Help me convince my hubby!!!!

[njbunny]

Update posted below. Thanks to everyone for responding. I am getting a bun! 

 

So, I really want a bunny. We have a dog and cat and I am 100% responsible for them. I have lots of time to care for the bun and plenty of space for him or her. So, I found the perfect bunny. He is a rescue, a little older, PERFECT litter box habits and sweet as can be. Loves attention and to be cuddled. I ask my husband if I can get him and he freaks out.. :o( He gave me the following arguments which I totally understand as he has NO experience with rabbits or any small pets for that matter.

His arguments and my thoughts/questions:

1. THE SMELL

Him: It is going to stink up the house. No matter where we put the pen/litter box or how often it is cleaned it is going to smell bad.

Me: I will clean the box regularly (have no problem doing it daily if that is required. The cat box is scooped around 3x a day) but I am wondering for 1 bun how long before the box starts to smell? Does it start smelling the same day? For a fixed bunny is the smell really that bad? If you guys could let me know what litter type you use and how quickly it starts to smell that would be a big help. I didn’t even mention my plans to eventually have a bonded pair to him.  hehehe

2. THE COST

Him: It is going to cost a lot of money to keep it.

Me: That’s funny because we have enough money to spend HUNDREDS of dollars regularly on his “toys”  We always have shredded paper that I can use to partially fill the litter boxes to cut the cost on litter. We always have cardboard and we have fruit trees so I can make toys/chews. I can buy hay by the bale or half bale as my sister has farm animals. We have a large veggie garden so I can grow probably most of the veg for the bun myself. I also work at a vet so I get vet care/supplies at cost. I know I can build the pen pretty cheaply.

3. WE HAVE ENOUGH ALREADY

Him: We already have enough pets.

Me: um, really? A dog and a cat are too many pets? WOW, he is seriously lucky I have restrained myself all these years as I would easily have a LOT more animals if he wasn’t around . But seriously, I swear he is acting like I am asking for a zebra! Wait till I tell him we are getting chickens! Maybe I should just get those and not say anything….lesson learned

 

So, any thoughts, experience or ideas you have for me to talk him into this is really appreciated. I am not just running out and getting a bun, I have wanted one for ages. I had rabbits as a child but did not know any better then and they were kept outside in a hutch. I want to give a bun a comfy loving home here. I have lots of time at home. I don’t really have other hobbies. I am not going to have any life changing circumstances that are going to change my situation (kids, school, etc).

 

[mollys1]

The only time my bunny cage smells is when he has accidents where the pee/poop is not in the litterbox. And if your perspective rabbit has very good litter habits that shouldn’t be a problem. I usually change the litterbox every day to every other day as I only have one bun so it doesn’t start to smell very quickly. I only notice a smell when I dump out the tray as it disturbs the litter, pee, and poop. Oh and I use wood stove pellets/horse stall bedding. They’re super cheap (like $5 at the farm stores) for a 40 pound bag.

Cost:
The cage has been my biggest cost so far (I use a large dog crate). NIC cubes aren’t expensive to build large condos out of (between $20-$40 a package). I also have spent quite a bit on different litters and litterboxes because i have a picky bunny who won’t pee on some things Veggies are my biggest weekly costs because its getting into winter here in Iowa so less local produce.

All in all it sounds like you’ve put a lot of thought into this so I think a bun could be a good pet for you

[Stickerbunny]

The smell is going to depend on him. If he’s OK with a cat box though, he shouldn’t mind a bunny box. If you use wood stove pellets it covers the smell pretty well, especially if you scoop it out daily and totally clean it every 3 days or once a week or so. My boyfriend thinks the buns smell no matter what I do, but when I asked him how he handled having a cat (since I know he had one before) he responded “I totally dumped/cleaned out the litter box after every use.” … yeah, not going to happen. He also thinks hay stinks. o.O Weirdo. If kept clean they don’t smell worse than a cat tbh.

The cost will vary by where you live and what is available to you. Since hay is available by the bale, that’ll cut your costs a lot. You don’t want to use shredded paper for litter as the smell will be pretty bad if you do that. But, WSP are pretty cheap – if you can get the kind used for stoves (just make sure no chemicals added) it’s like $5 a bag for a 50lb bag and if not there are horse stall pellets you can get. If all else fails, feline pine is fine but it’s a bit more pricey… but still not too bad. Especially if it’s just one bun. Even with four litter boxes with my two that I have to clean more often than I want to due to Mr. Litter Box Needs Scrubbed With Soap 10x A Day (hahahahahahaha no) one bag of litter (around $8-$14 depending on if I buy off brand or not) lasts about a month. Other costs are veggies, which growing enough for buns will be tough since they need so much, but a farmers market would cut those costs a lot. I go through about $10 a week in veggies for two bunnies buying everything from the store. Spay/neuter costs can be a lot, but you may not need that with a rescue.

One thing I would make sure of before you talk him into it is to bring some hay into the house and store it like you would if you had a bun. Some people can have very light allergies that don’t trigger until they actually have hay INSIDE the house and then they go berserk. Hubby would probably be pretty against them if he started sniffling once they moved in.

[Kbana]

Welcome!
Well first off, my husband was in the same club as yours. And, though my bun originally started out as just a classroom bun (because I didn’t know any better until I did more research after I got him), I have brought him home and keep him here more often than in the classroom. The purchase of my bun didn’t take much since my husband could care less what I buy for my classroom, but the idea of keeping him at home caused mega arguments. Basically it got to the point where I just ignored his whining. LOL. (not that I suggest you go that route ha!) My husband has really warmed up to him. We have a very aggressive dog with a high prey drive so our bun is in the basement living room. I spend many hours down there every day when I’m not at work. My husband has started coming home during his lunch hour to make sure that he has hay and water (and I don’t even ask! )
Smell:
I don’t think buns smell at all! Really the box doesn’t even smell that bad and I clean mine every day or every other day depending on the day. I know some members here that go longer than that. Mine doesn’t smell if I go longer, I just like a clean box. The strongest smell that is present is the smell of hay. Now, that being said, I know there are some members whose buns smell more because they get poopy butt but luckily that hasn’t been something we’ve had to deal with as of yet. Mine is not yet neutered either and I have not noticed strong smells.
Cost:
Yes, a bun is more expensive than a dog or cat I feel. They are not low maintenance pets but seems like you have the time and resources to make it less expensive. I just started buying wood stove pellets for litter and they are 5 dollars for a 40 lb bag. I bought everything from the pet store including play pens and cages until I got wise and built a pen. The cost of the pen was about 70. The cat litter pan that I use was about 6 bucks. Your source of hay and veggies is way cheaper than mine so awesome! Vet bills/emergency funds will be the bulk of your expenses and those can pop up quickly. I would suggest talking to your husband about putting some money aside each week/paycheck (whatever) for an emergency bun fund. Maybe that will make him feel better. Also, my husband and I put each other on a budget when we need to. For example: we give ourselves x amount each week and then the other person doesn’t have input on how we spend it. Maybe that is something to consider. When we were first married he would constantly make comments about what I was spending money on, because he didn’t see the value. When we put ourselves on a budget (even though I wasn’t spending more than my budget amount before) he calmed down and didn’t care what I spent it on. I think he just didn’t like the lack of not knowing how much money was coming out more than anything.

You already have too many:
Really? Is there such a thing?!

Since you already have your bun picked out, is there any way you would be able to take your husband to see it? I know once mine got to see ours he warmed up pretty quickly. Also, I told him I would give up something in order to compensate for the bun. (Like not buying new clothes…like that will ever happen. Good thing he doesn’t hold me to it. LOL)

[NewBunnyOwner123]

Lowes has 50pound bags of wood stove pellets right now for around $5. That will last you quite a while depending on how often the litterbox is cleaned. I clean my box every 2-3 days and I have 2 buns. I’d normally clean it every other day but it’s the season and my schedule gets a little more busy this time of year. I don’t notice a smell except when I dump the box.

Cost depends greatly on where you are. The food and veggie cost isn’t very much at all. But vet costs add up very quickly since buns are considered exotics. I would personally call around for different bunny vets and get a general idea on cost BEFORE getting a bun. But the veggies, toys, litter and such really isn’t that much money. The toys you can use free phone books. They love shredding the. Or free card board boxes. You don’t need the expensive toys from pet stores. Litter you can get 50lb bag of wood stove pellets and that’ll last quite awhile. Pellets where I live cost me 14$ and it lasts 3-4 weeks. Veggies where I last is about $50 a month MAYBE. And we get a lot of different veggies and it’s for two buns. Hay is expensive for me because I’m limited to small bags at pet stores and it’s really pricey at $22 which lasts around 1-2 weeks. But definitely go around and figure out the continued costs of having a bun and the big one time cost of getting the bun. It varies greatly where you live and what resources you have. One time costs include cage, food bowls, water bowls, alterations, stuff to bun proof your house… U get the idea.

Honestly, my husband was the EXACT same way when I brought up I wanted a bunny. He said they are evil, they destroy things, they are smelly. And then he gave me two for Christmas and he doesn’t seem to mind them. He doesn’t swoon over them but he does care about them he just worries they are delicate and doesn’t want to break them so he sticks to just petting them and I do all the dirty and hard work of cleaning and feeding :p.

[MoveDiagonally]

Welcome to BB! I really hope you can convince your husband to let you have a rabbit because it sounds like you have a great home to offer.

Smell – I use horse stall pellets (also called wood stove pellets, dry den, feline pine, ect…) for litter. I dump/clean out my boxes every other day to every two days without any smell issues. This type of litter is also very cost effective and I spend $4-5 for 40-50 lbs. Some people that use untreated wood stove pellets stock up during the winter and spend something like $30-40 a year on litter. If you clean your boxes frequently and use a good litter spayed/neutered rabbits don’t really smell at all. I have 5 and when you walk into their bedroom the only thing anyone smells is hay.

Cost – The biggest expense by far is vet care but if you’re able to get that at cost that will help a lot. Pellets are fed in limited amounts and last a while. Hay is cheaper when you buy it locally. Litter can be cheap if WSP work for you. Veggies really depend on the produce costs in your area. For 5 rabbits I spend about $60-80 depending on the time of year. Honestly, it doesn’t sound like a bunny would cost you as much as it does most people.

Too Many Pets – I admit I am really NOT the person to speak on this. I don’t think 3 is very then again I have 10 pets!

If you’re adopting from a rescue or shelter do they have a foster to adopt option? If they do, then you might be able to convince him to “try it out” and if it doesn’t affect his day to day life too much, that they don’t smell, that the costs are reasonable, etc… he might be easier to persuade.

Best of luck!

[Sarita]

What about seeing if you can volunteer at the rescue with your husband and perhaps foster too so you and he can see what it truly is like to have a rabbit. That is my recommendation.

[Irina]

I’m sorry – but I have to laugh at this thread! Is it in the “husband manual” to not want rabbits? If not, many us are married to the same man! My husband was not keen on the idea, for many of the same reasons posted here. He reluctantly agreed, as long as they didn’t smell too much and cost a lot of money. I got two buns (Tofu and Shadow.). Two days later he said “if you’re going to have two, may as well get three!” (Welcome Butterscotch!)

Smell has never been an issue. I think I am really lucky that all three bunnies have had great litter habits from early on. Butterscotch sprayed once just before his neuter, and Shadow peed outside her litter box twice before her spay. I have large litter boxes (large cat boxes- 18″ x 14″). I use Yesterday’s news litter (2″ on the bottom) and a screen on top (bought from Binky Bunny store- great idea!). All the poo stays on top of the screen, and my bunnies tend to pee in one corner of the box. Every morning I pick up the screen and put the poo away, and use a plastic measuring cup to scoop out 1-2 cups of litter that is soiled with urine. Since I start with 2″ of litter, I spread the remainder out, and only have to refill 1/week, when it us time to wash them out anyways.

Unfortunately, we have spent a fortune in vet bills- expected stuff like well bunny visits, spaying/neutering, and unexpected like post operative seizures & acute illness leading to death. Much more expensive than I ever imagined. We are Lucy that we were able to cover it- I couldn’t imagine what it is like to have a sick pet and be unable to get the care you require. However, there is over insurance which may be reasonable and provide a sense of security.

I don’t know if this helps or not…. Good luck!

[Eepster]

You’re a vet, did I read that right? Tell him the extra cost of owning the bunny could be off set by you taking a classes and becoming a rabbit specialist and attracting extra business. Having a bunny would give you first hand experience.

[Roberta]

First thing you need to be prepared for is that if you succeed in convincing him he will probably become the focus for attention from the bunny and viceaversa. Happens frequently….

I had several men through my place recently quoting on renovations… All of them advised that they loved rabbits, thought it was great mine lived inside and a couple stated they adore the smell of bunnies, unlike cats, which they found to be stinky…

The builder that did the work would make a point of visiting the buns in their room to say hello, had he not been planning an extended trip I suspect my recent foster fail Starsky would have ended up travelling home in his tool kit.

[njbunny]

Ok everyone, I made him sit down and I went through his arguments and all the comments from you guys. He gave me a hard time (of course) but after being silent and not looking at me for a bit, he started to ask questions. Eventually he said he was surprised I didn’t just come home with it and asked where it was hiding. After I reassured him that I wanted him to be ok with it before I did anything he AGREED! Well, technically he said “fine, cause if I don’t say ok you’ll never drop it”. Hey, I will take it!!! So, although he still hates the idea of it he kind of agreed to it and I am getting a bun (or 2…hehe).

I told him he married an animal lover, and he is just going to have to deal with it!

So THANK YOU all for taking the time to respond. You all confirmed my thoughts but I needed proof from actual bun owners. This thread was very helpful and I appreciate your advise/experience.

 

Now to go get my bun and spoil him rotten!

 

[Deleted User]

Hi bun4me – Congratulations on your new family addition! Just wanted to let you know how I got my bun…. My son asked what I wanted for Mother’s day? My son had to cross the border to get him – but guess what I got???? My hubby was furious! 5 months later…. He (my hubby) cleans his toilet! If he runs out of banana’s, we go to the shops to buy more. Shall I go on????? Ha ha ha… too funny! Love him! (my bunny) and my hubby! Good on you – and good on your hubby! Cheers….

[Roberta]

Lots of photos please

[Kbana]

Woohoo!!! That is great news! Can’t wait to see pics!!

[BinkyBunny]

Whoohooo! Okay, so pictures please of the bunny! You had mentioned he was at a rescue and so I am assuming he is neutered (??) that will definitely be a plus when it comes to “smell”. And honestly, our cat litterbox was WAYYYYYYYYYYYY worse than a bunny’s litterbox. (and we cleaned it daily — just the fact cat poo is much grosser than bunny poo in my opinion)  . 

The only reason most people think bunnies smell is because their experience has been at fairs or a bunch of bunnies stuck in a hutches — well, make any animal live right over their poo….that equals smelly. Rabbits themselves actually smell sweet- not animally smell at all. .

It’s their urine that can have more of an ammonia smell (more so if they are NOT neutered), but if your husband is sensitive to it, then just scoop out the urine soaked litter daily — it’s very easy and quick to solve. I do it every morning when I give Viv her morning greens and fresh water.  We also have a big rosemary bush outside, and a few times a week I will grab some cuttings and add that to my bunny’s area. (and break up the branches a bit each day to release the fresh smell).   It’s not really anything I am trying to cover as Viv really is perfect with her litter box habits too, but I’m personally not fond of the “woody” litter smell and like the rosemary.  

Don’t freak out of your bunny does begin to mark when he first comes home. Be sure to allow freedom slowly or you could undo his litter box habits.  He needs to know where his box is, where HIS territory is as opposed to the rest of the house.  This will help him maintain good litter box habits.  Here is a great video regarding this – http://www.howcast.com/videos/51467…et-Rabbits and this one is regarding eliminating odor http://www.howcast.com/videos/51468…et-Rabbits

Keep us updated!

[Author]

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