Is a house rabbit the right pet for you?

Rabbits can make excellent pets, but they take a lot of work. For the rabbit lover it doesn't seem like a lot of work, but for those more familiar with dogs or cats or even fish as pets, rabbits can be a bit daunting.

Handling

The first thing you need to know about rabbits is that they are fragile, much more fragile than a puppy or kitty. Rabbits can't be roughhoused. They can't be tossed around or petted too harshly. They can't be plucked and prodded and treated rough. Not that you should treat any animal this way, but dogs and cats sometimes enjoy wrestling and some rough love. Rabbit's don't, won't and can't. Physically they are quite fragile critters, and need to be treated that way. You can pick up a rabbit, but you need to know how to do it, by scooping them up from below and preferably from behind.

Housing

Some people don't like rabbits as pets because they think rabbits are boring. Rabbits just sit in their tiny little cage and stare. Well, what else could you do if you were stuffed in a cage all the time? Like anyone, rabbits like to get out and run and stretch their legs. You'll only discover the true personality of a pet rabbit by allowing it some moving and growing space. Rabbits, like all animals, were not made to live in cages, nor on cage floors. If you have to use a cage because of living conditions, make sure it is a very big cage. Or, better yet, get one or two of those large puppy pens from a local pet store, and give your rabbit its own little area of the house. A trained house rabbit can have free roam of a house, but many precautions need to be taken first, such as all electric cords need to be removed or squarely covered with something the rabbit can't move or chew; rabbits will chew electric cords, which can be dangerous if not out-and-out deadly for the rabbit. Generally, even house rabbits should no be allowed to roam a house unsupervised, but very experienced house rabbit owners are known to make exceptions. Also, I strongly suggest you not keep your pet rabbit outdoors, even in a cage; rabbits housed indoors are more safe and have a much longer life expectancy than those outside. One last thing: You should never take your house rabbit outdoors and leave it unsupervised even for a moment; too many things can go wrong.

Other Animals

Rabbits can get along with dogs and cats, but it's not a given. Maybe the dogs and cats won't get along with the rabbit. I have a beagle and three house rabbits, and they all get along very well, but I would never leave my beagle alone with the rabbits for any length of time. Rabbits are prey animals. They're small and they hop around with swift movements. Even a dog that is familiar with rabbits and would never, ever hurt one normally, might accidentally harm a rabbit. Cats can harm rabbits, too, as they are predators naturally, but being closer to the same size, cats are usually not as much of a threat to a rabbit. To be honest, a lot depends upon the personality of your rabbit(s) and the personality of your other pets. In general, it would not be best to leave rabbits alone with other pets for extended periods of time. And if your rabbits are going to share living quarters with another animal, even if it's through a cage or some other separation wall, you need to be there to slowly introduce the critters to one another.

Children

Yes, rabbits are small and fuzzy, but despite what might seem to be a natural, rabbits really aren't great pets for children. Young children especially can be rough on an animal, tugging and pulling and the like, and rabbits are too fragile for that kind of handling. It can harm a rabbit. It possibly could even kill a rabbit. A child, especially a young child, should not be the primary caregiver for a pet rabbit, and like other animals in the house, probably should be left alone with a rabbit for any time.

Spaying and Neutering

Rabbits should be spayed and neutering for three main reasons. First, adult rabbits will mark their territory by spaying, and spaying and neutering will eliminate nearly all those tendencies. Second, if you don't spay and neuter your rabbits, you're going to end up with a lot more rabbits. Third, it's for the rabbit's best health. Spayed and neutered rabbits live a lot longer.

Litter Training

Yes, believe it or not, rabbits can be litter trained. But you should never use kitty litter for rabbits because it is full of clay and/or crystals harmful to rabbits. Use a wood or paper-based litter. My preferences is aspen wood because it is healthier in the long run for rabbits, though it is somewhat difficult to find. Cedar and pine litters are much more common, though there is some evidence they are not as healthy for bunnies. Also, keep in mind litter training takes some time; your best bet is to keep the rabbit confined to a small room and to give them options with several different litter basics, maybe one in each corner. You'll notice over a few days that eventually the rabbit will prefer one litter box over the others, and soon after you can eliminate the other boxes.

Diet

Rabbits needs lots of hay for their digestive systems, which can be quite touchy. Rabbits can pretty much have as much hay as they want. The best easy-to-find hay for rabbits is Timothy hay. Alfalfa hay is also easy to find, and can be used, but Timothy hay is better for rabbit digestion. Rabbit pellets, those little green rolls, can be used, but they aren't as good for a rabbit as hay and plenty of vegetables. If possible, try to give your rabbit at least a cup of vegetables a day. And mix it up with a variety of vegetables. Don't always give carrots or green lettuce or spinach. Give something different each day, or give a mixture each day. Keep in mind head lettuce is not good for rabbits, though it's not deadly, and stay away from cabbage because it can be deadly to some rabbits. Talk to a veterinarian who specializes in small animals to help you decide what diet is best for your new, fuzzy critter. And remember that when you give fresh vegetable, always make sure to clean them beforehand.

Toys

Yes, rabbits love toys! They especially like toys they can chew. So wooden toys are great for rabbits, especially since rabbits need something to chew to help their teeth from growing forever and ever and ever (yes, it's true!). Make sure the wood is natural and not treated with anything, but don't just pick up a twig out in the yard because who knows what could be on it. Most pet stores will have wood toys and other chew toys appropriate for rabbits. Straw balls are also fun for the rabbit, not only because they can chew the straw but also because they can roll it around.

Health Concerns

Like any pet, rabbits do sometimes suffer from disease or one disorder or another. Teeth and digestive ailments are not uncommon. Check with your veterinarian, and the House Rabbit Society, to learn more.

The End?

Only for this article. Covered here were just the basics. There's still a lot to learn about rabbits. But if you love these little creatures, they can give you a lot of love in return. They really do have a lot of personality, and each of them is different from the other.