RabbitCare

Fact: rabbits are not ‘easy’ pets. Too frequently a rabbit is an impulse purchase to satisfy a child when she begs for a pet as if he were a toy. Adorable baby rabbits are often available from pet stores. A baby rabbit is irresistible and easy to hold, but very quickly increases in size and reaches sexual maturity. Living with a rabbit can be a wonderful experience. However, the choice to get a rabbit must be a carefully considered family decision. The better educated you a are about rabbits before the adoption or purchase, the better the experience for you, your family, and your rabbit.

 

Rabbits…

• Are intelligent, curious, fun loving, quiet, and entertaining.

• Are ground loving creatures who prefer not to be picked up.

• Need space and exercise.

• Live to be eight to twelve years old.

• Need a consistently good diet. See Edition 2 (Diet) of the RabbitCare brochures for more information.

• Sometimes like to chew and dig.  They can destroy curtains, bedding, furniture and electrical cables.  Your house will require rabbit proofing.

• Rabbits have individual personalities.

• Are a prey species who hide illnesses, so require immediate medical treatment when illness becomes apparent.

• Must be tended to on a daily basis.

• Have limited means of communicating with humans that can sometimes include nose nudging, thumping, scratching, growling, or nipping. See Edition 4 (Behaviour) of the RabbitCare brochures for more information.

• Require a social life yet must be allowed time alone. See Edition 3 (Housing) of the RabbitCare brochures for more information.

• Are strictly vegetarian. See Edition 2 (Diet) of the RabbitCare brochures for more information.

 

Is a Rabbit a good pet for my children?

• Rabbits are sensitive to noise and like a quiet household.

• A rabbit is not a good starter pet for a child. RabbitCare recommends that a child must be 8 years or older before getting a rabbit can even be considered.

• Caring for a rabbit or other pet is the parents’ responsibility.

• Children lose interest in their rabbit as they find other interests.

• A rabbit looks and feels like a soft toy, which is irresistible to children. However, rabbits are NOT soft toys and can be very demanding. Are you willing to incur vet bills just as you would with other pets? Do you have other pets? Is your dog obedient and not a hunter? Is your cat predatory? See Edition 1 (General) of the RabbitCare brochures for more information. Do you have a safe place for your rabbit to be away from other pets if necessary? See Edition 3 (Housing) of the RabbitCare brochures for more information. If you cannot strive to adhere to the minimum requirements contained in the brochures, then a rabbit is not a suitable pet for you. Rabbits are not ‘easy’ pets. The sad truth is that they are only ‘easy’ pets when mistreated in some (seemingly unimportant) way or another. Rabbits do make wonderful, exciting, intelligent companions. However, they can also be bratty, wilful and destructive. They are not like cats or dogs—they are indeed very unique and you need to adapt to and accept that. Bonding with your rabbit will require a gentle touch, consistency, commitment, patience and logic. Please contact us for your free copies of the RabbitCare brochures before you decide.