guinea pigs VS rabbits

Question
should I get a guinea pig or a rabbit?

Answer
Well, some of that depends on what you are looking for as a pet.  Since I don't have much to go by, I'll just do a comparison on some common attributes.  I have both types of animals currently, but there will be some subjectivity here:

Lifespan
Rabbits - 8 to 12 years
Guinea pigs - 4 to 8 years

Dietary needs in term of complexity scale of 1 to 10
Rabbits - 10
Guinea pigs - 10

There are a lot of misconceptions and misinformation about diet for both animals.  For rabbits, an improper diet can make them sick or kill them.  For guinea pigs, the vitamin c issue is not often correctly handled, and they can get sick if not given enough vitamin c.
Also, both animals have the same problem in that a lot of the food sold in stores is the equivalent of feeding McDonalds to the animal for every meal everyday.  You have to be educated and selective.  Also, both animals must have a good variety of vegetables and unlimited hay.

Housing needs in term of complexity scale of 1 to 10
Rabbits - 10
Guinea pigs - 8

Guinea pigs rate lower becuase their cage can be a little smaller than a rabbit's cage.  But they also have some of the same misinformation problems that rabbits have.  Most cages sold in stores are too small, have wire flooring, and are over priced.  Bedding is also an issue.  Cedar and pine can kill them becuase the urine interacts with the oils in the bedding.  Both animals need toys and exercise time.  

Sexing an animal properly in term of complexity scale of 1 to 10 for unaltered animals
Rabbits - 5
Guinea pigs -10

Both animals have the same problem in that if you're buying from a pet store, not many stores have staff qualified to properly sex the animals.  And many times people go home thinking they have two of the same sex and suddenly have babies on their hands.  An unneutered rabbit is very easy to sex once it is about 4-5 months old. Guinea pigs can be tougher for people to properly sex.  Obviously a vet experienced in exotic animals will be the best resource in making sure your animal is what you think it is.

Also, unless you plan to breed your rabbit, you MUST get them spayed/neutered.  It's better for their health and you will get a lot less aggressive behaviors.  And male rabbits will spray if they are not neutered.  This isn't as big an issue in guinea pigs.  And finding a vet to do it can be tough, especially a spay.

Needing another of it's own kind to bond to in term of complexity scale of 1 to 10
Rabbits - 5
Guinea pigs - 10

Rabbits are like people in that they are very individual.  While rabbits are social creatures, not all rabbits need or even want a friend.  Guinea pigs however, are very social creatures and are much, much happier and interesting when around more of it's own kind.

Finding a good vet in term of complexity scale of 1 to 10
Rabbits - 7
Guinea pigs -10

Finding a good rabbit vet can be tough.  But finding a good one with guinea pigs can be even harder.  Maybe this is a matter of where I live, but rabbits seem to be more common in vets that treat exotics than guinea pigs.  

Social hierarchy and body language in term of complexity scale of 1 to 10
Rabbits - 10
Guinea pigs - 7

Rabbits are the most complicated animal I have ever been around in terms of health and behavior.  They have a caste system and complex body language.  Some rabbits are more into hierarchy than others, but rabbits can be tough to deal with when there are behavioral issues.

This is just a broad comparison.  You should do more research on each animal.

For guinea pigs here are some good site:
http://www.cavyspirit.com/care.htm
http://www.guinealynx.com/
http://www.guineapigcages.com/index.htm
http://www.allexperts.com/el/Guinea-Pigs/

For rabbits:
http://www.rabbit.org/index.html
http://www.paperglyphs.com/rabbits/rabbittalk.html

And for some more info, here's a post in one of my blogs that has some more info and links:
http://itlastsforalways.blogspot.com/2007/08/bunny-101-should-i-really-bring-rab...