Alex & Rose

Alex is a teenager with a gorgeous lop eared bunny called Rose. Rose is a two year old house bunny and lives the life of luxury with Alex & his family in Moonee Ponds.

BOING: How did you choose a rabbit to be a member of your family?
Alex: My mum had always loved rabbits and my brother Luke had been asking for one for over a year so we decided to get one.

What kind of pets have you had before?
We had a pet dog called Tasha. She was a whippet and 14 when she died. Our family loved her very much.

How did Rose end up living inside your home?
It was Autumn and it was starting to get cold outside. Rose came down with a bug (the snuffles) from the pet shop and the vet said he would not survive outside. We trained him to use the litter tray. After winter, mum didn't see why Rose had to go outside because he had become fully litter-trained. Rose had also got used to living indoors and was well behaved. He also liked cuddling on the lounge at night!

Do any of your friends have rabbits? Do their bunnies live inside?
None of my friends have rabbits as pets but my sister, Louise, has a friend who has one. It lives outside in a fly-proof cubby house. For what I know the rabbit gets no attention and is just left outside. Having your rabbit live inside with you will develop a bond with him/her. But if you have it outside you will not develop any bond and the rabbit will most likely be forgotten.

Alex, you suffer from allergies & asthma at times. Does Rose's fur or dander cause you any problems?
Rose does cause me problems but I try to keep it under control with 'Claratyne' which is an antihistamine.

Do you have any advice for other people that might be allergic to their rabbit?
You have to remember to wash your hands regularly and not get your rabbit too close to your face. This is difficult for me as Rose is so cute and cuddly.

I take it that Rose was thought to be a girl when he was little. How & when did you find out he was a boy?
Strangely, Rose was following around the girls of the family and chewing on their pyjama and tracksuit pants! When we were cuddling him one day his 'bits and bobs' had appeared! It was a great surprise as we were guaranteed by three of the pet shop owners that he was a girl. He now has a very boyish face. It took a lot of getting used to calling Rose 'he and him' instead of 'her and she'.

Rose was recently neutered. What made your family decide on this?
Rose was starting to spray. He was continually biting the bottom of pants and he was also biting mum's and Louise's ankles. Basically, he just never seemed to be able to relax!

Has his personality changed at all since his operation?
Rose has changed so much. He is a lot more cuddly and less aggressive. He has stopped spraying and being as boisterous as he was. He seems a lot more relaxed and has stopped his biting of ankles.

I know Rosie very well & know he is one hilarious bunny! What's something that Rosie has done that's made you laugh out loud?
Rose is always making us laugh with his antics! He always likes to be in the middle of whatever is going on. In the morning rush hour when we are all getting ready for work and school he likes to be in the centre of the action, even if it means being in the middle of the kitchen during the morning rush hour!! We just step around him.

He will follow us up and down the stairs. He likes to know where everybody is!

Before he was desexed he would chase a plastic bag around the house for ages. Also before he was desexed, he would get angry with dad when he was put in the laundry at night. He didn’t care how much smaller he was, he would still lunge at dad! We couldn't stop laughing at this little fellow attacking dad.

When mum was digging holes for some plants, he got all excited and was in there digging as well.
Thank you for this interview Alex. As a teenager living at home with your family, do you have one last piece of advice for other families thinking of adding a rabbit as a pet?
If you are thinking of getting a rabbit, please do not just put it in a hutch in the backyard and forget about it. Make it a member of your family and keep it inside. They can be toilet trained! You will be surprised what great indoor pets they make.