Rabbits

right, complete rabbit novice, but decided to get two small breed rabbits, that's literally as far as i've got, know i need hutch, run, bedding, food, bowl, water bottle, toys etc but really don't know where to start.

What would you recommend?

When you say small -- how small is small? Dwarf breeds are very much in the 'in' thing, so temperaments can be sketchy. You have to pick and choose your breeders carefully. Avoid getting one from Pets at Home.

I'm a big fan of Mini Rexes and Dutch rabbits and find their temperament overall much nicer to dwarf lops, lionheads, etc. That said a friend of mine just got two Netherland dwarf x Lionheads who are utterly devine.

I suppose the biggest question you need to ask yourself is whether you keep them indoors or out. Personally, I'd always keep buns inside if possible as you don't have to worry about exposing them to the elements overnight, foxes, etc. They also usually tame up and get much friendlier if they are indoors and spending a lot of time with you. Obviously you'll have to rabbit proof rooms they have access to, removing anything chewable, blocking off wires, etc.

You can litter train rabbits pretty easily as they are naturally clean animals. Female rabbits are I find cleaner with their toileting habits than males, but that is just a personal observation.

Then you have the question of what sex to get. Females can get moody and temperamental when they hit sexual maturity. Spaying when they are the right age usually makes them much more agreeable, plus there are health benefits to spaying that are much the same as those for a female dog.

Entire male rabbits can spray urine to mark which isn't particularly pleasant. This is something to bear in mind if you want house rabbits. I generally prefer the temperaments of males -- they are usually a bit more laid back and less highly strung than females.

If you pick a longer haired breed, get them used to grooming from the beginning. A good breeder should start handling them, grooming (if applicable), etc., from a young age but as with pups handling/grooming/nail clipping/health checking should be an ongoing thing. Also get them used to having their teeth checked. Most rabbits hate getting their teeth checked but it is important to check them regularly. Teeth problems are one of the most common reasons rabbits end up at the vets.

A supply of fresh hay should be available 24/7. This is the most important part of their diet and also crucial to help keep their teeth filed down. Hay should be supplemented with a good rabbit food -- I like Excel or Beaphar Care because they can't pick out the bits they like and leave the rest. Fresh veg and some fruits can also be fed every day -- Google which fruit & veg are safe to feed and which are not.

Bedding wise I like Megazorb which is actually a horse bedding. Much less nasty and dusty than woodshavings and is cheap as chips.

You should provide as much enrichment as possible, exactly as you would with a dog. Rabbits are massively misunderstood as pets and are smart animals. Provide plenty of hides, toys and chews to keep them happy. Also, the more time they can spend outside (safely -- you might want to consider building a run because decent size shop bought ones don't tend to be cheap!) exercising freely the better.

Blimey, that was a bit of an essay but that is all I can think of for now.

ok thank you! I was currently looking at small short haired breeds, but not dwarf, are there any you can recommend?
I was thinking of two boys? is this ok or do they fight.

Also what about keeping them in a garage? it's fairly warm, and there isn't a car in there so no risk of a dodgy parking job!! and then having them in a large run in the garden for as many hours as possible.

I've already been looking at toys and chews etc, i'm so keen!

Everyone has a difference preference but my favourites are Mini Rexes and Dutch rabbits. They don't get huge and are both short coated.

Two littermate boys should be ok. Usually one will be more assertive and the other more submissive. You might want to neuter both of them, or neuter one or the other depending on their behaviour when they hit sexual maturity. Your vet should be able to advice you on the ins and outs of neutering.

The garage should be fine provided they are also getting lots of time inside and out in the garden. Get the biggest hutch your space and finances will allow -- they'll be much happier with plenty of their own space.

I think you have me sold on mini rex's!

Will probably get them both neutered to be on the safe side as it were.

Time to get looking i guess! Thank you for your help

Have a look at the British Rabbit Council site and go along to some shows to look at the breeds. There are many many more than you would think!

Dutch are lovely - but did you know they come in many colours including Chocolate, Yellow, Tortoiseshell (sooty fawn) and also one of my all-time favourites, Tri-Colour Dutch (aka Harlequin Dutch), classed as a rare breed separately from normal Dutch, but they seem to have a lot more character and personality - a favoured breed for rabbit agility, and also make good house rabbits.

Rescues often have pairs of rabbits who are already neutered and bonded - just a thought

I love mini lops - I have 3

are there any particularly well reputed rescues worth looking at?

thanks

Can't really add to what Labradork said, but I thought I'd give her a Mini Rex fix.






I can put you in touch with a lady from a rescue which has a lot of small furries if you want to PM me.

Try http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk
It's similar to Dogsey, the main website has articles, links, etc. as well as a search function to look up rabbits in rescues (a bit like Dogs Blog). The attached forum is pretty busy and very informative so I'd definately recommend signing up to do some more homework