[Moselle]

We are contemplating adopting a pair of rabbits - our dd is severely allergic to dogs and cats, but we have found that she has no trouble with rabbits! We will spend a little more time with her and our other kids at a local bunny rescue, just to make sure.

We do have a large family - 6 kids, aged 16 to 2 - and I'm wondering if rabbits generally enjoy a busy household or does it depend entirely on individual temperment? We are planning to keep their cage in the kitchen/dining area (where we spend most of our time), but we could put them in a quieter place if necessary.

All of our kids do well with our pet chickens (outdoor pets, obviously ) and with neighbors' dogs and cats (aside from the allergy issue). Our 6yo special needs boy particularly loves to take care of animals and is very gentle.

Well, this got a bit long. I'd love any input or advice you have for me!

 

[Jess]

Welcome to PT!


It depends a lot on the individual bunny, and breed can play a roll in it too. Since you have little kids, I would recommend adopting a larger breed rabbit if you have the space. New Zelands, Flemmish giants, Californians, ect. are all big, generally calm and tolerant rabbits. They would be too big for a little kid to pick up or accidentally hurt, and they would probably do a lot better in your situation than a dwarf/smaller breed of rabbit would since they tend to be more nervous.


Talk to the people at the rescue, and see if they have any rabbits that might have been around younger children so they might adjust a little easier than a rabbit who wouldn't be used to them. Always have a quiet room available, and keep your new bun in that room for the first week or so after you adopt them, so they won't be too overwhelmed.

 

[Dragonrain]

Hey!

I'd actually go in and meet the rabbits and learn about their backgrounds and pick that way more so than basing it on breed or size or anything like that. I volunteer at a rabbit rescue and we see all sizes of rabbits come in, and each and every one of them has their own personalty.

Keep in mind that, in general, rabbits aren't usually recommended as good pets for children. They don't usually enjoy being held and cuddled. Some of them will tolerate it more than others though. They are also kind of fragile as far as pets go too - they have rather delicate skeletal structures and can easily get hurt accidentally by a well intentioned child. And even some of the calmest friendliest of rabbits may be startled and uncomfortable around really loud noises.

I'm not trying to discourage you from them - they can be amazing pets. If the children can be made to understand how to properly interact and act around the bunnies I don't see why you shouldn't be able to incorporate a pair happily into your family. Just make sure to do plenty of research and make sure they are the right pet for your family before you get them. A lot of people get rabbits not quite knowing what to expect from them, and then are disappointed when they don't turn out to be the cuddly pets that they are often portrayed to be.

Good luck with whatever you decide and if you have any more questions about them feel free to ask! If you haven't found it already, the House Rabbit Society website is a great place to learn more about them.

 

[Moselle]

Thank you both! That does sound like good advice on size - a larger rabbit would have more "presence". The adoption places near us are in homes with families and pets, and it looks like they try to get a good idea of the rabbits' personalities, so hopefully we'll be able to match up with a suitable pair.