Indoor bunny?

[TeniBear]

Yeah, I've been going on about getting a rabbit soon, you're all sick of me, blah blah blah But does anyone have experience with having a house bunny? I've only really known rabbits as outside pets, kept in hutches, but it turns out they're fantastic house pets. The adoption place only lets you adopt from them if you'll keep the bun inside, too.

I'm reading all I can about keeping indoor rabbits, but some good old fashioned experience would help me out too. How do you keep electrical cords and the like away from them? Is there any little tricks and tips I should keep in mind? Unforeseen problems?

Also, the adoption place is having to close their doors to new bunnies, and will probably have to close up forever. I'd urge anyone who might be looking for a rabbit in Victoria to check out their site and possibly adopt, or donate. PM me if you'd like to help.


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[Sopdet]

Dr Harry did an episode a few weeks ago on Better Homes & Gardens about an indoor bunny. You might be able to find the session online.

The suggestion was using pieces of hardwood for bunny to nibble on.

[helle]

Hey tenibear, did you ever end up getting your bunny? I have just bought one for my kiddies and I'm interested in having him inside at times - I had read it is important that they have their own "house" which is a nice two story hutch under the patio that he can go in when we aren't home or able to watch him 100%.
I have started to semi litter train him in his hutch and so far do good! He does his deeds in the newspaper and not in his lovely bedding hay. He's such a lovely little thing and I was quite chuffed when he started grooming me this morning XD
I'd love to hear how you're going with yours

[Charlotte91]

Awwww.... I want an indoor bunny! Cute!

ETA: Might not be a seller with DH, as part of his job is fumigating rabbits...

[Ginger]

hi helle, i think the runaway rabbit orphanage in olinda website has some info about indoor rabbits (i believe this is where teni ended up getting her bunnies from too). we have 2 bunnies as well but keep them outside on our deck area. occasionally i let them in (mainly when dh is away

[forshelby]

I'm also curious whether or not you got your bunny. I had an indoor bunny for a little while, his name was Gary. Unfortunately he fell ill very suddenly and died in my arms one night. But I try to remember the good times..... such as watching him bounce around on the couch, or hunting for the elusive bar of soap on the shower floor. LOL. He was a great housepet!

I don't know about keeping electrical cords away from them, I just made sure there were no extensions etc within easy reach, and always supervised him. When I went out he went into his large homely 'house' and everything was going well.

[Abigail]

We've had our house bunny for well over a year now. We got him as a baby and he was hand raised. So he is extremely friendly. He does go outside during the day into his hutch/cage thing. When we are home he will either be there, or inside, or outside hopping around with us in our enclosed yard (he loves that the most). He has his own little areas in the house that he can retreat to away from the kids and feel "safe" they know not to chase him into there. They've also been taught to never try to pick him up - thats the number one cause of injuries and death in poor little bunnys, so its just a blanket no rule in our house as far as kids are concerned.

Cords we dont really have a problem with, he has never ever shown interest in them and because his teeth are deformed (require hand cutting every few weeks) its almost impossible for him to chew through them anyway. I suggest you either keep them up and away from bunny or only let him out fully supervised.

Ours sleeps inside in a different cage/house that he loves, they can be sensitive to extreme changes in weather so where we live this is the best option anyway. Though he can get out of it if he is really determined lol. Because the cage is cleaned regularly he doesnt smell the house either, nor does he attract other rodents.

Our bun also house trained himself. They dont generally like being dirty so will naturally look to keep things as clean and separate as possible. We found his favourite place to go and then put a tray there, then after a while moved the tray slowly and volia he changed his spot.

He is very comfortable with us and will actually sleep on his back in front of the heater in the middle of winter lol! Thought he was dead the first time he ever did that! He is also neutered to keep his lovely nature. We joke that he thinks he is a dog he is just that well natured and friendly. The dog you have when you cant have a dog. Look at me waffling on hehehe. We obviously love our Bunny and would recommend one to most people

[TeniBear]

hi helle, i think the runaway rabbit orphanage in olinda website has some info about indoor rabbits (i believe this is where teni ended up getting her bunnies from too). we have 2 bunnies as well but keep them outside on our deck area. occasionally i let them in (mainly when dh is away

Yep, Rabbit Runaway We've got a "bonded" couple named Halle Berry and Panda

Technically we're fostering them at the moment rather than adopting them permanently, but they've been with us for a while now and it looks like they're staying

They tend to stay to their little area, but love hopping around the house if Amelia's asleep They love her and let her pat them, but can be a bit timid if she's up and about. I got a scare yesterday, saw a little black thing go past the bedroom door and thought it was a cat! Then a few seconds later Halle Berry popped her head in to say hello

[helle]

Abigail how much work is it to train them like that? Our rabbit (rabbit is his name btw, ds picked it) is only 7 weeks old. Id love to have him inside more but we are living with my parents while our house builds with my brothers half crippled German shepherd inside so it's a bit tricky haha

[helle]

Has anyone had their rabbit desexed? The lady we got rabbit from said he shouldn't show any "male characteristics" if he is a lone rabbit and never sees a male do it's thing... But things i have had think its a good idea as they can get aggressive around 4 months.

[Tinks]

A friend of mine had an indoor bunny, he used to frolic with their (very small) dog and run around like he owned the place. One day while they were out, he feasted on the remote control buttons and died shortly after

[AngelPants]

When I was a kid we had an indoor rabbit, he lived til 11 or 12. He was gorgeous and had the run of the yard as well as the house and was dominant over our dog! but yes they definitely need to be desexed, same as cats, dogs and other domestic animals. If you've got a male, he may be inside only but if there's another rabbit outside that he can smell or see then he's going to act like a male!

[helle]

He is in and out, he needs his own space away from the kids! I'm going to look into desexing him mostly cos I don't want him going agro, he's so lovely as he is now! I had him out last night with no kids around and he doesn't hop far from me, and kept hoping over my legs and over my hands and had a few fleeting moments. He's just so adorable ><;

[Abigail]

Hey Helle,

It didnt take very long at all from memory! As I said their natural instinct is to keep their area's clean. So once he picked out his place I just put his tray there and then moved it in a few stages to its final position, whenever he looked to be going to the toilet putting him in the tray also. (They will lift their tails to go potty). I cant remember getting frustrated like we did to train the dog we had previously LOL!

Our boy is definitely desexed. He is a lone rabbit, but we do live in an area with a large wild population. I didnt get him done until about 6 months though. He handled it really well but ignored me for a few days (back turned to me and wouldnt talk to me at all) cant say I blame him lol. I would also be wary about that advice, because Im sure there are a lot of behaviours that are instinctual, scenting and mating being one of those surely?

[helle]

Thanks Abigail. I think I may need to move rabbits litter to his "bed area"and move it gradually as you said. he keeps pooping in his box in the hay! Then he sleeps out in the open part with no shelter, silly thing! I have read they get better as they get older and he is only 7 weeks so im cutting him some slack.
Will definitely be getting him desexed. He is the pet to two small kids and I don't want him going nasty on them.
I am quite surprised with how taken to him I am. LOL. He's so gorgeous. He has started following me around when he let him inside now. And last night he was doing these little speed spurts and kicking his heels up. Having a whale of a time! Too cute

[feeb]

I had a pet rabbit whom I would let run around in the house as back yard was too big and too many hiding spots for him!

He did chew thru 1 power cord lucky was not plugged in at the time!

He also would poo in his bed area all the time as well.

Had him for 2 years and then I moved in with DH (who was then DP) and we have only paved courtyard so Flopsy bunny went to my parents where he lived for 6 months until he sadly died in a heat wave, my mum had been bathing him and keeping him in shade and inside but wasn't enough.

[helle]

Oh feeb, poor bunny