Looking at getting a rabbit

[Gracie Yoda]

Hi there 🙂 I am new here and looking at getting a rabbit after Christmas as lots of people dump rabbits or need to Rehome after the Christmas impulse 😔

It will be free roamed and have lots of research done on it before I make any Commitments, I have owned two rabbits previously Harry and Ginger so know a quite a bits about rabbits as I really like to do lots of research about my pets before I get them 🙂

I also own some guinea pigs Norman and Barnabas who are my children the rabbit will be in the same room is them but not in the same cage will that be ok

 

any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated thanks 😊

[Wick & Fable]

Guinea pigs and rabbits do need to be housed completely separately with no interactions — that is the most cautious and safe approach as not only are there behavioral concerns, but there are bacterial/illness-related concerns re: guinea pigs and rabbits, despite some images on social media showing them co-habitating. A quote from RWAF: “Guinea pigs should never live with rabbits as they can be at risk of injury from kicking, mounting and aggressive behaviour. Rabbits also carry bacteria called Bordetella which can be fatal to a guinea pig if caught. It is very outdated to keep both together – it was seen as an easy option in the past, as owners knew the animals should have a friend and vets were not as keen to neuter. It seemed to be common place to keep them together, it would have caused stress to both animals and is poor welfare for both animals as they have no way of communicating with one another.”

Something to note: If you did not bond/did not need to bond Harry and Ginger, keep in mind that owning multiple rabbits does require a formal bonding process somewhere along the line, whether that is adopting an already bonded pair or you bond two singles yourself — the (probably arbitrary) estimation is 5% of bonds are “instant bonds”, 5% “never work”, and the remaining 90% will work, but someone has to take the couple of weeks to months to bond them, and it takes a process outlined here: https://binkybunny.com/infocategory/bonding/

Depending on when/how you kept Harry and Ginger, there may be some changes in practices to consider. Please explore our RABBIT INFO section for information on the recommended diet and housing for rabbits: https://binkybunny.com/house-rabbit-information/

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.

[DanaNM]

Welcome! It’s great that you are doing your research, and wonderful that you are thinking of rescuing.

I think my biggest tip of a free-roam bun would be to start out with a pen-set up, so your bun has an area that is just “theirs” with their hay, litter box, water bowl, a hide, and some toys. It helps the bun to settle in to have them confined to the pen for a few days to a week, depending on the bun’s temperament (they will usually let you know when they are ready to explore). Once they are comfortable with their pen and their litter box habits are in order, you can start allowing them to explore a bunny proofed area. It can also help to start smaller with this, and gradually increase the amount of space and the amount of time they are allowed to roam. This will help you make sure your bunny-proofing is up to par, and help with litter training.

Some buns are not good candidates for 100% free roam, because they find ways to get themselves into trouble no matter how well you bunny-proof. That’s why the pen set-up is great, because the bun can be contained when they aren’t supervised. Most bunnies who get ample exercise think of their pen (or condo) as their burrow and really do enjoy resting in their safe space.

. . . 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.  

[DanaNM]

I realize this is a little bit of an old post now, but for a bit more info regarding guinea pigs and rabbits, it would most likely be fine to have them in the same room as long as they aren’t in the same cage or directly interacting. You also probably wouldn’t want them in side-by-side pens.  Transmission of Bordetella is typically from prolonged close contact with the guinea (where they are breathing on each other and aerosols are being inhaled). You’d also want to always wash your hands between interacting with each species, and practice good sanitation practices with their bedding.

. . . 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.  

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