clean up properly (rabbits need lots of cleaning up after!) and to get the bunny out as needed for health maintenance & vet visits.  there are loads of condo designs on this site with endless possibilities AND a lot of people here have great tips for building it very cost efficiently! 

[MooBunnay]

Hello Phenz!

Thank you for taking the time to ask questions before adopting a rabbit – it shows a lot of consideration for the animal I think that something people generally don’t realize with rabbits being a smaller animal is that they have the same needs as dogs and cats – the need for socialization, the need to be part of the family etc. If you had a dog or a cat would you be comfortable keeping them in that area? – I would consider that and keep that in mind when deciding where you would keep a bunny. Keeping the rabbit in a part of the house where people generally wouldn’t be sitting or hanging out with the bunny could be very sad for the bunny. I work full time and have 7 rabbits, and to make sure I address their attention needs I have two that live in my bedroom, and 5 live in my living room (in various condos) so that I’m always hanging out with a bunny

Also – a concern about the kitchen is that most rabbits (well, I’m speaking from experience with my rabbits) hate the smell of things cooking. I used to live in a smaller apartment so many of my bunnies were near the kitchen because the living room was connected to it. If I even turned ON the oven they would *thump* and freak out and try to hide in corners in their cage, so I don’t think that’s really an ideal place for them.

[Beka27]

Posted By knowltons4 on 01/21/2008 3:25 PM

I must say I have to agree with the advice you are getting from everyone.  Rabbits are highly social animals and your anticipated arrangement does not sound good.  Ideally this rabbit should be a part of the family, just like a cat or a dog. Rabbits are a tremendous amount of work, more than cats or dogs in my opinion. I was a little overwhelmed by this when I first got mine.  I’m not sure either what your reasons are for wanting a rabbit but please think carefully about this decision.  Also, check the links above under Bunny Info for the things you will need and the care and maintenance of a rabbit.

hello… welcome to the site.  i love that you are taking time to get information before getting a rabbit.  to many people the decision is an impulsive one, and they don’t realize all that is involved.

i agree with what everyone has said so far.  but i particularly like what knowltons said about the cat and dog comparison.  to take that a bit further, as the number 3 top housepet, people often times like to compare rabbits to cats and dog, saying a rabbit is like one or another.  rabbits are completely unique, but can show some characteristics of both.  for example, they thrive on attention like dogs and need plenty of space to play, and in most case when altered, they are meticulously clean like cats and can be litter trained.  also, they are costly to care for, not just for vet care but for food costs as well, as they need fresh veggies every day.  if you do not have the money, time, and open space for a dog or cat, i don’t think a rabbit is the right pet for you, at least not right now.

[BinkyBunny]

I really ditto on the discouragement of keeping your bunny in the cupboard (just saying that sentence sounds strange), anyway, IF the cupboard opened to the the living room, and if there was a way to have it open with a pen or cage like face, then it could be a possibility, but the way it is now would not be beneficial for the bunny for all the reasons stated above as well as the fact that fresh air would be needed since a litterbox would be in there. The amonia of urine would not be good for a bunny. Usually a litterbox is out in the open with airflow or a covered litterbox is just for entry and exit – a bunny doesn’t live in there. So if a bunny was stuck in in a place without air flow, this would not be healthy.

Also, most bunnies are very sensitive to loud noises. Jack freaks out when we do the dishes, or get out the pots and pans and he’s in a whole nother room.

If you still think that the place gets enough air flow, etc etc, and we’re still not fully getting the picture even with the drawing, could you take a few pictures and post them?

[Spacehopper]

I agree with what everyone else has said, and my main concern from what you have said is having the "door closed for 2 days…and will the rabbit need attention every day"????

[Author]

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