Question on keeping bunnies

[frost1375]

I live at home with my parents. I'm 24 years old and I'm able to take care of myself and my animals. I have a lot of pets. I have two dogs, a cat, 4 guinea pigs, 5 leopard geckos, a hamster, and a rabbit. Recently I resuced 2 littlers of rabbits. With the first litter, I had to bottle feed two of the bunnies. I found homes for the whole first litter. The two I bottle fed, I do not want to give away. I want to keep them because I love them so much and I feel as if no one could care for them as well as I can. My parents really do not want me to keep them. I respect that its not my house, but I would be heartbroken to give them away. Rabbits are a lot more difficult to take care of than other animals. And when I do decide to move out, would I be able to find a place to live where I can have all of my animals. Any advice on what I should do? I know it's a stupid question, but I just love my animals so much and these two bunnies are so sweet. Does anyone think I'm stupid for keeping them? Any ideas on how to find them the BEST homes? Please any advice or whatever, let me know! Thank you.
Lauren

 

[Flashy]

Welcome to the forum.

If you could put your country, at least, in your location in your profile, that would allow people to help more.

Where I live, if you rent, then you can find places to have animals, but it can be hard to do. That would come down to you and researching and finding the perfect place for you.

I don't think it is stupid for keeping animals you love, but you have to decide if it is practical, feasible (physically, financially, emotionally, etc)and in their best interests, and only you can make that decision.

One option might get getting them all fixed and then aiming to bond them into a trio that would all live together, which your parents might be more willing to consider as it would take up less space than having three separate cages. You might also want to look into NIC cages because they can take up far less space which your parents might like.

As for finding the best homes, I would say interview anyone interested and find someone who you think will be good, don't be afraid to be picky. I do home visit for people who want to adopt rabbits from the RSPCA and that means talking to the people, finding out what they know, how they would look after them, so if you need any help compiling a set of questions, or whatever, then feel free to PM me.

Hope that helps a bit, and well done for raising the buns successfully, that's one hell of an achievement.

 

[trailsend]

Hello & Welcome. I also don't think it's crazy for you to want to keep the two you raised. I agree with Flashy that NIC enclosures are great and take up a lot less space.

As for finding a place to rent with your animals - it can be difficult. But you can get lucky. Also if you find a roomate that likes animals and will help with rent it will open up more options to you, like maybe renting a house where the owners might be a little more laid back about your small animals, and dogs, than you would find looking for an apartment.

As for finding good homes, I have no idea where you live so I can't offer up any people or groups, but Flashy has lots of good advice. I would contact a local group and see if they could assist you with finding proper homes if needed. But I of course first, would try and find a way to keep your furkids as long as you can continue to provide a good life for them. Nothing is impossible - and if there is a will, there is a way.

 

[frost1375]

Thanks for the replies. I'm torn. My parents and my boyfriend don't want me to keep the bunnies. But I am so attached to them and love them so much. Even thinking about it makes me upset. I really don't know what to do. The bunnies in the litter, I know went to good homes, but these two are so much more special to me. I live in Wilmington, MA. I wish it was just so much easier. I even thought of keeping one of the two, but who would I choose? I wouldn't be able to do that either. Keeping one over the other one seems so mean. It's such a hard thing to do. I would love for them to have homes where they have the run of the house and are a huge part of the family. That, I know, would be hard to find. Thanks for responding. I guess I just needed to vent to people who understand. I still don't know what I'm going to do though.

 

[Flashy]

Try to do what you think is best for the rabbits, whilst looking at all aspects.

There is nothing to stop you advertising them, and interviewing people, and then, if you don't see them as good enough, you can turn them down. You could also post n the rescue/rehome forum here because then, if they were taken by people on the forum, you would know they went to good homes and also be able to keep in touch with the new owner very easily.

It's not easy to base our decisions on what is best for us, but it is easier to do what is best for our rabbits. I have 14 and that was after a massive litter of 7 (she should have had maybe 4 or so) and I always keep everything I breed, but recently everything got too much and I had to think what was best. For me, in a way, it would have been easier to rehome them (that doesn't mean I don't love them, because, without exageration they are my life, but they were making me ill), but for them, they have a lovely life here, big cages, they know me, etc and so I have kept them all. I know that is the opposite problem, but it just demonstrates the conflict. It also demonstrates that I kept bunnies that I wasn't expecting to have, and ran into problems later, so that might also be worth thinking about.

Good luck with it, it's never easy to make decisions like this. Keep talking and venting as much as you need to.