9 vital things I needed know before getting bunnies
There are stacks of lists about getting new bunnies online, which are great. There are also stacks of lists online that are not so great.
This is a list of things I learned the hard way, some things I learned the very hard way. Now, as an experienced bunny owner, I look at those things and know what I could have done to make a different outcome.
I think it’s important that you, my dear bunny-friend, gets to know what to expect when owning a bunny.
1. Don’t be scared, trust your instincts
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
You will get to know your bunny on a level beyond anyone else, and it’s in those times that it needs you that you and only you can work out the problem. You have to make sure you are not scared of making decisions and that you try your best. Follow your instincts for your bunny.
When Cotton was sick, I followed other people’s opinions. I must admit that some opinions didn’t suit me, they left me with a funny feeling. They even left me with more questions than answers. But I did what they said, to the letter, and she died.
I found that I followed what they said because those people seemed to know more than me, for example, because they were a vet, and I trusted their opinion and knowledge.
This is not the case.
Vets can be wrong. Even rabbit-specialist vets with many years under their belt can be wrong and cause your bunny to die because of their mistake.
Other bunny owners will tell you to immediately go to the vet for anything and everything. This is total overkill and ends up being stupidly expensive.
Of course, it depends on the severity of the illness. I’m not telling you to ignore vets completely, they do a good job with obvious things, but when it’s slightly more difficult, or it doesn’t suit their training, they fail every time. I have no time for that, especially when a bunny’s life is on the line. It also depends on how comfortable you are with working things out yourself.
Don’t be a fool and do the wrong thing. If you want to go to the vet, do it. Never hesitate or it can be too late.
If you can’t afford the vet consultation and medication fees, talk to your vet, they may be able to set up a payment plan for you. They know they are expensive, and they do care for animals and their owners, all it takes is to ask.
I have lost all faith in vets. In my experience, a majority of issues bunnies get can be solved without vet interference, unless it is a life and death thing.
You just have to know what you are doing, and that comes with understanding everything you can about bunnies.
Now, I only take my bunnies to the vet for the vaccination, which of course comes with a free consultation and a plethora of stupid questions.
Vets are good to give medications and make money. Sometimes they can’t pin-point what’s wrong with your bunny with a simple consultation, blood test, x-ray etc, and if it is something completely different, like with my bunny Maple, the bunny ends up dying because of their stupidity and failure to listen and comprehend what was said. And after that, they send you a packet of flower seeds as a sorry we killed your rabbit. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not sour about it, I just think that it’s important to have professionals listen.
If you think that you can solve your bunny’s problem by yourself without unnecessary medications, then do it. Just make sure that you know exactly what you are getting into.
On the flip side, take your bunny to the vet if your bunny is lathargic, not eating, has GI stasis, has eye issues, breathing issues, broken bones etc. Vets can help with obvious issues that medications can fix.
Sometimes, unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to save your bunny. It is awful, sad, painful and leaves you with an incredible amount of guilt. Your beloved bunny will die, and sometimes it is for reasons that you can’t do anything about.
From my experience, losing two bunnies for vet mistakes and having one seven month old bunny put down, you never get over it. And that is OK. I blame myself for everything, I list all the things in my mind that I should have done differently. I miss my bunnies so much and nothing will fill the hole they leave in my heart.
Stand up for what you think is right for your bunny. Don’t be scared to ask questions, learn and read. It is possible to know more than vets about rabbits.
2. Just pick the bunny up and click your teeth gently
Purring gently makes your bunny feel comfortable
When you get a new bunny, pick it up and cuddle it, just do it. Spend time with it, play with it, pat it, let it know it’s your best friend from day one.
People will say wait until it gets used to the smell, routine, blah, blah. Other people say leave the bunny alone for 10 days to get used to everything. Others say the bunny will tell you what it wants.
That is the biggest load of garbage I have ever heard.
I was scared to pick Buttons and Cotton up when I first got them. I wanted to pick them up, but something stopped me doing it. Now, I wish I had because Buttons would not be as silly now. Don’t get me wrong, he loves cuddles and has a special pick me up pose, but there’s a few behavioural traits that I could have snipped in the bud in the start.
When I got Maple and Lunar, I picked them up after about an hour of arriving home, and didn’t put them down. They loved cuddles and asked for them.
When I adopted Nova from the rescue, she came with rules, like don’t touch her for 10 days. What tripe. I picked her up as soon as we arrived home. She was nervous, but I held her tightly, rested my chin on her head and clicked my teeth (rabbit purring). This calmed her down immediately and she started purring back. All she needed was a hug, she clearly hadn’t had one for a very long time. She now regards me as her person, and she loves hugs.
If your bunny is misbehaving, grumpy, chewing cables, thumping, or showing some hard-to-define- bunny emotion, pick it up and change the subject. Give it a hug and click your teeth. Your bunny will calm down and after a while it may purr back. Never growl at your bunny, they simply don’t understand.
Bunnies are around for such a short time, so enjoy it while you have their company and learn to speak bunny language.
3. Bunnies are smarter than what they are given credit for
Rabbits are smarter than dogs… it has been proven
Lots of people online think that bunnies don’t know anything. They are wrong. Bunnies know a stack of things, but you have to gain their trust before they’ll tell you their secrets.
You will have to learn the nuances and language of bunnies to be able to listen to their wisdom, but they will tell you. They will tell you when they are sick, tired, grumpy, happy, have a headache, want pats, need a cuddle, want a clean litter box, when their water tastes gross… you just have to learn their language and listen.
Bunnies learn to predict your behaviour. They learn this within a couple of days of moving in with you. They watch your body language, listen to the tone of your voice, and watch your movements. Once you unwittingly do the same things a couple of times, they quickly learn that when you go over there, this happens, or if you say that we do that. You won’t even know what you are doing, to you your behaviours are not important to take notice of. But to your bunny, they are vital.
That’s why it’s important that you learn your bunny’s language. Their subtle behaviours can help you save their life, or understand what they want.
Bunnies are smarter than dogs. They learn through observing the life around them. Unlike dogs, who bustle through life and take control, bunnies sit back and observe. Dogs are loud talkers, bunnies are quiet listeners.
4. Breeders are only there for the money and prestige
Don’t support rabbit breeders, especially ones that show their rabbits
Everyone wants to make a quick buck, and rabbits are an easy way to do that. Some breeders breed rabbits because they can sell each one for an overly expensive price. A mother bunny can have between 5-12 kittens, each month. Each kitten can be sold for anywhere between $50-$300 depending on the breed. For greedy people, that’s a lot of moolah. Other breeders do try their best, and breed their adult bunnies twice a year, but the inbreeding, selective breeding and genetics of the kits can be a major issue, and bad health can cause life-long issues.
No matter where you get your bunny from, make sure you know everything about it’s previous lifestyle – food, bedding, hay, water, bedtime, health, everything. If something doesn’t sit well with you, don’t get the rabbit, or you’ll have to put up with a sick animal for it’s whole life.
5. Sanctuaries are doing their best, but they need help
Don’t support rabbit breeders, especially ones that show their rabbits
Sanctuaries and rescues are trying to do a good job in finding homeless bunnies a home. Some bunnies are taken to places like dog pounds to find a home. Some of those bunnies are rescued by sanctuaries and others are put down. Every month in Victoria alone, there are over 600 bunnies needing to be rescued, because people don’t realise how expensive and difficult a rabbit is to keep. In total, as of 2023, bunnies make up about 15% of all surrendered animals.
Sanctuaries need to have foster carers, people who want to look after bunnies until they find a permanent adoptive family. Foster carers are as rare as hens-teeth. Those foster carers are trained up in how to look after bunnies, what they should eat, how much, when etc. But some don’t understand, because they have no experience in caring for rabbits, and end up mistreating the rabbits, not feeding them enough for the fear of “unnecessary vet visits”. It is cruel. Sanctuaries need to check up on foster carers and see how they are going regularly.
Other sanctuaries keep track of the bunnies by sharing food, hay and resources between carers in a similar locality. This gives the foster carers time to talk to other people and check if they are doing the right thing.
If you want a rabbit, become a foster carer first; at least then you will have a support team around you to develop your skills before you commit to having a rabbit of your own.
I got Nova through The Rabbit Sanctuary. They are always looking for foster carers.
6. Don’t believe everyone online, even if they have a pretty website
There is too much INCORRECT information out there
There is a stack of information about rabbits online. Endless amounts. But a very limited amount of it is quality, trustworthy and believable. If you follow the wrong information, you can end up killing your rabbit. I have run into mountains of information that is incorrect, and it spreads like wildfire by people who claim they are rabbit-specialists.
Not everyone is a rabbit-specialist. Even me, I’m not a rabbit-specialist, nor do I claim to be. I’m writing this from experience, research and discussions, not just copying and pasting information that is found on every rabbit website.
You have to be very on-the-ball when it comes to information about rabbits. But to be on-the-ball, you have to know what is right and wrong, and that takes a lot of time.
Do your own research, and do lots of it.
7. Ask hard questions
Don’t be scared to ask the following questions about the rabbit
If you are getting a rabbit from a breeder, they should give you a package of information about the bunny you are purchasing. The package should contain a weeks worth of food/pellets, birth certificate/papers, an information sheet of how to look after your bunny and vaccination status. They should be happy to give you baby photos of your bunny, and even show you the parents and living arrangements.
If you buy bunnies from a backyard-breeder, like I did with Cotton and Buttons, ask them these questions.
1. What have you been feeding the kitten?
Kittens should not be eating vegetables and fruit until 5-6 months old due to the issues it causes with digestion. They can eat grass, dandelions and milk thistle. Most breeders should have them on a hay or hay/pellet diet.
2. How often have you handled the kitten? When did you start handling them?
Kittens should be handled several times a day from the age of 2 weeks. They can be handled before then, but very carefully.
3. What do the parents look like? Can I have a look at them?
If they don’t want to show you the parents, then there is a huge problem. They are hiding something.
Some breeders will send photos of the parents, but those particular rabbits are not the real parents of your kit.
4. Can I have a look at where the rabbits were born and grew up?
It is important to check out the hutch/living arrangements before purchasing the kitten. If it is dirty, smelly or gross don’t buy the kitten.
Some breeders will Photoshop their photos to make their bunnies or living arrangements better looking. Just be aware of this.
5. How often do you breed your rabbits?
Rabbits can breed straight away after giving birth. They can be pregnant each month and have litters of between 5-12 kittens each time. Good breeders will breed their Does (mum buns) a maximum of 3 times a year. Any more than that, there is an issue.
6. Do you inbreed your rabbits?
Inbreeding is a major issue with rabbit breeders. That’s when they breed fathers to daughters, mothers to sons or brothers and sisters. Some fancy breeds were created through this process (like Dutch black and white rabbits). Some backyard breeders do this to keep costs down, so they don’t have to look for rabbits from other breeders and swap bunnies around. This will cause genetic issues, and like with Buttons, huge digestion problems.
7. Do you have Guinea Pigs / chickens / dogs / cats? Do you breed them, too?
This is a contentious issue with people. Some people swear that rabbits and guinea pigs can live together, others don’t. Me, personally, I don’t like it because it is not good for either animal. You may think otherwise, and that’s fine.
People love having Guinea Pigs with bunnies. I think that it’s not cute, nor is it good for either of them. They both carry parasites and bacteria that can swap between piggies or bunnies, and do major damage to the new host. For example, bunnies have a gut bacteria that can kill piggies, and piggies carry worms that if transmitted through fecal matter on food to a bunny can cause death or paralysis. Is it worth the struggle of finding out the hard way? In my opinion, rabbit kittens bred in an area with Guinea Pigs is a gigantic no-go-zone.
As for chickens, bunnies can get parasites from birds. It’s just something you have to be aware of. Bunnies can live with dogs and cats, but they can pass fleas to bunnies. You just have to stay on top of it.
8. Have you given the kittens flea and mite preventative?
This is not vital for the breeder to do, but it’s beneficial if they have. I’d just double check anyway.
It’s a good idea for you to do it when you get the bunny home. Use Revolution Puppy & Kitten. Make sure the bunny is 10+ weeks old before the first dose. You don’t have to do it every month all year round. But do it every month from October-April (during daylight savings) because that’s when fleas and mites wake up after their hiatus over winter.
9. Have the parents been vaccinated?
Baby bunnies are passed some immunity from the parents if they have been vaccinated against Calisivirus. It’s important to know, because kittens will need their own vaccination at 10 weeks old. Some breeders will ask whether you’d like them to give the bunny the vaccination prior to pick-up. Of course, that will increase the price, but it may be value for money.
10. Can I have a weeks worth of pellets so I can transition the kitten properly?
It is important to transition the kitten from one food to another slowly or it will damage the digestion and immune system.
11. What brand of pellets does it eat?
Always find out the brand and type of pellet they have been giving the kits. That way, if you run out of the ones the breeder gave, you can locate more.
12. When was the last time you took a parent of the kitten to the vet?
This is a trick question to test how much the breeder cares about their rabbits. Some breeders don’t care if a bunny dies, others do. So from their response you can gauge how they treat their bunnies.
8. It costs a lot of money to own a rabbit
Don’t be fooled, it is very expensive
Think carefully whether you can afford it.
| Item | Average Price |
|---|---|
| Rabbit | Free-$500 |
| Neutering Operation | Around $600 |
| Pellets (2-3 months) | $30-$50 |
| Hay-based treats (per month) | $10-$40 |
| Hay bales (2-4 months) Oaten, grass, lucerne | $20-$30 each |
| Vaccination (annually) | $150-$250 |
| Vet checkup (6 months) | $60+ |
| Flea/mite treatment per month | $15-$30 |
| Surprise vet bills and medication (each) | $200-$400 |
| Housing, brushes, blankets (setup costs) | $400-$1,000 |
| Safety Equipment – carry box | $30+ |
| First Aid equipment (annually) | $20-$100 |
9. Sterilisation, Desexing, Neutering, Spey/Spay and Castration
Yes, you should get your rabbit desexed. If you can’t afford it, don’t have a rabbit. Simple.
A female bunny’s spay is more dangerous than a male’s neuter, but it is important to get it done both for your bunny’s health and for your sanity.
Male rabbits should be desexed (castrated) when their testicles drop at 3 months old. Females should be desexed (spey/spay) at 4-6 months old because she can get progressively more picky once the hormones kick in, and more difficult to litter train.
Never question whether it should be done or not. All bunnies should be desexed if they are not breeding stock.
Information about desexing:
Choosing a vet
Make sure the vet you choose deals with rabbits all the time. That way you will be comforted to know that your precious fuzz-ball is in good hands.
Most people prefer going to an exotic pet vet, because they specialise in small animals, birds, lizards etc. But I’e found a really good pet shop vet who deals with rabbits every day, and they are much more affordable than the exotic pet vet. So, make sure you find a vet you think will do a good job and they satisfy all of your requirements.
I have two local veterinary clinics, one admitted that they don’t see rabbits and they don’t stock the vaccine. The other sees rabbits, and is basically useless when it comes to rabbit health. I only go there for the annual Filavac vaccination because it is close and reasonably affordable (in 2023, the vaccination and consultation was $167). The good pet-shop vet, the one I mentioned above, is in Pakenham, and I would recommend them without hesitation.
The Operation
Because rabbits’ innards are small, it costs more than a dog or cat to do the operation.
Bunnies are also prone to die under anaesthetic because they have weak immune systems, but a good vet will know what to do and look out for. If your vet can’t pick that your bunny has an health issue prior to the operation, and the bunny passes away under anaesthetic, I’d be questioning the vet a lot, about everything. It’s important to realise that the little bunny they are dealing with is your life, soul and blood, so if something goes wrong you have all the right to find out why.
Some vets will also get you to sign a contract to say that it is ok for them to resuscitate the bunny if it dies on the table. Some vets don’t get you to sign the contract, but assume that is what you’d like to happen. Other vets won’t try to resuscitate the bunny and just say “Oh well, it died during the operation.”
Spaying Females
The female operation is quite dangerous because vets have to open the bunny’s undercarriage and remove the ovaries. Because of this, it costs more to desex a female rabbit. But in the long-term, it prevents them from getting prolapses, cancers and other awful things that can shorten their lives.
Neutering Males
This operation is classed as superficial, because they don’t have to open the bunny up, they just make a small slit above the genital area and push the testes out, then stitch the bunny back up. This lowers the swelling and the bunny heals much faster.
20 or more years ago, vets used to make a small incision on each side to remove each testicle separately. This caused bunnies a lot of pain and the swelling wouldn’t go down for a long time. Luckily, they have updated their procedures and bunnies bounce back better.
Post-operation
The vet should provide 7 days of pain and antibiotic medication for each bunny after the operation, and they should also book you in three days post-operation for a check up. These are requirements this day and age, because many average vets just let you go without meds and a check-up. All of these fees, for meds, post-op checkup etc should be included in the fee charged, not as extras.
Make sure the vet gives you a syringe for each medication, per bunny. So if there is 3 medications and two bunnies, you will need 6 syringes.
Also make sure that they are 1ml syringes that have the little inner black rubber Luer Slip Tip that pushes the last bit of the medication out out of the dead space. Some vets give the normal syringe and you can’t get the last bit of medication out of the dead space, and so you run out of meds before the 7 days is up.
If you do run out of meds, go back to the vet and ask for more. They shouldn’t charge you for it because they calculated the dosage incorrectly, by not taking into account the wastage in the tip of the syringe.
Some bunnies will be OK after their operation, they will go to the toilet normally and eat as usual. Other bunnies will suffer a bit more. These are the ones you need to take notice of. If they are sluggish, not toileting properly, look like they are in pain or not eating they may be have GI stasis. They must go back to the vet to get more gut motility medication. You have 16-24 hours before it becomes much more serious than it already is and you may not have a bunny much longer.
You don’t need to protect the bunny’s wound from being licked. Most vets will coat the incision with a healing gel that withstands being licked. Just remember to keep your bunny warm, dry and comfortable. They may not want to move too much in the first few days, that is normal.
They may also look at you like they don’t like you any more, but it’s not you they don’t like, it’s the feelings they are feeling. They want you to help them, comfort them and tell them that it will all be ok.
Prices for the operation
The average spay will cost around $600
The average neuter will cost around $500
Some vets charge the same amount for a spay or neuter, but they provide different options for post-op care.
From experience, if the spay or neuter costs significantly less than that, you’re getting bad service. You get what you pay for.
However, I do think that the operation costs are extreme, especially when the medications given to your bunny are really only worth around 50c-$2.00 a millilitre. Vets increase the price to the extreme because they know you’ll pay it if you want it. Honestly, because it’s so important to get your bunny desexed, they should charge a quarter of the price. It is only a rabbit, not an elephant.
Give me some confidence about the operation
Unusual Pet Vets are very forthcoming with information, don’t be afraid to phone them to ask questions
According to the Unusual Pet Vets in Frankston, the operation is very safe, especially if it is done with an exotic animal specialist. Vets without proper rabbit training may have different outcomes.
Rabbits are given a thorough health check prior, and if there are any issues the vets will not go ahead with the operation. Specialist vets are very good at picking up any anomalies in rabbit health, that’s why it’s important to get the operation done with an expert.
The Unusual Pet Vets perform about 2-3 rabbit desexing operations a week, and more during the summer months.
Over the past five years (2018-2023), they have not had any bunnies die during the operation. Although some bunnies do have issues with the anesthetic, they usually come good after the operation with a bit of extra care.
Always have a chat with your vet, they are there to help.
Don’t be scared about the operation
There is lots of information out there to scare you about getting your bunny desexed. If you choose the right vet, you should not have any problems. Vets who are specialised in rabbits are the best and only choice, because they are there to give you confidence.
If you have any questions, talk to your vet.