# Am i been cruel 2 my rabbit??



## xkeeleyx (Apr 3, 2009)

(its a long 1 but please give me any advice) hi, i need some advice... i have a female lop eared rabbit, and i couldnt ask for a better little girl. she is an house rabbit and as a very large hutch in my spare bedroom, a 2 floor one. because im at work alot sometimes i feel guilty that she is in her cage all day and only gets 2 come out for 20mins a day or some days not at all. i have considerd gettin rid of her but then it breaks my heart to think that she could go to the wrong home or to someone who wouldnt love or take care of her. she is always fed regularly and as fresh drinkin water so she is well looked after. im just worried about the length of time she is in her hutch some days. does anyone have any idea if there is a certain amount of time that they need to be out of their cage or whatever?


----------



## jilly40 (Oct 22, 2008)

aww i wouldnt have said so hun.lots of room n cuddles every night sounds k 2 me  x


----------



## xkeeleyx (Apr 3, 2009)

aww thanks, thats made me feel alot better, wouldnt want her 2 think i didnt love her, bless her.thanks again!x


----------



## toddy (Jan 24, 2009)

Sounds ok to me.
Obviously the more time with ou she spends the better but at least she is not at the bottom of a garden just forgotten like so many poor rabbits.


----------



## Lumpy (Jun 5, 2008)

Have you considered getting her a friend? I work long hours and have three bunnies. They play together, snuggle up and groom each other and I know they aren't lonely when I am at work. They're still affectionate with me when I am home but I think they get the best of both worlds.

From memory I think bunnies are social animals so may get lonely if they spend the majority of their time alone.

If I am wrong, I am sure someone more experienced will correct me


----------



## umber (Feb 15, 2009)

Lumpy said:


> Have you considered getting her a friend? I work long hours and have three bunnies. They play together, snuggle up and groom each other and I know they aren't lonely when I am at work. They're still affectionate with me when I am home but I think they get the best of both worlds.
> 
> From memory I think bunnies are social animals so may get lonely if they spend the majority of their time alone.
> 
> If I am wrong, I am sure someone more experienced will correct me


Great idea but then you have the issue of bonding them which can be a bit tricky!


----------



## kellyrich (Jan 8, 2009)

I would definitely consider getting another bun as she must be very lonely if she only sees you for 20 mins a day and sometimes not at all. Cant you give her free run of the room she is in?

If its easier you can get a rescue to do the bonding for you then its no hassle for you


----------



## frags (Feb 5, 2009)

hiya
if she is in a spare bedroom can you not bunny proof that room and close the door and let her run free in there all day with some toys, cardboard boxes and other little tunnel etc? she would be very happy with that.
my buns are outdoor buns but they get to go in the run for 3-4 hours each that has balls and boxes in and they love it.
tracey


----------



## xkeeleyx (Apr 3, 2009)

yes i have considered buying another one to keep her company, but when i went to the petshop she sed it may be difficult for them to bond. lily is quite large not and she does sometimes try to hump my oldest cat and the rabbit in the petshop was so tiny so was scared of her hurtin it. any tips on bonding 2 rabbits then?? would i want 2 girls and or a boy?


----------



## mimi g (Mar 10, 2009)

I think there is a rabbit rescue in Barnsley, so not to far from you. They will bond them for you and you can get a bunny the right age and size that has been neutered and had all its injections!

Look on here

Rabbit Rehome - Adopt an unwanted bunny from a rescue centre

xx


----------



## scosha37 (Feb 24, 2008)

No i dont think you are....

good advise from others.. welldone everyone...:thumbsup:


----------



## kellyrich (Jan 8, 2009)

xkeeleyx said:


> yes i have considered buying another one to keep her company, but when i went to the petshop she sed it may be difficult for them to bond. lily is quite large not and she does sometimes try to hump my oldest cat and the rabbit in the petshop was so tiny so was scared of her hurtin it. any tips on bonding 2 rabbits then?? would i want 2 girls and or a boy?


You would be better with girl and a boy to be honest!!

Sometimes its diffuclt but with two of mine it was love at first sight. As i said earlier and as Mimg has said if there is a rescue near you they will do it for you and find the perfect bun. But if you do it yourself you need to intriduce them on neutral territory where none of them have been before and slowly introduce them for say 3o mins at a time, unless of course it is love at first sight. There will probably be humping and scuffles but you shoudl only interere if they lock onto each other and run round in circles holding onto each other with their teeth! But sometimes you can never get a bond to work unfortunately!!


----------



## xkeeleyx (Apr 3, 2009)

descision made: im goin 2 either adopt another bunny or buy one, this will keep lily company when im not there!! thanks 4 ur advice..


----------



## crofty (May 2, 2008)

You sound a lovely person but to keep a bun in her hutch all the time im afraid is not good  if you get her a friend they still need lots of exercise time, most rescues wont rehome to someone that does not allow their rabbit a recommended 7 hours exercise a day.

2 of my buns have a whole garage and the other two are in the garage with a 6ft hutch ontop of a 4ftx6ft run and they still go out most days all day if the weather is ok.

Is your frenchie neutered?


----------



## Aud's_Mum (Aug 4, 2008)

xkeeleyx said:


> descision made: im goin 2 either adopt another bunny or buy one, this will keep lily company when im not there!! thanks 4 ur advice..


They still need the exercise hun, keeping them cooped up in a hutch all day isn't fair at all for them  I'm sure you love your bun very much, but if you want whats best for her then you need to look at alternative accomodation. Keeping two in the hutch is only adding to the problem.

Also, I wouldnt buy one as how do you know they are going to get on? If they dont what will you do with the 2nd bun?


----------



## freckles (May 8, 2008)

hiya....yes it can be hard to introduce a new rabbit, we have a hutch outside and the rabbit 'Patch' has a huge run and is free in it everyday, when her partner ''frostie'' died 2 years ago,she started to pull her fur out, so we bought her a ''new friend'' another female ''faline' they got on really well, but about 6 months ago Faline dug out of the run and we have not been able to catch her (not easy when you live in the middle of a national park with 120 acres and no fences) but yesterday daughter finaly caught her and put her back in with Patch...huge fight!! Patch will no longer accept her, so Faline is back out, luckily we have a barn and she gets under the door and lives in there most of the time.....


----------



## funnybunny (Apr 4, 2009)

When I got my little boy Theo I was really worried about leaving him on his own while I was at work ( I work very long shifts) So I got him a girlfriend Violet. It was a bit of a night mare at first because he was just a baby and had just been neutered so they were both in seperate cages until they coulod be put together i would let one out at a time and they would go and say hello to each other. when i finally could put them together Violet moved into theos pad and they have been the best of buddies since. I come in from work and they are snuggled up to each other and when they are out they lie next to each other flat out soooo cute ! I think your bun defs needs a house mate! x


----------

