Possible bunny (question)

[Collie101]

Hello,

First off, I would just like to say that I am new here so I’m sorry If this isn’t the place for this question, although I can’t figure out another place to put it. Also, I haven’t done much research on rabbits yet, so if I might happen to say something 100% off, please bear with me.  Okay, so on to the question! I am interested in getting a rabbit for pet purposes, but there is one possible holdback. Our family has a beagle. Now obviously, beagles hunt all sorts of animals, rabbits included. The only reason that I would be considering getting a rabbit given my circumstances(although I have wanted one for several years), is because I have gerbils. They do stay in a tank and she(beagle)doesn’t really look at them/notice them much/do anything about them. I know that rabbits stay in a cage or pen thing and not a tank, so it makes it more dangerous. I am extremely careful about keeping the dog away from my gerbils, but they really aren’t exciting to her. I was wondering if there would be any way that I could successfully keep a rabbit in the same household as a beagle, or if it would be too dangerous. I don’t want to cause any stress, danger, or harm to a rabbit, so if nobody thinks that it would be okay i’ll hold off. Sorry that was so long!! Thank you so much for reading, and if I didn’t explain anything properly i’ll be happy to.

AceFC

[LBJ10]

Well, I think it would depend on the dog and the rabbit. Obviously, a dog with a really high prey drive is going to be a problem. But a dog that is more indifferent toward small furry animals would be okay. Some training might be needed, but I know many dogs that can get along with a bunny just fine. Same thing goes for bunny. If a bunny is really skittish and shy, then an introduction to a dog might be quite stressful. Laid back bunnies tend not to be afraid though. Both of my rabbits have no fear. They will approach my dog and sniff her. Then they hop away. My poor dog, she wants them to play with her but they aren’t interested. She will whine and wag her tail. She knows not to chase them though.

[LBJ10]

I will also add that most people here on BB do not have bunnies that are kept in a cage or pen 24/7, letting their bunnies out for extended periods of time to play and whatnot. Some people here even have free-range bunnies. If you are worried about your dog, perhaps you could have the bunny out to play in a room where the door could be shut or a baby gate could be put up.

[lozzkate]

i would also suggest keeping the rabbit in a different room from the dog. it also depends on where you want to keep the rabbit. my three are outdoor rabbits and my dad build a four level hutch inside a shed with a pen attached to the outside so if you have a garden there’s an idea for you. if you want an indoor rabbit just put a gate up and make sure your dog knows that that room is a no go area. cant you get toys now that are rabbits that hop around? if that makes sense. perhaps get one of those and see what your dog does to it might help you decide on getting a new rabbit.

hope my ramble helps 

[Megabunny]

Yup. No guarantees but I will add that I have an American Eskimo that is very aggressive toward other animals including crows that have the nerve to fly over sometimes. However, after a long time ( long, like, maybe a year) I found that he realized somehow the rabbits are part of the family and are off limits and I can trust him with the rabbits, though I wouldn’t unattended for long stretches. In fact, my big guy actually grunts and pushes his way past the dog, who’s, like, “what just happened?” Another friend found her HUGE hound following the hamster around one day. Somehow he just knew it was not a mouse to be eaten. So if your beagle is basically nice, maybe you’ll be ok in time, though it may take an accidental introduction to confirm/not this idea. That’s how I first figured it out. Face it. If you have them in the same house, there’s always the likelihood that the rabbit will escape or something. But definitely do NOT get a pet rabbit in the house unless you can plan some running time. They need to stretch those little bunny legs

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