What type of bunny?

[Bunnyw]

We are thinking of getting bunnies for our daughters birthday. Have no clue what type to get. Think lop…. but want something that isn’t going to grow too big!!! What are the smallest bunnies we can get? They will b living outside in the garden… is this ok for them during the winter? Are we better to get two? We have read if outside two are better so they have company.
And honestly….. how much work are they, and after the initial costs of setting up, how expensive are they to keep? Thanks!

[jerseygirl]

To get a better idea about rabbit ownership, start by reading some of the information here: BUNNY INFO

This site is more focused on having rabbits live indoors but there are some good resources around for setting up safe housing outdoors. 

I particularly like this site which covers indoor and outdoor housing: http://www.therabbithouse.com/

Another good one is this UK based site, http://rabbitwelfare.co.uk

Are you posting from the US or elsewhere? 

[Bladesmith]

If you’re going to get rabbits and keep them outdoors, then don’t get rabbits. Please. Rabbits are not like hamsters or rodents. They need to be inside, and have room to run and roam, and binky and be loved. Also, unless fixed, you’re going to have territorial issues, hormonal issues, and if differently sexed, baby issues.

The best thing is one rabbit, well researched beforehand, kept indoors with room to rabbit in.

Don’t mean to sound harsh, but what you’re suggesting is not whats best for a bunny.

[LittlePuffyTail]

Agree with Jersey. She gave you some great resources for researching rabbits. They are very much not pets for children. Some can make great family pets but the children should never be the primary caregiver. Rabbits are complicated animals and are not the “easy started pet” they are often thought to be. They are a lot of work, can be expensive to feed and need regular (and sometimes emergency) vet visits like cats or dogs. They also should be spayed or neutered.

Not trying to dissuade you, just want to make sure you research how much work/cost they are before jumping in. A lot of bunnies end up at shelters for this reason. And as Bladesmith mentions, rabbits should really be indoors. A hutch bunny can get hyper or hypothermia and become lonely and bored.

[Rain]

I wanted to add to what LPT said above about hyper/hypothermia. Many rabbits who live outdoors suffer from those, and many die too because of it. If you live in an area where the weather is often unstable, then it is best not to keep a rabbit, unless you let it live indoors.
If you want to get two rabbits, they both absolutely have to be spayed and neutered as a dog or cat would. This is when the animal goes through surgery and their reproductive organs are removed. Without this procedure, the females have a 60% chance of uterine cancer, and male rabbits are just a real handful when they are hormonal. Especially if you get two of different genders. They absolutely must be fixed in that case. And bonded. The procedures are both expensive, and more so for the females because they require a more invasive surgery. And the food costs are pretty expensive, along with veternary care and annual checkups. It does matter on the age a lot. And whether or not your child will be able to handle the responsibility. She should be at least thirteen (I’m 13 and I can handle one rabbit, but it’s a lot of work on a young person’s shoulders). If you are the ones taking care of it, you will have to provide it with AT LEAST four hours of excercise time, and three hours of love and attention every day. And if it lives outdoors, you need to choose a location that is well sheltered, and isn’t open to predators. Rabbits are one of the hardest pets to take care of, as they require a lot of love and attention, and are quite expensive.

The smallest breeds are netherland dwarfs. They grow to be two pounds (three if it is a false dwarf, because those are common with netherland dwarfs) and stay that size their entire life. But, they are prone to dental issues because of their facial structures, so that is something to think about.

[Deleted User]

Please keep in mind if you get rabbits that you need to take sole responsibility (which i am sure you would since you have come to a rabbit forum). Rabbits can be very expensive and can require many vet trips. Rabbits do better indoors in a pen and it would be beneficial to look up and research all the symptoms of illnesses they are prone to so you know when they are sick. Rabbits are preditoral animals and hide illness well!

In 6 months I had to shell out 3k on just one of my bunnies! 

[Azerane]

Hi there I think in some cases rabbits can live outside providing the climate is appropriate and accommodation sufficient. While I’m very much a supporter of having rabbits indoors as part of the family, I know that it’s not everybody’s cup of tea and I have seen some really nice outdoor setups. In Australia I would never keep buns outside because it gets too hot and rabbits are extremely susceptible to heat stroke. If you live somewhere like England or in milder parts of North America or similar where winters may get below zero but not hugely below freezing then I think it can be ok. Something like a timber shed set up with an attached run I think is a nice set up. Keep in mind that you will need to make your yard or run predator proof (foxes, cats, hawks, neighbourhood dogs, racoons, snakes etc depending where you live) can all pose a threat to bunnies kept outside.

For a more predator proof set up you could use something like a wood chicken coop and run. Keep in mind that you may need to insulate the shed/house part from the heat and cold, and the main area should be shaded as even an enclosed timber house can get much hotter on the inside when it’s in the sun on a mild day.

If you go to youtube and search for “rabbit shed tour” you’ll get a lot of ideas. I think a shed as a home base with a lockable catflap, then with a big aviary style run attached is the ideal setup for an outdoor rabbit. Though something smaller with more of the chicken coop style hutch and run would certainly work too providing it’s sufficiently protected from the elements.

For outdoor rabbits I would certainly recommend having two, they keep each other company and feel more secure when there is more than one. Keep in mind that rabbits can be difficult to bond and can’t simply be kept together from babies and have it work out. In this case it will actually benefit you to adopt a bonded, desexed adult pair from a rescue. You skip the tricky bonding process and the teenage hormones and simply have a pair that get along and that you know the personality of

While they are not a huge amount of work (more work inside keeping their area tidy from hay etc, that’s not as much of an issue outside), of course there is time spent feeding, grooming, sweeping up after them. If they are litter trained it makes it easier. General upkeep costs vary depending on what sort of access you have to feed stores selling hay. Hay should be 80% of their diet and if you have to buy bagged hay from a pet store the cost adds up extremely quickly. However if you have room to store a bale or compact bale of hay that you can get from a feed store, you can save a lot of money. So general upkeep isn’t too costly, however vet bills can be high because they are considered an exotic pet. Many general vets do not know a lot about rabbits so often specialists which can be more pricey are required to diagnose and treat illnesses.

Anyway, I think that’s all I had to add, I hope it helps

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