Rabbits as pets, or other pet suggestions

In My Humble Opinion
1

My spouse really wants a pet, but I am allergic to cats and dogs and other fur-bearing animals. A hamster or guinea pig or other rodent would be ok if he were to keep it in its cage or habitat, but he wants them to run around. He’s not interested in snakes as pets.

For some reason he seems to be ok with the idea of a rabbit, kept outdoors in some kind of large enclosure, and that would be fine with me. We live in San Francisco, so as long as it had a place to keep dry (in the hoped-for event that it will ever rain again) the temperature should be ok.

Is this something that would work ok for the rabbit? Any tips or tricks? Or any bright ideas for other pets? Something relatable, so probably not fish.

2

If dogs are able to get into your yard they would try to go after the rabbit. They don’t know it a pet. I had landlord that had pet yard in a cage they kept outside and my landlord got upset b/c my dog wanted to eat the rabbit. I told them my dog has no idea that is pet rabbit , she think it a meal.

3

House rabbits make wonderful pets.

Buying a rabbit to keep in an outdoor cage is both cruel to the rabbit and pointless for you.

All of the domesticated rabbits are European breeds. They are social animals. Read Watership Down sometimes. Although there is a lot of fantasy, Adams did base much of the rabbit behavior in his book on another book called The Private Life of the Rabbit, where the author reported on a five year observational study of a warren of rabbits in Wales. The results shattered many myths.

What will happen is that the rabbit will become boring and neurotic. It will spend most of its time just sitting in place chewing on whatever you give it. After about 6 months, you will start telling your friends, “Rabbits are so boring, I don’t know why anyone would ever get one as a pet. Just a waste of money.” It makes just as much sense as getting a dog and keeping him in the same cage all day.

The Bay Area also has a problem with myxomatosis, a disease spread by mosquitoes that takes down a lot of outdoor rabbits.

You may also read somewhere that 50 degrees is the ideal temperature for rabbits. This is a story started by farmers who are breeding rabbits for fur. A low temperature encourages a thicker coat. If you ask actual rabbits what the ideal temperature is, they have told me it is taking a nap on top of the living room heater duct or pressed up against the fireplace grate when a fire is going.

And there is the problem of animal attacks. Raccoons, birds of prey, and other animals will attack the outdoor cage. They will, at the very least, terrify the rabbit and they may very well find a way to get inside.

On the other hand, a house rabbit can make a wonderful pet. Yes, they can be litter box trained. (If you get one from a reputable rabbit rescue organization, they will almost always be already trained.) They will adapt to your habits and schedules, although you may find yourself adapting to theirs some, too. (Compromise!) They will be interesting, sometimes frustrating, and irresistibly cute. You will have to get used to living with a litter box or two, you will have to bunny-proof the house a bit, and learn to live with some teeth marks here and there.

Please consider bringing a rabbit into your home. Better yet, consider a bonded pair. But forget about keeping a rabbit out in the yard.

4

If a hamster/guinea pig/gerbil type critter is acceptable, get a pet rat. They’re friendly and intelligent. They are incontinent like the other rodents, however, but behaviorally, they’re much more like a cat or dog in their interactions with people they know. The only other drawback is their short lifespan.

5

I guess the real drawback for anything furry indoors are your allergies here. As much as I’d love to second california jobcase’s idea of a pet rat (or rather rats, though they can be kept alone if your spouse is willing to donate a lot of attention to his), because if they hop onto you (they love climbing legs), tiny scratches from their claws combined with urine cause contact allergies in many owners and these may develop into real allergies with heavy bronchial complications. Since you’re already allergic to fur, I’d be very wary.

And yes, please don’t keep a rabbit alone outside. I wouldn’t even keep a pair lest one dies. The same applies to guinea pigs and chinchillas; all fine outdoor pets, but very social animals.

However, that large enclosure you’re speaking of; is that open range or is there room for a large, maybe mobile cage with a small pool (think plastic sandbox)? Because ferrets make great outdoor pets (smelly and feisty) if given an opportunity to cool down. They also shouldn’t be kept alone. Frankly, I’m drawing a blank on what cuddly animal exept dogs and some cats this could apply.

6

A member of the parrot family, perhaps?

No experience, but RESEARCH - one of the spectacular (and expensive) white ones is found in detached garages with its feathers plucked out (a nervous tic) and screeching.
Not a beginner’s project

7

Thanks, Alley Dweller, and the rest. A little independent research has confirmed what you said about putting rabbits outdoors. We could probably fix the temperature issue somehow, and we could have more than one rabbit, but we have no solution to the fear of predators issue (mostly raccoons in our case). There is also the issue of someone to take care of them when we travel. So I guess that idea is out.

The trouble with a large bird is that it would likely outlive us - we’re both In our mid-60’s. We’d have to find one that had already outlived a previous owner. I don’t know, maybe we should try one of those supposedly “hypo-allergenic” breeds of dogs (or cats if they have such a thing, because I prefer cats generally).

8

Domesticated rabbits belong indoors. They make wonderful house pets, but if you’re going to buy an animal and keep it outdoors then it’s not a pet, it’s livestock.

In a cage or habitat on the ground the rabbit would be at risk from predators. They are strictly prey animals (even large birds will eat them, so forget about an open-topped fence or pen) and living outdoors would be an incredibly stressful situation. Rabbits are ground loving creatures and would spend a lot of time terrified in an off-the-ground hutch. They really don’t even like to be picked up. I know breeders do it, and breeders suck. If your temps go over 80 Fahrenheit the rabbit will be at risk of heat stroke, regardless of how nice you personally think the weather is.

Rabbits are not low maintenance pets. They can live up to 10 years with proper care, they need exercise and mental stimulation or they can get cranky and temperamental, they don’t particularly like to be handled, and they need a specific diet. A bun can live by pellets alone, but not for too many years, and not without getting fat. If you are under the impression that this is an animal you can stick in a cage outdoors and go visit once a day, you are sorely mistaken.

Oh, and rabbits are not rodents.

Educate yourself at rabbit.org.

9

A few, though I heard of varied results regarding the rexes.

Those balinese are super friendly, but be warned: They talk. A lot. Loudly.:slight_smile:

10

Your condescension is not warranted; I was asking for advice because I knew I didn’t know anything about the subject, and I have already responded to earlier posters to that effect. Oh, and I never said or implied that rabbits were rodents. Educate yourself.

11

If you go the bird route, do not get one of the “powdery” parrots: cockatiels, African greys, or any cockatoo. These are allergy nightmares.

12

A lot of people who are allergic to dogs find they aren’t allergic to the Bichon Frise. The curly coat of a Bichon Frise produces little dander.

Also, The Obama family adopted Bo, a Portuguese Water Dog, because the president’s daughter Malia is allergic to dogs.

13

And there were a lot of warnings at the time that such dogs aren’t really hypo-allergenic, just less allergenic than most breeds.

Maybe I should go to an allergist and find out what my sensitivities are now; I wonder if an allergist would be able to be specific enough to say “you should do OK with these breeds, but not with these others.” I don’t want to risk getting a low-allergy pet and then find that I still can’t live with it.

14

Is it possible that a breed rescue for one of the breeds known for being less of an allergy triggers might let you foster an animal temporarily?

15

Hedgehog? They have a high squee! rating that overshadows their prickles.

16

Maybe ask someone not allergic to visit dog and/or cat and/or ? and collect fur samples?

At least the long hair breeds get combed frequently and sample should be readily available.
Yes, a shelter is an obvious place, but the specimens are badly cross-contaminated.
Show critters tend to be ultra clean and carrying only their own allergens.

17

Rex is supposedly a breed that gives people with allergies fewer problems.

If they’re outside, they’ll need a way to keep cool on hot days. People often freeze water bottles for them.

Most of the pet breeds aren’t very meaty, if you want to raise any for eating.

Re: dogs, the dog doesn’t have to get into the enclosure to kill the rabbit; they die easily from stress or injury.

18

Its fundamentally cruel to keep birds.
Rats and mice piss everywhere
A Rabbit is basically a brain dead antisocial helpless vegetarian cat.
Hamsters are vicious rats.

I think it comes down to either a few guinea pigs or if yous have the time, an actual pig.

19

I was so deathly allergic to cats as a kid, I ended up in the ER at least twice a year getting a shot of adrenaline. I grew out of it, and I now have 2 cats. If you haven’t been tested in a long time, it’s worth being tested. You may be surprised.

I never did outgrow the tree nut allergy though.

20

A friend has a daughter with allergies. They have a happy Devon Rex and a happy daughter. IMO, a cat is the best pet. Easily socialized, low care, litter trained, relatively long lived, and just plain gorgeous. My sweet Scout is rather ugly but he’s very loving and a joy to have around even when dumps mice at me. If you can find a breed that won’t trigger your allergies go for it.