# Advice on getting house rabbits!



## Kirsty2008 (May 27, 2008)

Hi all,

I've just joined Pet Forums and am looking for advice on whether to get two house bunnies or not?! I had a bunny for eight years but he lived in a hutch and now I have moved to a first floor flat I was thinking of getting two to have indoors as I really miss having a pet around! I have looked up the info but I was wondering if anyone can give me advice from first hand experience of owning house rabbits?! My main concerns are:

Will they chew my furniture (I know I need to cover up wires but what about doors, skirting boards etc)

Will they be bored as myself and my partner are out for 9-10 hours a day

Will the litter trays smell!

Any advice you are able to provide would be great!

Many Thanks,

Kirsty


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## Kat28 (Mar 19, 2008)

Hi Kirsty

Have a look on this site.Rabbits United Forum - Powered by vBulletin. I have found this site useful for rabbit information as well as getting it from here


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## louise1985 (May 27, 2008)

We have a lovely house rabbit in our first floor flat. He doesn't smell at all although he makes lots of sawdust mess on the carpet and we have to hoover every day when we get home from work.

A warning though - house rabbits eat everything! He chews and bits on the walls, lamps we have on the floor, books you leave on the floor! Anything that they can get their teeth into!

He is lovely though and is nice to have around, we get much more out of him than if he was just in a cage in the garden as he loves running around the flat and jumping and he wouldn't get to do that normally.

I hope this helps!


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## crofty (May 2, 2008)

Hiya yes have a look on rabbits united.

If you get a rescue adult rabbit they will do much less damage, young rabbits are hormonal and naughty!! You have to put up with them until they are spayed. Unspayed buns are diificult to litter train. If you are out for 9-10 hours day you would really need 2 buns so they keep eachother company rabbits are very sociable. All wires need to be covered, they will use the litter tray however will do the odd poo's which are hovered up... litter trays i changed them everyday in the house, they smell much less than cats!!! I use wood based litter which is safe for buns and the best i found. Skirting boards, wallpaper, carpet are all in danger of being chewed, however my buns dont, i have spent a small fortune on toys and when they were unsupervised they were in their own room which had no carpet and was safe.

I have just recently moved them outside, i rescued them as babies over the winter so kept them in until the weather was right and they were big enough and fluffy enough!! They are in a shed now in a huge run and hutch and another massive run outside.

What i will say is they need alot of attention and patience, they are expensive and time consuming but very worth it!!! 

If you get a young adult pair from a rescue they can advice you what their buns are like and which ones they have that would make suitable housebuns. There are lots on the above website  They will also be spayed and up to date with vaccinations.

examples of house bunny housing

House Bunny Housing - Rabbits United Forum

Pics of house buns and some advice!

House bunny pics requested please - for RSPCA - Rabbits United Forum


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## Kirsty2008 (May 27, 2008)

Thanks everyone for the advice. I wasn't planning on getting an indoor cage for my bunnies, the plan was to shut them in our spare room (which has no carpet) during the day and then let them have the run of the flat when we are around during the evenings and weekends. I will also buy them lots of things to chew to hopefully stop them chewing furniture! I was also thinking of buying a foldable indoor run so I suppose they could be kept in that during the day but Id rather let them have the run of the spare room! We would love to rescue two bunnies but we want them quite young, no older than a year, can anyone recommend certain breeds that make good house bunnies? We would like a breed that is relatively laid back and loves being handled! (We'd love to have bunnies that like to hop on our laps while were watching tv!) I really like Dutch and Lion Heads and I had a Dwarf Lop for 8 years.


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## louise1985 (May 27, 2008)

We have an indoor cage for our bunny - he rarely goes in it though we just find it usefull for some occasions like when we have guests round that don't like pets or when we are doing the hoovering! It is also useful for him to use as an additional litter tray!

Our rabbit is a Lionhead and he is beautiful - I would definately recoomend this type of rabbit as he is relatively small and very friendly, plus it is nice to have a rabbit that is slightly different looking! Although he is very fluffy he does not molt or leave any mess in our flat at all!


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## crofty (May 2, 2008)

Kirsty2008 said:


> Thanks everyone for the advice. I wasn't planning on getting an indoor cage for my bunnies, the plan was to shut them in our spare room (which has no carpet) during the day and then let them have the run of the flat when we are around during the evenings and weekends. I will also buy them lots of things to chew to hopefully stop them chewing furniture! I was also thinking of buying a foldable indoor run so I suppose they could be kept in that during the day but Id rather let them have the run of the spare room! We would love to rescue two bunnies but we want them quite young, no older than a year, can anyone recommend certain breeds that make good house bunnies? We would like a breed that is relatively laid back and loves being handled! (We'd love to have bunnies that like to hop on our laps while were watching tv!) I really like Dutch and Lion Heads and I had a Dwarf Lop for 8 years.


Sounds ideal, dutch are usually quite highly strung, they have strong personalities! There are loads of buns under a year old in rescues, already bonded pairs which save you the hassle and possible diasters with bonding. Now my buns are spayed and bonded they are a jo but it was very stressful!!

As for cuddly buns, they arent really cuddly animals, some are great though, my joey loves to be stroked and fussed over with you on the floor at his level. A rescue will be able to advice you on the buns personality so you get the right match. Just have a look at the beautiful buns on Rabbit Rehome - Adopt an unwanted bunny from a rescue centre ive been tempted to get more soooo many times!!  In the rabbits in need section on the forum there are loads of people that run rescues or foster buns and advertise buns there. If you see a bun you like thats too far away people are very good at sorting bunny runs, doing different stretches of the journey to help you out. I rescued bunnies from a nasty man on here that way, he was 4 hours drive from me!

Theres no particular breed that makes the perfect house rabbit, its really the personality of the bun and the background, very young unspayed bunnies will chew and wee where they shoulded!


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