New Rabbit Owner

[cjc1301]

Hi guys!

I’m new on here but I have read the other forums that are on here and had a question myself. I am a sophomore in college and will be staying home for the next 2 semesters doing virtual classes and then commuting from my school. My family and I currently own 1 cat and 2 dogs (Labernese & Bernedoodle), no kids only 4 adults, in a 2 story house. My family is very spontaneous and we do tend to go on trips that may last longer than 1 day but not as often due to COVID.

Due to the circumstances we are in, I plan to commute to school for the next 3 years when and if we go back to in-person classes (the commute is not long max 39 mins and I would be picking classes that do not run late into the afternoon/evening). I then believe I will be living with my parents until I get enough money from a job (I would find a part time job that would not make me work long hours for the rabbit’s sake) so I can land on my feet and find a place of my own that would allow pets.

Though my family and I go on long trips, I have other family members that would be able to take care of the rabbit if I were to go on long trips, but if those family members fall through, I have found boarding houses nearby that would gladly take in the rabbit if I needed.

My house is a bit hectic with my dogs kind of play fighting sometimes but most of the time they are just laying around and sleeping. I live on the East Coast so I do get all 4 seasons but until it would get super cold, the rabbit would be living in my large bedroom with me, while it would be running around my room 24/7 I would also take the rabbit outside on their own on a harness (I do not have a backyard because there is a river) and let it jump and run around with me. Plus, I live in a very quiet neighborhood that does not get traffic coming in or out.

I have done my research on all things related to taking care of one rabbit and have been thinking of adopting one from a rescue shelter or a breeder but I wasn’t sure if I would be able to provide all my attention to one even though I really want to. I thought it would be a good idea due to the circumstances we are all in and I have been wanting a new companion to keep me company during classes in my bedroom during the day.

But seeing as though I am a newbie to taking care of a rabbit, I was wondering if you guys would think it is a good idea since most of you on here have had experience with rabbits a lot longer than me? And because I have been going back and forth with deciding on getting one or not.

 

[Mariam+Theo]

Welcome to the forum! I think it would be a great idea for you to get a rabbit!

Several things you should know though: (sorry for all the links!)
-When you choose a rabbit, please look at rescues in your area. There are thousands of rabbits that do not have homes! Normally the rabbit also chooses you (that was the case with me and my rabbit Theo). The rabbits are already spayed and neutered too, so you don't have to deal with hormones and bad litter habits later on. Depending on where you get your rabbits, they might have already gotten the RHDV2 vaccine.

-Please consider getting 2 rabbits that are already bonded. Rabbits do best in pairs and bonding is very stressful, so adopting a bonded pair is always a good idea. If you go to a rescue they normally have bonded pairs, or you can choose 2 rabbits and they will bond them for you! Male/female bonds always work the best, but female/female bonds may also work. It is rare for a male/male bond to work out, but they do happen.

-Dogs and rabbits can be bonded! @Blue eyes has 2 rabbits and a dog and they all get along. Here is her website explaining how they bonded their rabbits and dog. If for some reason your dogs will not calm down around your rabbit, it would be a good idea to confine your rabbit to your room and keep your door shut, get a dutch door, or use a baby gate.

-Do not let your rabbit outside. There is a very deadly rabbit disease called RHDV2 sweeping across America. Here is more info about RHDV2.

-Find a good rabbit vet before you get a rabbit. You never know when there will be an emergency like Gi-stasis.

-Create a simple First Aid Kit.

-You probably already know this but a rabbits diet consist of 80% high-quality hay (timothy, meadow, orchard), 10% veggies, 5% high-quality timothy based pellets, 5% healthy treats.

-Litter Training is the best part of owning a rabbit! I use wood pellets (the bag last me over a year and I clean Theo's large litter box once per week), in a large storage container lined with newspaper.

-Rabbits need at least 64 square feet if they are not getting any free-roam time. If they are getting several hours of free-roam time each day, they can be housed in a 24 square foot playpen. Here is a link on Indoor Housing.

Good luck! Let me know if you have any questions!

 

[cjc1301]

Welcome to the forum! I think it would be a great idea for you to get a rabbit!

Several things you should know though: (sorry for all the links!)
-When you choose a rabbit, please look at rescues in your area. There are thousands of rabbits that do not have homes! Normally the rabbit also chooses you (that was the case with me and my rabbit Theo). The rabbits are already spayed and neutered too, so you don't have to deal with hormones and bad litter habits later on. Depending on where you get your rabbits, they might have already gotten the RHDV2 vaccine.

-Please consider getting 2 rabbits that are already bonded. Rabbits do best in pairs and bonding is very stressful, so adopting a bonded pair is always a good idea. If you go to a rescue they normally have bonded pairs, or you can choose 2 rabbits and they will bond them for you! Male/female bonds always work the best, but female/female bonds may also work. It is rare for a male/male bond to work out, but they do happen.

-Dogs and rabbits can be bonded! @Blue eyes has 2 rabbits and a dog and they all get along. Here is her website explaining how they bonded their rabbits and dog. If for some reason your dogs will not calm down around your rabbit, it would be a good idea to confine your rabbit to your room and keep your door shut, get a dutch door, or use a baby gate.

-Do not let your rabbit outside. There is a very deadly rabbit disease called RHDV2 sweeping across America. Here is more info about RHDV2.

-Find a good rabbit vet before you get a rabbit. You never know when there will be an emergency like Gi-stasis.

-Create a simple First Aid Kit.

-You probably already know this but a rabbits diet consist of 80% high-quality hay (timothy, meadow, orchard), 10% veggies, 5% high-quality timothy based pellets, 5% healthy treats.

-Litter Training is the best part of owning a rabbit! I use wood pellets (the bag last me over a year and I clean Theo's large litter box once per week), in a large storage container lined with newspaper.

-Rabbits need at least 64 square feet if they are not getting any free-roam time. If they are getting several hours of free-roam time each day, they can be housed in a 24 square foot playpen. Here is a link on Indoor Housing.

Good luck! Let me know if you have any questions!

Wow this helps me a lot thank you! And I would love to adopt a bonded pair but at the moment I do not believe I would be able to take care of both or have the money to support 2.

Would having one rabbit still be okay? Would the one rabbit be happy on its own?

 

[Mariam+Theo]

I totally understand that! Rabbits are quite pricy, but there are ways to keep everything cheap. Like, buying hay from a local farmer in large bales, growing your own veggies, making homemade treats (which are even better since they are healthy), and buying litter in bulk from horse feed stores.
Rabbits can be housed alone, as long as they are getting plenty of attention! Theo is a single bunny and he is still a very happy bunny.

 

[cjc1301]

I totally understand that! Rabbits are quite pricy, but there are ways to keep everything cheap. Like, buying hay from a local farmer in large bales, growing your own veggies, making homemade treats (which are even better since they are healthy), and buying litter in bulk from horse feed stores.
Rabbits can be housed alone, as long as they are getting plenty of attention! Theo is a single bunny and he is still a very happy bunny.

Oh good, that was a worry for me haha, thank you! And sorry for all the questions but I actually have another.

My bedroom floor is carpeted, I have read that rabbits due tend to dig and that having carpeted flooring can cause some issues because they can eat the flooring and also stain it (but to me the staining is not a huge issue).

Is my carpeted flooring a big issue or will it be okay for now?

 

[Blue eyes]

Carpet is more likely to be an issue with a young (ie. intact, not fixed, hormonal) rabbit. The rabbits from rescues are typically all fixed. Only some will bother chewing or digging on carpet.

The links @Mariam+Theo provided should keep you busy for awhile

I love hearing from people like you who do their research before getting a pet... and really think things through and prepare!

If you provide your state, we can probably help you find a rabbit rescue. Rabbit rescues are different than generic shelters and are worth finding.

 

[cjc1301]

This is great thank you so much! I live in New Jersey and since I have been reading up on what the behaviors are like I would prefer to adopt one that is either young or adult, litter trained, and or comfortable around other pets because I have seen some websites their breeding places have other animals among the rabbits so they can get used to other noises and the animals around them.

And thank you! I feel as though I will understand a lot more if I do research before-hand so I know the cost of everything and the maintenance that is required. I also feel terrified to take up this responsibility but all for the right reasons, such as holding them the wrong way or giving them the wrong food in the beginning, all the basic concerns of a new pet owner I guess haha.

 

[Blue eyes]

You can check these out:
https://www.petfinder.com/member/us/nj/waldwick/hug-a-bunny-rabbit-rescue-inc-nj480/https://www.petfinder.com/member/us/nj/cream-ridge/kind-heart-rescue-nj86/https://www.adoptapet.com/adoption_rescue/83787-willys-wabbits-hillside-new-jersey

 

[cjc1301]

Thank you so much!!!

 

[Nuage]

Welcome! The links provided from @Mariam+Theo and @Blue eyes ' advice is great! I really don't have anything to add. It's great that you are researching before getting a bunny!

 

[cjc1301]

Oh I forgot to ask something else! My family also just bought a boat and plan to go on it for a couple of days and sleep in it as well during the summer. Now I would be bringing the rabbit to a boarding house for when we go for a couple of days. But if we're going on the boat for say just a day trip, would that be an issue as well?

Because I know that rabbits need at least 2 hours of exercise each day and a lot of attention so if we were to go on our boat for just a day and it is something I know about ahead of time, would letting the rabbit out for a couple hours before we leave for the day be enough until I got back until the evening?

 

[Blue eyes]

Rabbits generally tend to get their exercise in mornings and evenings (dawn & dusk is often stated as their desired times since they are crepuscular), though mine tended to be most active around 10pm- midnight.

The thing with rabbits and exercise is that 1. they tend to exercise only when they happen to be in the mood, and 2. they generally like a set routine. That said, if a rabbit doesn't get exercise one day for whatever reason, it will be just fine -- no big deal to miss a day.

As for daily routine exercise, 2 hours may not be enough simply because they will not exercise unless they happen to be in the mood. So, for example, I may have my rabbits' cage door open from morning til midnight and it is possible that they won't come out until 10pm to run around. So if I only opened the door from 8am to 10 am, they wouldn't get any exercise at all.

Rabbits are unique in that way -- having their own stubborn ways. It's more a matter of learning the personality and uniqueness of your individual rabbit. It's also the reason a large cage with constant access to a ex-pen area is recommended. That way, bunny has room to exercise whenever the mood strikes and even if he isn't roaming a room at the time.

On a side note, if you are only going away for a couple days, it would be less stressful for a rabbit to remain home and have someone swing by to provide water, hay, etc.

 

[cjc1301]

Okay that makes sense, I think leaving the rabbit alone would be my main concern but I know that I'd figure it out in time.

Sorry for all the questions I am just very curious and like to know basically everything before I commit to something haha. But I do have 2 other questions.

The first one is about the odor when it comes to their cage, I remember we had a pet rabbit previously but I was very young at the time and do not remember much besides the smell. I have read that in order to keep the odor under control you just have to be consistent with cleaning their litter, now I'm sure that's not all and I was wondering what else would work?

I plan to keep the rabbit's cage in my room and my mom is sort of allergic to the hay and we were also concerned with the litter box smelling up my whole room most of the time while also breathing it in as I am sleeping.

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My other question was about the cage itself, I have looked all over the internet to find the best cage considering my situation which I have described previously and was wondering if this cage would work (The blue tape is how big it would be on the floor, not including height)? The one I have been looking at is the XL Rabbit Cage.

Plus, if that cage does work, I was planning on keeping it next to my heater as seen in the picture below. Now I was concerned with how hot everything would get and what the basic temperature the rabbit needs to stay at in order for it to live properly indoors. Based on the picture below do you think I should change the location because of the heater or would it be fine for now?

 

[Fuz]

Hello!
I keep rabbits in my room and have two litter boxes. I clean them once every morning and top up with hay as needed. It will not smell if you clean it often and keep their area clean.
In my opinion, housing rabbits near a heater is a very bad idea. Rabbits can overheat very fast. I wouldn't recommend that location (or size) at all.
Even when you move them, and you have the heater on. Please monitor them so they are not overheating.
Edit: Move the location, I mean.

 

[cjc1301]

Okay wonderful, thank you for the advice!!

 

[Mariam+Theo]

I'm so glad you are asking all these questions!

The litter box will only smell if you don't clean it often enough or it is too small. A litter box like the one in the picture is WAY too small and it will smell awful very fast. Rabbits like having enough room to lay down in their litter box. It is also the main place they eat because they need hay 24/7. If your rabbit does not have access to hay they can go into GI-Stasis very quickly. Since your mom is allergic to hay, check out orchard hay! Here is a link to a large bale for sale. I get a Timothy Bale just like this one and it is amazing! It lasts Theo a long time (5-8 months) and it is only $25 at Tractor Supply.

I do not suggest housing beside a heater because the rabbit will get overheated.

I highly suggest that you do not buy that cage! Rabbits should not be caged in a cage that tiny! I'm not trying to sound rude or mean, I just want to get my point across.
Here are some points:
-The cage is so expensive! You could get everything you need for a rabbit for that amount of money (I will put a list of everything I would get if I was getting a rabbit).
-The "hidey house" is tiny. The rabbit will not be able to fit in that. Also, there is no reason to have a ramp. Some rabbits can jump 3 feet high, and most can jump 2 feet.
-The hay rack is tiny, and will not hold any hay. If you use a hay rack like that one, your rabbit will probably go into stasis because it will not be able to access the hay.
-Rabbits should not use water bottles unless your rabbit will not use a bowl. Rabbits can not get enough water out of a water bottle and have to work super hard just to get the water out. Rabbits drink as much as a small dog every day. Imagine making a Yorkie drink out of a water bottle, that would look really stupid!
-The rabbit will use that food bowl as a toy. Rabbits like throwing stuff around so I actually have several bowls like that one that I have for Theo to throw around his pen.

In one of those pictures, there is also bedding all over the place. That just proves that the seller knows nothing about rabbits. If a rabbit has bedding all over its cage it will use the bathroom all over its cage and there is no point in litter training.

Here is a list of everything I would buy for a rabbit for a total of $50 (not including food and optional items):
Playpen (check Craigslist, Goodwill, or Yard Sales-they always have good deals).
Food plate
Water Bowl (this one can tip easily, so if your rabbit is careless please get this one).
Toys
Litter Box
Litter

Optional
Puzzle Mats (puzzle mats can be dangerous so if your rabbit chews them remove them immediately).
Brush.

Food I suggest: Keep in mind this would all be for an adult rabbit. Baby rabbits need a different diet
Hay
Pellets
1-2 cups of veggies per day

 

[cjc1301]

I'm so glad you are asking all these questions!

The litter box will only smell if you don't clean it often enough or it is too small. A litter box like the one in the picture is WAY too small and it will smell awful very fast. Rabbits like having enough room to lay down in their litter box. It is also the main place they eat because they need hay 24/7. If your rabbit does not have access to hay they can go into GI-Stasis very quickly. Since your mom is allergic to hay, check out orchard hay! Here is a link to a large bale for sale. I get a Timothy Bale just like this one and it is amazing! It lasts Theo a long time (5-8 months) and it is only $25 at Tractor Supply.

I do not suggest housing beside a heater because the rabbit will get overheated.

I highly suggest that you do not buy that cage! Rabbits should not be caged in a cage that tiny! I'm not trying to sound rude or mean, I just want to get my point across.
Here are some points:
-The cage is so expensive! You could get everything you need for a rabbit for that amount of money (I will put a list of everything I would get if I was getting a rabbit).
-The "hidey house" is tiny. The rabbit will not be able to fit in that. Also, there is no reason to have a ramp. Some rabbits can jump 3 feet high, and most can jump 2 feet.
-The hay rack is tiny, and will not hold any hay. If you use a hay rack like that one, your rabbit will probably go into stasis because it will not be able to access the hay.
-Rabbits should not use water bottles unless your rabbit will not use a bowl. Rabbits can not get enough water out of a water bottle and have to work super hard just to get the water out. Rabbits drink as much as a small dog every day. Imagine making a Yorkie drink out of a water bottle, that would look really stupid!
-The rabbit will use that food bowl as a toy. Rabbits like throwing stuff around so I actually have several bowls like that one that I have for Theo to throw around his pen.

In one of those pictures, there is also bedding all over the place. That just proves that the seller knows nothing about rabbits. If a rabbit has bedding all over its cage it will use the bathroom all over its cage and there is no point in litter training.

Here is a list of everything I would buy for a rabbit for a total of $50 (not including food and optional items):
Playpen (check Craigslist, Goodwill, or Yard Sales-they always have good deals).
Food plate
Water Bowl (this one can tip easily, so if your rabbit is careless please get this one).
Toys
Litter Box
Litter

Optional
Puzzle Mats (puzzle mats can be dangerous so if your rabbit chews them remove them immediately).
Brush.

Food I suggest: Keep in mind this would all be for an adult rabbit. Baby rabbits need a different diet
Hay
Pellets
1-2 cups of veggies per day

This is all absolutely amazing, thank you so much for taking the time and finding all these materials for me, this is exactly what I have been needing!!

 

[Mariam+Theo]

I forgot to add bunny proofing supplies, but instead of sending links here is a video:

 

[cjc1301]

I forgot to add bunny proofing supplies, but instead of sending links here is a video:

This is all so amazing, thank you!!!

 

[Freedom]

We use xl dog crate for ours. He is free roam but that's his home base. He's a flemish giant and there is plenty of room. Not for him to live in it but his litter box. Food. Water etc. And for him to lounge.