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Rabbits Really want to foster a rabbit, have to convince parents first?

sdpiggylvr

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I've been wanting to adopt a rabbit of my own for a long time now. Recently, I've been looking at different rabbit rescues/shelters/humane societies online and I found this small rescue that has a lot of rabbits and is run by only one person. I emailed the lady and asked her if she needed any help with the rabbits and whatnot, and she said that she needed some fosterers. Well, I said, that would be great. And she replied saying there was this female that needed fostering and I got really excited.

So now I want to foster a rabbit. It's temporary, easier, shorter, and a great trial time to see if a rabbit is a pet that I really want and can afford!

One major problem: my parents said no. When I asked them a while back, maybe 4-5 months ago, they said no to adopting a rabbit. I asked them right after if I could FOSTER a rabbit instead. Still, they said no.

Since that was a while ago, I was thinking maybe I could ask them again. I really have to convince them though!

So what kinds of things should I discuss with them? What points should I bring up? How can I convince them? My birthday is coming up and it would be a really great birthday-ish "gift" to be allowed to foster a rabbit - since I love love love animals, especially rabbits. They say that I'm busy, but I really am not! I have two guinea pigs of my own that I take exceptional care of and I still have lots of free time. I can totally handle a rabbit, I know I can.

But how can I convince my parents??!!
 

pigsforlife

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Rabbits are gorgeous animals. I am only new to them myself, and currently have an 8 week old bunny that I picked up last Friday.

Diet wise they are similar to guinea pigs. Their diet requires about 80% hay, 10% pellets and 10% veggies. These percentages vary slightly depending on what sites you look at but the bottom line is that their diet should be made up a lot of hay. The veggies they can have are similar to that of what guinea pigs can have. And the pellets - the amount varies depending on the age but a good pellet should have a minimum of 18% fiber. I feed my girl Oxbows Rabbit pellet (cant remember the name).

Rabbits require a decent amount of cage space. I have my bun currently in a 3x3 cage, which has an extra pen attached to it (60cmx120cm) during the day time. She then gets free range time when I am home and can supervise her (not sure if she is toilet trained so although we have had no accidents so far, I need to watch her until I am certain). This means that she usually comes out in the morning for about a hour, then in the evening for another 1-2 hours, then she comes out again just before I go to bed. Ideally, I would like to make her main cage bigger but being in a rental I am limited to what I can do.

Rabbits also tend to need a lot more mental stimulation than guinea pigs. You will learn very quickly whether your rabbit is a climber, digger, chewer etc. Toys that they can throw or make noise when they move them are popular. I have quite a collection of various cat toys. She also likes hard plastic baby toys - for example I got some teething rings that are attached to a loop. She picks up the rings by the loop and carries them around. Cardboard boxes are popular, even moreso cardboard boxes filled with shredded paper. Extra levels in the cage for climbers. Sea grass matts are good as well, tunnels also make up for a fun play ground for your bun.

I would suggest looking at this site if you have not already. It is the guinealynx of the rabbit world House Rabbit Society Rabbit Care Guide . Read through all of the categories. I spent ages reading all of the different sections, absorbing information and deciding whether a rabbit was the right pet for me. Whilst fostering a rabbit first will help you with this decision you need to make sure that you can first properly care for the bun - even if it is temporary. A bored rabbit can cause havoc, ripping up carper and chewing on walls.

I would also recommend litter training your bun. We are in the process of this at the moment, and once litter trained Ruby will be able to get out of her cage a lot more. Unlike guinea pigs, rabbits are a lot easier to litter train.

If you can think you can provide all of the above plus anything I have forgotten to mention that you find at the site I gave you, then you are on the right track.

They are adorable animals, and I am totally in love with Ruby. Every day the small cute things she does make me so glad that I got her. However the bottom line is, if you don't have your parents support then don't do it. Whilst you live under their roof, it is their rules.
 

JD In Van

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Rabbits are wonderful animals who make great pets.

That said if you have to "convince" your parents it's not got a good idea. Any animal (especially a rabbit who needs a lot of free roaming time) in your house should be 100% accepted and wanted by everyone in the house hold.

What you should do is simply lay out that fostering is a "safer" option in that if it doesn't work out you send the animal back to the shelter. If they still say no then you should leave the matter until such time as you're in your own home and financially independant then you can choose what pets you have.

PS. I should note that Rabbits again, need a LOT of free running time. An hour a day won't cut it. More like 5 + hours (Ideally they're free range except at night imo). I personally don't think 3x3 is long enough they need to be able to get three of thier longest hops unhindered from one end to the other, and preferably have a ledge of upper level. Check out www.rabbit.org for more information on care and needs.
 
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Catayn

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A rabbit can be really hard to adapt to, at first. Think very well about that. They need lots of care and they can literally destroy yout house if you don't rabbit proof it. All the family must be 100% involved in having a rabbit. So if your parents don't want one, I think it's best not to try for now... But it's just my opinion.
 

Kareen

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I understand your frustration but I agree with what people are saying - everyone needs to be on board with a new animal, whether it's adoption or fostering.

When I was younger and living with my parents I was crazy about animals (I think this passion has been from birth lol) . I begged and begged and finally, at the age of 9, my mother finally agreed to a dog. That was it though, nothing else. I was grateful to have my dog and knew that one day, when I was on my own, I'd have more animals.

Now, I'm all grown up and have 8 pets :crazy:!!! We have 3 dogs, 2 bunnies and 3 guinea pigs. I left home, went to school, got married (after I found a crazy, animal-loving guy!), had kids, and once the kids were a little older, I finally fulfilled that lifelong dream of adding LOTS of pets to my family. I'm not saying that this is the specific order that people should follow to have pets. Pets are a HUGE responsibility and just because you can't foster or adopt NOW, that doesn't mean it's not in your future.

I'd say for now, respect your parents' wishes and know that one day it will be YOUR decision.
 

Silverbeat

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I am a fosterer for the House Rabbit Society and I want to caution you against that way of thinking. [that fostering is "like a trial run"]. Especially for young people who are first-time rabbit owners, Fostering is not a great idea. Certain members of our chapter tend to push their own and other fosterers' limits; there was a time when two of our fosterers--who said they could handle at the most 6-8 rabbits-- were housing 20+ in their homes.
Foster rabbits come with a lot of baggage at first. They're usually not litter-trained, they may be cage-aggressive, they may be depressed because they just lost a partner or were separated from their mother and/or siblings, they may need hundreds of dollars in veterinary care just to die in your arms. Most rescue organizations require their fosters to 'front' the money for non-spay/neuter vet expenses, and they are promptly paid back.
There is a bright side, though. Find your local rabbit rescue. It may be a chapter of the HRS, it may just be your local shelter. Volunteer there. That's what I did after my first rabbit died and I couldn't yet handle another one. That was years ago and I'm still good friends with the fosterer I worked with. I learned a lot, I cried a little, and I even single-handedly saved one of the rabbits' lives.
Check House Rabbit Society Rabbit Care Guide for local chapters of the House Rabbit Society. If there isn't one in your state/area, email them anyway. Chances are they know of somewhere that needs you to volunteer.
 

pigsforlife

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I should note that Rabbits again, need a LOT of free running time. An hour a day won't cut it. More like 5 + hours (Ideally they're free range except at night imo). I personally don't think 3x3 is long enough they need to be able to get three of thier longest hops unhindered from one end to the other, and preferably have a ledge of upper level. Check out www.rabbit.org for more information on care and needs.

I felt I needed to clarify. Ruby is a netherland dwarf so is only small, plus she is only a bub. The 3x3 is her night time cage. As she is not toilet trained she can not free range while I am not home. Therefore during the day she has an additional pen added on that is about the equivalent of a 2x4. This gives her about 7 grids worth of play space during the day. She then has about 2-3 hours of free range time each day when I can supervise her -- more on the weekends. My full intentions are for her to free range for greater parts of the day but this is not possible whilst she is not toilet trained. Her main cage has an upper level that extends the width of the cage and is 1 grid wide.
 

Catayn

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I felt I needed to clarify. Ruby is a netherland dwarf so is only small, plus she is only a bub. The 3x3 is her night time cage.

I know rabbits become more active during night time, so I would rather make a bigger one. But that's just my opinion.

I know, sweetie, that rabbits are known for being sweet little furry creatures. But truth is, they become those creatures after lots of effort from you. It's hard to have a rabbit. You'll probably have to rearrange your whole house and daily routine to care for one.
They need vaccines, medicines to prevent worms, brushing, special diet, lots of attention and plenty of room.
The first rabbit I had was a complete nightmare. he got bored alone and started destroying my house! He got depressed as well, so we needed to get her a friend. It was hard with the introductions too. They can hide in the most unusual places and chew the most unbelievable things. So your house must be safe and sometimes, that means changing your furniture and everything else.
Before you even think of holding them on your lap you'll need lots of time and effort for them to get used to you. They will bite, scratch and everything else. Besides, they are very fragile creatures, but they think they are the next Clint Eastwood in town and they can fet really hurt trying to run away from you.

I love my rabbits and they surely make great pets, but we're talking about constant care and dog like costs (if not more). You'll have to invest in a good cage and in rabbit proofing your home. You'll have to invest time in litter training and taming your rabbit to trust people.
If the whole family is not involved I would not advise you to get one. Believe me, it's hard to have a rabbit for the first time. So much that when first rabbits died, my husband and I sat on the bed and discussed for hours if we really could manage getting rabbits again. It's almost like family planning.
Now we know how to deal with them and we only learned a lot because we've been through all kinds of situations that required, sometimes, bringing them to work with us to give medicine or spending our vacation savings with vet costs.
Once you've got everything settled, safe and organized for a rabbit, you should have one, but if other people in the house do not wish to cooperate,I think you shouldn't get one for now. But again, that's what I think nd that's what I tell everyone who asks me if they sould get a rabbit because "my dad won't let me have a dog, so I think a rabbit would give me less work.", or other things like that.
 

pigsforlife

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I dont agree with a couple of things.

IThey need vaccines, medicines to prevent worms, brushing, special diet, lots of attention and plenty of room.

Whilst you are right in some aspects, their diet is really no more "special" than guinea pigs (although they get different kinds of pellets, rabbits diets are more hay based etc). I think you are making them out to be an impossible animal to look after when in fact they are very similar to guinea pigs in that they need lots of attention, room, healthy diet, vet care when needed.

They will bite, scratch and everything else.

This is wrong. Yes some rabbits will "bite, scratch and everything else" not all rabbits do this as your statement suggests.
 

Catayn

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I just think people should be prepared for this kind of situation.
I don't want people to think they are impossible pets, but I want them to be sure it's not going to be as easy as piggies. And it is, indeed, more expensive to have a rabbit than a piggie, which is why people should think twice, or maybe more, before getting one and the whole family should be involved.
Most people think they will put a rabbit in a cage, feed some pellets, give them water and they will live happy everafter, which is not truth.
Are they great pets? Sure they are, I can't think of better pets. But you need to be prepared for what you might face when owning one.
Can you imegine, for example, that if something happens and, assuming this person lives with the parents and depends on them, the family decides it is not worth the trouuble taking this rabbit to a vet? Or if they get frustrated over litter training and decide this rabbit should be in the cage ferever?
I have seen it happen and I just wouldn't like to see that again.
 

Catayn

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Rabbits are gorgeous animals. I am only new to them myself, and currently have an 8 week old bunny that I picked up last Friday.

I have no intention to be rude, but I've owned bunnies for over 6 years, so I know what I am talking about when I say they are really freagile and need constant care.
 

hannah101

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I agree that rabbits are very specialist and you really need to read up about them. Once you've done research and get into a routine they are very easy to care for.

They must be neutered, 80% of females will develop some form of uterine cancer by the age of 3. This makes litter training very easy and their behaviour usually greatly improves. A 'teenage' bunny can be a hormonal nightmare - neutering is the only way to stop this.

There's a debate on whether worming rabbits is nessary. I personally don't - my exotic vets has one of the UKs leading rabbit vets and I trust her opinion.

They need 3 vaccinations a year, VHD once a year, Myxi twice a year.

Personally I think a 48 inch dog crate as a base and a large puppy pen cornering off say your kitchen area is perfect if you don't quite trust your rabbit not to chew up the house!

It's also important to remember rabbits can live over 10 years (most of mine have) and are a huge commitment.

Also, best to adopt a bonded pair, male and female neutered combinations usually work brilliantly.

Hope that info helps! :)
 

hannah101

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I felt I needed to clarify. Ruby is a netherland dwarf so is only small, plus she is only a bub. The 3x3 is her night time cage. As she is not toilet trained she can not free range while I am not home. Therefore during the day she has an additional pen added on that is about the equivalent of a 2x4. This gives her about 7 grids worth of play space during the day. She then has about 2-3 hours of free range time each day when I can supervise her -- more on the weekends. My full intentions are for her to free range for greater parts of the day but this is not possible whilst she is not toilet trained. Her main cage has an upper level that extends the width of the cage and is 1 grid wide.

Neutering when she is old enough makes litter training very easy. Most teach themselves. What I would say about adult nethies is that people think little rabbit=small cage/space to run in. Actually they are the opposite and normally need more exercise than french lops and giants.
 

JD In Van

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Neutering when she is old enough makes litter training very easy. Most teach themselves. What I would say about adult nethies is that people think little rabbit=small cage/space to run in. Actually they are the opposite and normally need more exercise than french lops and giants.

I agree. In my experience (which is limited), rabbits need about as much excersise as cats. Would you confine a cat to such a small space?
 

pigsforlife

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I have no intention to be rude, but I've owned bunnies for over 6 years, so I know what I am talking about when I say they are really freagile and need constant care.

I never said that I know everything, in fact I am learning every day. Just like I am still learning new things about my guinea pigs every day and I have owned my current crew for 3 years (plus I had pigs growing up for quite a number of years). I never said that they weren't fragile and that they didn't need constant care, just that I felt you were being almost a bit dramatic, not to be rude or anything.

What I would say about adult nethies is that people think little rabbit=small cage/space to run in. Actually they are the opposite and normally need more exercise than french lops and giants.

I fully agree. My problems have been that I live in a rental and so space is limited. Therefore I did what I thought was best in my current situation, and what people on a rabbit forum said would work ok (the 2x4 in the day attached to the 3x3). My full intentions have ALWAYS been to have her free ranging as soon as she is litter trained, and I have said that MANY, MANY times. Again, because I am in a rental, I don't want the carpet soiled so this is why she needs to be litter trained first.

The reason the 2x4 couldn't be a permanent addition was because there simply was not enough space, and I needed to move about my bedroom whilst I was home which I couldn't do with the 2x4 attached. I have since moved the book case into the hallway which allows just enough room to have her 2x4 attachment plus room for me to move around. As a result her PERMANENT cage size is a 3x3 AND a 2x4 attached together, which I personally feel will be enough room until she is toilet trained and can free range. IN the meantime, she comes out for supervised free range sessions which total about 3 hours a day, sometimes more - definitely more on the weekend.

I feel that I have provided my new bun with a warm and healthy environment, she has many toys, plentiful amounts of hay, pellets and veggies in small amounts and so on. But then I suppose any little thing that can be nit picked at will be nit picked at.
 

rabbitsncavyluv

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Rabbits in the US don't require vaccinations.

I'd recommend volunteering with the rabbit rescue or a shelter instead of fostering, esp if you 're a minor and your parents are against it.
 

sdpiggylvr

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I think you all have great information and I appreciate it! I know that all pets, not just rabbits, are a huge commitment. I also know that rabbits aren't nearly as cuddly, easy, or cheap as guinea pigs, and I don't mind.

Also, I think some of you forgot I'm talking about fostering, not adopting. I know that my parents need to be on board with the fostering and that they need to make sure I'm properly caring for the rabbit. I will make sure and I will not go ahead with anything without their consent.

If rabbit fostering doesn't work out, maybe I could foster guinea pigs. Since I take such good care of my current two GPs, my parents would probably be open to that.

Thanks again for all your help and info!
 

JD In Van

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Also, I think some of you forgot I'm talking about fostering, not adopting. I know that my parents need to be on board with the fostering and that they need to make sure I'm properly caring for the rabbit. I will make sure and I will not go ahead with anything without their consent.

I think you're missing some of the posts above. While fostering seems temperary. It's not something that is often recommended for inexperienced pet owners of any breed. Foster animals often come with behavioral problems and issues that were caused by their previous situations and need extensive behavioral training (I went through this with many many cats when I fostered them years ago).
 

Catayn

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Now, that's exactly my point. Thank you JD in Van!
Someone said rabbits don't need vaccines in the US. how could that be?
 

Kareen

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"Someone said rabbits don't need vaccines in the US. how could that be?"

They don't need them in Canada either.
 
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