Cross Breeds - Please help! I am wanting to buy a pet rabbit but I have some questions. Please help, thanks!?

Please help! I am wanting to buy a pet rabbit but I have some questions. Please help, thanks!?

Okay, I have a few questions. First off, what type of rabbit should I get? I don't know if where I live matters, but just a little info about me, I live in Fort Worth Texas, I live in a house with 3 Pomeranian dogs and 1 Turkish Angora cat. I have heard that you want a normal rabbit (I mean like, not being a dwarf, or miniature) because they are harder and more expensive to care for. I don't know if this is true so I thought I might just add that in here. I have also heard to get a male rabbit because when females get into maturity they go into heat and stay in heat. So they become aggressive, territorial, and basically a little monster. I want a sweet, lovable rabbit that my whole family will grow attached to. I would prefer a female, but I would also take a male. Also, is it really that much of a difference to have the rabbit neutered? I researched that neutering helps lower the risk of some cancers and makes the rabbit live longer and happier lives. I can get the rabbit neutered if it is necessary. Is there a difference in rabbit breeds being more obedient, aggressive, and more energetic than others, like say a golden retriever and a boxer? Also, where could I find a rabbit for sale? I researched them and a lot of websites said not to buy from pet shops and feed stores because they usually have diseases and die quickly. I don't want to spend a lot of money, preferably less than $30 if possible. Thank you for your help, Ha'ley

Public Comments

go to a flea market, they sell cute bunnies for way cheaper then 30. true females are aggressive. neuter you male to calm him down so he aint so hyper. you can also easily train ur male to use kitty litter. hope this helps, i raised em since i was a little girl and love em all
Its not true that dwarfs or miniature are more money. i got a few for $30 each because they were pure bred. I personally like the miniature rabbits because they are small and just cute, not saying all rabbits aren't. If you get a long haired you will have to brush its hair in the spring to help for when it sheds.. at least i do.. If you have a friend that breeds rabbits you could ask them what they sell and how much. Also at Fairs there are always some for sale. i don't know if there is a difference in aggression. maybe research a little? neutering will always help somewhat because it will help with their hormones and such. If you do get a rabbit always remember that they can get hot so if they are outside in the summer and its hot, put a cold icy water bottle or something that it cant chew in there to keep it cool.. I like my boy rabbits because they are somewhat sweeter however all Rabbits have their days....
Congrats on deciding a bunny is for you. Im a proud owner of one as well and i'll share with you what I know. Breeds: I personally have a breed of rabbit that is considered "difficult and antisocial" when you look up his breed online. But in person this bunny is the nicest, sweetest most loving little bunny you could meet. I honestly believe that any bunny given the right socialization and handling can become a perfect pet. It can also very hard to find certain breeds of bunnies unless your willing to go to a specialty breeder and pay extra for it. Most of the rabbits you see for sale today are mixes of several great breeds, and all have the potential to be great pets! Expenses: It does not require more care for a smaller rabbit or a larger rabbit. The only real cost difference would be that you have to buy a bigger cage for larger rabbits. And larger rabbits might eat more food than say a miniature would. But the difference in cost is so small that you really shouldnt weigh it in to your opion on what breed you want to get. Overall expenses will be Cage: $60, Bunny: $20, Food/Hay: $12, Chew Toys: $10, Waterbottle: $4, Bedding: $10 Size: As far as a miniature, dwarf or standard I would just pick the size that would fit your lifestyle best. Do you know youll have plenty of space for a larger rabbit which would require a larger cage and larger playarea? If you know for a fact you will have the space requirements for the bunnys entire life (6-10 years)? Are you planning on letting your rabbit out with your other animals? ( I wouldnt reccommend this because it might put unneeded stress on your rabbit) But if you are planning on that, you might want to get a larger rabbit so that the other animals are less likely to see it as prey. Again I would not reccommend this due to all sorts of dangerous positions it could put your bunny in. Where to buy your bunny: I bought my bunny from a very well respected local pet store that buys from local breeders (I do not reccommend going to a large chain pet store like PetSmart or Petco. These stores have poor sanitation and their animals do not last long). If you go to a pet store, you might want to look up reviews of that store online and make sure that they have good reviews. You can also go onto websites like craigslist and see if any breeder or private owner has bunnies for sale on there. No matter where you get your bunny just make sure you look over the one you want well, make sure their fur looks clean and soft. Eyes should be bright and clear. There should be no feces or urine on the animal. You also want to make sure all the other bunnies look healthy too because disease can spread quick. Also, you want to make sure you get the bunny at an age less than 2 months old, because bad behavoirs can really start to stick at this age and you want to start training early. Goodluck!
I love rabbits! Girls (called does) do sometimes get territorial and mean, but ive never had that problem with any of my does that werent already rude and mean anyway. boys are great, but they spray pee EVERYWHERE and can make a mess. and they tend to be kinda stinky. I neutered one of my rabbits, and he did fine.. but it can be risky sometimes. My favorite breed is dutch and the holland lop. i also like netherland dwarfs, but they arent as cuddly or as nice as hollands or a dutch. if you are going to buy one, you could buy it from a breeder. and if you want to spend less than thirty, you will probably get what you pay for. Good luck! rabbits are an amazing pet. Here is a website for general rabbit care: (the prices listed are a little off, its not that expensive) http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/small-pet-care/general-rabbit-care.aspx
Kind of rabbit: I would suggest to buy a bunny when it's about 2-4 months old. Get a normal rabbit first then after you buy it, keep it for a few weeks and see how much you like having a rabbit. Where to get the rabbit: I would suggest going to a "mom and pop" shop. A family owned pet store almost 100% guarantees the rabbit is not inbred. Make sure the owners love the animals too. Either that or go to a breeder. Big chains are not recommended because they probably get the rabbits from rabbit farms. Get a male rabbit for sure. Female tend to PMS and she can have a million babies if you expose her to males. Neutering: I own a male but he is not neutered. He is usually quite calm but sometimes he gets a little "frisky". When guests are around, he's usually friendly and "urge free". If you don't want to neuter the rabbit you get, I highly suggest you let him "blow off some steam" with an old stuffed animal every now and then or else him "urges" will get too great. As for the health thing, it should lower health risks but the rabbit can still live a happy life without being neutered (the surgery does cost more than the rabbit itself). Housing: Judging from the amount of carnivorous animals at your house, I would suggest you buy a cage with a roof and keep it in a place where the other pets are not allowed in or avoid. Expenses: Rabbits: about $20-$30 at pet stores Cages: $40 for the cruddy ones but the "rabbit mansions" cost $150. Bedding: roughly $30-$50 for a gigantic bag that lasts you 3-8 months (Depending on the amount of bedding you use, the size of the cage and how often you change it). Food: about $10-$20 per month without the cost of vegetables, mineral blocks, and chewing wood. Accessories: $10-$50 (Food bowl, watering system, toys and expensive shelters) You can greatly reduce the cost of them by doing the following: 1) Giving the rabbit plastic container (like mismatched Tupperware) as a food bowl/ water bowl. 2) If you have trees growing in your backyard, find out what kind of tree it is and look up whether it is safe for rabbits to chew on or not. Next time you prune it, save a few 1/2 inch thick segments of wood for the bunny to shew on. 3) Putting a box in the cage from Costco or something to provide a shelter for the rabbit. When it gets dirty, simply throw it out and get a new box next time you go to Costco. 4) If your rabbit is small, you can let the bunny live in a large plastic storage container. Be sure to wash it down though. I'm guessing you have those removable dog fences because of your dogs so you can take them and put them on top of the new bunny house and weigh it down with heavy books to keep the bunny from escaping into the paws of your other pets. 5) If your friend's rabbits accidentally have babies, request to adopt one. I'd think they d be happy to take a few bunnies off their hands. 6) Get a shredder and some old BLACK AND WHITE newspapers. Shred it and use it as bedding. The bunny may want to eat it (but the ink should be natural so it's not a huge problem), and it's not as absorbent as you may think. You may have to change it more often than usual because of this. You can also potty train the rabbit to use a tub filled with unscented kitty litter in a box. It's a lengthy process so be sure to look up how to potty train the rabbit online.
This is the answer for all your question: RABBIT Feeding Information Because of the wide commercial availability of nutritionally rich pellets, properly nourishing rabbits is not difficult. Rabbits can remain perfectly healthy if provided a basic diet of pellets and fresh water. Plenty of food and water should always be made available. Pellets When purchasing pellets from your local pet store, be sure to buy fresh pellets. Rabbit pellets should be stored in the refrigerator, and any food that will not be used within a two month period should be frozen for later use. To prevent waste, buy only what you know your pet rabbit can consume over two months. Water Rabbits should have water made available to them at all times, especially during the hotter seasons of the year. A hanging drops-style water dispenser is a great solution for keeping water from spilling and keeping it free of contaminants. d. Fresh Fruit and Vegetables You may want to occasionally treat your rabbit to fresh fruits and vegetables as supplements to their diet. Rabbits especially love apples, carrots, lettuce, spinach, grass, clover and alfalfa. These foods helps regulate the rabbit’s digestive system and helps prevent intestinal problems. Fresh fruits and vegetables should NOT replace the nutritionally dense pellets, as these fresh dietary supplements are mostly water and do not contain the essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that the pellets provide. If rabbits are provided a regular diet of pellets, fresh water, and occasional fruits and vegetables, additional vitamin supplements do not need to be part of their feeding routine. RABBIT Grooming Rabbits, like cats, are fastidious self groomers. With a little extra help, your rabbit can stay a clean and healthy part of your home. By keeping your rabbit in a clean habitation, the grooming process will be much easier Brushing Fur Rabbits need a good brushing about once a week – especially if your rabbit is a long haired species. During shedding seasons, your rabbit should be brushed daily. Keeping your rabbit’s fur clean and brushed will prevent the rabbit from ingesting hairballs – rabbits, unlike cats, cannot regurgitate hairballs causing dangerous and painful intestinal blockages. Long haired rabbits can be protected from hairballs by a regular trimming (about one inch off). Brush your rabbit along the direction of the hair, removing any old or loose hair that pulls away with a moderately firm brushing. As you brush pay attention for any lumps, sores, rashes, cuts or pests that may be harming your rabbit. Any evidence of fleas should result in a visit to your veterinarian. Trimming Nails Rabbit nails should be trimmed every two weeks. To trim your rabbit’s nails, use standard cat clippers and cut the sharp ends off of the nails. Be careful not to cut too deeply causing the nails to bleed. Rabbits should never be declawed – rabbits need their nails for climbing, walking and escaping predators. Cleaning Ears Rabbit ears should be checked daily for wax clogs or mites and cleaned every two weeks. Any black discharge or soreness in the ear could indicate mites of other infections that require the attention of a veterinarian. To clean your rabbit’s ears, use a soft cotton-tipped swab to clean all the visible areas of the ear. Caring for teeth Rabbit teeth are generally maintained through daily gnawing and chewing activities. The teeth should be slightly worn down on the end and aligned with each other. If your rabbit’s teeth are sharp or otherwise out of alignment, you should seek the help of a veterinarian in trimming the rabbit’s teeth. Because rabbit’s teeth never actually stop growing, an occasional tooth checkup will keep their teeth healthy and allow them to eat regularly. Bathing Rabbits are generally not bathed, but spot cleaned. Because bathing can cause extreme stress and because rabbits do not dry out quickly, bathing can cause rabbits to experience stress, chills and may induce shock. If your rabbit is diagnosed with fleas, check with your veterinarian on the best way to treat the fleas. If your rabbit is ever completely soaked with water, dry the rabbit as best you can with a towel and immediately move them to a warm, dry location – preferably in the sun. Outdoor housing The best outdoor cages are wire cages that have half the floor covered with a smooth hard surface, and the other half of the cage with open wire so that fecal matter can fall out of the cage. . If rabbits don’t have a safe place to hide, they may injure themselves trying to escape from the cage. Outdoor cages should be equipped with plenty of food and fresh water as described above for Indoor rabbits. Adequate shade should be provided so that rabbits can escape the hot sun and cool themselves. Be sure to situate the cage so that it is an adequate shelter from excess heat, excess cold, rain, wind and snow.