# should i get rid of him? RESOLVED



## starlightbun06 (Nov 30, 2006)

Hello, im new here.

I have a delima. I am moving soon, and I have two rabbits and a dog. iam sure everyone here knows that house rabbits take up a considerableamount of space... and i am moving to a studio apartment. just 400square feet. I work 10 hours most days and i am just too tired afterwork and training the dog ( i do agility) that i dont feel both of myrabbits get the attention they need.

the two rabbits never could bond, although both altered and opitatesex. they cannot have there out time together so it causes on of therabbits (the one i am thinking of getting rid of) to not have any timeout. maybe a few hours a week. 

his cage is large, he gets a balanced great diet. and he is loved. theother rabbit is out all of the time usually and never chews up cords oranything like that. and plus she is my "heart" bunny.

i have gave away pets before to people i thought i could trust and itturned out horribly both times. i would really hate for anything tohappen to this bun! he is a very sweet boy.

any tips on finding a good home? or should i just keep him and contiune what i am doing.

is it THAT bad that he is rarely let out of his cage? he does get pets and love! i do take care of him 

input please


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## Kathy (Nov 30, 2006)

I think you should keep him! 

He has a large cage and a balanced diet now with some human loveoccasionally but he might even have *any* of those in his new home. Noone would really know for sure but you said you do take good care andlove him, so I vote that he stays.


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## Pipp (Nov 30, 2006)

Canyouapproach a rescueorganization and 'trade in' a bunny for one that will bond with theother one?

It may not be the greatest solution for the surrenderedbunny, but at least you'll have freed up some cage space at the rescueand not just given him/her up, or given him/her to someone whootherwise would have rescued somebunny else.

You'll also be getting a companion for the remaining bunny which willmean both the bonded bunnies will be better able to live with lesshuman interaction. 

My :twocents

sas


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## starlightbun06 (Nov 30, 2006)

that is a great idea pip.

but unfortunately where i live rabbits are food. thats it, bottom line.i would have to travel several hours to the nearest rescue, and thatsnot acceptable since i lost my license and no one else has time todrive me that distance.

Kathy, i would love him to stay, but i want whats best for him!

oh and btw, the female bun whom i want to keep i attempted to bondbefore to another male and i gave up after four months of constantproblems. luckily i just took him back to the breeder. i got him from arabbit breeder.

the rabbit i have now is from petsmart, i wish it was that easy. therabbit i am wanting to keep is bonding with my dog. they groom eachother and sleep together. they play and are best buds


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## Haley (Dec 1, 2006)

I like Pipp's idea. If thats not an option, Iwould say keep him. I think that there are so many bunnies out there invery bad situations...he's lucky to have you. I know that you feel badnot being able to let him run, but its a lot better than a life hewould have sitting in a shelter or with someone who doesnt love himlike you do.

Are both your bunnies altered? That might be something to think about if you want to attempt bonding again. 

I think that as long as his cage is roomy enough and you are able togive him love and care, try your best to keep him. Maybe if space is anissue you could build something where one cage is on top of the other(with NIC grids) or something like that....

Sorry Im ranting now..I better go to bed. I hope this makes sense.


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## starlightbun06 (Dec 1, 2006)

yup, it makes since. i actually have their cagesstacked on top of each others! so it takes up as less space aspossible, but that is still alot of space. both cages are 3 and 1/2foot long and 2 and 1/2 foot tall. both of my bunnies are under 6 lbsso these cages are plenty roomy.



yes both buns have been altered. i tried bonding them nearly every dayfor 8 months. perhaps i will try again in the future, but afterstitches to the throat i doubt it. 

perhaps i can set up a way to let him out of the cage for some exercisewhile i am gone.. but since he is an escape artist i am scared thatsasking for trouble.


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## Pipp (Dec 1, 2006)

Living without fear in a safe space, with propernutrition and medicalmonitoringand with a fewdiversions like toys and occasional pats, familiar faces likeyouthe other bunny (even if she's just in the vicinity) isright up there re:the good life forrabbits.

Trying to givehim away without being able to get to a rescueorg means taking a chance on somebody scamming you into thinking he'llhave a good home and then having him end up as food for man orbeast. Or if the people who take him decide six months downthe road getting a rabbit wasn't a good idea or their situation haschanged -- moving, marriage, babies,allergies...That happens a lot. Or he'llend up in a cage in a shelter full of scary dogs with little humancontact where his days will be numbered, anyway.

Where are you moving to? Maybe there's a private rescuer inyour area that may be interestedhelping out with a bondingcandidate. I though Dill was unbondable, too, btw,he and Sherry sometimes shared out time and he'd always nip and chaseher away -- until one day he didn't. I also tried bondingRadar and Pipp, but Radar didn't like her. But he bondedalmost instantly to Darry. They really do have human traits! 

But really,I'd certainly recommend keeping him. Canyou block off your kitchenor another area with NICpanels? Or just lethim out for a bit every day evenwith thegirl hanging out in his cage to give her a bit of adiversion. Mine are free run and most arereallyonly active for an hour orsoanyway.They'rejust as happyina small space with a cardboard box torearrange. 


sas


(Sorry, posted this prematurely before under a staff SN)


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## TinysMom (Dec 1, 2006)

One thing that I think you really need to consider is the temperament of the rabbit. 

First off, I am a breeder. Most of my rabbits live in cages for longperiods of time. I try to give them roomy cages and lots of toys and Itry to let them get some exercise. But truth be told - many of myrabbits would rather stay in their cages and play with their toys thancome out and play. Some of my rabbits will hop into an open cage (evenif it isn't theirs) just because they like the idea of a cage.

Sounds strange I know....but they seem to like the security of their cage.

Of course, they have lots of toys - like the balls that have bells inthem for cats and bird toys that hang from their cages and have woodand bells. They also get paper to shred and toilet paper tubes stuffedwith hay.

You mention working long days and you're tired at night. Why not havethis rabbit be a "cage bunny" M-F and then have an hour or two out ofthe cage per day on weekends? Would that be do-able for you?

I find that many of my rabbits just want a pet on the head and somekind words and treats and they're just as happy as can be. Others needthe exercise and don't care as much about affection. Still others needboth.

My point? What does your rabbit need? Would he be just ashappy if he was out a couple of hours on the weekend and had lots oftoys and some pets when you feed him?

Peg


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## Pipp (Dec 1, 2006)

:yeahthat 

That's exactly it! Great post! :thumbup



sas


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## MyBoyHarper (Dec 1, 2006)

*TinysMom wrote: *


> First off, I am a breeder. Most of my rabbits live in cages for longperiods of time. I try to give them roomy cages and lots of toys and Itry to let them get some exercise. But truth be told - many of myrabbits would rather stay in their cages and play with their toys thancome out and play. Some of my rabbits will hop into an open cage (evenif it isn't theirs) just because they like the idea of a cage.




Harper is exactly the same way. He likes to go out and run in the yardand around the house sometimes, but he's really a "home" bunny, withhome being his cage. He has a large, roomy cage and a actual TOYBOX oftoys, in which I switch toysout every few days. He's alwaysstretched out relaxing or playing with his toys. He usually occupieshimself while he's in his cage and is quite content doing so. Like Pegsaid, some bunnies actually LIKE being in cages.


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## starlightbun06 (Dec 1, 2006)

thanks for the ideas. on the weekends i amusually out doing aglity or obiedence with the dogs. i can and do lethim out a couple of hours on the weekends. so atleast he gets that.

he loves being out his cage. he loves toys and to explore 

he seems happy to me in his big cage with all of his toys, etc.

i think i will keep him. i do like him alot, but sadly since gettinghim a year ago i really havent had much time to make a personal bondwith him


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## MyBoyHarper (Dec 1, 2006)

*starlightbun06 wrote: *


> i think i will keep him. i do like him alot, but sadly since gettinghim a year ago i really havent had much time to make a personal bondwith him


I absolutely understand. A few months back I adopted a holland lop babyI named Haley. I got her as a companion to my boy Harper (neutered).When I got Harper 2 years ago, it was love at first nose twitch. Webonded instantly and he has been the center of my universe since. WhenI got Haley, her and I did not click at all. Sure, I thought she wasprecious and adorable, like all bunnies, but I never "clicked" withher. I didn't feel that close to her and I still favored Harper. When Itried to bond them, things began good, but then they began to fight atthe same time that my asthma started acting up. So, I made the decisionto adopt her because Ifelt I didn't need ANOTHER bunny to actup my asthma, and because they weren't bonding.I ended upadopting herout to a family who now works for the rabbitrescue I work for. She gets full run of their house and sleeps in thebed, LOL! They bonded to her a lot more than I did and shenowhas an incredible life. 

However, if you begin to be able to spend more time with her, you mayconnect with her more and be able to create a special bond. Sometimesit just takes time.


EDIT: Did any of what I just said make any sense what-so-ever? I swear,it looks like babbling. Ieither have had too much coffee, ornot enough.


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## starlightbun06 (Dec 2, 2006)

yes it made since!

starge that the rabbit i am wanting to get rid of is incredibly sweet, and the other one is very independant.

i wish i could find i home for him that would treat him how i treat therabbit i want to keep. out of cage nearly 24 hours, proper diet, lotsof love... but living in kentucky where rabbits are maily food is hardto find someone who will not eat him. not that they would get fullbecause i dont think he is even two lbs and that full grown!



maybe one of you guys are from kentucky and can help me out? if not i will keep him


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## MyBoyHarper (Dec 2, 2006)

The only long-time member here from Kentucky isa member named "manda", who is a great bunny owner. If interested, youcould PM her (just incase she doesn't see this thread) andask if she's interested. If she's not interested, I would try keepingthe bunny. As others have said, the home he's got now is a wonderfulhome even if he doesn't come out as much.


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## starlightbun06 (Dec 2, 2006)

thank you very much.

i am tore between what i want really. if you guys really think he has a good home with me then i will def. keep him.


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## ani-lover (Dec 2, 2006)

you are his mom, i dont think you should get ridof him you should just try somekind of bonding. hope things workout.:bunnydance:


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## Pipp (Dec 5, 2006)

*starlightbun06 wrote:*


> if you guys really think he has a good home withme then i will def. keep him.


We think you're an awesome bunny slave! :hug:


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## MyBoyHarper (Dec 6, 2006)

*Pipp wrote: *


> We think you're an awesome bunny slave! :hug:


:yeahthat


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