Can You Please Help Us Choose a Pet?

[katydidthat]

My son wants something cuddly.  Not a fish, not a bird (although I would like a bird).

We live in a tiny teeny 2 BR unit ... it is not big enough for a cat or a dog.  

It would be nice if it could like happily in a large bird cage ... as I have one.  

NOT MICE OR RATS.  

TVMIA

[everything*that*i*ever*wanted]

Katy, rabbits are really easy to care for. If you don't get them desexed, they will spray...both the males and females. You won't notice the smell so much but when it dries you get white stains everywhere. You can get special bunny litter trays and if trained from day one they will use it perfectly. Make sure cords are tucked away. You can also take them on a leash / harness. Please don't use a metal hutch, and get a good quality timber one. Give them lots of things to chew and scratch at as they need to wear their teeth and claws down.

My daughter has had bunnies for years and they become her best buddies. Sadly, we lost one of our current two last night. He had a fall of the ledge in his hutch two weeks ago and crooked his neck. The vet said that it was a pulled tendon and possible nerve damage. We managed him with pain relief and lots of treats and cuddles and he was doing really well until he had a heart attack in Miss' arms last night. He was a stray bunny that wandered into our yard and we couldn't find his owner and he kind of just ended up staying "until we could find his family"...he joined our's lol.

They are great buddies for little ones. And they tend to bond with one person. You can also teach them to play. Nautila plays soccer with ping pong balls !

[katydidthat]

A few ex-Pommies around, I've noticed.  

Joono ... tortoises aren't cuddly 🙂 😉  We had one for a while ... it loved tomatoes ... 

I love the Narnia Chronicles ... 

[izabsmiling]

General information

 http://www.daff.qld.gov.au/4790_8288.htm

Rabbits are one of Australia's major agricultural and environmental animal pests costing between $600 million and $1 billion annually.

Rabbits eat pastures and crops, compete with native animals, destroy the landscape and are a primary cause of soil erosion - preventing regeneration of native vegetation.

Introducing and selling rabbits in Queensland is not permitted and penalties apply. Limited numbers of permits for domestic rabbits are only available from Biosecurity Queensland for research purposes, public display, magic acts or circuses. Before a permit is granted, a number of guidelines need to be fulfilled.

You can participate in national rabbit mapping by reporting populations.

All varieties of rabbit including domestic breeds are Class 2 declared pest animals under Queensland...

What state or you in Katy ?

[izabsmiling]

or = are

[katydidthat]

Ah, sorry for your loss, Everything ... 

Thanks for the information ... why a wooden hutch?  Is that because they might try to chew metal?  

I can't tuck cords out of the way ... most of the plugs are close to the floor ... and there's nothing to tuck them behind.  Any other ideas on that?  

[everything*that*i*ever*wanted]

Yes, they are pests, if they are roaming in the wild. We are talking about housed pets in a home / yard.

[j*oono]

I think she is saying that you are not allowed to keep a rabbit as a pet in Queensland, everything.

[katydidthat]

I'm in Coffs Harbour, NSW, Iza.  

[izabsmiling]

Yes, they are pests, if they are roaming in the wild. We are talking about housed pets in a home / yard.

Prohibited mammals, reptiles and amphibians

All declared animals are prohibited as pets under the Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route Management) Act 2002. The maximum fine for keeping declared mammals or reptiles is $88,000.

Only mammals, reptiles and amphibians listed as non-declared may be kept. This includes cats, dogs, guinea pigs, rats, mice and axolotl.

Trish , rabbits are in that list

[izabsmiling]

I'm in Coffs Harbour, NSW, Iza.  

That's good .I think that having a rabbit as pets may only be a problem if you lived in QLD .