Getting a rabbit - warning, I have never owned a pet before

[loveisagirlnameddaisy]

New to this part of MN so please excuse any obvious/stupid questions.

My DD is turning 5 in Oct and has been desperate for a pet for over a year. I love animals but am allergic to dogs/cats so that's out of the question. She has asked if we can get a rabbit as a family pet and I thought it might be a good starting point. Is that wise, or should we go for a guinea pig instead? I have no clue about rabbits or where to start, which breed is good for children, what kit we'll need. Male or female, one or two?

Does someone out there mind giving me some pointers?

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

You're in the right place loveis - spend a while perusing the threads on here. There are loads of "What Pet" / "What's best , rabbits or Guinea-Pigs"? type threads.

Personally, guinea-pigs ( note pigs - not a singleton)

My DD has guineas - she was fine with Smooth Boy and Abbysynian Boy. She is allergic to Rex boy (I think it's the fur texture)

Most rabbit keepers agree they are not childrens pets.
And don;t get one for your daughter. She's only 5 - you need to get it for the family.
You will be doing all the cleaning up. (I do with mine, I said right from the Get Go that I would be responsible for pig husbandry. And it's flipping relentless I tell ya)

Most furries are rehomed due to allergies and/or children getting bored

Consider where they'll live. What will you do on holidays? That your life will be spent picking up hay.

And you need to consider their lifespan. You're in for years of commitment.

Good Luck and happy reading

[loveisagirlnameddaisy]

Thanks 70 for getting the ball rolling! I hear what you're saying on it being a family pet - my sister fell for that line when her boys were younger and they wanted a dog... guess who does all the dog walking?! So I'm prepared for the commitment they require from me and that she may well lose interest. I still feel it's good for her and DS to be around animals so that she learns to respect them and treat them kindly - she already shows signs of that (every dog we meet out and about she wants to stroke and talk to!).

I've had conflicting advice already on rabbits and how suitable they are; although my MIL suggested guinea pigs as an alternative. I'll read through some of the other threads and see what's best.

[VetNurse]

I'd go for guinea pigs over rabbits. They are easier for children to handle, less likely to bite or scratch and have great little characters. Rabbits require a lot more space, yearly vaccinations, neutering and can get a number of health problems which can run up the vet bills. Guinea pigs are the best :) you need to get at least 2 though and be warned that they are addictive!

[FernieB]

I have both pigs and a bun. Definitely pigs - they are more child friendly, love cuddles and being hand fed and make lots of noises which are funny to hear. You need 2 and 2 females is probably the best combination.

[Midori1999]

I love bunnies and have four, plus one foster and they are amazing. They can make good children's pets but only if you're children will be happy with doing day to day care like cleaning and feeding and sitting watching them or stroking them while they lay on the ground. They don't like being picked up and even tame rabbits can kick and scratch if they're not well supported when picked up. You can clicker train them and teach them tricks and to jump over show jumps though. Rabbits do also need a LOT of space. None of the hutches sold in Pets At Home, for example, are really big enough, 48sq feet is the minimum size you need for two bunnies and a shed or Wendy house and run is generally cheaper than a large hutch, but a set up is really going to cost £300 at least. Rabbits can also live for well over ten years, so it's a big commitment.

Guineas are much easier for children to handle and I loved having them as a child. They don't need as much space as bunnies, but I think the general thinking is the more space the better. They are definitely happier being picked up than bunnies and your children could probably hold them on their lap with supervision. They're quite fragile, so you do need to be careful not to drop them.

[Midori1999]

Just noticed FernieB's post mentions hand feeding. You can hand feed bunnies too.

[FernieB]

Sorry - yes you can hand feed bunnies too. Pigs are rather more vocal though which would probably be more appealing to young children.

[Nancyclancy]

I've always had guinea pigs and wasn't so keen on rabbits, until we offered a home to a mini lop male. He was adorable, really quiet and placid. He unfortunately died and we've now got a male and female pair of mini lops, who are also lovely.
If you do get a rabbit, definitely get it neutered. Girls are apparently vulnerable to cancer if not spayed and un neutered males are a handful. My boy is going to be booked in as soon as he's old enough.

[Nancyclancy]

As already mentioned, rabbits do need lots of room. Ours have a hutch inside a wooden play house with a huge run joined on. They come and go as they please even in the winter.

[RabbitsarenotHares]

One reason rabbits aren't good for young children is because they have to be held very firmly. Their back legs are very strong and if they kick out in an effort to escape whilst being held insecurely they can do themselves serious injury. So whilst I'd let a child sit on the floor with a rabbit to pet it I'd be uncomfortable with them lifting it off the floor.

Guinea pigs are easier to handle, but they are less hardy than rabbits (don't grow a thicker coat in the winter) so need to be indoors / warmish shed for the duration.

[Mouldypineapple]

We have a male rabbit. My DD is 4 and adores him! We never had him neutered so he does get a little frisky occasionally but nothing a gentle push away won't sort. He has a fair size hutch and when dry we let him have the run of the garden if we're around, or the conservatory if not. He is playful and loves running up and down the garden after DD. we've actually had him for 8 years and I would definitely say he's been more lively the last couple of years with DD running around with him. He doesn't seem to mind being picked up by us or DD generally and he has his little places he likes to hide in. And he rather likes sneaking indoors when the conservatory door is left open and has been known to nibble the odd bit of wallpaper so watch that!
Wow, that was a bit long. Suffice to say he is a well loved member of our family!

[MissMilbanke]

If you do decide a rabbit is what you want. Don't get a lion head one unless you are prepared to do serious grooming. Ours ended up with matted fur around its bum on several occasions which matted up with its poo. Lovely.

Look on the Internet for rescue sanctuaries for both rabbits and GPS. Unfortunately people do get bored with them and hand them over. We had a male gp who was most unsociable from a sanctuaryv and they refused to sell as a pair. All our pets have come from sanctuaries and have been fabulous little pets !

[Mouldypineapple]

Ours is half lion head and yes, cute on top but a pain around the bottom! Good point there. We have snipped off matted poo and hair a few times ( when he has squidgy poos not the nicely formed ones!) Pleased to know it's not just us that has that problem though.

[Mouldypineapple]

On that note, not sure you'd want one of these...
metro.co.uk/2014/07/08/meet-ida-the-angora-rabbit-she-might-be-the-cutest-thing-ever-4790743/?ito=facebook

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

That animal is the opposite of cute Mouldy.
I feel really that someone would choose to breed and keep a rabbit which cannot have a natural life.
That rabbit cannot run around, probably doesn't have tunnels and soil to dig.
Probably spends half it's life being washed and fluffed up.
How the heck can it reach it's own behind to pooh eat?

Just WHY ? (and an for good measure)

[PurpleWithaMysteryBun]

Another vote for guinea pigs!
They squeak at you, they get to know you. There is something very satisfying about taking out the carrot tops/peelings to them and they get so excited! And they will sit happily on your knee for a very long time for strokes.

However, they do go down hill very quickly and are not very hardy, I had two piggies die very closely together and rehomed my third as I was devastated!

I still miss them 3 years later! My favourite pet for little ones next to a soppy dog.

[PurpleWithaMysteryBun]

Also bunnies and guinea pigs need much more space than you realise, so make sure you can offer this.

[Morethanalittlebitconfused]

I'm a rabbit keeper but would recommend piggies to you as a first time pet keeper

Guineas are far easier than bunnies to look after and are more child friendly

[Madratlady]

I love my bunnies but I'd definitely suggest Guinea pigs for a child. Although you will end up doing most of the animal care, it's too much responsibility for a 5 year old.