Considering adopting 2 Rabbits

[TAK]

I am considering adopting 2 rabbits from seperate households who can no longer care for them. I believe they are both ~2 years old, and both are very sweet. One even enjoys being picked up, and will beg for it! They are both liter trained.

They are unfixed, male and female. I will obviously have to get one or both of them fixed. Saving money is an interest, would it be feasible to only fix one of them, or is fixing both really for the best?

My apartment does not technically allow Rabbits (what they dont know cant hurt them), however they allow large breed dogs! Is there any reason of this I should be aware of? If there is a reason, what can I do to minimize / reduce it?

I am told that Rabbits do not need preventative medical shots. How accurate is this?

Since I will be getting two Rabbits, from seperate households, what would be the best way to introduce them into my apartment? At the same time, or should I allow one to grow familiar with the area before I adopt the second?

PS: Yes I have reviewed enough of the information available on Rabbits to be able to say -yes I am capable of caring for them how they need to be.

 

[Lissa]

TAK wrote:

My apartment does not technically allow Rabbits (what they dont know cant hurt them), however they allow large breed dogs! Is there any reason of this I should be aware of? If there is a reason, what can I do to minimize / reduce it?

That's not a good idea. I've seen many animals homeless in shelters because landlords found out about pets that weren't supposed to be there. A lot of landlords are getting smarter about pets. Some will allow rabbits in cages only because house rabbits can be quite destructive.

I am told that Rabbits do not need preventative medical shots. How accurate is this?

You are correct. As far as I know, Europe is the only country that requires shots. Am I wrong?

Since I will be getting two Rabbits, from seperate households, what would be the best way to introduce them into my apartment? At the same time, or should I allow one to grow familiar with the area before I adopt the second?

That I can't help you with, but I'm sure someone else can. Since one of my rabbits has a very strong personality, I am unable to bond my two.

 

[naturestee]

:welcome

I would prefer to fix both. Females have a very high rate uterine and ovarian cancer by the age of 5. An unneutered male will probably pester due to his hormones. If you can only afford to fix one, you might want to spay the girl.

Rabbits can be destructive, which is probably why your landlords don't allow them. They can chew walls, doors, and baseboards, dig up the carpet, pee on the carpet - even if littertrained, they may still mark territory, especially with intact two bunnies. Urine stains can be cleaned up with vinegar and paper towels. Bunny-proof the rest as much as you can. I've found my rabbits hate the taste of soap, so I rub it on areas they've been chewing. If they start digging in a certain spot, cover it up. You can put a box straw mats there for them to dig in instead.

Have you talked to your landlord before about allowing other animals in? You could offer to put more in your security deposit, etc. Some are willing to work with you, and it's much better when you don't have to worry about you landlord finding out about your "illegal" pet.

If you are in the US, there are no preventative shots for rabbits. Vaccines for myxomatosis and VHD are available in the UK and other countries and are very important, even for house rabbits.

I'm not sure whether to recommend getting one at a time or both at the same time. If they were the same gender or fixed, I would say get them both at the same time so they don't have defined territories. Rabbits can be VERY territorial. But since they are unfixed male and female, you may want to consider getting one and getting it fixed right away. And if you neuter the male first, keep in mind that he may still have living sperm for several weeks after he is neutered. You would be surprised how rabbits who are kept separately can still get pregnant!

Thanks for adopting!!!

 

[TAK]

Do not worry about the landlord finding out. First of all, should they get kicked out of my apartment, I have a friend who is a major animal lover and has already said that she will adopt them if that happens. The Rabbits will continue to have a good home. (plus, their current home is little more then a small cage)

Also, they will charge me a pet fee for the entirety of the time Ive been living at that apartment. Being an honest individual, if not one who always observes authority, I will be paying a pet fee for two (nonexistant) cats instead.So no worries about that either.

And no, I have not talked to my landlord about letting me keep Rabbits, because they didnt seem like the understanding type. More of the, "I have a free license to be an ******* because if I get in trouble for it I have a parent company I can default to by saying 'but I was doing what you told me to do!' " type.

Thanks for the tips on grouping them, and training them. I will definatly have to do that.

 

[Lissa]

P.S.

:welcome

 

[Maureen Las]

naturestee..how can rabbits kept separately get pregnant?

 

[naturestee]

Through cage bars. Believe me, it's happened! I wouldn't want to have intact same-sex rabbits without keep a solid barrier in between them. Although right now I have to put plywood sheets up to prevent the buns from fighting through the cage bars while they are out- really would need about the same precautions.

 

[Maureen Las]

Wow! through cage bars...I'll have to remember that for at the shelter