Need advice for sticky situation

BlueRiley · Jul 20, 2013

Hi, I need some advice from some bunny-lovers for a somewhat sticky situation I'm in.
Bit of a long explanation, but I would love advice from anyone who has the time.
I have to move and have not been able to find a place that I can afford and that will let me keep my rabbit. I REALLY don't want to give him up, but I am trying to look at options.
It's probably only for a year.
He could stay with my parents, and will have all the care he needs, but won't get much exercise or attention unless I am visiting.
One solution is to turn him into an outdoor bunny with a hutch, and I could build him a rabbit-safe exercise run. I'm in seattle so the weather is fairly temperate, but still.
I haven't had too much luck with friends taking him. He's healthy, litter trained etc. but he can be aggressive sometimes, so I can't just give him to anyone. I don't want to give him to strangers from craigslist.

I could get a place that would let me keep him, but it would be several hundred more /month. and that would give me very little wiggle room if any unexpected expenses come up.

Does anyone have suggestions for what I should do? Go with a pricier place? Keep him with family, but non-rabbit people? Turn him into an outdoor bunny? Try to find a new home for him entirely?

Thank you so much!

Zaiya · Jul 20, 2013

Hi from another washingtonian! Since i'm close, I would take him for the year, but I don't know if I would be allowed to. I hope you don't have to give him up!

I think it would be a good idea to build him a hutch and run outside. That way you can keep him and still take good care of him. The change might be hard for him, considering he's an indoor one at the time and used to consistent temperatures, but I have my two rabbits outside and they do fine, as long as you give them ice in the summer and heat in the winter. In winter we have chick brooder lamps in the rabbit's hutches, they work great!

qtipthebun · Jul 22, 2013

What type of place are you moving to?
We are moving to an apartment that is pet friendly but bunnies are on the list of "exotic" pets (with skunks and raccoons and all sorts of other stuff I've never heard of anyone having as a pet). Our apartment locator told us to just not tell any complex that we had a bunny. So we're sneaking her in, and if anyone ever catches it and questions us, our first attempt will be to educate them that she's just like a cat. I think a lot of places aren't bunny friendly because they don't know about them.
That being said, we're also already paying a pet deposit and pet rent for the cat, so...

Kittiebot · Jul 22, 2013

I'm not allowed to have a bunny either, but I just hide him in the second bedroom if I need maintenance. I also have a plan if they see him, I'm just going to say that I am just watching him for a friend. I figure the management people aren't paid enough to really care! I'm only going to be there one more year so I figure I can probably pull it off until then.

Lorelei · Jul 22, 2013

My aunt kept her rabbit in a "no pets allowed" apartment for years. She was a good tenant--kept the place spotless and was prompt with the rent--so the landlord looked the other way. She rented before she got Bunny*, though, so she already had a solid history there.

*Yes, Bunny. She later got a parrotlet that went by Baby. She was...not the most original when it came to names. Took fabulous care of her pets, though.

BlueRiley · Jul 27, 2013

Thank you so much for the replies. Unfortunately the reason I cannot have my rabbit is that i will be living with a roommate who already has two cats, and there just isn't room for him.