Worried about bringing bun to college

[Lumberrybun]

I am so excited for college, but one of my main concerns is my bun being safe. Whenever I think about going, I always worry about him getting hurt, or my room mate not treating him well. I will be fortunate enough to have my own room, and a shared living room, so he will have enough space to play. All of his dietary necessities will be met as well, I just have so many irrational fears about something happening to him. Has anyone ever brought a bun to college? Should I be so worried?

[Deleted User]

It all really depends on what measures you take to make him safe.

Most people that have never had rabbits do not understand their needs. They are prey animals, so they are prone to stress. Loud noises, (such as parties) being picked up and held, introduced to new people all the time, etc. are all things that will cause your rabbit to be stressed.

You would need to explain to your room-mates these things about rabbits. Ask them to please be courteous with noise level and do not try to pick up your rabbit. When you are not home, can you lock your room door and keep bun in the room?

[Lumberrybun]

I can definitely talk to whoever my roommate is, and I’m really hoping I will be able to find someone sensitive to animals in advance. I was planing on getting a lock on my door for when I was away.

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

My BF Bas lives in a house with 10 rooms, and many of his roommates had pets over the years varying from birds to bunnies to fish. He has owned rabbits on campus for over 8 years. His buns always stayed in the sleeping area of his room, where they could free-roam. At times he brought them down into the living room where they could join the rest of the house for movie night. His current rabbit Breintje lives at my place now, because he gets more interaction here.
His house isn’t extremely rowdy, but with 10 people you get noises like people playing instruments, music, people coming home drunk etc. Bas noticed that his rabbits adjusted to most of that quickly. It helps if the rabbit has a safe space where it can hide and feel comfy, like a hiding box.

Loud thumping music will be a problem, because rabbits communicate their distress via thumps. This is why I occasionally go to Bas’ house with Breintje: I live near a closed military base, and the terrain is used for hardcore music festivals at times. It makes everything in the neighbourhood vibrate, and Breintje was very distressed the first time when it happened. Every time we stay over at Bas’ place Breintje needs a bit of time to adjust to all the noises of the house, but he’ll be calm enough after a short while. It helps that he has his safe places and his humans around.

Before you move your rabbit, make sure that your campus allows pets. If they are allowed, bunny-proof well to make sure that you don’t get complaints. I doubt that Bas will get his whole deposit back, because Breintje chewed all the skirting boards in the bedroom. We’ll see when he moves out later this year…

[sarahthegemini]

Another thing to consider is whether your roommate/s have allergies to either bun or hay.

[Wick & Fable]

There are many unknown variables, and you seem set on bringing your pet, so what you want to seriously consider is the back up plan if keeping your rabbit there is not an option. Some things can be amended and fixed, but unruly dorm neighbors, especially louder days and nights due to campus events, fire alarms and dorm room inspections, and potential for visitors to poke and prod are all items that need to be considered, in addition to many others. College is one of the first times for many young adults to experience more independent living, thus, trash tends to build up, purchasing food and other items is put aside to finish assignments and hang out with friends, and throwing a rabbit in the mix may not always work. Additionally, rabbits need social attention and when entering college, you’ll get many bids or pressures to hang out, go to events, etc, so budgeting your time is important as well.

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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