How to choose the right type of pet? ideas/info needed

I find two to be less work! They have each other and require less of yours ..son on days that your really busy, you don't need to feel bad!

My friend uses blankets, my other friend uses a tarp or a plastic/rubber mat!
are so they can choose what to be on, hard floors can hurt there feet ..hence why I like fatigue mat (its soft but easy to clean)

I used yesterdays news in there litter pan.

So other than cleaning the litter pan, there really is not any other cleaning!

 

[MissGuardian]

I find two to be less work! They have each other and require less of yours ..son on days that your really busy, you don't need to feel bad!

My friend uses blankets, my other friend uses a tarp or a plastic/rubber mat!
are so they can choose what to be on, hard floors can hurt there feet ..hence why I like fatigue mat (its soft but easy to clean)

I used yesterdays news in there litter pan.

So other than cleaning the litter pan, there really is not any other cleaning!

Thank you for the info!
I will have to look into that, it sounds really smart!

 

[victoria]

I did go to the pet store(s) today.
Talking to people about the bunnies, and looking at cages.
The biggest cage I could find, was 140cm long(didn´t say how much the rest was), would that be suitable?
I think the only have dwarf breeds in the pet stores, and I assume most of the ones that need homes are from pet stores also..

ETA: I also went to the library to borrow books, so I´ll be reading up on bunnies and a couple of the others.

Be careful! A lot of people here say that bunnies are dwarfs when they sell them and then they grow to be very big. Bunnies getting bigger than expected is one of the top reasons they get abandoned. Unless you know a bit about bunnies or see both the parents or really trust the source, be prepared for them not to be the size they were advertised as.

That being said, 140 cm is a decent sized bunny cage. It's still much better to go with a pen, but as long as they get plenty of time out to exercise that's fine for most bunnies, not only dwarfs.

Also, bunnies require 2 cups of veggies per 5 lbs of body weigh per day, in addition to pellets and hay. I'm not sure how guinea pigs compare in terms of veggie requirements, but if you plan out the fresh foods you give, you don't need to do vitamin C supplements.

Degus yes they chew through plastic but you can get a cage that is all metal so they can no chew through it i think they make great pets next to rats

Degus are really not generally as affectionate as rats in my experience and they can be very destructive. Like hamsters, they tend to be pretty nocturnal and don't really adjust to the human companion's routine like many of the other animals listed do.

Honestly, you said no to ferrets because you don't know much about them, but I would get a ferret (after reading up on them a bit). They are really affectionate, cuddly, and the are cute/fun to watch. You can allow them free roam (but ferret proof stuff much like you would with a rat). They aren't too expensive, and pretty easy to maintain. All they need is attention (specially if you adopt just one).

Ferrets are awesome and probably the closest to rats but they require a lot more proofing than rats do, they are much sneakier and determined. Unlike rats, they are also pretty expensive to feed because they are such strict carnivores and are prone to even more health issues than they already are.

 

[MissGuardian]

I did go to the pet store(s) today.
Talking to people about the bunnies, and looking at cages.
The biggest cage I could find, was 140cm long(didn´t say how much the rest was), would that be suitable?
I think the only have dwarf breeds in the pet stores, and I assume most of the ones that need homes are from pet stores also..

ETA: I also went to the library to borrow books, so I´ll be reading up on bunnies and a couple of the others.

Be careful! A lot of people here say that bunnies are dwarfs when they sell them and then they grow to be very big. Bunnies getting bigger than expected is one of the top reasons they get abandoned. Unless you know a bit about bunnies or see both the parents or really trust the source, be prepared for them not to be the size they were advertised as.

That being said, 140 cm is a decent sized bunny cage. It's still much better to go with a pen, but as long as they get plenty of time out to exercise that's fine for most bunnies, not only dwarfs.

Also, bunnies require 2 cups of veggies per 5 lbs of body weigh per day, in addition to pellets and hay. I'm not sure how guinea pigs compare in terms of veggie requirements, but if you plan out the fresh foods you give, you don't need to do vitamin C supplements.

I think that are rather common here too, but most bunnies are (I don´t know if that is the correct English term for them, but I do hope you understand which I mean anyway); hermelin, dwarf vedder, lionhead(?), or a mix of the above. Would that be considered dwarfs?

I will have to think about the cage/pen thing.. I would have to have a cage if I´m going away tho.. Not safe to have a pen there because of my ******* aunt putting out rat poision :rant: Do not want them to come in contact with anything like that(I´m mostly there once or twice a year, and in the summer, so I could have outtime outside most of the time). How big would the cage HAVE to be for two bunnies for shorter periods of time(weekends etc)? They hade one 100cm cage(didn´t check the price since I was looking for permanent cages), one 120cm(cost 895NOK*/~160$) and the 140cm was ~1600NOK*/~280$.

* The prices are more for my memory.

I would have to do the math on the veggies and such, but I don´t think it would cost too much.. Maybe I´d eat more veggies myself :lol:

 

[victoria]

I think that are rather common here too, but most bunnies are (I don´t know if that is the correct English term for them, but I do hope you understand which I mean anyway); hermelin, dwarf vedder, lionhead(?), or a mix of the above. Would that be considered dwarfs?

I will have to think about the cage/pen thing.. I would have to have a cage if I´m going away tho.. Not safe to have a pen there because of my ******* aunt putting out rat poision :rant: Do not want them to come in contact with anything like that(I´m mostly there once or twice a year, and in the summer, so I could have outtime outside most of the time). How big would the cage HAVE to be for two bunnies for shorter periods of time(weekends etc)? They hade one 100cm cage(didn´t check the price since I was looking for permanent cages), one 120cm(cost 895NOK*/~160$) and the 140cm was ~1600NOK*/~280$.

* The prices are more for my memory.

I would have to do the math on the veggies and such, but I don´t think it would cost too much.. Maybe I´d eat more veggies myself :lol:

We have all sorts of types of bunnies that are popular here too - dwarfs, lops, lionheads to name a few - but a lot of people think they're getting dwarfs end up with larger rabbits. It may be different there, especially since houses/apartments are smaller. For comparison, my foster bunny Snow White is a dwarf and she weighs 1.4 kg (3lbs) and my bunnies are "average" (although everyone says they look big) and they weigh 2.5-3.7 kg (5.5-8 lbs)... the 3.7 kg is an overweight rabbit. I can easily Snow White pick up with one hand when she's squirmy, my two I always need both hands.

I've never seen cage calculators for bunnies, perhaps because almost no cages are big enough for them. They bigger the better I would say, especially if they'll spend a weekend alone in it. It sounds like you're looking at the Ferplast cages, they fold down into the base for storage at least.

We eat more veggies because of the buns too! There are a lot of veggies we buy because we know if we can't eat them,we can give them to the bunnies instead of them going to waste. There are many veggies that feed us and them too - we give them the stems from broccoli and kale, the leaves and stems from cauliflower, peels from carrots and apples, tops from tomatoes and strawberries. I also shop at a local farmers market and sometimes I will get the clippings they would otherwise throw away for free.

 

[MissGuardian]

I think that are rather common here too, but most bunnies are (I don´t know if that is the correct English term for them, but I do hope you understand which I mean anyway); hermelin, dwarf vedder, lionhead(?), or a mix of the above. Would that be considered dwarfs?

I will have to think about the cage/pen thing.. I would have to have a cage if I´m going away tho.. Not safe to have a pen there because of my ******* aunt putting out rat poision :rant: Do not want them to come in contact with anything like that(I´m mostly there once or twice a year, and in the summer, so I could have outtime outside most of the time). How big would the cage HAVE to be for two bunnies for shorter periods of time(weekends etc)? They hade one 100cm cage(didn´t check the price since I was looking for permanent cages), one 120cm(cost 895NOK*/~160$) and the 140cm was ~1600NOK*/~280$.

* The prices are more for my memory.

I would have to do the math on the veggies and such, but I don´t think it would cost too much.. Maybe I´d eat more veggies myself :lol:

We have all sorts of types of bunnies that are popular here too - dwarfs, lops, lionheads to name a few - but a lot of people think they're getting dwarfs end up with larger rabbits. It may be different there, especially since houses/apartments are smaller. For comparison, my foster bunny Snow White is a dwarf and she weighs 1.4 kg (3lbs) and my bunnies are "average" (although everyone says they look big) and they weigh 2.5-3.7 kg (5.5-8 lbs)... the 3.7 kg is an overweight rabbit. I can easily Snow White pick up with one hand when she's squirmy, my two I always need both hands.

I've never seen cage calculators for bunnies, perhaps because almost no cages are big enough for them. They bigger the better I would say, especially if they'll spend a weekend alone in it. It sounds like you're looking at the Ferplast cages, they fold down into the base for storage at least.

We eat more veggies because of the buns too! There are a lot of veggies we buy because we know if we can't eat them,we can give them to the bunnies instead of them going to waste. There are many veggies that feed us and them too - we give them the stems from broccoli and kale, the leaves and stems from cauliflower, peels from carrots and apples, tops from tomatoes and strawberries. I also shop at a local farmers market and sometimes I will get the clippings they would otherwise throw away for free.

I think the brand name for the cage was Imac, but I can´t find it online. If I´m going back today, I´ll try to get a picture.

If I were to adopt(It´s still likely, only from private persons), I´d adopt adults/almost adults.. Would be easier to tell their size then.. There are a few bunnies up for adoption around my area, so it would be easier to adopt bunnies than rats(that are almost impossible to get that needs rehoming and aren´t just bred for the cute babies). It depends on what´s around when I´d be getting them tho.

They would still get a fair deal of outtime if I´m away, just outside instead of inside the house(unless they were sitting on my lap or something - don´t want them walking directly on the floors). I only go away 1-4 weekends a year tho, and approximately 2 of them they stay here at home. So it wouldn´t be a lot of time.

Sounds like it would be a lot of veggies in the house :giggle:

 

[RoscoTheRat]

Honestly, you said no to ferrets because you don't know much about them, but I would get a ferret (after reading up on them a bit). They are really affectionate, cuddly, and the are cute/fun to watch. You can allow them free roam (but ferret proof stuff much like you would with a rat). They aren't too expensive, and pretty easy to maintain. All they need is attention (specially if you adopt just one).

Ferrets are awesome and probably the closest to rats but they require a lot more proofing than rats do, they are much sneakier and determined. Unlike rats, they are also pretty expensive to feed because they are such strict carnivores and are prone to even more health issues than they already are.

Females have a lot illnesses, the males tend to not to be as bad.

 

[Rissa]

I'm not sure I would ever let a bunny outside to play. They are FAST when they want to be, and all it takes is something to spook your bunny and off it goes. If you were going to let them out you would want to build an outdoor pen and then supervisor them cause they are crazy diggers if they want to escape under the pen.

 

[MissGuardian]

I'm not sure I would ever let a bunny outside to play. They are FAST when they want to be, and all it takes is something to spook your bunny and off it goes. If you were going to let them out you would want to build an outdoor pen and then supervisor them cause they are crazy diggers if they want to escape under the pen.

I probably was a bit unclear about that one - I'm sorry.
I meant in a pen or something like that

 

A lot of bunnies here in pet stores who are said to be "dwarf" turn into 7 to 10 pound rabbits. Both my rabbits are dwarfs, one weighing 3 lbs and the other 4 lbs.

Outside in a dog pen would be just fine! or you can build a pen yourself out of wood and chicken wire for the sides, open bottom of course!

I find dog pens are not very big, you usually need two joined together for a cage or an out door pen!

 

[MissGuardian]

A lot of bunnies here in pet stores who are said to be "dwarf" turn into 7 to 10 pound rabbits. Both my rabbits are dwarfs, one weighing 3 lbs and the other 4 lbs.

Outside in a dog pen would be just fine! or you can build a pen yourself out of wood and chicken wire for the sides, open bottom of course!

I find dog pens are not very big, you usually need two joined together for a cage or an out door pen!

Over here they have compost elements that´s (if I understand the text correctly) 88x68cm each panel(and four in a pack). I´d probably have to use wire on it, because of the bar spacing tho.. But I could get 16 packs for the cost of the biggest cage.. I don´t think the dogs pens are much taller? At least not the ones I´ve seen..

I don´t know how much the ones at the store I asked weighed, but they didn´t expect them to be much bigger than now.
I am seriously considering adopting adults tho.. Most of the one that needs homes are around a year old.. Just too bad at least one of most pairs are long haired :? I really prefer short haired..

 

I'm not sure how tall my pen is, my boyfriend knows all that LOL

Bar spacing has neveer been an issue for me and bunnies, not like rats

Long haired does get messy! maybe adopt two singles and bond them yourself?

 

[MissGuardian]

I'm not sure how tall my pen is, my boyfriend knows all that LOL

Bar spacing has neveer been an issue for me and bunnies, not like rats

Long haired does get messy! maybe adopt two singles and bond them yourself?

The bar spacing on the compost bin is 5,5x10,5 cm(2,16x4,13 inches), is that too big? Specially for babies(in case I end up with them anyway).

I could set the elements up too tho, so they get 88cm tall.

I could, but I already HATE intros :giggle:
I´d have to see tho.. It is likely that there still is someone needing homes when I´m getting them(if I do, havent 100% decided yet, but I am leaning very towards it).

 

[victoria]

Weaned babies shouldn't be able to get through those bars. We let them out in a similar pen at the shelter without problems. You would have to supervise if they're outside, the issue Rissa pointed out is that thay can quickly dig their way out, not climb or get through the bars. Again, not all do, but they're all capable of it.

 

[fumblesquid]

I went to the pet shop the other day, and a guy working there said that salt water fish are very social. He reached into the tank and even pet the fish, it was interesting. Even though the fish could bite a chunk out of the guy if it wanted, it didn't.

 

[MissGuardian]

Weaned babies shouldn't be able to get through those bars. We let them out in a similar pen at the shelter without problems. You would have to supervise if they're outside, the issue Rissa pointed out is that thay can quickly dig their way out, not climb or get through the bars. Again, not all do, but they're all capable of it.

I´d never leave a pet outside unattended, so that´s not an issue.
That´s good to hear. The people at the pet store couldn´t really say, so they wouldn´t recommend anything bigger than the bar spacing at a regular rabbit cage, just to be safe.

Is it dangerous for bunnies to be in a harness?(it said in one of the books I read that the agility thing for bunnies was bad because of the use of harnesses, but it also said you could train the same agility with them at home, so I´m really confused)..

 

I'v used harnesses on bunnies and they work fine! make sure they are adjustable and fit snug!

 

[MissGuardian]

I'v used harnesses on bunnies and they work fine! make sure they are adjustable and fit snug!

That´s good to hear! I´d love to be able to have it with me outside without having to have a pen(our garden is very steep, so it´s only one small spot a pen would NOT tip over :wallbang: ).. I saw they hade some harnesses similar(or maybe it´s really for them) to those for very small dogs..

 

This is the harness I use:

 

[MissGuardian]

They do have at least similar here. I think the ones I talked about was similar too..