Families with multiple pets

[SummerRain]

Does anybody here have multiple types of pets, including pets that would "in the wild" fight? Do you let them play together? Supervised or unsupervised?

My brother recently got a puppy, and my house rabbit still lives at home with my parents. The puppy is a terrier. We've all agreed that they are never left together unsupervised and that the puppy is always restrained around the rabbit... I know dogs and rabbits can live together harmoniously, but I do feel that if my rabbit ran the dogs instincts to chase and bite might well kick in. Plus he tends to bite the humans in the family playfully and that could really hurt my rabbit. The rabbit has his own room, and the puppy meets him every day - whilst being restrained by the collar - and they seem to get along fine, the rabbit ignores the puppy and the puppy licks the rabbit (or tries to eat his poo/dinner).

But I do know people with house rabbits and dogs that live unsupervised together, and especially if they've been bought up together, and there's never a problem. I was wondering what your guys thoughts were.

 

[KLS52]

I don't now, but I have in the past. I had an adorable lovebird, Jade, who got along well with my cat, Mikey. Jade had flying privileges around the house and Mikey would let her eat out if his food bowl with him. She would also sit on his back and pick at his fur. However, I never left them together unattended.

ETA: not sure if it matters, but I should mention Mikey was a feral that we adopted when he was only four weeks old. He remained an indoor/outdoor cat his entire life. He was already several years old when I got Jade.

 

[Wolfie]

Does anybody here have multiple types of pets, including pets that would "in the wild" fight? Do you let them play together? Supervised or unsupervised?

My brother recently got a puppy, and my house rabbit still lives at home with my parents. The puppy is a terrier. We've all agreed that they are never left together unsupervised and that the puppy is always restrained around the rabbit... I know dogs and rabbits can live together harmoniously, but I do feel that if my rabbit ran the dogs instincts to chase and bite might well kick in. Plus he tends to bite the humans in the family playfully and that could really hurt my rabbit. The rabbit has his own room, and the puppy meets him every day - whilst being restrained by the collar - and they seem to get along fine, the rabbit ignores the puppy and the puppy licks the rabbit (or tries to eat his poo/dinner).

But I do know people with house rabbits and dogs that live unsupervised together, and especially if they've been bought up together, and there's never a problem. I was wondering what your guys thoughts were.

A friend of mine used to have a cat and a rat who got along.

My husky was reportedly raised around a house rabbit in his first 2 years. Evidently he didn't hurt it, but the rabbits in the back yard certainly aren't safe from him. I don't know if I'd ever trust a rabbit and a terrier alone together. My dogs are all ok with cats but I don't trust them with small animals otherwise. The street-cat-turned-pampered-cat I used to have showed any dog I brought into my house who was really in charge. A rabbit can't do that though and his running may set off a dog's prey drive.

 

[Danielle]

My cat's scared of the rats.. lol. wouldn't have the ferrets and rats interact. They'd be ferret food I don't think Tiger would eat them, he's very gentle.
I think if the animal is gentle enough, it should be fine. But I don't know about ferrets though, seems too risky. I think they have a stronger prey drive than that of a cat or dog.

 

[SummerRain]

The street-cat-turned-pampered-cat I used to have showed any dog I brought into my house who was really in charge. A rabbit can't do that though and his running may set off a dog's prey drive.

Yeah I thought the same thing. My rabbit (his name is Mushroom) is pretty old too (I think he's about 9 and a half). I think he needs a gentle old age!

 

[Moll Flanders]

A neighbour of mine used to have a JRT and a rabbit as I saw them playing in the garden together. I didn't realise it was possible to have them in the same house but I don't think I would chance it personally.

 

[CrazyCatLady]

My mum had a dog, cats and rats that would all run free in the living room together when someone was in there.
Guinea pigs would also run free in the back hall, utility and kitchen with the dog and cat (unsupervised).
Chickens free range in the garden with the dogs (boarder/bearded collie cross and a staffie) and the cats x

 

[ledboots]

Growing up, we had a wonderful gentle big collie who let our pet bunnies sleep curled up by him.

We wouldn't have had rabbits with our German Shepherd or Dachshunds later on though. Too much hunting instinct. I would be nervous with Jack Russell terriers and small animals; weren't they originally bred to be ratters?

 

[Tom L.]

It depends on the individual animals. From the beginning of 1993 to the end of 2011, at various times, I had taken in a total of 5 cats, 1 hamster, 3 rabbits, and 5 gerbils. I had 4 of my cats at the same time I had adopted rabbits or gerbils/hamster.

Phil hated my rabbit and hamster- I had to keep the door to the room where my hamster Dory's cage was ALWAYS shut. And I kept an eye on him when my first rabbit Sony was out of her cage- but one day she decided she'd had it with him, grabbed him from behind as a rabbit would mount another rabbit, and stayed with him as he ran under the couch to get away from her. (Rabbits are usually quiet, but I almost expected her to let out a Xena yell: SONY- WARRIOR PRINCESS BUNNY!)

My cat Riley usually ignored small non-cat animals; when I brought Dory home, he sort of gave his transparent carry cage a dirty look and walked away. He ignored the next two rabbits I adopted unless they sniffed at him- then he would swat them if they didn't back off. But once, when two gerbils were out of their cage in the room, I opened the door and Riley was right outside; he came charging in and I had to grab him.

Crystal and Harriet were very trustworthy around small animals, from how they acted, but I didn't leave them alone with anybody gerbil-sized. However, I often used one of the cages to block the door to the room where the rabbits were out. Riley, Harriet, and Crystal could get over the cage to enter the rabbit-proof room, and sometimes did, but everybody got along fine. Mostly they ignored each other: cats hung out with cats; rabbits hung out with rabbits.

 

[Mikkel]

One of the dogs I had several years ago lived along with my rat. They where home alone together, and the rat cage was always open. The rat wanted to sleep together with the dog, but the dog just walked away from him.