# Rabbit question...



## Eden10 (Aug 11, 2012)

So I currently work at a small chain pet store, they sell a few small animals but mainly sell dog & cat food. Sadly the animals they do have are treated more like objects/product than living feeling creatures. I am always trying to improve conditions, but my boss is REALLY cheap & won't store use anything but the bare mininum...all the animals are in cages too small, with food & water...nothing else, no enrichment. The hamsters probably have it worse, they are kept up to 10 in a 10gallon aquarium again with just food & water....the lil guys are always bloody/ears chewed off etc. where they are fighting for space & those of you who know hamsters know that only dwarf hammies enjoy the company of other hamsters....anyway....you get the idea & I am looking for another job, but in the meantime I have no choice, but to work for this company. Onto my rabbit question!....there is this GORGEOUS standard rex rabbit that has been thrown into the back room due to being the biggest male of the bunch & constantly fighting with the others....nobody likes him because of this.....yet I've held him & petted him & to me hes a sweetheart, he even let me give him kisses. He seems a lil nervous, but I know most rabbits are fairly timid. Course, I am thinking about getting him....but I have had a rabbit before & didn't have the best experience...I had a lionhead mix that I got from a baby & it turned into the biggest monster, very aggressive & would kick, grunt...even growl at us! It was CRAZY....this rabbit is already full grown & seems sweet, but will he turn like this once I have him home....my last rabbit I didn't even know the sex lol, but this one is a confirmed male. I know its best to get them fixed to help stop their feisty-ness. Did I just have a crazy rabbit...maybe the breed...he/she was all over white with blue eyes. This guy is brown with brown eyes. Help please!!! & sorry if this post is a big block of text, I am on my phone!


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## poodlecrazy1 (Apr 14, 2013)

Getting them neutered or spayed helps a lot with the aggressiveness. I had my bunny spayed at 6 months old and she is very very sweet. My dad and his family found a little boy bunny in the middle of their street a month or so ago and he is already starting to get feisty. I told him to have him neutered ASAP so hopefully he does. But yes bunnies are a bit timid, the don't generally like to be held or patted much either. You can train them like rats though and they love toys to chew on and throw around. Also sterilization for bunnies is a lot cheaper than rats like a quarter if the price! 


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## Eden10 (Aug 11, 2012)

I've seen the damage he did to the other rabbits & he also killed a guinea-pig that one of my co-workers was dumb enough to put in with the rabbits! Yet he doesn't seem to show any signs of aggression towards people...well not towards me. So its a good sign that he let me hold him & pet him without causing a fuss....my old rabbit was terrible lol wouldn't even let you put it on your lap...I understand they don't really like being held & cuddled due to being prey animals. But this bun-bun I swear was just out of control lol!


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## RedFraggle (Jun 4, 2012)

We have rabbits. They need to be neutered and also need to have a lot of space (at least 30 square feet on a permanent basis). Ideally they should have a buddy too. We do not handle our rabbits unless we need to, they don't like it which is very common. I suspect your previous rabbit was female as that sounds like typical hormonal behaviour.


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## Eden10 (Aug 11, 2012)

I had a feeling she was a girl as I heard they can actually be feistier than the boys & pretty bossy. I have a feeling her breed played into it too I saw that the smaller breeds are more grumpy. I had actually no plans to get a rabbit at that time...but my fiance surprised me with her on Easter (slaps forehead)...we ended up letting my friend adopt her (she had experience with rabbits) as it got to the point we couldn't even enter her cage to change out her food etc. without her grunting & biting us. This was a few years ago....I feel a bond with this male....but I want to be 100% ready & really don't want him to end up a monster too lol....the fact he lets me handle him etc. despite not being socialized & being full grown gives me hope, hes a large breed too...hes a big guy.


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## Timberlee Fields (Aug 2, 2013)

Rex's are bred for docility, he will be fine when you get him home. 


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

I had 2 lovely rexes in the past. A brother and sister neutered pair. They were wonderful friendly pets. I would get him neutered that way you can get him a friend. rabbits get just as much out of company as rats. is lovely to see them play together. A neutered girl would be best.


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## Minky (Apr 4, 2013)

Lionheads are notorious for having an aggressive streak. I think your rex boy will be fine, especially if you get him neutered. Plan to get him a (spayed!) girlfriend at some point. You probably already know this, but rabbits are expensive, high-maintenance pets. I LOOOVE my rescue buns, but whew - they're a ton of work and $$!


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## Timberlee Fields (Aug 2, 2013)

My mini-Rex weren't expensive at all. $20 a month. 


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## Minky (Apr 4, 2013)

I spend $60/mo on my 2 rabbits. Even when I buy hay in bulk, this is as cheap as I can figure. Carefresh is so expensive... Timberlee, what did you use in the litter box?


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## Timberlee Fields (Aug 2, 2013)

I hat two as well. I used feline pine. 


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

They can be very expensive, i used to put away £60 per month for mine towards potential vet bills, Rosie my doe ended up using most of that up after 1 attempted spay where she took a dislike to the anesthetic and stoped breathing any time they turned her onto her back (rabbits can be odd with anesthetic) at £90, one emergency spay at £150 after she started passing blood (this time we sent ehr in with her bro and she was much better under anaesthetic), one emergency vet call out as i over clipped her nail and she wouldn't leave it alone (£90) and several attempts at fixing her sore hocks, including buying cage liners, several types of cream and little rabbit socks. Her brother also cost to neuter, though it was only £60, but saying we were told we bought 2 girls this wasn't a planned cost (luckily i trusted my own judgement more than the breeders!). This was in the 18 montsh we owned them before we had to find them a new home as Rosies sore hocks couldn't cope with the gravel in our back garden, and it was fidn them a new home or restrict them to only being out every few days. It wasnt an option with such active rabbits.

Thats a good warning actually, rex rabbits are incredably prone to sore hocks, you need to make sure you take this into account,a nd check his heels please.


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## Minky (Apr 4, 2013)

My rescue boy bunny (who is non-creatively named "Bunny") is really picky about what goes in the litter box. I started out using Feline Pine, then he took to the habit of peeing anywhere except INSIDE the box. . . when I switched him to Carefresh he began using the litter box again. So they've got me hooked on the expensive stuff!  

I also feed them a tray of parsely, cilantro, carrots/tops, and various other herbs every day. I attribute their consistent good health to this practice (as well as unlimited hay), but it does get expensive after awhile. Then there is chewing - I live in the SE and we don't have apple or willow trees, so I have to purchase sticks and willow tunnels for them to chew on. 

I spend what I do in order to keep them healthy and avoid vet bills. So far it's worked. But bunnies are fragile creatures and they do need the vet from time to time. I think putting away some money each month in anticipation of large vet bills is a wise choice.


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

I agre, rabbits do best on mostly good green hay, mixed veg and at most a tiny handful of decent fiber content pellets. Rabbits can easily get fat on too many pellets.

Here's some pics of my rex rabbits, i miss them so much

Rosie the beautiful Orange rex lady, who was such a character and adored people, even if she was a nightmare with her poor feet




and her Hun Bun HUmphrey, he wasnt as in love with people as the manic Rosie but very sweet and protective of her




and a picture showing why rabbits need to be in pairs


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## Minky (Apr 4, 2013)

Wow, they are gorgeous!! That orange rex coat is stunning! It's too bad you had to rehome them, but it sounds like you tried everything to keep them (even socks!)


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