hi
This is a lovely rabbit forum where you'll find advice on everything to do with rabbits, and much better advice than from a pet shop or breeder: http
/forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk
I'll give you the basics...
Right first of all, bunnies should live in pairs or more, they live in groups by nature and are much much happier with a friend. Now you have two options, you can buy from a breeder/pet shop or a rescue. If you get from a good rescue they will be neutered and vaccinated already and you can get an already bonded pair (bonding rabbits can be hard), this will save you a lot of money and time. As a guide, most rescues charge £35-50 per bunny, that includes neutering and vaccine costs. They will also have their teeth checked under anesthetic, which is important as a bunny with bad teeth can cost thousands in vet bills. If you get from a good breeder expect to pay around £50-100 for the bunny, then £80 for neutering and £15-25 per vaccination on top.
Rabbits need to be neutered to stop them fighting, being aggressive, stop unwanted pregnancies and for their health. 80% of unneutered female buns will get uterine cancer before they are 4, its a scary figure. Bunnies generally live 7-12 years, giants more like 4-7. They need vaccinating against VHD once a year and myximotosis every 6 months, they need to continue getting these vaccinations for the rest of their lives.
Your bunny will need unlimited good quality hay, hay is the most important part (80%) of a rabbits diet, it wears down their teeth to stop dental problems and is good for their tummies. Most rabbits get a handful or two each of fresh greens a day. Commercial pellet food wont cost you much at all, as most bunnies only need an eggcup each a day, as too much will stop them eating as much hay, and then they can get teeth or gut problems. You'll want to feed good quality pellets and avoid the traditional 'mixes' so they dont just eat the bits they like.
Then you'll need something for litter trays, megazorb is good as it reduces the smell a lot. Avoid wood shavings as they are dusty and release phenols, both of which endanger the rabbits health, and they STINK once weed on. Or you could use wood cat litter (non clumping) or just newspaper and hay. If the rabbit is outside you'll also need lots more hay and megazorb/newspaper for lining the hutch floor. If he is inside lino, carpet or a blanket will do.
For housing, giant rabbits need a shed or playhouse really to give them space, and they should also have an attached run so they have running room and the height to periscope (a hutch wont give enough height for a giant). A rescue will be able to tell you about its housing requirements. For an average sized rabbit (weighing around 2.5kg) a 6x2ft hutch plus a 6x4ft attached run is the minimum rspca and rwaf housing guidlines. Giants weigh over 6kg so need a LOT more space. Most people like to keep them as house bunnies, this way you can just bunny-proof the house and they live with you free-range, just like a cat or dog does. Housebunnies in general get a lot more exercise and have a closer bond with their owners than rabbits kept outdoors.
I have a single house bunny and I will be getting him a friend from a rescue as soon as he is better (he has pasturella, it is common and incurable in bunnies and flares up every now and again), He is large (4kg) but not giant and I spend the following per month:
megazorb - £7
pellets - £1.20
hay - £16
dried herbs - £3
veggies/herbs - £10
treats/fenugreek crunchies - £2
apple sticks - £14
= £53.20 a month. He technically doesnt NEED the apple sticks, but it stops him chewing my stuff!
Now this is after I have cut down on how much I spend on him recently. You could only spend £5 a month on hay if you can store baled hay from a farm.
So that is £638.40 a year, plus vaccinations (£15x3) and insurance (£110), and one £50 excess (if he only gets ill once)= £843.40 just for one bunny.
Of course insurance isnt a necessity if you have £1000 saved for vets bills, but I dont.
For housing...
if inside and free-range 24/7 he will cost you nothing in accomodation, you just need bowls, a blanket and a litter tray or 2, so say £20, plus £20 for bunnyproofing supplies, so £40 overall
If inside and only free-range for part of the day (must be over 6 hours) you will need a HUGE pen for giants. You cant buy rabbit housing big enough. You'll need something like a homemade NIC cage or a few dog pens joined together, but for giants it will have to be so big you might as well just let them free-range in a room. If you do need a pen, expect to spend £100-200
If outside, expect to pay anything upwards of £400.
Hope this helps. I spend a bit more than average on my bunny, as he is bigger and is also fussy with his hay, so I have to buy more expensive stuff or he wont eat enough. This is a link to a thread on how much other people spend per week on their bunnies (excluding housing/vets costs): http
/forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=276306
I have a giant lop.
He eats. A LOT. lol.
I estimate the total ongoing costs of consumeables to be about £20 for me (food / straw / hay / woodshavings) - I buy BULK. Basically the biggest bales of woodwhavings and hay etc that I can house. I take newspapers home from work when they are done with to use as lining. The biggest cost is food. I dont have the space for a big bin (because of the woodshavings and hay! oh and dog food bin), but I think with buying bulk food this cost could easily be halved to a tenner a month.
The upfront costs.....well I had to purchse a new hutch since the last one I had was for a dwarf rabbit. I got the biggest i could find, which was meant to be £250, but I got the shop down to £180. Then I laid it on a proper foundation which I built at cost of about £30. We have a problem with disease in the wild rabbit population here (last rabbit died of some horrible rabbit diesease) so vaccines.... about £15 I think they were. And of course the rabbit itself.... I got mine from a farm for £80, but commercially can cost upwards of £120.
If you will be keeping outside then the costs will definately be more upfront because of the need for a large hutch. I got the biggest I could get my hands on, but ideally I still want bigger. Its too wet to let him out in winter time, which I feel bad for - really a big shed would be better than a hutch!.
Have you considered a shed + attached run? That way he could go out in any weather or shelter in any weather, as he chooses and when he chooses. Maybe join the forum I suggested above and ask people what they use for their giants housing?
