# Rabbits as pets?



## FlyingFeetsFarm (Nov 28, 2012)

I went to the pet store today and OH MY GOSH! Loin head rabbits are the cutest things ever! I just want to hold one and snuggle with one all day! I have a bearded dragon, and well lets just say she's a bump on a long.... literally. lol! 

Anyway I have been looking at bunny pictures all day, and I want one! But I need an honest answer, do they make good pets? My mom said she raised rabbits when she was a kid and they did not like to be held and scratched a lot, but she raised meat rabbits.) Are they really litter box trainable? How much care do they need, lets say in comparison to a cat? How would you best describe a rabbits personality? And is there any particular breed that makes a better pet than others?

If I was to get one I would want one that was pretty mellow and happy just to hang out with me while I'm doing homework and other sitting around stuff (I have a lot of homework). 

Any info would be greatly appreciated.


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## PiccoloGoat (Sep 10, 2008)

I've heard rabbits make great pets. I think it really involves buying one that is really young and already handled, and then constantly handling them as they grow and get them attached to you. 
My friend has one that runs free in the backyard and she comes to the door when called.

Eta: I don't think it's hard to litter train them, I think they naturally go in soft, diggy spots. You've just got to show them where it is and encourage them I guess


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## Selah123 (Mar 24, 2013)

Hi

I have giant flemish which get as big or bigger than cats. They have been very easy to litter train. I literally just put newspaper in a kitty litter box where ever they first weed / pooed and they always go in it! They are also very docile and laze around most of the day like a cat! I don't have any experience with other breeds. Must google the lion head ones they sound interesting!


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## dobe627 (Oct 16, 2007)

I have raised & shown rabbits for years. Now just have my retired stock. Lion heads being one of my breeds as well as mini Rex and Holland lops. Just my opinion but lion heads aren't the friendliest. Even some of mine that were hand raised. My lops were always very sweet as were a lot of my rexes. Just my 2cents


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I have owned a lot of pet rabbits over the years and was involved with Buckeye House Rabbit Society for over 10 years. Rabbits make great indoor pets. The key is to get them spayed or neutered. Then you just simply put the litter box in the area where they like to go. I used metal puppy play pens for their areas and they could run around the house when I was around. If you go to House Rabbit Society, there are great tips on having a house rabbit so they don't chew wires or anything.

I considered rabbits more work than a cat but less work than a dog to care for. Plus they don't need vaccinations or anything.


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## FlyingFeetsFarm (Nov 28, 2012)

Thank you everyone for all the great info, I am going to probably go look at some today just to see if I like them  lol I may even come home with one.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Ohh post some pictures please ? Love to see your new addition if you 
do come home with one


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## OwnedByTheGoats (Mar 7, 2013)

I raise French Lops. They are VERY big (so not recommended for young children), but very cute.  Now that I think about it, they kind of remind me of goats. They have their moody days and sweet days. If you raise them from babies they can be sweet and lie on your lap.

I feed my 2 month babies about 1/4 a cup of food every morning and night. The bigger ones from 4-9 months I feed 1/2 cup every morning and night. I would say the adults get about 1/3 of a cup every morning and night. Other than filling their water bottles when they get empty, feeding them twice a day, and petting them, they are really easy to take care of. And, even the stuff I listed isn't HARD! So, overall, I like my rabbits a lot. I even put a puppy halter on my rabbit who was just weaned and walked him around the yard.

At first, I was really wanting to breed Jersey Woolies. I was so excited when I found out I could get one, but I had to wait until SPRING. Ugh, so long! (This would have been the time I got one!) So, I got all sad and searched on the computer for Jersey Wooly facts to keep me satisfied. I couldn't really find someone who raised any around here. So, I didn't know what I was going to do.

Well, we went to a friends farm to buy yet another goat, and she, of course, had baby bunnies. I came in all excited, thinking they were weaned and she would sell some. She had two litters at the moment, but they were way too young to be weaned. So I shrugged my shoulders, and asked if she had any adults she might sell to me. She actually picked out two that were almost ready to breed and said yes. Yippee, yippee! LOL! The adult male was $45 (he was a proven adult) and the adult female was $25 (she was not proven and a kind of boring color. LOL) But, we decided not to get them because we were too darn busy.

Well, we put the goat in the back of our car, and my mom got the money. The goat was about $130, but my mom only had two $100 dollar bills. Hmmm... it just happens to be hat we have 70$ left. $25 for the doe, $45 for the buck. Well, here we go with two bunnies on our laps and a screaming goat in the back of the car. We got home and pulled out two large dog crates, bought 2 water bottles and feeders, rabbit food of course, and set it all up. Stuck the bunnies in there, and here we go. This was the start of our rabbitry.

The two we got are not friendly, because the doe was not handled much at all. The buck just doesn't like to be picked up, but you can pet him and he LOVES it. With a few apples and grapes, they slowly warmed up to us. 

We are not expecting ANOTHER litter from this breeding pair in 6 days, and Holly sure is acting pregnant!

If you decide on a breed such as: Netherland Dwarf, Britannia Petite, 
Jersey Wooly, Holland Lop, Polish, or a Dwarf Hotot, please be aware that these are likely to produce tiny kits, known as "peanuts". They most likely die before they get to be two weeks old. It is VERY uncommon for these to live. They are teensy weensy, sometimes deformed, kits who are just not right. This is why I am glad I did not go with the Jersey Wooly breed. I would be destined for peanut kits, and knowing that their itty bitty lives are death sentences makes me sad.

I really hope you found this helpful, if you have any questions, feel free to ask! 

Btw, Lionhead rabbits need grooming. I don't know a lot about the breed, but that is one thing that NEEDS to be done for the sustained health of your rabbit.

I have written this page for French Lops, although you might find it helpful: http://www.billyjoesfoodfarm.com/french-lop-rabbits.html

This is one rabbit that I HIGHLY recommend for new rabbit owners. It helped me so much my first time, It was just so nice to be able to have that site available. Here it is: www.raising-rabbits.com/

P.S. We need pics when you get your new fluffy friend!!

Here are some of my bunnies:


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## PiccoloGoat (Sep 10, 2008)

Dog crates for rabbit cages, what a great idea!


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## goatgirl132 (Oct 18, 2012)

Yes. They learn to use the litterbox very easily.

I loved my hollin loos. 
Just spend ALOT of time with yhem like gkats they will srop scratching and biting for the most part.

I raised rabbits and showed them for years!

If you decide to get one and have any questios just pm me.

show goat/lamb equipment
www.Facebook.com/wickedshowchains


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I had rabbits when I was little, I was a rabbit killer  My son just started to raise rabbits. I dont see rabbits just hanging around and laying with you, they like to move around a lot. We started with a buck that was a house pet but the people had to move, hes cool except he was a pervert to my kids toys, so we got him a girlfriend, then we got a younger one, she is sooo sweet, I make kissing noises and she comes to me. If your expecting something to just lay with you and cuddle I dont think this is what your after, but I love my kids rabbits and they are so funny to watch. But even as sweet as 'sandy' is, she does not like to be picked up, I will have scratches on my arms if I do. As for how hard it is to take care of them, not really at all, you have to watch wires, and books or they will eat them, you can teach them to use a box, I just kept the little one in her cage to get the smell of her pee and poo in there then started to turn her out. If they do make a mess you have to clean the area real well or they keep going back to it. A lion head though, I would not go for that if I were you. I had one, it was a pain, even though I brushed that sucker all the time it still got ratted fur, and short hairs shed enough as it is so you can only think of what a long hair does.


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

PiccoloGoat said:


> Dog crates for rabbit cages, what a great idea!


That's primarily what I use becasue they are larger than most rabbit cages, I love the swinging doors, you can line the bottom and sides with a better wire mesh than what is already there (or you can use the tray, I don't) and you can set it on it's side on the grass and they can forage!

They also are heavier duty, if a dog got ahold of most wire rabbit cages they could probably get in there easily. Wire dog cages are made to keep dogs in so I guess they could be considered made to keep the dogs out too! haha

And and most parrot toys make great rabbit toys. Just saying... I have both so it's easy to buy two of a parrot toy and toss one to the buns! haha!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Actually, some house rabbits will do that. I had rabbits that would just lay on the couch with me.


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## OwnedByTheGoats (Mar 7, 2013)

Yeah, I definitely like dog crates for rabbit cages. I guess I can see putting a dwarf breed in a pet rabbit cage, but French Lops are about 2 feet long when they lie down, so I had to use the dog crate! And, that is the only thing we had. 

I believe that if you were to spend enough time with a rabbit, it would lay with you. Like any animal, you can make it like you, unless it is just lost cause.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Much easier to create a 4x4 space and use a metal puppy playpen in a square design. Then you have a doorway to open up. You can easily step into it and everything is easily removable for cleaning.


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