# Rabbits and rats



## Frodowisebrandytook (Mar 26, 2011)

Some of you may have seen my post below about GPs and rats. I am leaning towards getting some GPs, but I also wanted to ask about rabbits. 

They seem a little more complex to take care of, but there are some things about them that might make them a better pet for my particular family. My biggest concern is health. GP's seem pretty hardy while Rabbits seem to be a bit more fragile. As I am looking for a pet that has very few problems so I can have a break from rat health related vet bill and heartache, GP's seem like the way to go.

But here is the hitch:

I will be getting either one from my local shelter. The shelter does not perform neuters or spays for GPs, but they provide BOTH with the cost of adoption for rabbits. Is a fixed rabbit better than an unfixed GP health wise?

Thank you so much for all of your wonderful info so far on GPs. I have joined a forum already and I am asking about 10 questions a day trying to figure out if GPs are for me. I might end up joining a rabbit forum as well.


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## halfmoon (Mar 29, 2010)

I've heard that rabbits become very antisocial with age. With every kind of animal, there are the ones who are exceptions. Just make sure you'll be okay with EVERY typical aspect of a certain animal-type's personality before you decide. I couldn't have an animal that doesn't love to snuggle. 

Another big plus about rabbits is that you can litter train them! That way they can roam the house (given that you don't have other free-ranging animals). I had a friend do this. She and her boyfriend LOVE the fact that they don't have to keep the bunny cooped up in a cage all day while they're at work.


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## Kinsey (Jun 14, 2009)

Rabbits are VERY demanding, much more so than rats, and need a lot of free time. (hours of it!) 

Check this out~

http://www.binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/CostofHavingaBunny/tabid/145/Default.aspx

And if you were to get one and free range it constantly, the whole house would have to be rabbit proofed- they are chewers and VERY destructive. My remote still bears the scars of an attack by a foster bunny I had years ago.

If you get a bunny, it is rewarding, but both GPs and bunnies are expensive. Almost all rodents/cavies etc are.


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

Omg Bunnies are SOOO much work.

I have a lot of experience with rats, piggies, AND bunnies. And bunnies are by far the hardest and most expensive, They need TONS of exercise or they get fat, they need to be spayed and neutered like dogs and cats, they SHOULD be in pairs but they do not have to be. I have a male and a female (fixed of course) and that worked very well.

And this is a fact, they DO smell. Even if cleaned daily they have a very 'barn' like odor, it can be maintained so it's not offensive, but for someone with a very sensitive nose like me they are not bedroom pets.

They are often not as snuggly as piggies, and they can do some damage, I have a scar where my boy slashed my wrist with his nails.

They ARE good pets, and I really enjoy keeping rabbits so dont let me get you down if you are interested. I recommend going to rabbitsonline.com they are like ratofurm, and very kind and have many great stickies.


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## A.ngelF.eathers (Jul 6, 2011)

I've kept rabbits my entire life and have never had any problems with them, whether living outside or inside. I find that rabbits with long hair are extra adorable and puppy-like. I also find bunnies to be great leash buddies as far as small animals go. The litter training thing is also good. They do smell though but you can easily stop the odor by cage maintenance. Their urine can be a problem though, especially with wetting their feet. 

As for GPs... The only GPs I have ever met have been disgusting in their eating habits and the way they relieve themselves. Granted, I've seen some rabbits to do it to, but while helping care for several GPs at once, I had to clean their dishes out many, many times a day because they were relieving themselves in them like mad. I was also bitten by a couple and they, while very social with one another, kept their distance from me. But I know quite a few people who have had much better luck with GPs according to them. 

These are my experiences with both pets. 
As for my person preference, I would much rather have a bunny. I'm anti-GP


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## A.ngelF.eathers (Jul 6, 2011)

Frodowisebrandytook said:


> Frodowisebrandytook


Also, your user name = love. ;D


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## Critter Aficionado (Jan 30, 2011)

Guinea pigs are NOT generally hardy; they are fragile physically and very prone to upper respiratory infections (especially as they age, even in a healthy environment if they are old and have poor immune systems). One of the main problems is that breeders of these animals are interested in show standards and appearance above health; the associations for breeding them encourage culling animals if they don't meet standard (regardless of said animals' health or genes) and encourage breeding downright unhealthy animals (teddies and texels are prone to skin conditions, Roans produce lethal whites which are born either dead or deaf, blind, with no teeth or eyes or with a very bad digestive tract, and satins are very prone to bone density loss as they age). They do require quite a bit of space (minimum of 7.5 square feet for a pair but the bigger the cage the less likely they are to fight), and like rats, need to be kept in compatible pairs at least since they are social creatures. 

Your best option is to adopt from a reputable, knowledgeable guinea pig rescue or guinea pig savvy small animal/exotics rescue. These places will quarantine, have them fully vetted and treated for mites and any other health problems if they had any before adoption. There are also a ton being given away for free or very little on sites like Craigslis; people get them as "child's pets" from pet stores or breeders then dump them when the child is no longer caring for them or they realize how much work they really are. There's also the shelter option, but many shelters don't list their "exotics" on Petfinder or online so you may have to call and ask; there are exceptions to the rule of course. Shelters aren't always savvy on small animal care as most specialize in cats and dogs.


All that said, I absolutely adore my cavies. They've costed me literally thousands in medical bills (but then I tend to go for the special needs and less adoptable ones, and as they age they are prone to all kinds of health problems) in the couple years I've had the species, but they have been well worth it. All but one are rescues (one was given to me as a birthday gift) and all but one enjoy being held and will cuddle up to you, and a couple love giving kisses (the others do too, but not as often). They aren't prone to biting at all, and usually when one does nip it's due to an underlying medical cause (mites, another painful condition), but I've never been even remotely seriously bitten by one. They are also a lot smarter than most people give them credit for, which they will show if people pay attention to them and give them proper living space to display natural behaviors. 

I strongly suggest the following care websites to anyone wanting to get a guinea pig.

http://www.guinealynx.info/ - Most in-depth care site I've ever seen on guinea pigs. Information from exotics veterinarians and scientific literature. 

http://cavyspirit.com/ - Another good care site

http://guineapigcages.com/ - A site on proper cage size, making your own cage (or you can buy one pre-built through there), and where to find materials to make your own cages.


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