WeLoveRabbits.com

Rabbits could be the most misunderstood animal around: increasingly popular as pets in the U.S., and third in the U.K. (they’ve overtaken dogs and cats in popularity), pet rabbits are frequently abandoned by owners who failed to understand the nature and extent of what they were getting.

It took centuries for the cat to be acknowledged as a House Cat; the rabbit has no less potential to be a treasured family addition.

But for this to happen, people need to stop believing the stereotype and start understanding the reality.

Unlike the docile, passively cuddly stereotype of fiction and myth, REAL domestic rabbits are nonetheless affectionate, social and interactive animals that are inherently clean and quiet (although expressive, through a fascinating range of sounds like buzzing, purring, and growling). They are very amenable to being litter-trained, and their “crepuscular” habits (most active morning and evening, and dormant by day) make them very compatible with working people.

Do you have it in you to be a “rabbit person”? Well, how are you with 2-year-olds? Because you’re looking at bringing into your family a creature capable of providing enormous delight and companionship, but that requires at least as much attention as a dog or cat.

Rabbits are “herbivores,” designed to eat mostly grasses and leaves, rather than a low-volume, highly concentrated diet represented by commercial pellets. They are eating machines, and prone to obesity and other problems unless properly fed. A rabbit’s diet is very important. The wrong food can kill them.

The House Rabbit Society, (www.rabbit.org), a non-profit rescue and educational group dedicated to rabbit welfare, wants people to understand and appreciate these wonderful and surprising creatures:

Rabbits cannot live a healthy life shut in a cage. They do not like to be picked up; can die of fright and be injured easily; do not like loud noises and sudden movements.

• Rabbits do not make good pets for small children.
• Rabbits require daily care from a responsible adult.
• Rabbits should be neutered or spayed; unaltered rabbits will mark territory with feces and urine, may be aggressive and likely to have health problems.
• Rabbits need to have their nails clipped regularly.
• Rabbits require a vet that is knowledgeable about the species – and most importantly…

• Rabbits naturally use a litter box
• Rabbit litters have very little odor
• After some rabbit proofing, a rabbit can run free!

Your house rabbit and you will be happiest if you decide to make the effort to understand the world from the rabbit point of view, what it feels like to be “prey” – starting literally with getting down on the rabbit’s comfort level – ground level.

Bunnies are not passive or low-maintenance the way many think, and they’re more fragile, too – NEVER try to pick one up by the ears; ALWAYS support the hindquarters if you have to pick one up at all. Their hind legs are so powerful, that if they dangled free, the kicking could break the rabbit’s spine. Also, never put a rabbit on its back, or it could go into a state of paralysis yet consciousness.

A rabbit can be a delight to live with, or a cause of despair for those who thought they would be acquiring the furry equivalent of a house plant, and who didn’t bargain for a personality whose trust would have to be earned through patience, understanding, and tolerance – and whose care should involve participation and supervision: “toilet” (litter box) training, 3-4 hours of daily exercise and play outside the cage (with suitable toys – they can be homemade!) – in an environment that’s been thoroughly “bunny-proofed” against the chewing and gnawing that bunnies are programmed to do (their teeth never stop growing – they HAVE to chew!).

If you genuinely think you are a potential bunny person, there are many sources of good help and information to consult, including the House Rabbit Society. Consider adopting a rabbit from a rescue group or local shelters. There are many advantages and you will be helping to combat rabbit overpopulation. Animal shelters euthanize hundreds of unwanted rabbits each year, many less than a year old. Many more die agonizing deaths from neglect and abandonment without ever reaching a shelter.

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