Rabbits

edengarden

Hi thinking of getting a rabbitt & would like to get a hutch built with a run - how big should it be? Do they have to be kept in shelter in winter? Any general tips would be appreciated!

flikflak

Hiya

We had loads of rabbits at home and never once put them inside in the winter. As long as they are not in a direct draught or where rain will blow into the cage they will be fine with plenty of hay/straw in their bed bit of the cage.

As for a run I cant help you there as we just let them have the run of the whole garden (garden had a very high wall all the way around). I suppose a run should be tall enough for them to stand up on their hind legs and large enough to give them a good run around.

Good luck with it!

Dilly

Hi,

With regards to the outside run, the bigger the better is the only answer. Give them as much room as you can afford to. For winter (and any other time there night be a cold spell!) make sure that they are sheltered form draughts and the same applies in Summer - make sure that they are sheltered from the sun.

Another option would be to have your bun as a house rabbit. Mine is great indoors they are clean creatures and are VERY easily house trained. YOu can get more info here: http://www.rabbit.org if you're interested. Even if you want to have them outside you'll find lots of good care and health information.

Dilly

edengarden

Oh thanks for the replies - can't wait to get one-very excited - even though it supposed to be for my son

Nala

You should really get two rabbits, as they will be company for each other (Rabbits are sociable creatures).
HOWEVER it must be either two females OR a female and a neutered male.
Two males will fight at best/kill each other at worst, a male and a female will multiply...

There is a user on the boards called Guineapigrescue, she works at the small animal rescue centre in Tipperary and always has lots of good advice.

A rule to bear in mind with rabbits: They can tolerate very cold weather, but not wet or hot. A rabbit can die of heatstroke very easily (like dogs, they have no sweat glands to cool them down).

Arcadian

Guineapigrescue on the board should be able to give advice. If your not keeping your rabbit as a house pet then it might be better to get two. I wouldn't give them the run of the whole garden though, small ones are at risk from cats and many larger ones can scale a 6ft wall easily.

Sigma Force

Agree with the others, if the rabbit has to be housed outdoors then for the rabbits sake I would get two, it can be very difficult to sex rabbits so if you get two females from a pet shop might turn out to be one male and one female, vets can get it wrong sexing them also.

Even if the rabbit is to be housed indoors two is better than one, Hadook on the board sometimes has lovely rescued rabbits in pairs and some on their own that could be introduced to another rabbit if neutered/spayed.

At 6 months of age they must be taken to an experienced small animal vet to be neutered or spayed wether you are sure of the sex or not.
This is especially important with female rabbits as they have an 85% chance of contracting uterine cancer if they are not spayed. Plus you don't want accidental litters.

Wether housed indoors or outdoors they must be vaccinated for Myxomatosis and VHD..but not at the same time. You must leave at least 2 weeks between a Myxomatosis vaccine and a VHD vaccine.
They also must be wormed every 3 months with Parazole or Panacur they vet can tell you the correct dosage for your rabbits weight.
Again with the wormer don't worm the same day as a vaccination, leave it 48 hours between worming and vaccination.

Nails might need to be clipped every few weeks, mine are a nightmare so the vet has to do it at about a fiver a pop.

Contrary to popular belief rabbits do feel the cold, although they may not be as delicate as guinea pigs they do need a warm shed in winter, better still to be a house rabbit.
Rabbits can be very prone to the sniffles (like our cold) but this can quickly turn to pneumonia and if the rabbit is outdoors you might not notice them coming down with something.

If they have to be housed outdoors year round a shed would be a better option, for a decent sized hutch (which for one rabbit would need to be 4 foot by 2 and high enough for the rabbit to stand on their back legs, and that's only as a shelter) and a decent sized run (no less than 6 feet) you will end up paying more than you would for a shed.
A shed is also great for you, in winter and rain (which we get a lot of as you know) you won't get soaked when going out to clean them and you and your son can sit and have floor time with them.

Ideally two rabbits housed indoors is best, there are rabbit pens available here http://www.pet-bliss.com/acatalog/Small_Animal_Runs.html if you have other animals in the house the one with a wire cover is better. Plus you can add on to make it larger.

Rabbits are very sociable and really do need the company of another rabbit, never house rabbits and guinea pigs together.
Two rabbits are more interesting and fun to watch as well.
It's lovely to see them snuggle up together, they are great all round house pets. You would need to bunny proof any housing or room in the house. Keep them away from wires and timbers you don't want them chewing.

Here's a break down on what it will cost for standard vet treatment per rabbit depending on which vet you go to costs can vary.

Myxomatosis vaccine - 10 Euro to 20 Euro
VHD Vaccine - 10 to 20 Euro
Spay or Neuter - 50 to 70 Euro
A standard health check - 25 Euro
Nail Clipping - 5 Euro

Bedding wise, avoid straw use hay for food and bedding. Fresh dry hay must always be available. Don't use woodchips if you can avoid them, they are messy and some say can cause respiratory problems.
Vet bed is brilliant for rabbits, most pet shops sell it by the foot, about 10 Euro per foot but you can wash it and wash it and it lasts for ever.
Fresh water must always be availableand and veg daily no lettuce especially iceberg it can cause all sorts of problems and the runs and has no nutritional value.
Carrots, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower are all good. Introduce any new food a little at a time.
Herbs as treats: Oregano, thyme, parsely (small amount) and rosemary.

Rabbits can live 7 to 10 years some I belive have lived longer.

Ok I've just thrown a lot of info on you sorry don't mean to put you off but if you have any bunny questions you can e-mail me guineapigsrescue123@eircom.net
Would be happy to advise and if I don't know the answer (which often happens lol) can put you in touch which someone who can help.

They do make great pets, supervise all young children carefully, my 6 year old loves her rabbits but I still have to watch her like a hawk.
Shelter is a must in all weathers, it got very hot there the other week, anything above 22 degrees and a bunny can get heat stroke which is fatal if not caught early.

Hope you find some lovey rabbits soon, they are adorable little monkeys.

Oh and some good quality rabbit mix daily also..knew I forgot something