Hay allergies

[Wolf]

So my mom is allergic to almost everything natural and I want to buy a bag of timothy hay to see if she is allergic to it. I do not have a rabbit yet and was wondering what to do with the hay after figuring out if she is allergic or not. Second, my mom thinks that rabbits should only be kept outside. She refuses to believe that rabbits don’t smell. We are going to get a rabbit to live outside in the spring. I don’t think a rabbit should be kept outside, so any advice on convincing her would be appreciated! 

To sum this up:

What can I do with extra hay?

How can I convince my mom to let me keep a rabbit indoors?

[kurottabun]

Do you know anyone with rabbits? You could get the hay from someone or maybe even a farm instead of buying a bag of it just for testing purposes. Also, there are many different kinds of hay so if your mom is indeed allergic to timothy hay, other grass hay options you could eventually try out are orchard grass, oat hay etc. The dust in hay could also trigger allergies not not necessarily the hay type itself.

Domestic rabbits are unlike wild rabbits and do not adapt well to the outdoors. They are extremely fragile and sensitive animals, so the noise level outdoors and other elements like the weather (thunderstorms etc) can easily make them scared or even go into gut stasis, which can be fatal. If you are still under your parents’ care, it is extremely important that they understand and agree to the commitment required to have a bunny. It’s not easy and can also be expensive.

Rabbits don’t smell; only their pee does. If you clean their living quarters regularly you wouldn’t be able to smell anything except maybe the smell of hay. I recommend reading the BUNNY INFO section to learn more and even get your mom to read it if you can

[sarahthegemini]

I *think* timothy hay is the one people are most commonly allergic too. Rabbits can have any grass hay, so timothy, oat, orchard and meadow are great choices so if your Mum does have allergies to the timothy, there’s other options How about going to a rescue centre with your Mum to see if the hay sparks a reaction? Rather than buying some and being out of pocket. Although you could donate the hay if you buy it and can’t use it.

Rabbits definitely don’t smell. Only their litter tray has an odour but I mean, it IS a toilet after all. If you clean litter trays regularly (I change mine daily) then there really won’t be any gross scent. You might be able to smell the hay but it’s just grass, so it’s not unpleasant. Maybe her going to a shelter will help her realise this too?

[LBJ10]

Is your mom allergic to any animals? There is always that possibility too, since you said she is allergic to anything “natural”.

[Wolf]

Thank you for your replies, I know this has been a while, I didn’t get any emails so I just assumed no one replied. Cost definitely isn’t an issue. Any time I try to pay for anything, or go for something cheaper than something else, my mom says “No just get this, it’s fine”. (Sorry for run on sentence). My mom is allergic to anything that sheds too. There are no farms near me, or rescue shelters, and none of my friends have any rabbits, so I think I will just ask her to leave open a bag of orchard grass in the basement (where the rabbit would stay) and see if it bothers her. Its like 3 bucks for a tiny bit of hay which is all I need, so it will be fine. Thanks for your help!

[Author]

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