Need Advice

[dolly87]

I bought Mac, my bunny, in September & at first I had a ton of time to play with him & keep his cage clean. Yet, as my semester moved on it got too busy & then Mac matured & hit his puberty. He started throwing his bedding around & he no longer wanted to be around me. He chewed up my purse & a cord to my computer.

It breaks my heart, but I think I need to have someone adopt him. I am moving back home to student teach & just do not have the time for him that I would have liked.

What should I do??

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

How old is he? My first thought would be to get him neutered. It will help with some of the behaviours, make him a bit calmer and generally a better pet. It can take a few weeks for the hormones to calm down enough for you to notice a difference.
You could try getting him a friend (after he is neutered) to keep him company when you are not around. He will have someone to play with, groom and just be with. Bonding can take time, but it worth it when they get along. It can be more work at the beginning, as they would have to be in separate cages until bonded, but once they are bonded, it is not much more work than a single rabbit.

Both getting him neutered and getting him a friend can take time. If it is too much for you, then it would be best to find him another home. You can start looking at local rescues that take rabbits. Some may need you to keep him until they can find a home, foster home or have space at a shelter. Most rescues will neuter the rabbits before they are adopted. Try to find a no kill rescue as some will euthanize them if they can't find a home or get overcrowded. You can also post ads on Craigslist and Kijiji or in the rescue/rehome area of the forum. You should charge an adoption fee to make sure he gets a good home and doesn't end up as snake food. "Free to good home" pets may not end up in a good home. You can include his cage, food, toys ect.

 

[hartleybun]

would definitely neuter max before making any decisions about his future. im sure he's got lots of toys but mine love cardboard tubes stuffed with hay i have two bunnies and two isnt much more work than one:bunnydance:

 

[Luluznewz]

Yeah, I agree with the above comments. You should try to seperate your feelings about him going through puberty with your actually ability to care for him.

Ask yourself if you would have time to care for a rabbit that was nicer / cleaner. If the answer is yes I think you should stick it out with Mac. If you wouldnt have time for that nice well behaved bunny either than maybe he should go to a new home.

Bunny proofing your home is really important. I understand about the cord though...my rabbit just chewed through mine last week.

After Mac gets a little older he will level out and probably be a great pet again.

If you do decide to give him up I would encourage you not to send him to a shelter. They have a very hard time finding homes for rabbits sometimes. I think you should take responsibility and find him a great home yourself through world of mouth, fliers, and online sites like cragslist.

 

[Baby Juliet]

If you think you should give him up, do so. Don't let others guilt you into keeping Max if you don't have the time. Sure there are things you can do to improve the situation but if time is the factor Max may be better off elsewhere.

 

[dolly87]

There will be no way he will be able to be out of his cage while at home when I move back home in January. I have a dog & a very small house. I should get him neutered & it has nothing to do with him being messy. Yes, the mess sucks, but I still love him & love to hold him. He's just trapped & I feel really bad.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

If you choose to put the effort in, you can build a cage that will take up the same amount of existing floor space, but will be much taller vertically, thus increasing his space.

As the person above stated so well, I also believe that it is your responsibility to find him a wonderful new home that understands teenage rabbits if that is the route you choose to take. Shelters are maxed out with buns and expenses as it is... best if you take care of rehoming yourself, IMO.

However, I believe we can come up with workable solutions together if you are interested in finding a strategy to keep Mac with you.

I am also a university student with a full courseload, so I understand your time constraints. I also know how you can provide Mac with the companionship he needs while going to school. It only takes a few small adjustments on your part to make this work.

 

[dolly87]

I understand, I also feel judged on here rather than helped. I am a HUGE proponent of finding homes for rabbits & ALL animals rather than putting them in shelters. I could never live with not knowing what happened to Mac if he was at a shelter.

I also know that I took on a responsibility that I cannot handle & I am looking for an adoptive family. I wanted various opinions of what one would do if in my situation.

I am no longer considered a university student after this semester. I will be moving home to student teach 45 minutes from my house (45 minutes there & 45 minutes back each day.) So, an hour and a half commute, plus 8+ hours at the school, plus planning before and after school & a family who wants nothing to do with raising this rabbit. That leaves me virtually no time for Mac. Although Mac drives me nuts with the biting, chewing, & throwing of his bedding, I still cannot bare to think of Mac sitting in a shelter or with a family who would be abusive (as opposed to the "neglect" I may put him through).

Hence, I need some motivation to bear the thought of not being Mac's mommy anymore rather than being told I need to find a family for him because I already know that. I am never going to drop him off at a shelter, no matter how bad it gets.

 

[Luluznewz]

I didn't mean to make you feel judged. Really, I'm sorry if i contributed to making you feel that way. Its just that you asked what you should do and I gave an opinion. Its just that I think most of us like the idea of a rabbit staying with its owner and are going to try to support that.

But seriously, it sounds like you are thinking of him, and if your not the right person to care for him than thats okay. Everyone here is trying to help you and your bunny, but obviously our opinions dont matter compared to yours.