How many people feel rabbits are high maintenance?

[samoth]

I can only speak for house rabbits, but my answer is yes. Heck, the hay part alone is high maintenance, lol.

These little guys need space for hopping & exploring, require special exotic (as defined in the US) medical care, have a varied diet (hay, pellets, greens), and most of all, they have instincts for digging and chewing that must be successfully & safely managed inside a home.

 

[somebunnylovesme]

Rabbits absolutely ARE high maintenance when looked after properly.

Sadly a lot of people buy them on impulse without researching fully beforehand, and that leaves them open for some nasty and very expensive shocks.

Some people do cut corners, they spend as little as they possibly can, they seldom if ever provide proper vet care, they feed cheaply and wrongly, they don't provide adequate housing, environmental enrichment or companionship and of course the rabbits suffer. The rest of us learn - often the hard way - what they truly need and are prepared to provide for all their needs.

It's not cheap, it's not all that easy, but the rewards are immense, having happy, healthy companions that live a long life with a great diet, proper companionship, good vet care, plenty of enrichment - with or without their owner and adequate housing The greatest joy is watching them just be rabbits, snuggling with a neutered, bonded, compatible partner, binkying when they are happy and excited, doing the 'dead bunny flop'. which is heart-stopping, especially the fist time you see it!, getting up to 'mischief' - which can be destructive for us but is normal, natural behaviour for them. If we aren't filled with joy when they do these things, they really aren't the right pets for us

That is so depressing. Thank god my rabbit is extremely happy to the point that I get licked to death.

 

[Kale Passfield]

We have 3 bunnies. Except feeding them and cleaning litter box once a week we dont have to do much. Food is cheap 8 dollars for 100lb 70% timothy 30% alfalfa. Last us forever currently 3 months in and maybe 1/4 if that is gone. 20kg bag of pellets we've had 5 months that we barley done a dent in because we give them max a handful (quarter cup) between 3 a day. It cost 16$ litter bag lasts 3 months 14 a bag. Then fresh veggies and fruit which we get on sale. We spend maybe a more expensive month 20$ there. So like 30 a month or less depend on food bill. 1lb 3 month old dwarf lion, 7 month old mini rex 3lbs 3 ounces and 2ish year old mini rex 4lbs 3 ounces are my sizes

 

[Kale Passfield]

We have 3 bunnies. Except feeding them and cleaning litter box once a week we dont have to do much. Food is cheap 8 dollars for 100lb 70% timothy 30% alfalfa. Last us forever currently 3 months in and maybe 1/4 if that is gone. 20kg bag of pellets we've had 5 months that we barley done a dent in because we give them max a handful (quarter cup) between 3 a day. It cost 16$ litter bag lasts 3 months 14 a bag. Then fresh veggies and fruit which we get on sale. We spend maybe a more expensive month 20$ there. So like 30 a month or less depend on food bill. 1lb 3 month old dwarf lion, 7 month old mini rex 3lbs 3 ounces and 2ish year old mini rex 4lbs 3 ounces are my sizes

After that just toys and they are all 3 free roam. 2 females fixed lionhead will be fixed at 6 months

 

[Kale Passfield]

All 3 are also healthy and happy. Happy because they constantly waking me up licking me and flopping all over place and second all 3 had vet a month ago multiple times because that's when I got 2 does fixed. Only time bunnies are high maintenance and expensive is

1. You just get 1 you'll have to spend a lot of time to supplement

2. You dont free roam and keep in small cage

3. Unfortunate and get lots of vet Bill's. Some breeds are worse than others for care issues. Aka lionhead if you dont comb mane can eat alot of it and get blockage or lops with prone to ear infection

 

[DenMother]

I thought I would ask the question. What is your opinion?

Personally, I find caring for my rabbit not high maintenance at all. I have a disabled rabbit and even now I find his care relatively easy. Back when he wasn't disabled, he was litter trained and it'd take me roughly half an hour per week (which is not a lot of time IMO) to clean both his crates and his three litter boxes. Now that he's disabled, it's actually even easier because he's relegated to a single crate which takes me two minutes per day to do a rough clean and ten minutes per week to do a full clean.

However, I always tell people that rabbits are super high maintenance, whether this is or isn't the case for me. I do this because

a. You can generally assume different people have different ideas of what high maintenance means. I genuinely enjoy all the care that goes into my bunny, both before and after his disability.

b. Most people asking are people interested in buying, and I'd rather a buyer who is ready to tackle the challenge than one who isn't.


Additionally, rabbit maintenance radically changes depending on how experienced you are and tricks and tips you've learned over the years. E.g., a house broken rabbit has a significantly lower capacity to make messes; keeping a mini dustpan and hand broom everywhere you have hay or litter is life changing; "meal prep" your 1-cup-per-day serving of vegetables, etc.

 

[Blue eyes]

Brilliant post, @DenMother ! I completely agree.

A first-time bunny owner may feel overwhelmed with all the choices in housing, litter set-up, litter training, understanding proper diet, slowly introducing greens to a rabbit, learning the differences in hay types/cuts, bunny proofing, perhaps bonding issues, etc. It is a lot to take in!

But once someone has had those years of experience and has settled into a routine with their rabbit, it seems second nature and therefore doesn't seem like "high maintenance." If one enjoys having rabbits, their care is a pleasure and not a chore.

If someone has never had a rabbit and asks if they are high maintenance, I would always answer with a "yes." I'd prefer potential rabbit owners to be ones who are aware of and up to the commitment.

 

[Gloria Bennett]

My rabbits are high maintenance in the winter. But, they keep me centered and are the best thing in my restricted life. There are times I wonder why I go through all of this at my age. But then doing chores and find great caring returned, communing with them in the summer, and I know why I do this and will miss it when the time comes.

 

[leighann7]

Tawny is no maintenance at all. As long as her litter boxes are squeaky clean, she gets to eat whatever she wants, no one takes the spot in front of the fireplace, and you let her chew any cell phone chargers she finds, she's totally easy.

 

[Kristin McCann]

I feel the are more work than a cat but less work than a dog. House safety is about equal to raising a toddler. Just when you think you thought of everything, they find the one thing you missed.

Oh my goodness! I am a 1st time bun owner & just when I think, whew, ok, took care of that issue, it’s almost like he’s like, “uh uh uhhh, see what I figured out my Lionhead is exhausting to me here lately. A friend bought him at 2 mos old & gave him to me as a gift-wo even asking me! I’d nvr owner a bunny b4 & I mean my friends heart was in the right place-just not thought out very well. I’m really trying to make the best of it but since he’s now at least 4 mos old, his litter habits have become AWFUL! I am disabled so I’m home most of the time so I get to spend a lot of time with him. He was very easy to litter train when I 1st got him home but this last week, he not only potty’s in his litter box but also ALL over his area he gets put up in at night! I’m going nuts! Plus, all of a sudden he has started shedding like crazy & he likes for me to touch my nose to his, I woke up the last 2 days face, eyes & throat swollen, runny nose, etc I’m scared I may be allergic. I just don’t know what I’m going to do if this is the case. I do groom him to help with his shedding but it’s still making me sooo sick.

 

[Bellamy+Lilah]

I felt like my rabbits were high maintenance when I first got them mainly because I had so much to learn. Now that I've had 2 years experience taking care of them and a daily routine, it's like no big deal at all to me now.

I don't really consider it a chore to clean their poo boxes or look after their needs because I love them so much and they make me so happy when I do anything with them.

 

[Sharda Hartley]

No, I just need to get better at not leaving stuff laying around for him to chew. He makes me a cleaner person... so basically my rabbit forced me to become an adult

 

[bigdaddyyonko]

In my opinion I dont find my rabbit high maintenance at all. I've had all sorts of dogs, cats, birds and reptiles. I do believe that it takes time to get to know your rabbit at first. What they like and don't like etc. Everyone has a different experience though.

 

[Tracy J LaGrange]

I've only had our 2 rabbits for a little over a month and honestly feel like I have farm chores to do every day. Sometimes 2 times a day. I'm not mad about it but I would consider it high maintenance especially since when we have them out of their cage we have to really watch them so they dont getting into trouble, I'm sure as they get older it will be easier.

 

[TreasuredFriend]

We've kept special needs' bunnies with hind limb immobility. I agree on the comment that if you are a bun novice, you may not have experience with hay scatters on the floor and the multiple responsibilities that come with owning a rabbit. Getting fresh greens, changing litter pans, monitoring for input/output, and trips or phone calls to your established DVM. We've acclimated to daily laundry with our special needs' buns. We've acclimated to daily exercise shifts.

Once you adjust, you note the differences between having a dog or cat who sleeps in the house at their leisure. I agree that "high maintenance" means different things to different humans; Well-said re: the reciprocal love and inner rewards you experience by caring for a sentient being who brings happiness!

My mouth drops when I think of a person having 3-5 indoor dogs, or horses, or guinea pigs, or cleaning cockatiel cages -- and having the care load they put in.

Well-said, Blue eyes and DenMother! "But once someone has had those years of experience and has settled into a routine with their rabbit, it seems second nature and therefore doesn't seem like "high maintenance." If one enjoys having rabbits, their care is a pleasure and not a chore." - Blue eyes

Two friends still volunteer at the local shelter assisting with all the surrendered rabbits. They undoubtedly gain joy and satisfaction knowing they make a difference in somebun's life, and they can educate being bun parents themselves.

 

[baobeithebuns]

mine are mega high maintenance, especially bc i like a clean pen/apartment... i’m constantly cleaning when not working.

they wake me up at 5:30am every morning as well.
mine are still babies so that probably adds to the high maintenance factor. i have had a bunny before and he wasn’t much maintenance once he got over 1yr old. i am hoping it’s the same with my girls!

 

[Didi]

I thought I would ask the question. What is your opinion?

I am new to rabbits. I have had my little mini lop rabbit, 4 months old, for about a month now. I find him very high maintenance but I am still learning as he is, too. He is going to be a house rabbit. I have improvised with a parrot cage, big one, for the time being but I now see it will not be suitable. I have ordered a new cage with exercise space this morning so this should improve his standard of living. I also intend to get an exercise/play attachment so that I can allow him to exercise more. I have dog/cats so have to take precautions. Compared with a dog or cats, Rodger's care and attention is high maintenance - I may change my mind.

 

[A & B]

I feel that rabbits are a lot of work but are very rewarding to own. When you realize how broke they make you, you will wonder why you got them in the first place. Vet bill after vet bill you will find yourself wondering if they're better off with someone else because you believe it must be your fault they are sick. Maybe it is. We all make mistakes and rabbits help us grow in a very different way than owning any other pet can. They teach us to be observant, smart with money and help us develop opinions about very controversial topics. They give us anxious people something to talk about. They lead us to friends, to communities like this one. It may be hard, but then there are very rewarding moments like getting kisses or watching a binky. Watching their small fluffy faces sniff that food you brought to them with their perfect twitching noses lets you know that you are finally doing something right.