Guinea pigs or rabbit?

[scotts]

Here is the deal, we want to get my son a guinea pig or maybe a rabbit. And I am wondering which is better for him along with other questions. The thing is my son is autistic so we can try and teach him to be gentle, but that is part of the fun of autism is that there is not that built in characteristic to understand other peoples, or things, feelings. I will admit that I do not know that much about guinea pigs. I can do the basic caring for them but I do not know if there is a difference in breeds. Yes I know you are saying do a google search you idiot, and I will. But I am just wondering if there is anyone here would have recommendations or ideas or suggestions...... Now my questions.
1. Is it better to get a baby guinea pig or rabbit so that they can get used to us and us handling it?
2. Are rabbits better than guinea pigs? I honestly do now know if there is a difference in the caring and handling of the two.
3. Is there a good breed of either animal that can handle possible not so kind handling?
Now don't get me wrong Daniel is not going to take it and throw it up against the wall, he just is not a gentle as say our daughter would be. And no we are not going to let him mistreat the animal, just accepting facts about him and trying to find a good animal that would fit him
Damn I am wordy. Any help would be appreciated.
Scott

 

[nicky1.8t]

i never had a rabbit but i did have a guinea pig before. there very cool but they can make nosie sometimes, i like the noise they make but i dont think rabbits make any noise at all. but i like guineas better

 

[itchy]

Hey Scott,
My daughter had a dwarf rabbit as a pet when she was 2. This rabbit was pretty neat as we trained it to use a litter box and it slept in a dog kennel at night. They are bigger than a guinea pig but still not as big as a regular rabbit. BTW if by chance your son got a little to rough the rabbit would probably handle it a little better than the guinea pig as it is more likely to use its back feet to scratch as oppose to biting. Now that is not saying that rabbits don't bite but they will usually try to get away. If you train this rabbit to use a litter box then you won't have to worry as much about chasing something that is loose in your house that can not be caught. Hope that helps...I am no expert by any means this was just MO. Good Luck

 

[scotts]

Uh oh, now I am even more confused. I know that my son would love the sound that a guinea pig makes, he would love to imitate it. But how in the ???? do you train a rabbit to use a litter box? I have not even got the slightest clue as to how you would do that.

 

[molamola]

You train a rabbit the same way you train a cat. Rabbits make great pets and are very patient when it comes to kids. Some have better temperaments then others though. Holland lops are affectionate and tender, and will play fetch. Dwarf hotots are much the same. Both stay small as well. Netherland dwarfs and mini lops can be a bit skiddish and are more prone to biting. There are so many breeds to consider!
If you decide to get a rabbit, please consider purchasing from a registered breeder. I know in Texas, there is the Texas Rabbit Breeder's Association, and I'm sure there are similar groups elsewhere. Breeders typically want to sell very cheap, or give away the bunnies that aren't the pick of the litter. They are still perfectly healthy, but their structure or markings aren't ideal for showing. They still make great pets though. Hope this helps a bit! :joy:

 

[sato]

I worked for 2 years in a pet store. IMO, If you value your sanity and a decent smelling home dont get either.

 

[dory36]

That's funny, Sato!

Actually, he's right. I have a sister who has rabbits and a sister who has guinea pigs. They're both really good about keeping their cages clean, but that's one of the first things you smell in their houses. :scared: However, if you can get over the smell, I think a rabbit would be your best bet. IMO, rabbits are a little hardier and not so scared of everything.

 

[clarkiiboi]

I cant really say since I never owned either. I just wanted to mention, incase you didn't know, that there are programs around using horses. I took care of a girl who was autistic a few years back, it didn't really work for her but she was a bit more challenged. I have heard of good results with other children though. Just a thought

 

[scotts]

Well this has all been good info. Thank goodness his birthday is not until June 17, it looks like it is going to take that long to make a decision. We were recently at a pet store and looked at the guinea pigs, of course he really like the hamsters. But we think those are a no. As far as smell we have two cats, two dogs and are looking for a third dog so you could say that our smell probably does not smell good. Thankfully it turns out I do not have a good sense of smell.
Clark, We actually did the horse therapy. Did not go well. However that part is a long story that can take over this thread. I probably should not have mentioned the autism part. Oh well.

 

[molamola]

If you go the rabbit route, try to get a female. Males, like cats, enjoy marking their territory and that REALLY smells.

 

[farmboy]

How about a FISH?

 

[jhill5]

I have had both. We had two guine pigs and they were loud and smelled and not all the friendly.
We bought a baby Holland Lop about 6 months ago. As mentioned above this is a very friendly breed and they stay small. We did buy it from a breeder as soon as it was weened from its mother. We bought a male and had it fixed just like you would do to a cat to keep it from marking its territory, and it is supposed to help them stay calm.
We keep the rabit in a decent size wire/plastic cage with a liter box using yesterdays news. He always uses the liter box. He and his cage do not smell at all. We clean the liter box every day, the liter box is very small, the bunny is fully grown and weighs 2.5 pounds.
I have three kids ranging from 2-7. Even the 2 year old can hold the bunny. We also have 2 cats, did the hampsters, guine pigs, hermit crabs, frogs, and fish. The rabit is by far the best pet we have owned. We also have a leash so it can go for walks.
I will try to post a picture tonight.

 

[tuningvis]

my girlfriend and i have been looking into rabbits so maybe i could give you a few things i've learned.
the lop bunnys are disfigured... they were breed to have flat faces and floppy ears.. there is a lot of the times when this will cause problems with the incisors(sp) and also the ears will become infected if not cleaned
regular breeds clean there ears by scratching with there hind legs.
if you buy from a breeder please make sure it is fixed.
you will end up pay a lot more for it to get fixed than you would if you got it from a shelter(which i reccomend)
for the shelters here in seattle rabbits are $40-60 dollars to addopt .. then if not already fixed they have a $100 refundable deposit on the younger ones. they will give you your $100 back when you bring the rabbit back to be fixed when its old enough.
to get it fixed when not purchased from a shelter i was told can cost up to $300
i would say go to a shelter, spend some time with diff. rabbits .. get to know there personality as best you can and get an older one... just IMO
sorry for any spelling

 

[jhill5]

Not to disagree with Tuningvis, but I would recommend getting a baby bunny, I think if they grow up with lots of attention they would be friendlier towards people. I bought my Holland Lop for about $35-$40, and spent about $75 to get it fixed. I am not against the shelter, I got both my cats from forgotten four paws, but I think I would feel more comfortable getting a rabbit from a breader.
Tuningvis, I hope you and your girlfriend enjoy your bunny as much as our family enjoys ours. We actually took ours camping with us this past weekend.

 

[ophiura]

I prefer rabbits. I had a netherland dwarf growing up. Just watch it with electrical cords and such Not chew toys.

 

[scotts]

Uh oh. When I did the post I just kind of threw in rabbits for the heck of it. Now it sounds like they are definitely in the running, if not in the lead. :notsure: Of course when iIshowed this thread to my wife the first thing she said was "I don't want a rabbit" Then to top off all the confusion they do have rabbits at one of the local pounds. I would want to go with a young one so that it grows up with us. Too bad I missed out on the chickens at the pound but somebody already got them.
Thanks all, or course if someone still wants to comment that would be appreciated.
Scott

 

[ophiura]

Well, it was a rabbit versus guinea pigs. If you throw in OK now rabbit versus........., maybe we can get you an "out"

 

[scotts]

Susan, thanks for your help and the possible "out" however since I have been married for 15 years and you yourself are a woman, let me 'splain what it means when my wife says "I don't want a rabbit". that could mean, I do not want a rabbit in my house, or it could mean good idea I should have thought of that, or it could mean well maybe a rabbit but let's talk about it first, or it could mean are you crazy?! or it could mean that we have to do some more research or it could mean that I am a complete idiot or it could mean that I have to paint the living room. Only time will tell.
Shall we get some pie now?
Scott

 

[tuningvis]

Originally Posted by Scotts
Susan, thanks for your help and the possible "out" however since I have been married for 15 years and you yourself are a woman, let me 'splain what it means when my wife says "I don't want a rabbit". that could mean, I do not want a rabbit in my house, or it could mean good idea I should have thought of that, or it could mean well maybe a rabbit but let's talk about it first, or it could mean are you crazy?! or it could mean that we have to do some more research or it could mean that I am a complete idiot or it could mean that I have to paint the living room. Only time will tell.
Shall we get some pie now?
Scott

LMFAO

 

[ophiura]

Well, when I kindly ask my husband "are you going to take out the garbage?" he sure as heck knows that I'm not asking But, I see your point. Hey, you can paint my living room if you are here. I'll be clear on that.
OK, lets see if we can help. Let's come up with a list of small animals for this situation that can be presented to prove you've been on the case and researching like a good husband ought to do.
Hmmm...
RABBIT
Guinea Pig
BUNNY
Hamster
RABBIT
Gerbil
HARE
Rat
Mouse
(aside, both of which I have had as pets and are, IMO, better than hamsters or gerbils)
RABBIT
Ferret
USAGI
Chinchilla
RABBIT
Hedgehog
UKALERK
Toad
TIBBAR
Snake
RABBIT
Iguana
HAAS
Miniature Horse
LAPIN
Potbelly Pig