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sluissa · 03-05-2006, 18:38

Has anyone had any experience with rabbits as long term residents on boats?

I currently have one, and while he likes his exercise in the morning and evening, he mostly lays around all day and night. I just wondered if it would be feasable to liveaboard with a rabbit, taking him to shore every once in a while for some exercise.

In my experience, rabbits are quite similar to cats and I've heard many people enjoy cats on board, so, just a thought.

**Alan Wheeler** · 04-05-2006, 00:53

Shouldn't be a problem onboard and with excersise. But the big issue will be between countries if that is what you are intending to do. Many will not allow a Rabbit in. They are considered major pests here in NZ.

little boat · 04-05-2006, 08:43

the word, rabbit, is taboo on a french boat, considered terrible luck, ie saying 'break a leg' to an actor going on stage.
one must say, 'that little grey animal' instead.
luckily, the word rarely comes up. the only reason i know this is because in slang when one stands someone up for a date, (which i did), it is called poser un lapin, 'to make a rabbit' and when i was apologizing to my french friend, he almost had a heart attack when i said lapin, the french word for rabbit.
so bring your rabbit, but avoid the france and its territories, or learn to call your pet, 'that little grey animal'!!!

Gallivanters · 04-05-2006, 09:08

We had a pet rabit aboard for about six weeks. We named her STEW. She was given to us from a "dirt dweller" who seemed mighty glad when she was walking back down the dock. Three problems come to mind when I look back on the experience:

She chewed thru six phone cords - 2 in one day!
The slightest noise made her jump - and those claws hurt when they leap off your lap!
The boat started to smell kinda like a barn.

My wife came to hate Stew and we finally arranged to leave her in the care of a the staff at a school for kids with special needs. We had to build a hutch with fenced-in running space.

We were GLAD to get rid of her and we recently ran into one of the teachers who said that the kids LOVED our Rabit Stew.

I've had a rabit aboard and we'll NEVER do that again.

Kirk

sluissa · 04-05-2006, 10:01

personally, I don't mind the smell, and cords can be protected, as for bad luck, well, we'll just have to see about that. if I ever decide to sail to other countries, my parents would be glad to take care of him for me, as long as it was temporary...

as long as I'm alone, I don't see a problem, I guess I'd just have to experiment though, I can't get rid of the rabbit now, too attached, I probably won't be getting a boat for a while, but probably before he passes away

WHIZBANG · 08-02-2007, 20:19

Rabbits chew everything, not just cords. They do very well with cold temperatures but are ill-equiped to handle heat and too much is very bad for them.

dana-tenacity · 09-02-2007, 00:16

don't they poop every 15 seconds? Unsolicited advice - get a cat instead.

ssullivan · 09-02-2007, 04:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gallivanters

We had a pet rabit aboard for about six weeks. We named her STEW. She was given to us from a "dirt dweller" who seemed mighty glad when she was walking back down the dock. Three problems come to mind when I look back on the experience:

She chewed thru six phone cords - 2 in one day!
The slightest noise made her jump - and those claws hurt when they leap off your lap!
The boat started to smell kinda like a barn.

My wife came to hate Stew and we finally arranged to leave her in the care of a the staff at a school for kids with special needs. We had to build a hutch with fenced-in running space.

We were GLAD to get rid of her and we recently ran into one of the teachers who said that the kids LOVED our Rabit Stew.

I've had a rabit aboard and we'll NEVER do that again.

Kirk

Many animals will chew on your teak and wiring. Rabbits, birds, small rodents, even some mis-behaved cats. Keeping a boat clean (and smelling fresh) with people on board, nevermind animals, is a real challenge. Just be ready for those circumstances.

sluissa · 09-02-2007, 04:45

I've had the rabbit for about a year and a half now, and even though he can be an absolute pain sometimes(yes they do poop every 15 seconds, but generally, they're little dry pellets that can just be swept up, although sometimes you get big squishy ones which can get stuck in fur, and you've got a messy rabbit.) I wouldn't give him away for anything, not even a boat. I'd feel too guilty, I love the little guy. I would try to get him used to the boat, but if it didn't work out, the boat would just have to be a weekender until I'm less burdened. Although, it's hard to consider something as cute as him a burden... until you have to clean out his cage.

Entlie · 09-02-2007, 05:20

Any pet on board can be extra work. Our dog needs to go ashore twice a day if it's possible. You wouldn't have to take a rabbbit or a cat, but it's a plus that we get to explore more islands than many cruisers who merely anchor and move on without going ashore.

Our pet is part of the family, and adds to the enjoyment of cruising (well there was the time that we took him ashore in a muddy marsh in freezing rain and he cut his feet on oyster shells and got mud up to his belly...and the time in Nassau where he told a studly potcake (native stray dog) what the score was...and the time that he got stuck inside the boat and peed on the battery switch...but I digress.

I vote for taking the rabbit along.

Entlie
Sailing Catamaran Sunspot Baby

WHIZBANG · 09-02-2007, 20:46

I had a huge domestic and a small wild rabbit. eached lived 10 years, were fun as hell and destroyed infinite items. Both were litterbox trained within 2 days. This is a must as bunny whiz is nasty beyond belief.

mudnut · 09-02-2007, 23:39

Sluissa,any pet has to P&P,If youre comfortable with the up keep go the rabbit.But if ya gonna be working in the daytime,whats the rabbit gonna be doing.Just because he dosen't do much thru the day dosen't mean that locking him in the boat all day is right on the rabbits side of the story.If ya cruiseing I wouldn't think a rabbit a bad idear at all.Hope his name isn't stew

.Mudnut.

Wayne and Joju · 20-01-2018, 15:03

Ahoy! Rabbit owner and live-aboard here!
Along with a female first mate and rabbit, I indeed have the worst of omens but the best of luck! I have had a stroke of great fortune since having the two aboard, I can testify without a doubt.

We have a 34' Catalina and white/gray holland lop medium size rabbit! Got the bunner through a shelter to help a less fortunate creature, and make the first mate a little happier.
Despite being told he was not potty-trained, a nuisance with cords and furniture, and impossible to cuddle or pick up, we trained him to do all but get held for any long period.
For starters, he learned potty training very quickly! We started with him in a canvas covered cage in the cockpit, at first he was a messy little rabbit, very smelly and hard to care for, till we learned all the tricks!
All our rabbit needed was a medium size plastic cat litter tin, good shredded paper bedding, and unlimited Hay(I forget the type of hay), but I don't smell it one bit! He needs hay twice a day, and to replace the cat litter bin every 2-3 days. Here's a hack I learned: Keep a 33 gallon trash bag in the litter box, and you can easily lift out his litter and throw it out! Replace it with a new trash bag, bedding, and fresh hay. He occasionally leaves little poops around the boat, but they're easily swept, not common, don't smell or leave a mess!

We give him pellets twice a day, and fresh salad once a day! Along with trimming nails and combing his hair, that's it for care!

He has a little spot under the galley table or in the vbirth floor for his hay which is out of the way!

All he does is binkey around the boat, hop on the sattees when he wants to be pet, and sploots around the boat like a dog.

Now the negatives, every cord has to be covered if it's on the floor or sattees!I lost 3 expensive head phone sets until I got blue tooth! Also a nightmare for phone charging cables. Food has to be off the counters and in high places he can't get too! AND IT CAN JUMP 4
FEET IF HE SMELLS MANGO.

Over all, he's just like a cat, and took awhile of easy sailing before he was comfortable with the motions of a boat, and a while till the first mate was comfortable, since she was afraid he would have a heart attack!

BUT. HERE ARE THE FLAWS FOR CRUISING LONGER THAN A WEEK!!!
Our rabbit goes through alot of hay every week! We go through a full 13 gallon bag full of hay every 3-4 weeks! Which is about 4 cubic feet! With 3 rabbits you'll use a ton of hay each week, I assume nearly 13 gallons(3 cubic feet)
Also what size/type boat? How do you currently have them potty trained? After trial and error the method I explained is best, will you have 3 medium hay bins or a custom portion of the boat?
We've also lost a rabbit that we kept in the cockpit! As well trained as you could train your rabbit, without proper netting and mesh enclosing your lifelines, and even with, you may lose your rabbit to the see including life jackets! you would need good tether lines in the cockpit, or to keep them as free roam rabbits below deck!
Rabbits need an unlimited hay diet, so how do you intend to stow enough hay for them? We use alot with just one rabbit!

Any questions?