How to convince your parents for a rabbit

[Hope]

I am a very good pet owner, I am currently caring for a hamster and a cat, (Don’t worry the hamster is perfectly safe!) And I have been wanting a bunny for about 5 months. I have reasearched a lot, we have the space, and I offered to pay everything. But my mom says no. I have already decided how I’m going to build the cage (with help from my parents), and where it will go. I understand that it might be expensive, but I will manage it. I am going to build a C+C cage. I will provide it with toys, chews, hideaways, and do everything it needs! My dad says he is okay with it, (He joked about how I’m going to open my own zoo), and just my mom needs convincing.

[naodar]

Hi there! I was in a similar situation. My dad was supportive while my mom was a little iffy because of the smell of rabbit urine.
I convinced them by researching and committing to buying everything myself (like you’ve done), but the real heart-winner was the bunny itself. I showed them pictures of the available rabbit I had my eyes on and they fell in love. My mom is also big on eating healthy, so I agreed to have the same veggies/greens as my bunny once she’s old enough.
You may be able to get more help if you could share why your mom is against it

[redbunbun]

Unfortunately, when you’re underage and still living at home, at the end of the day, your parents are the ones who will shoulder the “final” responsibility for your pets. In addition, you’re living in their house, and they may not want it crowded by animals. Beyond educating your parents on the animal in question and proving you’ll take care of the pet by yourself, there’s not much you can do. Figuring out why your mother is against a rabbit would be a good first step, and if her refusal is based on false beliefs regarding pet rabbits you may be able to turn her head.

[Sr. Melangell]

I agree with redbunbun, have you thought about the cost of neutering or spaying, nail cuttings, vaccinations against Myxomatosis and (R(V)HD) then there are boosters for bunny and they don’t ll like trips to the vets, Rabbits are lovely animals and need much more care than a hamster, a cat looks after himself, you feed him he goes out and comes back, rabbits are lovely, I looked after some in a rescue home and had rabbits when I was younger, then I got Olly a few months ago, I cannot say its been easy because he is a rescue rabbit, he wakes me up at night by rattling his cage bars and if I don’t let him out he will throw his water bowl all over his blankets, he has blankets because he is allergic to sawdust, we are now in contact with a pet behaviorist, which is good, but you may find you have a cute bunny who needs a lot of attention just like Olly, I’m 38 unemployed disabled so I have time for him, like I say it hasn’t been easy, but I love him a lot, it is a big responsibility to look after a rabbit, maybe your Mum might say you can have one when you are older, she maybe scared of rabbits and that would be a big problem, or she maybe worried the rabbit would become ill which they can, no matter how much we care for them and they have to go to the vets and it isn’t cheap, if you haven’t got enough money in your savings and Dad might not have enough money because he has just paid the bills and pet insurance is expensive now you could be left with a very sick rabbit, but you do sound like a very responsible animal carer, if your mum still says no, could you offer a few hours at a rabbit rescue centre? During that time you could save your money in a jar or a bank and then show your parents and ask again, but if mum says no then you’ll have to accept it, if she says yes and you are helping at a rabbit rescue centre, continue with that to gain more knowledge and experience, good luck.

[Hope]

Here is the bunnies that I want to get. I only live 25-30 minutes away. http://www.kijiji.ca/v-other-pets/c…nFlag=true

[Hope]

My mom says that she doesn’t want a rabbit because there are too many pets in the house, and that rabbits smell and they poop everywhere, but I explained to her that they can be easily litter trained like cats, and that if you care for them properly and clean their cage often, then they won’t smell. I kind of want another companion that will cuddle with me, and is always their for me, (My cat just doesn’t like cuddling.) My hamster died, it’s almost been a week, and I can’t get through death every few months to 2 years. Caramel died at just 2 months.

[Hope]

Posted By Pinky on 8/04/2015 4:36 AM

I agree with redbunbun, have you thought about the cost of neutering or spaying, nail cuttings, vaccinations against Myxomatosis and (R(V)HD) then there are boosters for bunny and they don’t ll like trips to the vets, Rabbits are lovely animals and need much more care than a hamster, a cat looks after himself, you feed him he goes out and comes back, rabbits are lovely, I looked after some in a rescue home and had rabbits when I was younger, then I got Olly a few months ago, I cannot say its been easy because he is a rescue rabbit, he wakes me up at night by rattling his cage bars and if I don’t let him out he will throw his water bowl all over his blankets, he has blankets because he is allergic to sawdust, we are now in contact with a pet behaviorist, which is good, but you may find you have a cute bunny who needs a lot of attention just like Olly, I’m 38 unemployed disabled so I have time for him, like I say it hasn’t been easy, but I love him a lot, it is a big responsibility to look after a rabbit, maybe your Mum might say you can have one when you are older, she maybe scared of rabbits and that would be a big problem, or she maybe worried the rabbit would become ill which they can, no matter how much we care for them and they have to go to the vets and it isn’t cheap, if you haven’t got enough money in your savings and Dad might not have enough money because he has just paid the bills and pet insurance is expensive now you could be left with a very sick rabbit, but you do sound like a very responsible animal carer, if your mum still says no, could you offer a few hours at a rabbit rescue centre? During that time you could save your money in a jar or a bank and then show your parents and ask again, but if mum says no then you’ll have to accept it, if she says yes and you are helping at a rabbit rescue centre, continue with that to gain more knowledge and experience, good luck.

I agree that rabbits will need much work, and it will be expensive, but I’m willing to do all of it. I disagree that cats look after themselves. My kitten needs atleast 15 minutes to play each day, and he is currently sick right now. I do agree that hamsters aren’t as much work as rabbits, but they can be loved as much.

[Gina.Jenny]

If I’ve read right, you are wanting a rabbit as a pet to cuddle? None of my rabbits have ever wanted to cuddle, but I’ve had several guinea pigs that like to.

Guinea pigs don’t get myxomatosis or vhd, so they don’t need annual injections. They can live up to 8 years, and can become very attached to their human pets, just as much as any bunny, plus unlike bunnies, guinea pigs can have very vocal conversations with the human pets

I have both, and love both, but if I was choosing a bunny or a piggy based on wanting cuddles, I wouldn’t choose a bunny… 

Also, your mum is right about one thing, bunnies do leave droppings around the place, to mark out their territory. This is the case even if litter trained and altered. 

[Mel94]

To be fair, I don’t blame your mum. I don’t think parents should given in to their kids’ demands for a pet that has long term needs. No matter what they promise, the bulk of the responsibility will always be on the parents’ shoulders. Along with what has been said above, there is the cost of buying weekly pellets, veggies (which aren’t cheap), hay, sawdust, litter, fruit, grooming supplies, cage/litter box cleaning supplies. I’m going to assume by you having to ask permission, that you’re of school age? So how can you guarantee continued payment for all that for 10 years+? Plus as mentioned above, some bunnies can have more difficult needs than others. I don’t really see what’s wrong with your hamster for cuddles if that’s what you want a bunny for.

[Henry0205]

Posted By Hope on 8/04/2015 12:50 PM

Posted By Pinky on 8/04/2015 4:36 AM

I agree with redbunbun, have you thought about the cost of neutering or spaying, nail cuttings, vaccinations against Myxomatosis and (R(V)HD) then there are boosters for bunny and they don’t ll like trips to the vets, Rabbits are lovely animals and need much more care than a hamster, a cat looks after himself, you feed him he goes out and comes back, rabbits are lovely, I looked after some in a rescue home and had rabbits when I was younger, then I got Olly a few months ago, I cannot say its been easy because he is a rescue rabbit, he wakes me up at night by rattling his cage bars and if I don’t let him out he will throw his water bowl all over his blankets, he has blankets because he is allergic to sawdust, we are now in contact with a pet behaviorist, which is good, but you may find you have a cute bunny who needs a lot of attention just like Olly, I’m 38 unemployed disabled so I have time for him, like I say it hasn’t been easy, but I love him a lot, it is a big responsibility to look after a rabbit, maybe your Mum might say you can have one when you are older, she maybe scared of rabbits and that would be a big problem, or she maybe worried the rabbit would become ill which they can, no matter how much we care for them and they have to go to the vets and it isn’t cheap, if you haven’t got enough money in your savings and Dad might not have enough money because he has just paid the bills and pet insurance is expensive now you could be left with a very sick rabbit, but you do sound like a very responsible animal carer, if your mum still says no, could you offer a few hours at a rabbit rescue centre? During that time you could save your money in a jar or a bank and then show your parents and ask again, but if mum says no then you’ll have to accept it, if she says yes and you are helping at a rabbit rescue centre, continue with that to gain more knowledge and experience, good luck.

I agree that rabbits will need much work, and it will be expensive, but I’m willing to do all of it. I disagree that cats look after themselves. My kitten needs atleast 15 minutes to play each day, and he is currently sick right now. I do agree that hamsters aren’t as much work as rabbits, but they can be loved as much.

I don’t think that you should get a rabbit. Within the rabbit’s lifetime you will probably want to move out, and possibly go to college, and it is very difficult to have a rabbit when you are just moving out, because you have to find a pet friendly place to live, which often costs much more than a place that doesn’t allow pets. Also you said “hamsters aren’t as much work as rabbits, but they can be loved as much.” If they can be loved as much, why not just be happy with your hamster?

[Paradigm]

I think she said it was because they only live for 2 years.

With that said, although some bunnies are cuddly you won’t know whether they will stay that was until after adolescents. Bunnies are most naughty during their baby/teen-aged years and the gap between when they develop and when they can be spayed/neutered can seem like forever when they’re marking, spraying and potentially being aggressive. Bunnies often can’t be fully trained until after their neuter and they definitely will be leaving poops around as marking.

If you’d only be getting one rabbit, they will need much more than 15 minutes of playing a day. Unless you have a very large custom made cage, you’d need to be supervising your rabbit for 4 hours a day ensuring he doesn’t do damage to your property.

I’d also be concerned about buying a rabbit from someone who sells them from 6 weeks of age, even if they are slightly older now. It’s really too young.

That said, if you really want a rabbit and can persuade your mum to get one, maybe you could look into adopting from a shelter. Often these buns have already had neuters/spays or provide a voucher for the costs of one. These buns may be slightly older but often have many years ahead of them. You can also select a bunny whose post-pubertal temperament suits your family.

I’m not anti-bunny purchasing but I would say that baby buns aren’t the best choice for a first time bun owner whose parents need convincing as they are much more work and entail greater expenses.

Since you references your hamster dying at only two months (sorry for your loss) and your cat being a kitten, I’m wondering if part of the problem is that your mum feels you are or will quickly lose interest in a new animal added to the house. Or perhaps that the initialcosts of getting new pets are high and they’ve already invested recently.

[tobyluv]

Hi Hope. I’ve had 9 rabbits over the years and none of them have liked to cuddle. They usually appreciate being petted or massaged, but they do not like to be picked up, and don’t even like to sit in my lap. I love rabbits, but I understand and respect their ways. There may be some rabbits out there that like to cuddle, but I think that’s pretty rare. And while many rabbits live to be 10 years old or more, there are also some that may develop some condition or have an accident and will only live a few years. If you read through some of the other threads here, you will see that there are some people who have lost their rabbits at a young age. Rabbits should certainly live longer than hamsters, but there are no guarantees as to how long any animal will live.

I don’t have much experience with dogs, but I wonder if there are some small breeds that love to cuddle? I can understand your wanting a rabbit, because I can’t imagine being without one (or two) but if cuddling is a big factor in wanting a pet, you may be disappointed after getting a rabbit and seeing that it doesn’t want to cuddle. It could still be a wonderful companion animal for you, though. If you did get a bunny, it would be nice to rescue one from a shelter or rabbit rescue.

[Sr. Melangell]

Not all bunnies like to be cuddled, even other animals, you said your cat is ill at the moment, why not give him time to get better and give him cuddles, if its cuddles you want, I hope I don’t sound nasty here, but a bunny isn’t a teddy bear or toy you can pick up and put away when you want.

[Eepster]

Earlier this evening, I told my son to give “his” rabbit some arugula. My son got distracted by a new video game and forgot to give Porky his arugula. So, I gave Porky the arugula.

Ultimate responsibility for pets always fall on parents. I deal with fixing things Porky had destroyed, not my son. I pull out the emergency credit card to pay hundreds of dollars for the cost of the veterinary ER, my son doesn’t have. Etc, etc. It became my responsibility when I agreed to let my son have a bunny.

It’s not just a question of being willing to take care of and pay for stuff for a pet. It is also about things that you just aren’t old enough to do yet. I have to drive the rabbit to the vet, my son isn’t old enough to drive. There may be vet bills way beyond your ability to pay for.

My kid would also like a dog, I have said no. I am not up to dealing with an animal that has to be walked even if it is -5 outside and hailing. Since I won’t take on the ultimate responsibilty for a dog it is unfair to the dog to bring it in to our home.

[Hope]

I don’t just want a rabbit for a cuddle. I want to give a rabbit a home. There are so many rabbits out there that haved been dumped, because their owners didn’t know how to properly care for them, and thought they wouldn’t need that much attention and care. I want to help by helping buns who have lost a home, and all they want is a loving family. Even if I only adopt one, it will still make a difference in the bun’s life.

[LBJ10]

Hope, I understand that you want to give a bunny a home. And thank you for wanting to adopt one because there are many bunnies in shelters. Plus it would be a bonus for you because your bunny would most likely already be spayed or neutered and, if they are an adult, you will have a pretty good idea what their personality is like (baby bunnies are like a box of chocolates ). I hope you understand that we really can’t give you a “special trick” to use on your parents to convince them. As other people have said, your parents will ultimately be the ones responsible for the bunny. If there is an emergency, your parents need to be willing to take the bunny to the vet and potentially pay out hundreds of dollars in vet bills. If they do not want to take on that responsibility, then there isn’t going to be much you can say to convince them otherwise. I’m not saying that you would not be a good bunny parent and that you wouldn’t take care of him or her. I’m pretty sure that you would. But you also cannot predict the future and you don’t know if your bunny will require expensive medical care at some point during its life.

So what can you do? If your parents are on the fence, then perhaps all they need is proof that you can be responsible. Show them this by taking care of the pets you have and saving your money so you can have an emergency fund for your would-be bunny. Research everything you can about bunnies and what it’s like to live with a house bunny and share this information with your parents. And hey, a cute bunny video here and there can’t hurt. But in the end, if your parents are not convinced, then you will need to accept it. Give up on the subject and consider revisiting the subject later on down the road. By not consistently hounding them (and not getting pouty when they say no), that will help show them how mature you are as well.

[Sr. Melangell]

Hope, I just looked at the link, I got my bunny from something online like that, you have to be very careful with those Adverts, also they are not spayed or neutered, also they will not have had their injections because they are only 6 weeks old so you would have to pay a lot of money, a very lot.

[HereComesTheBun]

Just out of curiosity, are there any rabbit rescues or shelters that you can volunteer at in your area? That way, you can get an idea of what it’s like to own a rabbit so that you’ll be an even better owner when the time comes and you’ll be helping other rabbits find homes. Though there’s no guarantee, it might help your parents if they get to meet some of the rabbits, as well.

[Beka27]

I agree with the suggestion to volunteer at a local animal shelter. You could help out with all types of animals, including rabbits! You’d have a bigger impact doing that for more animals and gain valuable experience!

[Sr. Melangell]

Hello again Hope, I found these 2 films on YouTube, the first one is about if a Rabbit is the right Pet for you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YuUhO42yG0

This one shows how rabbits like to run about, this could be why some parents don’t want a bunny in the home running about whilst they are trying to clean the home.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5tW4vGxRu4

[RosiePosie]

I echo what others have said. If you’re parents have said no (or just one parent) volunteering at a local animal shelter or rabbit rescue is a great alternative to having a rabbit.
My Rosie doesn’t cuddle, she is litter trained but also leaves little droppings here and there.
I grew up on a farm and had a rabbit growing up, also a bird, hamsters, etc; I would say I practically lived in a zoo. It was great until I moved out and had no choice but to leave my pets with my parents. That SUCKED!
I have a rabbit now, I am almost 30 and even so, I was hesitant to get her because pets in general are a huge responsibility! Within the first months she’s cost us almost $200 in vet bills.
I understand your moms concern about smell too. I clean Rosies cage every day, wipe it down and give her new bedding in her littler pan; It still smells a bit, not a lot but enough that you know she is there. When she is mad she likes to chew my carpet and nip at my pants (I’ve already gotten a few holes!)
Not every rabbit will be like mine, yours might be different, but its a huge thing to take on.

[Mel94]

Hope, I hope you’re not feeling dejected by the well meaning-ed responses on this thread. Here’s another perspective to look at your situation from. You mention before that you have a kitten that is unwell? Maybe it is better for your attention to be spent soothing him/her while they recover and ensure their needs are being met? If you have a new addition to your household right now, your attention will be split between them, especially as the new bunny will need reassurance while they get used to their new surroundings. Plus your parents might be thinking about possible vet bills for the kitten if they are suffering from a medical condition that requires treatment or may be recurring. Maybe it’s really not the best time for a new arrival, but thinking about volunteering at a shelter does sound like a good idea in the meanwhile.

[Hope]

Posted By Mel94 on 8/05/2015 11:59 PM

Hope, I hope you’re not feeling dejected by the well meaning-ed responses on this thread. Here’s another perspective to look at your situation from. You mention before that you have a kitten that is unwell? Maybe it is better for your attention to be spent soothing him/her while they recover and ensure their needs are being met? If you have a new addition to your household right now, your attention will be split between them, especially as the new bunny will need reassurance while they get used to their new surroundings. Plus your parents might be thinking about possible vet bills for the kitten if they are suffering from a medical condition that requires treatment or may be recurring. Maybe it’s really not the best time for a new arrival, but thinking about volunteering at a shelter does sound like a good idea in the meanwhile.

My cat is perfectly fine now! He’s going to the bathroom, eating and drinking well! I’m so happy! Thanks for your concern about the cat though.

[Hope]

Posted By tobyluv on 8/04/2015 4:10 PM

Hi Hope. I’ve had 9 rabbits over the years and none of them have liked to cuddle. They usually appreciate being petted or massaged, but they do not like to be picked up, and don’t even like to sit in my lap. I love rabbits, but I understand and respect their ways. There may be some rabbits out there that like to cuddle, but I think that’s pretty rare. And while many rabbits live to be 10 years old or more, there are also some that may develop some condition or have an accident and will only live a few years. If you read through some of the other threads here, you will see that there are some people who have lost their rabbits at a young age. Rabbits should certainly live longer than hamsters, but there are no guarantees as to how long any animal will live.

I don’t have much experience with dogs, but I wonder if there are some small breeds that love to cuddle? I can understand your wanting a rabbit, because I can’t imagine being without one (or two) but if cuddling is a big factor in wanting a pet, you may be disappointed after getting a rabbit and seeing that it doesn’t want to cuddle. It could still be a wonderful companion animal for you, though. If you did get a bunny, it would be nice to rescue one from a shelter or rabbit rescue.

The ad was posted in June, and it’s August now, I think it’s okay for them to find homes now, and I don’t want a rabbit just to cuddle, I want to give a rabbit a home. So many have been dumped, so I want to make a difference in a bun’s life

[Author]

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