Rabbit Advice
- Thread starter George Hincapie
- Start date
Strange mindset. People have livestock we commonly eat as family pets, is eating horse or goat an oddity too?
It's a simular situation with like say wood and feral pigeons. You can't eat feral ones but can eat wood due to the "habitat". You could argue we don't eat badgers or other similar wild creatures in the same habitat but that's because they taste like **** I imagine. Rabbits are yummy.
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We got a couple of male baby dwarf rabbits this year, we were looking for a couple of small pets for our son and someone at work happened to be giving them away.
At the start of the year:
Now:
They are really friendly, don't mind being handled, love being hand fed and spend most of the day running about outside as I work from home a lot. Spent a while making the garden rabbit-escape proof though.
At the start of the year:
Now:
They are really friendly, don't mind being handled, love being hand fed and spend most of the day running about outside as I work from home a lot. Spent a while making the garden rabbit-escape proof though.
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We got a couple of male baby dwarf rabbits this year, we were looking for a couple of small pets for our son and someone at work happened to be giving them away.
-snip-
They are really friendly, don't mind being handled and spend most of the day running about outside as I work from home a lot. Spent a while making the garden rabbit-escape proof though.
Musta spent a while! I've got a tiny conrete garden and it'd take me weeks to rabbit proof it! Although theres cats on every side =[
We have two cats who have got used to the rabbits so keep others away - although there is a massive local tom cat I saw a month or so ago in the garden. The rabbits had bolted down the side of the garage at the end of the garden though and the alien cat didn't seem too bothered so hopefully will be ok. We have a brick wall one side of the garden, a brick garage at the end and had a new fence on the other side with concrete gravel boards alongside a concrete path. It was just the sides of the house I had to fix really, I put gates up.
Soldato
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They are also much cleaner than rabbits. So many times I've heard of rabbits having to be put down due to flystrike.
Soldato
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Have had 6 guinea pigs in my time as well as a rabbit (and a rat). I agree, guinea pigs make great pets too. They have real little personalities and I used to love listening to them chirruping and squeaking away 
Will echo what other people have said about not buying from Pets at Home and going to a rescue instead. There's rabbits of all ages looking for homes on most rescue sites and even in the Pets@home Adoption bit (the money donated goes to local charities so you're not giving them money). Pets at home don't know much when it comes to pet care and it's shocking what "advice" I've been given in the past. You may want to have a quick look at some rabbit forums for the best advice on what breed or set-up you should ideally have.
Best to also get to so they can keep each other company but get them spayed/neutered.
Will they be indoor rabbits? It may be hard to encourage a child (or you since you'll probably be the one doing all the work!) to go outside in the rain to feed them or clean the hutch out. If the wee one gets bored you'll also have to be the one socialising with them too so it has to be a pet you want.
I had a few rabbits when I was younger and they were outdoor pets. I'll be honest, I did soon get bored of them even though I loved them lots. Would love to own some again but the flat isn't really big enough.
I'd say one of the best small pets are rats. If well socialised they rarely bite (I have been bitten once in the 7 years of owning them and it was my own fault) are really clever, fun to watch and just really nice pets.
Best to also get to so they can keep each other company but get them spayed/neutered.
Will they be indoor rabbits? It may be hard to encourage a child (or you since you'll probably be the one doing all the work!) to go outside in the rain to feed them or clean the hutch out. If the wee one gets bored you'll also have to be the one socialising with them too so it has to be a pet you want.
I had a few rabbits when I was younger and they were outdoor pets. I'll be honest, I did soon get bored of them even though I loved them lots. Would love to own some again but the flat isn't really big enough.
I'd say one of the best small pets are rats. If well socialised they rarely bite (I have been bitten once in the 7 years of owning them and it was my own fault) are really clever, fun to watch and just really nice pets.
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I was told about that today. The guy said that as long as you give them food that doesn't have too much moisture, like cucumber or lettuce, then they should be fine. More BS?
Always had a rabbit, currently got a Rex/Lionhead mix breed rabbit. Loves to play all the time, he has the run of the house.
This is where i find him most mornings, asleep on the sofa.
Here he is fast asleep.
He has been fantastic, no matter where he is in the house when he needs the toilet he comes running into the living room and uses his tray.
First thing in the morning he comes running over for his breakfast and always sees me at the door when i leave for work.
This is where i find him most mornings, asleep on the sofa.
Here he is fast asleep.
He has been fantastic, no matter where he is in the house when he needs the toilet he comes running into the living room and uses his tray.
First thing in the morning he comes running over for his breakfast and always sees me at the door when i leave for work.
At home we have 2 lionheads, which we got from a rabbit rescue place - they offered all sorts of advice and help, would never go to pets at home. We got a male and a female, but had them neutered/spayed, and they seem to get along nicely. We keep them in the kitchen, and they are fairly tidy, keeping most of their pooh in the litter tray and all their urine there, but you do find stray pellets around the door mat they like to sit on in the kitchen, and the occasional moist one elsewhere. I have to say ours aren't the most exciting rabbits ever - they don't mind being stroked/held for short periods, but tend to get a little restless after a while, and often just run away if you walk up to them. Lying on the floor can be fun though - they come and sniff all around before jumping up and sitting on you...
In general they are fairly low maintenance (food, water, litter tray, fresh hay, occasional clean up of hair in their corner, occasional inspection to check they're clean etc, trips for vaccinations etc are about it off the top of my head), very cute, sometimes a bit boring and shy, but nice to have around.
In general they are fairly low maintenance (food, water, litter tray, fresh hay, occasional clean up of hair in their corner, occasional inspection to check they're clean etc, trips for vaccinations etc are about it off the top of my head), very cute, sometimes a bit boring and shy, but nice to have around.
New Zealand (8-12 pounds). These rabbits were bred for meat and fur production. They're the most popular rabbit for meat because of their size and the fact that they're ready to slaughter after only 2 months. They also average 8-10 bunnies per litter.
Californian (7-10 pounds). Another breed of rabbit bred specifically for meat and fur production. They have large bodies and fine bones. And average 6-8 bunnies per litter.
Florida White (4-6 pounds). Bred for meat production, even though they're smaller in size but considered a good fryer. Becoming more popular with backyard breeders.
Champagne D'Argent (10-15 pounds). Known for large hindquarters and high weight.
Palomino (8-11 pounds). They have smaller bones and higher meat ratio than other rabbits, although they also take longer to raise. They have 6-10 bunnies per litter.
Beveren (8-11 pounds). They grow fast and have large litters, so they're good for meat production.
My inlaws breed New Zealand as they get the fastest return for their money and the meat is quite tasty.
Californian (7-10 pounds). Another breed of rabbit bred specifically for meat and fur production. They have large bodies and fine bones. And average 6-8 bunnies per litter.
Florida White (4-6 pounds). Bred for meat production, even though they're smaller in size but considered a good fryer. Becoming more popular with backyard breeders.
Champagne D'Argent (10-15 pounds). Known for large hindquarters and high weight.
Palomino (8-11 pounds). They have smaller bones and higher meat ratio than other rabbits, although they also take longer to raise. They have 6-10 bunnies per litter.
Beveren (8-11 pounds). They grow fast and have large litters, so they're good for meat production.
My inlaws breed New Zealand as they get the fastest return for their money and the meat is quite tasty.