Hello!

[Larissa]

Hi! I’m a vegan looking to adopt a rabbit or a furry friend of that sort. But the problem is I am going to college in two years, though I do not know where yet. I have had my heart set on getting a baby guinea pig or rabbit for years now and finally my parents seem to be considering it.

I have a large amount of money set aside and am thinking of applying for a job at an organic food store, so discounted veggies! 

Would it be possible for me to manage college and a rabbit? I can get an apartment so that isn’t that much of a problem. Would a single guinea pig be better suited for this? Or should I just suck it up and get a hamster. I really want a pet that is rewarding and affectionate. I am also dealing with emotional issues and I think a pet could really help. Thanks for your help!

[Kayle]

I’m homeschooled, still in high school and I’m 16. I’m doing school work pretty much 24/7 so I can graduate early. I can still make time for my bun I usually let him run about while I study. As long as you don’t mind being a bit busy I think you could manage! Having a furry friend for company when your in school is the best thing I think lol :p

[IsabellaRobyn]

I’m at college, I’m 18 and at the moment I’m finding it pretty easy to manage both a rabbit and school. The only thing I would say though is don’t expect to be able to go out over the weekends or regularly have nights out if you don’t have someone that you know will look after your rabbit properly. I’m finding it a little difficult to go and stay with my boyfriend because I feel bad leaving Belle at home in her cage for more than a day (my mum feeds her when I’m gone but doesn’t really play with her).

If you were going to get your own place to stay I would be aware of the costs of a rabbit because it is probably higher than you are expecting. They go through hay so quickly so you’re constantly buying new bags which can actually be pretty pricey not to mention the price of veggies and pellets. You then need to consider all of this on top of your rent from only a part time job. It all adds up really fast. Also in terms of living alone that puts even more stress on the idea of not being able to go out for more than a night away from your rabbit as you won’t have someone there to feed or water your rabbit while you are gone.

If you want a pet that will be rewarding I wouldn’t suggest getting a hamster. They are really sweet and everything but I feel they are far more disconnected than a rabbit and in my experience you don’t really form a relationship with a hamster, it just kind of tolerates you. That being said I have experienced a hamster than would lie down in its owners hand and just let you pet it but I’m pretty sure it was disabled and had suffered a few strokes by that point. Also in terms of emotional support hamsters die pretty quickly after you get them whereas a rabbit can live up to or above ten years.

If you do get a rabbit I’ll look forward to reading more updates from you on here and if you have any questions in the mean time don’t hesitate to ask the forum! Welcome to BB.

[Larissa]

Thanks for the replies I have two weeks until I would like a solid decision but so far rabbits seem like the best choice. I’m hoping to go down to the SPCA and interact with the rabbits and guinea pigs there and go from there

[FrankieFlash]

Hi and welcome. I’m so glad you are doing your research ahead of time. I think the SPCA is a great place to look for a rabbit but be prepared that not all of them spay/neuter so you might have that cost to look forward to. If you get an adult rabbit though, they tend to be less destructive and already have a set personality so you can choose a personality to match yours.

As for the college thing. It really depends what your plans for college are. If you’re going to a 4 year university and want to live in dorms, a rabbit isn’t the best choice because it most likely wouldn’t be allowed in the dorms and would have to stay with your parents and thats not ideal for anyone. If you will be living at home or on your own it is definitely do-able. Just remember the rabbit is YOUR responsibility so you can’t always stay overnight at friends house or go out partying all the time. I’m 21 and live with my boyfriend while going to college. Bunjamin is out when we are home but if I didn’t work from home he would be locked up all the time which isn’t fair. Rabbits need 4+ hours a day of run time so consider that in your plans. Also it is ideal that they have 4×4 foot housing, more if they are a bigger breed so keep that in mind too.

I hope I could help without rambling too much!

[Deleted User]

I just wanted to say welcome! I am actually a college student and work about 20hrs on top of a full course load. I am not going to say that it’s been totally easy. Having a rabbit is a lot of responsibility. I don’t really go out and spend late nights at friends houses or in general because she likes to be out at night. And being a responsible bun parent I can not deprive her of her time out. It works out though because I’m a bit of a homebody after long work hours and tons of homework I would rather be at home instead of out. There is also a lot of cost that goes into having a pet rabbit. A whole lot more than what goes into having a pet dog or cat. I would definitely recommend getting an adult rabbit. The cost of spaying/neutering can be expensive. Not to mention it can be nerve racking to get your bun fixed. Frankie Flash brings up some really good points that need to be considered too.

[jerseygirl]

Hi Larissa, welcome to bb.

Good for you for considering this so carefully. Everyone has given great advice and covered a lot.

One of the good things about rabbits is they sleep for a good part of the day. This often works well with people schedules as the rabbit is more interactive when they’re at home. Also, one feels less worry about leaving it or concern its lonely because they’re just going to be sleeping. Rabbits really like routine and adapt to their human caregivers routine.

I’m hoping to go down to the SPCA and interact with the rabbits and guinea pigs there and go from there

Great! I think meeting adult rabbits is the way to go. Baby rabbits are super adorable but you don’t always know what you are going to get personality wise. When they reach puberty it can be challenging and then their adult self may be a bit more standoffish then what were like when babies.
Viewing the adult rabbits, you’ll get more an idea if their true characters. You’ll get to know which tolerate or even like being held. Most rabbits don’t like this. We have to learn to interact on their terms but its very rewarding once we figure them out.

I am also dealing with emotional issues and I think a pet could really help.

Definitely. They are therapeutic. I think most animals are. Getting a rabbit helped me. I think a dog or something would have too but it was a rabbit I fell for.

Hope this helps. Whether you decide rabbit or guineapig, I do recommend looking at the shelters.
Alternatively, consider fostering or pet sitting to see how either animal fits into your college life.

[LoveChaCha]

Hello there!

I’m a fellow full time college student at a local community college, work part time, and also live at home. I will definitely say that rabbits are therapeutic! That is the reason that I got my bunny. They really steal your heart from you. As the others have mentioned above, it is a good thing to think of the welfare of the rabbit and what type of college you will go to. I do not know if some college dorms will allow animals, but if you commute to a community college and live at home, I see no issue with that.

After a while, you develop a routine as you get to know your bunny. You make some schedule changes. My bunny does not like when I am not home by 9 pm. She demands her veggies at 9:30 sharp or she starts thumping and nudging me!

The choice is yours and I hope that you can fit a rabbit into your life

[Author]

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