Garage housing?

[Wolf]

The garage doesn’t have any cars in it. Just like a lawn mower and some of my mom’s wood working tools. It’s the coldest place in the summer and fairly warm in the winter. Would it be okay to house a rabbit in here? The other option would be in the backyard with our three pet chickens 

[caillou]

I’m always a fan of a roof over the rabbit’s head as opposed to the outdoors. However, if the rabbit is in the garage when will you spend time with it and how much social time will it get? Will you give it run of the whole garage and if not, how big will its enclosure be and how often will it be given roam time? Just a few important things to consider because bunnies are very social creatures that need lots of time to play!

[Wolf]

the rabbit will get around 2 hours Monday, Tuesday, and Friday, like 5 hours Wednesday and Thursday, and the weekend depends. He/she will have a 3×2 dog crate for her water/food and an x-pen attached. Also all the time above is how much free roam/social time he’ll get. Does this sound okay?

[Bunny House]

Is there anyway to house the bunny inside in a pen? Then he can get interaction all the time when you’re home and not be lonely in a garage. You can also get him a friend to bond with with the appropriate bonding steps.

[Wolf]

The garage is attached to the house… but not really. I just want to know if the garage would be better than outside. I want to know if it’s okay before I try to convince my parents. My mom is allergic and they are still convinced “it stinks”. Also the hours I put above is all the time I’m home ?

[sarahthegemini]

I think the garage (w/o vehicles in) would be better than outside but it’s still not ideal. Rabbits are social and need a lot of interaction. And honestly 2 hours a day (which you said would be the case for Monday, Tuesday & Friday) isn’t really adequate – I think your rabbit would be incredibly lonely. Plus they need more than 2 hours exercise time.

[Wolf]

My mom is just so done with the idea of a rabbit anywhere other than our backyard right now ?what pets can live indoors that don’t require hay? not a hamster or a rat tho because my mom “doesn’t like their tails”

[sarahthegemini]

There are tons of animals that can be housed indoors. Hamsters (they don’t have noticeable tails btw), gerbils, degus, hedgehogs, reptiles etc. I don’t really know of other species’ dietary requirements tho, you can google and find out. Do you not yet have the rabbit then??

[Wolf]

No I don’t have a rabbit, we’re planning on getting one in the spring when it warms up a bit. But thanks maybe my mom will consider a hamster

[DanaNM]

Hi Wolf,

I’m very happy to see you were considering the happiness and safety of the pet before getting one. It does sound like a rabbit might not be the best pet for you right now, especially since your parents are not very excited about it. If any medical care was needed, they would have to pay for it, and there have been other young members on the forum who have had a very hard time with their bunnies needs and their parents…

I know it can be tough to convince parents…. my own parents wouldn’t let my rabbit inside either when I was growing up.

A guinea pig might be an option… they are still complex little creatures that still require social time, space, and proper diet (which includes hay), but you might be able to accommodate one inside more easily.

Is your mom allergic to hay? Or she just doesn’t like the mess it makes? If it’s just the mess, the Oxbow stacks might be a good solution… they are a bit more expensive than other hay options, but less messy.

I’ll also say that a lot of the “stink” people associate with rabbits are because people either don’t clean the cage/box often enough, they use a poor substrate for bedding, and/or the rabbit is not neutered. With any pet, it will be important for you to clean the cage frequently enough that it doesn’t smell.

But yes, I agree with other that a garage is better than outside, but not great, since you will not be able to spend very much time with him, and he would likely be very lonely.

When you think of your ideal pet, what would you like to do with it? Are you thinking you want something to cuddle and hold, or play with, or just to admire it’s behavior and apperance? I think that might be a better starting point for pet ownership and you will end up happier, than just “what will my mom allow”, even if it means you can’t have that pet right away.

. . . 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.  

[Wolf]

Thanks! My mom is allergic to hay, but I don’t think it would matter at all in the garage. Guinea pig’s diet seems a little complicated vegetable wise. I wanted a hamster before a rabbit, but my mom is a little scared of rodents… ?but I think I can get her to agree

[Author]

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