Minding a rabbit

Did you smash it

I’ve to mind a rabbit for 3 months in a bottom floor apartment with a small patio/grass garden.

I feel a bit sorry for the rabbits as it seems a miserable existence being in two cages/hutches - one outside and one inside. I’m giving them an hour’s exercise in the backyard once a day which I have to supervise them for as they would get preyed upon by roaming cats otherwise.

Is there any tips people have for things to make their lives as good as possible over their time in my place.

JustAThought

Maybe go to deals or europound and get a small blow up paddling pool and fill it with sand for them to dig in -INSIDE. I’d be very worried about cats :0 They can move very fast!!!

I bet the rabbits will enjoy the change of scene and somewhere new to run about & dig!

Dubl07

Rabbits can be trained to use litter boxes like cats. They're smart little dudes.

Sandor Clegane

Rabbits need to be given a LOT of room, more room that you would imagine, especially when being kept as a pets...I know you are only minding them for a period.

Thats why I always preferred to keep rabbits free range, Id kit out a wooden shed, insulate it etc and set up various nest boxes, hides and play things for them inside it.

Then Id built an aviary type run off the shed for them so they could go outside and run around during the day, typing this is making miss my rabbit days.

Did you smash it

Sandor Clegane wrote: »

Rabbits need to be given a LOT of room, more room that you would imagine, especially when being kept as a pets...I know you are only minding them for a period.

Thats why I always preferred to keep rabbits free range, Id kit out a wooden shed, insulate it etc and set up various nest boxes, hides and play things for them inside it.

Then Id built an aviary type run off the shed for them so they could go outside and run around during the day, typing this is making miss my rabbit days.

Nice suggestions but not possibly in my domestic situation.

I didn’t even get time to give them supervised outdoors time and probably won’t tomorrow either. I let them out in my living room instead to look around.

Overall the rabbits are terrified of me and that’s just the way they are with their permanent owners aswell and I certainly wouldn’t see the value of them over affectionate pets such as dogs or cats. These guys don’t like to be touched and just do the back feet stomp anytime I have to catch them. They have each other but it’s hard to see much value in having them as pets in an apartment otherwise especially for their own happiness.

I’ll look into the paddling pool filled with sand the previous poster suggested.

Cherry Blossom

It sounds like they did not come from a reputable source and their owners did not bother to take the time to tame them. Rabbits are the second most neglected species of pet in the world, second only to goldfish.

Quite frankly your attitude to these pets also stinks. Why did you agree to look after them if this is how you feel about them? It is not the rabbits fault that they have been neglected and under socialised, it is the humans fault who look after them. Bare in mind that they are also away from their usual surroundings if you are looking after them in your home and some settling in time is required. You need to make time to care for them properly. There is no harm in letting them loose in your apartment. They are easy to clean up after. Just make sure there are no electric cables they can chew or other hazards.

Oink

Cherry Blossom wrote: »

Quite frankly your attitude to these pets also stinks. Why did you agree to look after them if this is how you feel about them? .

That’s a bit harsh. OP posted here because they’re trying “to make their lives as good as possible over their time in my place.”

Cherry Blossom

Oink wrote: »

That’s a bit harsh. OP posted here because they’re trying “to make their lives as good as possible over their time in my place.”

S/he does not see the value of them and is blaming animals for acting scared when they've never been tamed.


Maybe I have been a bit harsh but the OP has demonstrated a lack of compassion for these little beings they are caring for. I have visions of the OP running after them to catch them scaring them even further.

Did you smash it

Cherry Blossom wrote: »

S/he does not see the value of them and is blaming animals for acting scared when they've never been tamed.


Maybe I have been a bit harsh but the OP has demonstrated a lack of compassion for these little beings they are caring for. I have visions of the OP running after them to catch them scaring them even further.

I’m not going to get into this. Please don’t post again.

tk123

Cherry Blossom wrote: »

Maybe I have been a bit harsh but the OP has demonstrated a lack of compassion for these little beings they are caring for. I have visions of the OP running after them to catch them scaring them even further.

+1 hopefully this isn’t the case OP but you’ve bascially asked what’s the point of two animals you (I assume) have voluntarily taken on for a while in a forum for pet and animal owners.

Did you smash it

Some funny fish around here. The animals owners have gone abroad to live for the winter. I And the owners don’t live in Ireland so there’s limited/zero people they would know here to take care of them as it’s not their home. If I hadn’t taken them in, I don’t know what would have happened with them. The owners have owned them for two or three years so the idea I can teach them to become tame now so they are not scared of me is untrue and I’m afraid that ship has sailed. I may have erred by not insisting that I only take care of them in their present owners address. I live close by to the owners. But even this approach is fraught with problems.

They have given me two cages/hutches both of which are top loaded so I can’t help but touch them if I want to move them at all.

My attitude to the rabbits is that it’s a tough life for them and I haven’t a domestic situation that can provide for their needs. There are cats passing through my yard, I already spotted one today. If I choose never to touch them, they’ll stay in their pens for their entire time with me. Therefore overall I don’t blame the rabbits at all for their nature, I just don’t see them as suitable pets for my domestic situation.

The rush to judgement by folk here while not understanding the situation and not providing any help is astounding.

Again thanks to the people who made suggestions.

tk123

Would they pay for boarding for them even for a few weeks? I know of one place that bonded rabbits for somebody.. they may be able to help with taming them for you.

DBB

Do you think a covered-over outdoor run might help your situation op?
Something along the lines of this...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Easipet-Rabbit-Chicken-Enclosure-Sunshade/dp/B075CMXN62/ref=asc_df_B075CMXN62/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310842909289&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=919162586209929619&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=20490&hvtargid=pla-699665449658&psc=1

I don't know enough about bunnies to know if it's possible to salvage any sort of a relationship with them, but... if you have a spare while here or there, and fancy a challenge, have a look at videos and tips on clicker training rabbits! You might be surprised at how much you may be able to teach them to do without having to lay a finger on them.

Smee_Again

We had a rabbit for years that lived semi-wild in the back garden. One of the neighbours moved out and left him behind so we caught him and kept him in the garden. He was a pet rabbit who hadn't really been treated as a pet so went feral.

We could never tame him, but he was friendly enough and would sit beside you and eat from your hand but he wouldn't let you touch/pet/lift him.

We had a hutch and a shed with a hatch that he wouldn't use but the garden had lots of cover, bushes, trees etc. We just let him roam the garden and gave him food each day, he was pretty hardy and didn't take much looking after. We had a dog that we had to get used to him but the cat paid him no heed.

He was the second pet rabbit we had and the previous fella was tame but still roamed the garden and would sleep in a hutch.

Basically if the garden is secure I wouldn't worry about letting him wander around unsupervised, both our rabbits lived for years in the garden without incident.

Did you smash it

Smee_Again wrote: »

Basically if the garden is secure I wouldn't worry about letting him wander around unsupervised, both our rabbits lived for years in the garden without incident.

Interesting but that’s a chance I can’t really take. I’d imagine the cats would kill the rabbit. I’m amazed ye had a cat that took no interest in eating the rabbit. It’s just nature that I thought all cats would kill a rabbit if given the chance.

Smee_Again

Did you smash it wrote: »

Interesting but that’s a chance I can’t really take. I’d imagine the cats would kill the rabbit. I’m amazed ye had a cat that took no interest in eating the rabbit. It’s just nature that I thought all cats would kill a rabbit if given the chance.

Fair enough, better safe than sorry.

Yeah, and it wasn't just our cat. There were a few other cats in the area that would wander in and out of the garden without issue.

Gaybar

They love cylinders like toilet roll tubes. They flip them. It's so cute. We've hardly any toys because toilet roll tubes are all they need.

Your ones sound like they haven't been socialised but don't worry about it, they're prey animals so their behaviour seems standoffish to you. You're the one who controls the food now so they will appreciate you, on at least one level!

Mixed leafy greens like beetroot chard, spinach, kale, baby leaf salads and celery or broccoli leaves are good for them. They should get two cups each per day of this as a good source of nourishment. You'll find you eat way more healthy food too. There's literally no point owning a rabbit unless you really like vegetables.

Treats can be given in the form of a slice of apple or two (no more than that as there's too much sugar in them), a grape, a stick of carrot or sliced pepper. These will be your motivators and once they get really interested in their leafy veg and run out to eat it, you eat your salad too. They're social eaters and will enjoy you munching along with them and stare into your soul with one eye cocked at you

When they finish with their dinner, hold out a stick of carrot or apple, something you can extend to them (maybe even a leaf that they really seemed to enjoy at first, it's just to get them used to hand feeding).

They'll learn to associate your hand with yummy food and realise it's not an eagle coming from the sky to snatch and murder them. This is important!

Rabbits LOVE cuddles. They are the most cuddle-loving animal I'm aware of. They spend all day grooming themselves in preparation for when another bun will come over and press up against them. Or in the case of domesticated rabbits, so they're incredibly soft and fluffy and you can enjoy cuddling them.

When they're feeling carefree and overjoyed they will lose control of their limbs and throw themselves into the air. This is called a binkie for some reason! I tend to squeal "yippee" when mine do one because sometimes when I exclaim it, they'll binkie as a reflex hahaha

And when they're relaxed and chill, they'll fling themselves to the ground like they're dead.

Buns are quality.

Did you smash it

Thanks Gaybar, I knew plenty of that but nice to hear a summary of all the basics. I had them out the back for a half an hour there earlier. They have fun out there and do the hops and all. I do have to catch them but I think they aren’t that terrified of me. I just stroke them on the strip between the eyes and they seem to like that. When I pick them up I move very slowly and keep two hands on them and hold them to my chest.

The run from Amazon is something I’ll consider as well so thanks to that suggestion.

Smee - you had roaming cats that didn’t see the rabbit as dinner? I don’t understand that? I would have thought they’d have killed on sight.

tk123

Did you smash it wrote: »

Smee - you had roaming cats that didn’t see the rabbit as dinner? I don’t understand that? I would have thought they’d have killed on sight.

Your post has reminded me - we had a rabbit living on our road for months! One of the houses was empty so the garden was over grown and I think they may have had some hoarding up too. You'd see the rabbit on the road, in and out of gardens, up the lane etc. I did see cats chasing him but he always got away. Once they started working on the house we didn't see him again. We have park, playing fields, the botanic gardens all close by so I'm not sure if he moved on.. or did eventually get caught. My neighbour used to be out feeding it veg :pac: This was a row of terraced houses lol - not the countryside

Smee_Again

Did you smash it wrote: »

Smee - you had roaming cats that didn’t see the rabbit as dinner? I don’t understand that? I would have thought they’d have killed on sight.

Yeah, it was never an issue. After a big of googling I’m not sure if that was pure luck, but both rabbits lived into old age and died natural causes.

scilover

Bunnies are normal grazers and upbeat rabbits touch all day long. Similar to a few of us, rabbits can combat boredom by eating. Providing adequate premium quality nourishment could be an extraordinary way to avoid boredom and up that joy level. Make beyond any doubt your bunnies continuously have boundless, new, clean feed for brushing fun.