Topic: House rabbit?

[aquilegia]

I've really been feeling the urge to get a pet recently. I think it's my age!

Was thinking about a cat, but they can't be vegetarian and I'd probably want to throw up every time I fed it.

So then I thought house rabbit. I don't like the idea of keeping them in hutches outside (also we have a lot of foxes in our area).

We have a two-bed flat and could turn the spare bedroom into bunny's room. We both work full time so would it be ok alone all day? The garden doesn't have a lawn, but I could make one. (I wanted to do a wildflower and grass meadow out the front anyway).

I would get a rescue one.

Practicalities? Experiences? toilet training? etc?

[BAGGY]

My mate had two.  One just turned up in her garden (bob) so she took it on.  Then she got another (dolly) to keep him company.  Both were fine with no probs apart from dolly used to eat the wall paper and knaw the fireplace surround.

[shirl]

When the kids were young, we had a house rabbit from the RSPCA but it was a nightmare, it kept eating everything, the sofa, chewing at wires, etc, so we got another one thinking that it would help keep it company.  This made no difference except that they would eat more furniture!

To be honest, no matter how often I cleaned their area, the house still stank when you opened the door.

I wouldnt do it again thats for sure.

Sorry if its not what you wanted to hear  :(

[BAGGY]

My old cat did that when he was a kitten so we called him Sparky.

[Icyberjunkie]

Rabbits are quite easilt house trained to use litter trays but you need to use special litter (still cheap though) so they don't eat it.

The main trouble is their sharp claws can cause lost of tears in furniture and the housetraining is achieved by watching where they got to the loo then putting the tray at that location - not nice if behind the sofa or under the dining table!

Still I have known a few people achieve this and their houses don't smell.  You can find lots of info on the net so if you decide to go ahead good luck.

[aquilegia]

hmm... having second thoughts now.

don't want to have everything chewed and clawed. oh well. back to the drawingboard.

[aquilegia]

I know. It's just I love my living room rug. Sad isn't it?

I think the bunny thing was just a bit of a wim, because I'm feeling rather broody!

[Greenfingers Jo]

I've got a rabbit that lives indooors because of foxes. We do have a cat that tolerates him but he gets a run around in the morning and when we get in from work. He loves having company and he doesn't smell the house out at all. We bought a plastic hutch from Pets at Home , removable boaads that can be scrubbed, though not needed all the time if youspray them, line with newspaper and then sawdust. Changed twice a week and it takes about 30 mins each time.  Unneautered bunnies have much smellier pee so get him or her snipped. I work full time but no kids.

I wouldn't be without him despite being a sickly bunny. Good job I had pet insurance, he has cost £600 since last November and he only cost £15 to begin with!
Not as easy as a cat to look after but definitely easier than a dog.

[Jesse]

When I was little my pet was a rabbit and he was house trained. BUT, the door was open all day so he could go out whenever he wanted to, at night time we put some newspaper on the floor in the bathroom and that's where he'd "go", during the day he'd "go" outside. He never chewed on anything in the house but as I say, the door was open all day so he'd spend most of the day outside anyway. He loved chocolate and peanuts and only had to hear the rustle of a chocolate wrapper and he'd come charging through (watch out anyone who got in the way, they'd get stampeded!) and climb all over you to get to the chocolate. He slept on my bed every night like a cat would do.

[westsussexlottie]

Have you considered a reptile?
They can be kept indoors and can be very friendly.

[aquilegia]

Jesse - yours sounds so cute you're making me want one again!

WSL - hmm. I'm not adverse to reptiles and know they make great pets. But I think I'd miss the fluffiness! Also I have this bizarre phobia of snakes scales being removed. Not sure what that's all about!