Bunny Advice

[Denise in Florida]

Yesterday I asked for advice in picking a pet for my dog.

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3177429#poststop

 

I LOVE the idea of a baby goat, but if dh thinks chickens are awkward in a suburb I'm sure he would not want a goat. :lol:

 

I reiterate that I will care for and handle the bunnies but their primary purpose is to be the dog's companions.

 

I have ordered Storey's Guide to Raising Rabbits, I really loved their chicken book. I have a hutch which I will set up for the bunnies but they will be free range in the backyard. They will also have getaway spots through out the back yard. The chickens had several shelters that I will convert.

 

Does anyone have experience with bunnies? I am looking for a breed that is brave or at least tolerant of a very energetic and silly dog. Since they will be free range in a jungle style backyard I suspect they should be short haired and easy to groom.

 

Do not worry, the dog and bunnies will be supervised. If they do not bond I will enlarge the hutch and let them live in that.

 

Advice appreciated.

[bbkaren]

I haven't been part of the original convo, although have read your initial post, so this might be a moot point.

 

I raise meat rabbits and my only advice, if you're getting a pet rabbit that you plan to keep in the house, make it a female.

 

Males project their urine out up to 3' of the cage, and the urine stains everything.

 

Rabbits are a difficult animal to enjoy, since unless you're willing to stay on top of them on a daily basis, they really smell badly.

 

Obviously you're not looking for a meat rabbit so your problem would probably be much less intense with the size of the rabbit.

 

I would also consider that terriers are chasers and you may find your bunny being tossed around like a rag doll after the dog chases it down. Anytime one of our rabbits has gotten loose, it's our pit mix that has rooted it out and killed it.

 

p.s. "awkward in the suburbs"...unless it's illegal/forbidden by zoning, I'd get what makes my family happy. I've heard great things about goats, though we don't have any yet. I had a friend as a kid who raised an orphan fawn in his house. Why not? Who cares about "awkward" :)

 

 

eta: I see it'd be kept outside - good call!

 

I presume you've already gone into the issue of bunnies reproducing like...rabbits, right? You'd have to either keep them isolated, or ensure that you only get multiples of the same gender. Seriously. They breed instantaneously, and without fail. It is the act of intercourse that triggers heat in the female, so she's technically always fertile.

Edited September 26, 2011 by bbkaren

[annandatje]

Bunny will have a very frightening short life span living free range in backyard. It is likely to be a snack for another animal. Even when supervised, a hawk can swoop down and capture a rabbit. Personally I would not have a rabbit live in hutch because the wire floors can cause awful problems with their feet. We had two bunnies, a spayed female and neutered male, who lived inside and were litterbox trained.

 

What about more human companionship, toys, or exercise for your dog?

Edited September 27, 2011 by annandatje

[Beth in OH]

I would be concerned about the prey drive in a dog with your dog's breed mix:

 

In all predators the prey drive follows an inevitable sequence: the search, the eye-stalk, the chase, the grab bite, and the kill bite. In wolves the prey drive is complete and balanced. In different breeds of dog certain of these five steps have been amplified or reduced by human-controlled selective breeding, for various purposes. The search aspect of the prey drive, for example, is very valuable in detection dogs such as bloodhounds and beagles. The eye-stalk is a strong component of the behaviors used by herding dogs, who find herding its own reward. The chase is seen most clearly in racing dogs, while the grab-bite and kill-bite are valuable in the training of terriers. In many breeds of dog, prey drive is so strong that the chance to satisfy the drive is its own reward, and extrinsic reinforcers are not required to compel the dog to perform the behaviour.

 

With any of the dogs I've had (retrievers, shepherds), a bunny would end up as lunch, or at best, a toy.

 

Beth

[FaithManor]

Dogs and cats are natural predators of rabbits...think wolf instinct here. Now, it could work if you have a non-hunt breed dog such as a working herd dog. But, any type of hound, beagle, spaniel, lab, etc. may actually kill the rabbits or at least give them a pretty regular major scare.

 

You should also know that free range rabbits are very prone to major flea infestations and that your dog can pick this up from them.

 

Also, having free range rabbits is an invitation to cats to come a hunting. So, watch out for the neighborhood cats and feral cat colonies. Domesticated, ie. friendly bunnies, tend to lose their instincts for sensing predators and will be slow to react in a bad situation which means, bunny becomes food.

 

Sorry to not be more supportive. But, we've had rabbits for years, I know several rabbit breeders, and dd worked for a veterinarian for a while. So, we've got some experience.

 

Faith

[JudoMom]

Bunny will have a very frightening short life span living free range in backyard. It is likely to be a snack for another animal. Even when supervised, a hawk can swoop down and capture a rabbit. Personally I would not have a rabbit live in hutch because the wire floors can cause awful problems with their feet. We had two bunnies, a spayed female and neutered male, who lived inside and were litterbox trained.

 

What about more human companionship, toys, or exercise for your dog?

 

:iagree: