Why bunnies make good pets

But as they get older, rabbits will inevitably calm down and enjoy a good massage while spending time with you. They are small little puffballs with super soft fur and a cute, little tail. Rabbits will literally jump for joy as they binky and zoom all around the room. The way rabbits wash their face is just the cutest.

Or they will stand up on their hindlegs to beg for treats with those big bunny eyes and cute twitching nose. Not to mention iconic rabbit ears that are so long and floppy. They can give a rabbit that adorable inquisitive look, like a puppy when they look confused. Not to mention the adorable way that rabbits look when they manage to eat food that looks too big for their mouths. Some rabbit breeds even stay tiny forever. Netherland Dwarfs, for example, are one of the smallest rabbit breeds, weighing only 2.

There are more than a dozen recognized rabbit breeds that stay under 5lbs even as adult rabbits. Sometimes pet rabbits are a little more trouble than you bargained for. They may be adorable, social bundles of joy, but these little bunnies have a knack for getting into trouble. Many people get a rabbit expecting them to require the amount of care as a hamster or gerbil, and are quickly shocked by how much responsibility rabbits are.

Rabbits are not the most difficult pet to take care of, but they do have a number of drawbacks that you will need to be prepared for. As you go through this list, really consider if you are up to the commitment of having a pet rabbit, even when they are being little devils. Rabbits have teeth that continue to grow longer like fingernails , so they need to chew on things to keep them from overgrowing. This means that rabbits have the instinct to chew on wooden objects, such as your furniture and baseboards.

Rabbits are also known for being a menace to household wires. This is unfortunate for our many chargers and appliances that no longer work.

When they chew on a wire, they run the risk of getting electrocuted. To keep your rabbit safe, you will need to either remove all the wires from your rabbits reach, or cover them with plastic split tube wire covers. These little troublemakers can also try to dig into the corners of rooms and completely destroy the carpet.

Since rabbits are burrowers in the wild, they have the instinct to try to dig tunnels. Check out more of my recommendations for rabbit-proofing your home! Some people get rabbits expecting them to be a super cuddly pet. Then they are upset to find that their rabbit kicks and scrambles to escape every time they are picked up. Rabbits are prey animals whose ancestors depended on the ability to run away from predators.

While there are rare exceptions, most rabbits hate to be held. Most rabbit cages that are sold in pet stores and online are actually much too small for rabbits. The length of a rabbit enclosure should be at least 3 to 4 times the full length measured from nose to toe when they are sprawled out of your rabbit. This means even a small rabbit that is about 1 foot in length should have an enclosure that is 3 to 4 feet long.

Rabbits need a lot more space than you expect. And bunnies need space to exercise too. For at least 1 to 2 hours a day, your rabbit will need to have access to an exercise space.

I recommend the space be at least 24 square feet, but really any normal-sized room in your house will be good enough. Even a small apartment will give a rabbit enough space to exercise, and there are ways of arranging the space to make sure they can have a big enough enclosure. But rabbits do need a lot more space than new rabbit caretakers are led to believe. You need to interact with your rabbit. Rabbits that are left alone all day tend to become bored.

Hang out with your rabbit by sitting on the floor with them. Pet them and give them the love that they need. Rabbits are crepuscular animals, which means they are most active around dawn and dusk, so these are the ideal times to interact with a pet rabbit. Rabbits have a very sensitive digestive system that requires a very specific diet. If they have an unhealthy diet, rabbits run a serious risk of developing gastrointestinal complications. Their gut can slow down, or even stop, causing a rabbit a lot of distress.

In worst case scenarios this can be fatal for rabbits. Rabbit anatomy is not like cats and dogs, so they need to be taken to a veterinarian that specializes in small animals. This is vitally important because many of the treatments and medicines that work for cats and dogs are actually poisonous for rabbits. The House Rabbit Society has an excellent resource for finding a rabbit-savvy vet in the U. For a busy family that may not have time to walk a dog daily, a rabbit is exactly what you are looking for.

Rabbits are as playful and silly as any puppy, as independent and curious as cats, and as loyal and affectionate as dogs. The longer you own a pet rabbit, the more domesticated and intelligent it becomes.

Their intelligence is adaptive and more elegant than most pets. Rabbits are quick learners when it comes to responding to simple words and commands, as well as navigating obstacles around the house. Rabbits offer your household many of the same benefits any dog or cat would. Beyond the companionship and fun that a pet rabbit can provide there are several health and psychological benefits. Pet rabbits can provided a lot of comfort and are established forms of positivity during times of stress for both children and adults.

For children, a pet rabbit is a great way to spark new friendships with other kids and can teach responsibility. When children are responsible for caring for pet rabbits it teaches them to look outside of themselves and to show empathy for other people as well as other animals.

As a result, owning an easy to care for pet like a rabbit can provide families with a real sense of purpose. When choosing a rabbit for your family, make sure choose one that is right for you. Rabbits are capable of being toilet trained. There is plenty of information online about toilet training rabbits.

Rabbit should spend most of their time indoors or equal time indoors and outdoors. When you rabbit is indoors it should have at least some time each day to roam free.

You may wish to set up a room or two rooms where your rabbit can roam free and interact with the family. Remember, that rabbits like to chew on things, so if leaving your rabbit free to roam unsupervised, you may come home to some chewed skirting boards, cables or chair legs. If you wish to provide your rabbit with a larger living area than its hutch when you are not home, consider a pet pen or a children's play pen.

You could attach it to the hutch to give your rabbit a larger space to exercise and play. Your pet rabbit should have the opportunity to dig and forage when they are outside. They should be confined to an enclosed area and not allowed to roam free.

A secure backyard where no other animals particularly cats or wild rabbits can enter is great, but a sectioned off area of grass is also good. Ensure that if you leave your rabbit outside for long periods of time they have access to their hutch or a weather proof area with bedding so they can rest. Rabbits are social species and prefer to live in groups. If you decide to own a rabbit, always have at least 2 rabbits. However, if you don't have the room or time or money to keep two rabbits you will need to become your rabbit's companion.

This means that if you are away for long periods more than 4 hours every day you will need to provide your rabbit with enrichment activities and toys to keep them occupied and prevent them from becoming lonely or suffering from stress.

If you have 2 or more rabbits it is important to avoid unwanted pregnancies. Separate males and females into different pens or have your veterinarian desex them. Males will be less likely to fight each other if introduced at a young age. Females and males can be prone to fighting amongst each other so make sure you help new rabbits get used to each other in a supervised environment or through a mesh fence before they co-habit.

Rabbits are playful and inquisitive and require the stimulation of other rabbits or humans and their environment. They are active animals that need to exercise and play regularly. Ensuring your rabbit is adequately stimulated is an important aspect of caring for your rabbit.

This can be achieved through environmental enrichment. Rabbits are most active during the early morning, late afternoon and evening. This is the best time for you to interact with your rabbit. Rabbits are a prey species, they are the animals that other animals catch and eat. Therefore, rabbits naturally hide from things that scare them.

Your rabbit's environment must cater for this. You need to provide them with places in their enclosure to hide. Rabbits are vulnerable to a number of health problems, in particular diseases such as Myxomatosis and Calicivirus. These diseases are generally fatal for pet rabbits. They have been introduced into Australia to control the wild rabbit population. Unfortunately pet rabbits are just as susceptible to them. Try to reduce the risk of mosquito bites to your rabbits as mosquitos can carry Myxomatosis from the wild rabbit population to your pet.

There is a vaccine for Calicivirus. You can have your rabbit vaccinated against this disease every 6 months by your vet. Rabbits can develop dental problems. It is important that they are constantly chewing on something, either grass, hay or a gnawing block. Their teeth grow at a rate of 2 to 3mm per week. Overgrown teeth can lead to weight loss, severe pain and discomfort. If you think your rabbit's teeth are getting too long, talk to your vet about some suitable options for reducing their length and maintaining an appropriate length.

Rabbits are susceptible to mite infestations. Symptoms include hair loss and itchiness. Thoroughly clean out and disinfect the hutch. The rabbit should be treated by a vet. Many animal welfare shelters are inundated with unwanted pet rabbits, which have been bred by accident.