Solving Common Reasons for Rabbit Rehoming
Before you rehome your rabbit, please consider whether it is really necessary to do so. There are many different reasons why people need to rehome their rabbit(s) but sometimes there are alternative solutions.
Lets look at some common reasons and their solutions...
Moving House without a Garden
The simplest solution to this problem is to move your rabbit inside. Rabbits can live happily as house and, after neutering, can be litter trained like a cat. You can buy very pleasant looking inside hutches/cages or make your own. Rabbits adapt very well to living inside.
Landlord Issues
Whilst standard tenancy agreements often have a clause about no pets, this does not necessarily mean all landlords will stop you keeping a rabbit. Most landlords have dogs and cats in mind when thinking of pets. Ask specifically about the animals you have and find out what concerns you landlord has. A rabbit kept outside is unlikely to cause damage to the house. Even with house rabbits, you may be able to allay your landlord’s fears by promising to confine your rabbit to one room, offering a slightly higher damage deposit or suggesting a trial period.
Allergy
It’s a good idea to handle a rabbit before getting one to check you are not allergic. If you’ve never handled a rabbit before it’s also a good idea to give one a cuddle before adopting/buying it to make sure you do like rabbits. If this fails to identify and allergy and you develop one later there are a few things you can do.
First check that it's the rabbit itself that's causing the allergy. Hay, straw, sawdust or cleaning fluids could be the problem, and there are alternatives to these. Hay can be replaced (gradually) by fresh or dried grass, which is less likely to trigger a reaction as it is not dusty like hay. Wood shavings can be replaced with paper based cat litter and straw for bedding with shredded paper.
You could also talk to your doctor/pharmacist, who may be able to suggest medication to control the allergy, over the counter hay fever medication can often help with animal allergies too. More frequent cleaning/grooming regimes may also help lessen the effects allergy.
Behaviour Problems
Bahaviour problems can often be resolved. See Problem Rabbits.
Children Bored
Many parents buy rabbits for their children without considering that rabbit’s 10 year lifespan will mean their child’s interests are likely to change. As the responsible adult you should be your rabbit’s primary career. Try spending some time with your rabbit. Instead of thinking of it as an unwanted child’s pet, give it a chance as a potential pet for you. Many adults find owning a rabbit very rewarding.
Temporary Housing Issue
If you will be unable to care for your rabbit because of a temporary issue, you could consider foster care or boarding as an alternative to rehoming. This means someone else will temporarily care for your rabbit in their home. This could be for weeks or even several months.