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Each and every year hundreds of pet rabbits become the dreaded “unwanted pet”. They are then sent to animal shelters, abandoned at local parks, euthanized or just given away. The main reason for this is that the owners were unprepared and not fully aware as to the work and time involved in caring for a pet rabbit. A rabbit can become so much more if it is allowed time to run outside of its cage and interact with its human family.
When considering a rabbit as a pet, ask yourself the following questions:
Is this rabbit going to be for you or your child?
Are there other pets in the house?
How much time do I have to dedicate to a new pet?
How much space is the rabbit going to require?
Where am I going to house it?
What costs are involved (supplies, food, medical)?
The above are all very important things to consider and the answers could influence your decision in ultimately adopting or not adopting a rabbit. Adopting a pet rabbit should never be taken lightly, nor should it be done on impulse.
Did you know….
Rabbits can be house trained.
Rabbits can be litterbox trained.
Rabbits can be trained to use a harness and leash.
Baby bunnies can grow into rabbits weighing over 20lbs.
Rabbits can live anywhere from 5 to 15 years.
A single rabbit litter could have anywhere from 2 to 26 kits/bunnies or more, depending on breed.
Do you still think you want a pet rabbit?
The following steps should be taken prior to adopting any pet rabbit.
1. Purchase A Rabbit Book.
Reading and researching before hand will give you better insight as to just what is involved in caring for a pet rabbit. A really good book to start with is "Rabbits For Dummies", by Audrey Pavia. This book covers a variety of topics, starting with the basics such as care, feeding, housing, and training. It also discusses how to bunny-proof your home and what happens if you don't. In addition, it also addresses many of the common medical concerns.
Rabbits For Dummies
By Audrey Pavia Published
by Wiley Publishing Inc. 2003
ISBN: 0-7645-0861-X 2.
2. Determine Size & Breed.
There are 4 classifications of size and well over 45 different breeds of rabbits. So the easiest thing do is first decide what size of rabbit you would like and then you can determine whether you prefer long versus short hair and straight ears verses lopped ears. Once you have done all that you can then find a breed within that particular classification.
Long haired rabbit breeds such as the American Fuzzy Lop, Jersey Wooly and the Angoras will require more grooming than those with short hair.
Special Note: Rabbits and Children
Please note that it is not recommended or advised that rabbits be adopted as a "child's pet". As with all pets, a rabbit should be a "family pet" with the primary caregiver being a responsible adult. All interactions between child and rabbit should be supervised to ensure that the rabbit is handled safely and correctly. Incorrect handling of a rabbit can result in injuries to either the rabbit and/or the child. A rabbit can obtain spinal injuries and even death as result of mishandling, whereas, a child can obtain serious bite wounds and scratches that may require stitches.
When considering a family pet remember that many of the dwarf and smaller breeds are not recommended if you have young children as they are more delicate than larger breeds. Whereas, many of the larger breeds could be too much for a young child to handle. I personally do not recommend any breed smaller than 5 lbs., (with the ideal pet weight being around 7-10 lbs.), if you have children. The more popular breeds, if you have children are Dutch, Mini Lop and Mini Rex.
The Various Breeds, According to Size Are:
Dwarf Breeds are: American Fuzzy Lop, Britannia Petite, Dwarf Hotot, Jersey Wooly, Holland Lop, Netherland Dwarf and Polish. The common pets are the Holland Lop and Netherland Dwarf.
Small to Medium Breeds are: English Angora, Standard Chinchilla, Dutch, Florida White, Havana, Mini Lop, Mini Rex, Silver and Tan. The common pets are Dutch, Mini Lop and Mini Rex.
Medium to Large Breeds are: American, American Chinchilla, American Sable, Beveren, Belgian Hare, Champagne d'Argent, Cinnamon, Crème d'Argent, English Spot, French Angora, Harlequin, Hotot, Lilac, New Zealand, Palomino, Rex, Rhinelander, Satin, Satin Angora, Silver Fox and Silver Martin. The common pets are Californian, New Zealand, Palomino, Rex and Satin.
Large to Giant Breeds are: Checkered Giant, English Lop, Flemish Giant, French Lop, Giant Angora and Giant Chinchilla. The common pets are English Lop, Flemish Giant and French Lop.
3. Determine age and gender.
Although most bunnies are fully weaned by the age of 6 weeks, it is recommended that a bunny not be removed from its mother before 8 weeks of age. Bunnies younger than this are often smaller, less tolerant to stress and have a greater risk of illness and mortality. While bunnies look cute, they soon grow up into rabbits but not before they go through the so-called teenage years where like any human teenager, they are into everything and anything. You can avoid these troublesome years by adopting an older rabbit.
Male rabbits tend to spray to mark territory, much like male cats do. Females have a tendency to be more territorial and aggressive (although this is not always the case). Regardless of gender, please SPAY/NEUTER your rabbit. This not only eliminates unwanted pregnancies but can help with behaviours such as spraying and aggression. Spaying your female rabbit/doe will also ensure that she does not get uterine cancer, which could very well be the number one killer in unspayed does. Another advantage of adopting an older rabbit is that they may already be spayed or neutered thus saving you the additional expense.
4. Housing Requirements?
Indoor or out? A rabbit kept outdoors can often become forgotten and thus quickly becomes boring, not to mention it is subjected to the elements and potential predators. A rabbit kept indoors gives the rabbit a better chance at becoming a full fledge member of the family and will more than likely receive more attention. This is not to say a rabbit cannot be housed outdoors. With proper housing and care many rabbits have been raised outside, however, I prefer to see pet rabbits raised inside the family home where they can have ample run time outside of the cage. When allowing rabbits to run indoors you must remember to bunny-proof your home. This means making it a safe place for bunny to be, by hiding cords, putting plants out of reach, keeping other animals away and so forth. This also aids in protecting your favorite possessions from becoming chew toys. However, a rabbit will always find away to exercise his/her teeth on an electrical or phone cord and even your fine sofa, so proper training and discipline for bunny will be needed.
Cages: I recommend a minimum cage size of at least 3-ft long by 2 ft wide, with easy access for rabbit to come and go. Larger is better if the rabbit is going to be spending a lot of time in the cage. I also recommend a solid cage floor versus wire bottom cages; this will help reduce the chances of your rabbit getting sore hocks (a skin condition effecting the bottoms of the hind feet).
Litter/Bedding: I personally recommend, and use, Care Fresh Pet Bedding (made from reclaimed wood pulp) available at most pet supply stores.. Never use cedar or pine shavings as they have been linked to respiratory problems in rabbits. If you prefer wood shavings, aspen can be safely used. Never use clumping cat litter or cat litters containing deodorizing crystals as these too have been linked to serious medical conditions. If you prefer cat litters, a simple clay-based litter works really well.
5. Adopting a rabbit?
When it comes time to look into adopting a rabbit, I highly recommend that you first check with the SPCA and local animal shelters. You will be surprised at how many rabbits and varieties are available. Although, many of these rabbits are not purebred they still make wonderful companion animals. These rabbits are in desperate need of our tender loving care and will often thankfully return the attention. In addition, as previously mentioned, rabbits from local shelters may already be spayed and neutered reducing your overall costs.
Many of the purebred rabbit breeds are not found in pet stores or shelters and must be purchased from a qualified, reputable breeder.
When purchasing from pet stores be extremely careful, many rabbit breeds and genders are misidentified, therefore you may get a breed you did not want or worse a pregnant rabbit you were told was a male.
Before Finalizing an Adoption
Think it over. Take some time to think about your decision to adopt a rabbit and spend some time to further research the topic. It is by making well-informed decisions that we can help reduce the unwanted pet population. Know why and what it is you expect from having a pet rabbit. Have a plan of action, in mind, for training your rabbit; will you litter train it? Harness train it? Never rush into adopting a pet of any kind. Far too many pets have been adopted and then later returned or abandoned because the owner was unprepared for the responsibility and/or the pet did not fit into their lifestyles. If you can, try fostering a rabbit from a local shelter or breeder before committing to adopt it. This is an easy way to take a “trial run” on owning a pet rabbit and will give you better insight if this is indeed the right pet for you and your family.
Examine rabbit carefully. You now think you found just the right rabbit for you, examine it closely for any signs of illness or unwanted behaviours. Interact with the rabbit before hand; is it easy to pick-up? Does it hide in a corner away from you? Does it bite? You can learn much about the rabbit's personality by observing and handling the rabbit for awhile before adopting it. Give the rabbit a good physical examination; is it clean? Does it have diarrhea? Is the fur matted? Are the eyes bright and clear? Do its teeth align properly? Do not adopt an apparently sick animal, unless you are prepared for any possible consequences. Many shelters will allow you to have the rabbit checked out by a veterinarian before hand. If the rabbit is from a shelter, ask about its history, why was it surrendered? Was it a stray? Knowing as much as you can about the rabbit before hand will reduce the chance of any surprises later on.
Finally, once you have found and adopted just the right rabbit be prepared to let him/her amaze you with all of its bunny antics, aerobatics and charm for many years to come. My own house rabbits, Harry & Beatrice lived to be 8 1/2yrs and 9 1/2 yrs respectively and never ceased to amaze me in all those years.
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