So what should I expect when getting a pet rabbit. When you want to choose a pet for yourself or a friend, a dog or cat is usually on top of the list. Nonetheless, on rare occasions, the idea of going for a rabbit sometimes makes it into the conversation. Rabbits are fun animals. They are simply adorable, and you can quickly tell how peaceful they are just by looking at them. Because of their calm nature, rabbits make great domestic pets that can be fun for kids.
These cute creatures also have some amazing characteristics that make them unique. Highlighted below are some fun facts about rabbits that you need to know:
- Rabbits have a great sense of smell.
- Rabbits have almost 200-degree vision.
- They have very sensitive ears that allow them to listen from very long distances.
- Their ears also have a large surface area, which helps them regulate their body temperature.
- The largest rabbit weighed 55 pounds.
- There are almost 10 million pet bunnies in the US.
Before you consider getting a rabbit as a pet, there are certain factors to have at the back of your mind before making your move. We will discuss these factors at length in this article.
In this article, we will cover the following topics:
- What do I need to know before getting a rabbit?
- Is having a pet bunny easy?
- Is a bunny a good first pet?
- Are rabbits high or low maintenance?
What Do I Need To Know or Expect Before Getting A Rabbit?
Bunnies are fun pets to have around the house, but before getting one, here are some important things to always consider. Knowing all the pros and cons before purchasing a rabbit will lead you to make the best decision for yourself. Getting one when it really isn’t a good fit or not getting one when it could have been perfect for you can both end up as bad results.
Pet Rabbits Do Not Like Being Carried
Since they are easy prey for predators, rabbits tend to be extra sensitive. They will resist any form of restraint regardless of the intent. When you attempt to pick and cuddle a rabbit, they could confuse or get suspicious of your affection and can even bite or scratch you to wiggle out of your grip. Hardly do rabbits ever get accustomed to being held or cuddled without being agitated or frightful. Only very few can withstand human love and affection, and this still takes constant practice on the part of the human.
However, despite their fearful nature, rabbits still enjoy human attention but only when alone and in control of their space. Therefore, you need to be extra patient with them and earn their trust before they can get comfortable around you. Rabbits generally enjoy being rubbed gently around the face, nose, and cheek area.
Don’t Expect Pet Rabbits To Always Make A Great Pet Choice For Little Kids
Rabbits are shy animals by nature. They are also quite sensitive and can get rattled easily. Because of how delicate they are, great care should be taken when handling them. As stated above, when a rabbit is not handled correctly, it tends to react erratically because it can misinterpret your intentions. Rabbits also have very fragile spines and must always have the proper support for both fore and hind limbs for them to achieve comfort. When not properly positioned, it can cause serious injury to their spinal code.
Knowing just how delicate bunnies are should make you understand why they are not the best fit for little children. You should leave off bunnies as pets until your kids are old enough, say close to their early teens, before getting a fuzzy partner for them.
Pet Rabbits Don’t Like Noise and Crowded Spaces
Two things a rabbit dislikes a lot are noisy and crowded places. They enjoy a peaceful and serene environment. Typical outdoor habitats for a rabbit are lush green lawns where they can spread out and enjoy themselves in the quiet, open air. They are also sensitive about their space. A rabbit does not like being invaded, like four people trying to play with it simultaneously. It can interpret that as a threat and will attempt to escape.
As a tip, when trying to play with a rabbit, try not to launch out in a group. You can start with one person and gently caress the bunny without being too encroaching. Take turns to touch it and never go all at once. This way, the bunny doesn’t feel threatened and gets to be comfortable around you with time.
Pet Rabbits are not always friendly with each other
Despite their calm and peaceful disposition, rabbits can get very aggressive when it comes to space. Get two rabbits within a small confine, and they can get very hostile about territory. One bunny is enough trouble alone, but deciding to get another would require a lot of extra work and patience on your part. If you ever decide to have two rabbits at a time, be sure to first acquaint them with one another. This means picking a neutral space—a very open one to be exact—where they can run around, play, and then get familiar with themselves and the environment before confining them to an enclosed space.
Rabbits Are Great Chewers
Rabbits are just as dumb as any animals out there. They cannot differentiate between what is chewable and what is not. Rabbits bite on whatever their teeth find. You should know that rabbits have very sharp teeth, and you must be extra-careful about the areas of your house these fuzzy pets can access. Confine them to space with zero proximity to important household items they can damage or that can cause them harm, such as electrical cables, carpets, upholstery, etc. Moreover, you can always get them the items they can munch on, such as chewable toys and sticks to keep their teeth busy.
Pet Bunnies Need Constant Exercise
Rabbits are playful by nature and require long hours of exercise to stay healthy and alert. They like their spaces where they can jump, play and feel free. You should be able to provide a playpen for them to run and exercise themselves. They typically enjoy being outdoors, so can also make adequate provision for them. Another thing to note is that rabbits are highly vulnerable to predators, so always keep an eye on them while they are outside.
Rabbits Need A Healthy Balanced Meal Every Day
Bunnies are full of life, and they require the right amount of food supplements to stay healthy and energetic. While pellets form an integral part of a rabbit’s meal, you should also provide them with an adequate amount of hays. Hays, such as brome, help to maintain healthy intestinal walls in rabbits. In addition to their diet, you can provide them with hard greens like lettuce, carrot tops, and collard greens to make up a balanced meal.
Rabbits Stay In Clean Environments
Bunnies can’t stand dirty environments. It is not suitable for their health and general wellbeing. As a rabbit owner, you must endeavor to have their cages cleaned and well-sanitized at least twice weekly. As an underlay for their cages, always go for odorless wood scrapings or sawdust to give a soft and cozy feeling of comfort.
Rabbits Have Sensitive Stomachs
Rabbits have one of the most sensitive stomachs of any ruminant. Their digestive tracts are extremely fragile, and one wrong meal can be very disastrous to their health. A common condition associated with rabbits is gastrointestinal stasis, a severe infection that blocks the intestinal tracts and breeds deadly bacteria in the rabbit’s gut. This condition is so severe and can even lead to death within a day. Treatment of this type of infection is also costly.
This is why it is always advised that sufficient care should be taken when preparing rabbit food.
Bunnies don’t eat all types of food. There is the common misconception that all foods sold at pet stores are safe for consumption by animals. But this is a myth, and it is the highest form of falsehood for rabbits.
Rabbits must maintain a sufficient balance of fresh, quality greens every day. As a supplement, you can add pellets to their diet and nothing more. If you wish to add anything to a bunny’s diet, make sure you consult with a highly-trained vet doctor. A vet doctor will advise you on the best way to go about it.
Rabbits Require Proper Grooming
Rabbit coats can attract all sorts of microbes that can stick to their skin and cause infection. Therefore, their coats must be kept clean at all times. This will require routine brushing from time to time to remove any foreign agents lurking around.
It would be great if you took special care as you brush them. Refrain from brushing their bellies and face regions so that they don’t feel irritated. Rabbits have the habit of plucking their hairs. So, when you don’t clean their cages to get rid of these hairs, they can ingest them. Hair ingestion can be very harmful to their digestive systems.
Is Having A Pet Bunny Easy?
From the points discussed above, you can tell that taking care of a pet bunny is not the easiest job in the world. They require lots of special care when handled because of how delicate they are. Rabbits need a safe, balanced meal to remain healthy and energetic. Their surroundings must also be clean at all times. When all these factors are considered, you will get an idea of the amount of time, resources, and patience that goes into grooming a pet bunny.
A lot of people do not understand the peculiar demands attached to taking care of a rabbit. Therefore, they get weary of handling them, and their bunnies end up in shelters for abandoned pets. As you may know, life in group shelters is not always the most conducive for any pet, let alone a rabbit. So, it always ends up as a sour mix for these fragile creatures.
Yet this is not to dissuade you from getting a rabbit as a pet. For the average bunny lover, all of these challenges can be managed effectively with the right mindset. It takes commitment and dedication on your part to take care of your pet bunny.
Just a tip:
If you ever consider getting or adopting a pet bunny, make sure to spend a good amount of time familiarizing yourself with it. This can take days to upwards of a week to get a feel of how they live, eat and play so you can fully adjust yourself to taking up the responsibility.
We can never reiterate enough: rabbits are very delicate animals. Before jump right into adopting one, ensure you’re in the right frame of mind and know that they require lots of patience.
Is A Bunny A Good First Pet?
This is a question that people who want to get their first pet ask a lot. Sometimes, you might be confused about what pet to get for your home. This could happen if you are trying to break out of the convention of getting either a dog or a cat.
The answer is simple. It does not matter what time you should go for a bunny. You can choose it as your first pet or as a subsequent option. Although, some people will argue that bunnies are great as first pets for two main reasons, namely:
- They will get all the attention and space they require for optimal grooming.
- Having another pet before their arrival can be risky since they automatically become rivals. Such rivalry is certainly not good for their delicate states (remember, rabbits are fragile animals).
Are Rabbits High Or Low Maintenance?
Because of their relatively small nature, there is the general misconception that rabbits are low maintenance animals. This can’t be any farther from the truth.
Rabbits are very high maintenance, even more than your regular household pets such as dogs and cats. They require a healthy diet of specially cleaned dark green every day. Their drinking water must be clean and free of any harmful organism. The same thing applies to their environment because they need stringent hygiene and grooming routines.
Even when they contact any serious ailment, they require special medical attention, which can be very costly. Now here’s where it gets complicated. There are not enough veterinary doctors in the rabbit field. So you can see why rabbits are high maintenance. No matter what choice you make, bunnies are lovable and will always find a place in your heart.