5 Things To Consider Before Getting A Bunny As A Pet

  Posted on March 28, 2013  by Joy of Living  No comments

Easter is just around the corner, and some people think it’s a good idea to give rabbits as gifts. Unfortunately, many rabbits given as pets don’t survive because they’re handled too roughly, stepped on or let go outside.  Many are surrendered to shelters once they become adults because owners lose interest in caring for them.

Rabbits can make great pets, but there are some things to considered before bringing one into your home.  Here are some points to consider:

Keep Them Busy.  Similar to cats and dogs, rabbits will make their own fun chewing your possessions if you don’t provide alternate forms of entertainment. Rabbits often enjoy a “castle” made of cardboard boxes and filled with empty toilet paper rolls, old phone books, and other paper products you find around the house.

Provide Proper Housing. Rabbits are quite social and like to interact with their people. The location of a rabbit’s housing area within your home (which can take the form of a puppy pen, bunny condo, large cage, or just an area with the food, litter boxes, and cardboard castles if the bunny is free reign) is important. A rabbit needs a place to relax by himself but not be completely secluded from the family.

Teach Children about rabbits. Rabbits live 10+ years and are NOT low-maintenance pets. So adopting a bunny should be a family decision. When kids turn 18 and go to college or look for work, it’s important that the rabbit still has a safe, loving home.

Bunny Proofing the house. If the bunny will have free reign, the living space will need to bunny proofed. Even if you keep the bunny in a cage, condo, or puppy pen, you still will need to safeguard your home when you let the rabbit out for supervised exercise. Rabbits are very curious and persistent creatures. They will find a way to get into your computer cables, wires, molding, couch piping, slightly frayed rug and they’ll even eat your most important documents.

Understand Rabbit Nutrition.  It’s important to have a good understanding of a rabbit’s nutritional needs throughout his/her life. Proper nutrition (and in the correct amounts) is vital for a rabbit’s well-being. The staple of a rabbit’s diet is fiber. Grass hay is be a mainstay of a rabbit’s diets, so be sure to check that no family members have hay allergies before bringing a rabbit home.

Do your research to be sure a rabbit is the right pet for you and your family.  For more information on rabbit ownership, check out myhouserabbit.com