Thoughts/experience On Having Bunnies Living Beside Piggies?

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When I collected my guinea boys last year from the animal sanctuary, they had so few guinea pigs (they are scare to find in N.Ireland!), and so so many pairs of bunnies looking for homes, and I have felt the pang for more bunnies ever since (I had them as a kid and really loved them, I am truly nuts!),

The piggies are now totally happy back in the shed and using a new secure run either in the shed or out when the sun is shining - much more room for them, much more time for me to spend with them.

Then it dawned on me that maybe I won't ever be able to have bunnies again if the bunnies couldn't share the shed in some way, as I really can't give the piggies space in the house long term (only for terrible winters), and should one piggy pass on I will also be trying to get another to be his buddy.

I have read that piggies might get illness from living close to rabbits so is it a bad idea even considering this? I have always thought a combined bunny and piggy shed but with separated living and exercise areas, was the way to go but just wondered what you all thought? :nod:
 
No answers for you but interested to see the advice you get as I know Bordatella can be carried by bunnies and gives piggies bug problems. I am never sure how close is too close....
 
smileyface:) said:
When I collected my guinea boys last year from the animal sanctuary, they had so few guinea pigs (they are scare to find in N.Ireland!), and so so many pairs of bunnies looking for homes, and I have felt the pang for more bunnies ever since (I had them as a kid and really loved them, I am truly nuts!),

The piggies are now totally happy back in the shed and using a new secure run either in the shed or out when the sun is shining - much more room for them, much more time for me to spend with them.

Then it dawned on me that maybe I won't ever be able to have bunnies again if the bunnies couldn't share the shed in some way, as I really can't give the piggies space in the house long term (only for terrible winters), and should one piggy pass on I will also be trying to get another to be his buddy.

I have read that piggies might get illness from living close to rabbits so is it a bad idea even considering this? I have always thought a combined bunny and piggy shed but with separated living and exercise areas, was the way to go but just wondered what you all thought? :nod:
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As long as you keep living and exercise areas separate, there should be no problem as far as I know, but members with practical eperience with keeping both piggies and buns may be able to give you more tips.
 
Hi Wiebke, thanks for replying,

Would having separate hutches within the same shed count as being separate - or would stacked hutches for each be a health risk to each other in close quarters?

My plan might be to have one above and one below with permanent access for the bunnies to an outside partially covered run so the guinea pigs could still be given a good area to run around if the weather is too cold/damp for them to be out, or something like that - I know its not something I would too too soon, but something I want to plan for if I know its something I really might do (which I probably will....!).
 
MerryPip said:
No answers for you but interested to see the advice you get as I know Bordatella can be carried by bunnies and gives piggies bug problems. I am never sure how close is too close....
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Thats exactly the thing that popped up when I researched this, and even though I had rabbits as a kid I didn't have the internet back then to get proper knowledge on this - wouldnt want to put my boys at risk.
 
It's transmitted by aerosol droplets (sneezes etc) so you need to make sure that they can't touch noses etc. I know lots of people keep bunnies and piggies near each other but I've also herd stories of people who've lost multiple piggies to bordatella and have been left heartbroken so I don't know what's best. Hopefully someone with a bit more knowledge can help... I only started looking at it after being asked to baby sit my bunny nephew for a weekend and we had nowhere for him to be except in the same room as the piggies but they were kept well away from each other....
 
MerryPip said:
It's transmitted by aerosol droplets (sneezes etc) so you need to make sure that they can't touch noses etc. I know lots of people keep bunnies and piggies near each other but I've also herd stories of people who've lost multiple piggies to bordatella and have been left heartbroken so I don't know what's best. Hopefully someone with a bit more knowledge can help... I only started looking at it after being asked to baby sit my bunny nephew for a weekend and we had nowhere for him to be except in the same room as the piggies but they were kept well away from each other....
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I have been having gut feelings that the sensible thing would be to not go down the rabbit route - unless I can totally segregate them with a wall or something - Pesky bunnies, why do they have to be so cute and so in need...!:hb::lol!:
 
BossHogg said:
I have kept rabbits and piggies in the same shed for years, (separate hutches of course) I've never lost a piggy to bordatella. :tu:
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I think your bunny piggie shed was the reason I thought they might be fine together - good to know you've had no problems. :cake:
It will be something I will work towards if I do it - not wanting to cheese my OH of by doing this too soon, already spent so much on the piggies, but now the housing is all there, it seems a shame to not give some more a home if I can. And I can't have any girl piggies as my boys would smell them and go nuts!
 
I have mixed groups, I have a Dutch doe and a lop buck, I have a neutered boar and 2 sows. ;)
 
I had french lops as a child and loved them, they were so friendly, also had a white rabbit at one time and a dark brown one who was a bit nuts, but I only had one at a time (:yikes:) My lop rabbit Lulu used to follow me round the garden and loved nosing into everything, have never forgotten them.

The place I got the boys from only rehome rabbits in bonded pairs of males and females together, and they are neutered too so that would be good! Will start secretly creating the bunny area in my shed so if I do decide to get buns it will be easy to sneak them in. :bal: I already have a great supplier of low cost hay so the only real consideration if added vet fees and injections for the buns.
 
Ronnie the lop rules the garden with his floppy ears, he is forever sneaking up on the neighbours cat and scaring the hell out of it! :))
 
doing a bit more research I have been also advised that as long as air flow and cleanliness is good in the shed there hopefully will be no problems with cross infection. I am sure keeping them totally separate is the best way, but I intend to have the piggies in a higher hutch so they have no contact with the buns below - if I go for it that is! And they would have their own separate runs too.

I am only just discovering that the french lops I had are considered large rabbit breeds - never knew that - got a good bit of research to do before I progress to the next stage incase I end up with two big rabbits!:lol!:
 
I have seen somewhere that had piggies vaccinated against it but I have no information on this and it is not routinely done but might be an option to discuss with your vet?
 
We've got bunnies in a shed - they have the whole floor - with piggies in cages on tables, who live above them. The are completely separate. Same thing indoors - two house bunnies have the floor and the piggies live above. Never had a problem.

We did have a couple of piggies who got bordetella, but it was spotted early and treated with Marbocyl. However, they had never lived in the same environment as the bunnies. It really is luck of the draw. If we all lived by the 'what ifs', we'd never have animals in the first place!
 
MintyAndGarry said:
We've got bunnies in a shed - they have the whole floor - with piggies in cages on tables, who live above them. The are completely separate. Same thing indoors - two house bunnies have the floor and the piggies live above. Never had a problem.

We did have a couple of piggies who got bordetella, but it was spotted early and treated with Marbocyl. However, they had never lived in the same environment as the bunnies. It really is luck of the draw. If we all lived by the 'what ifs', we'd never have animals in the first place!
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This is the way I am looking at it - I am going to do my best to keep everyone of them clean, warm, well fed and exercised so that they have a great quality of life and will definitely make sure I know the signs so if anything happens I can catch them early. The vaccine route is something I am going to explore too.

Thanks for everyones feedback, I always hoped I would have rabbits again and hopefully all your contributions means I can make an informed decision if I want to proceed. :tu::beer: :cake:
 
In my opinion, the vaccination route is entirely unnecessary. There are many things that are carried by animals that don't cause issues until they flare up. There are also the unexplained cases that appear to have no reason.

The bordetella bacteria is carried by cats, dogs, rabbits and hedgehogs. So, what do we do? Allow our pets to behave naturally and enjoy life, or wrap them up to live their lives in a sterile environment? Surely the latter would suppress their immune systems even more?

It is highly unlikely that having your pigs and buns in the same shed will cause any issues.
 
MintyAndGarry said:
In my opinion, the vaccination route is entirely unnecessary. There are many things that are carried by animals that don't cause issues until they flare up. There are also the unexplained cases that appear to have no reason.

The bordetella bacteria is carried by cats, dogs, rabbits and hedgehogs. So, what do we do? Allow our pets to behave naturally and enjoy life, or wrap them up to live their lives in a sterile environment? Surely the latter would suppress their immune systems even more?

It is highly unlikely that having your pigs and buns in the same shed will cause any issues.
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That is a really good piece of advice. I never realised cats carry it too, and I already have a cat who has had lots of contact with the boys through the mesh on their cage and run. My boys are very healthy and hardy so thats something I want to encourage so I now feel confident that given the correct care the risk is minimised. Thanks again for that info. :)

My heart was broken when I originally thought I couldn't have both at the same time so now I am really happy. Looks like that worry is now of my list - best start covertly building the run next to the shed for the buns and saving the cash for the buns future injections and vet bills! :woot:
 
Well my buns and pigs live in the shed, and Neo mog sleeps on top of the hutch in the shed at night, all are healthy. ;)
 
smileyface:) said:
That is a really good piece of advice. I never realised cats carry it too, and I already have a cat who has had lots of contact with the boys through the mesh on their cage and run. My boys are very healthy and hardy so thats something I want to encourage so I now feel confident that given the correct care the risk is minimised. Thanks again for that info. :)

My heart was broken when I originally thought I couldn't have both at the same time so now I am really happy. Looks like that worry is now of my list - best start covertly building the run next to the shed for the buns and saving the cash for the buns future injections and vet bills! :woot:
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Get your bunnies on a vaccination for life programme. Therefore, they’ll be forever sorted. Our house is like a zoo, too. Three sheds in the garden, soon to be four...11 buns, 13 pigs (a mixture of our own and TEAS piggies) and Sebastian the hamster! Fun times!

And don't forget your cat flap for access from the shed to the run! :)
 
it's as low risk as keeping dogs near piggies, or cats near piggies. rabbits just get a bad rep for the bordatella thing, when the risks are the same with other animals aswell. ours have always lived close by each other and been fine. i asked our exotics vet about it years back and he said it's just the same very low risk you take keeping any different species in close proximity, not just for bordatella, but for lots of different things :)
 
biscandmatt said:
it's as low risk as keeping dogs near piggies, or cats near piggies. rabbits just get a bad rep for the bordatella thing, when the risks are the same with other animals aswell. ours have always lived close by each other and been fine. i asked our exotics vet about it years back and he said it's just the same very low risk you take keeping any different species in close proximity, not just for bordatella, but for lots of different things :)
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thats good to know - just shows its good to get lots of info on this as it is no where near as big a gamble for me as I had first thought. :)
 
So now I have ticked all the boxes in terms of what housing, food, exercise areas, etc I can provide which is no problem - so going to have to do the research on the cost of vet insurance now - that might be the only stumbling block if that and all the injections and any other added costs make it too costly for me presently - but going forth with optimism!
 
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