Think Ahead Before Buying That Cute Little Bunny There's something about walking into the pet store, or even the families who've stopped here at Bella's Legacy Rabbitry and looking into a pen full of fuzzy, long-eared creatures that makes the average person melt and want to suddenly become a pet owner. Rabbits possess a charm that entices both children and adults alike. This charm is especially strong around Easter and Christmas time when images of fluffy bunnies cause children to beg their parents to pleaselet them have a bunny.
So often the charm wears off after a few months and the child becomes tired of caring for the rabbit. That leaves the parents with another responsibility they don't want, so the poor rabbit is dumped somewhere, or returned to the place that it was purchased at, or (I hope) adopted by someone else.
My wife says I've turned many potential buyers away because of my honesty. Understanding a few things beforehand about rabbits and their care might cause some potential owners to reconsider their decision. On the other hand, others might desire to not only buy, but actually keep the rabbit if they knew more about them from the onset. If you're thinking about adding a rabbit to your household (or perhaps you just have), please read on to learn more about how to care for these special little creatures.
Is a Rabbit the Right Pet for Me? A Few Things to Consider It's not my intention to get into an extensive discussion concerning the different breeds of rabbits or scientific facts here. There are many good articles available at the library or online if you wish to do extensive research on breeds before purchasing a rabbit. I would like to mention a few things about owning rabbits; mainly the types found at a pet or feed store, that may affect a person's decision to buy one.
I spend a lot of time with these cuties to help adjust them to their new home. I've often said that after the first 5 minutes of spending time in my bunny barn grooming and trimming nails all the cares of the world leave. Life Span: The first thing is the life span of a rabbit. A well cared for rabbit can easily live seven or eight years, or more, So when you purchase a rabbit, you must think long-term. Some Questions to Consider: Will your eight year old who begs so passionately for a bunny now want to still be taking care of it when he's fifteen? If the answer is no, then are you willing to look after it?
Housing Another thing to consider is where you'll keep the rabbit. Most areas of the U.S. experience temperature ranges that are too extreme for most people to be able to keep a rabbit outside all year round. Here in Maine we have bitter cold, large amounts of snow and strong winds. Summer months, and especially the last few years, we've gotten temperatures into the 90's, and without proper precautions heat can kill a rabbit very quickly. Question to Consider: Do you have a place in your home to put a rabbit cage either permanently or when the weather's too hot or too cold? As seen to the left, though the majority of our rabbits are in a building that's designated for just rabbits, we have a rabbit that lives inside with us. Actually, there are two. You can buy a nice residence for your pet bunny, or easily make one. One customer dedicated a whole room in her house for her pet rabbit and she had it set up so cute and safe for her and her bunny. And with proper management, no odors. One of our indoor bunnies is litter box trained.
Costs of Care The initial costs are more than just the cost in dollars you'll pay for the animal itself. The bare essentials you'll need to purchase for the new rabbit will total at least 85 to 100 dollars, if not more. In addition to this, the proper upkeep of the rabbit will require regular purchases of food, hay, bedding, etc., along with potential extras such as vet visits. Ouch!
Question to Consider: Are you able to make the financial commitment, both now and in the future?
A rabbit really does enjoy getting out to stretch its legs and spend time with its owners. The rabbits we have in the house, and also the ones outside and the ones in my bunny barn, beg to have the top of their heads pet. Many want to be held and loved on. Questions to Consider: Am I able to give a rabbit adequate attention every day? Do I have a space in which a bunny can move about?
Attention and Play Space Rabbits aren't just cute critters that sit in a pen all day, twitching their noses and eating carrots. They love to receive attention, play, run around the house, and be petted. I say this, however, rabbits like to chew. It's what they do. If you let your rabbit roam, beware of electric wires. Beware of plants they can get to that very well could be poisonous.
Children and Rabbits Grade-school age children up through adults will find rabbits to be just as interesting to have as a cat or dog. I would not, however, recommend a pet rabbit for a preschooler or toddler. Small children tend to have a difficult time holding a rabbit properly, and rabbits can, like any animal, become nervous and bite or scratch if held improperly.
Question to Consider: Are my children old enough to properly handle a rabbit? What were your answers? If your answers were yes to all the above questions, then you're on your way to acquiring not just a pet, but a new friend.
I will be updating this site to give you a heads up to do's and don'ts.