Two bunnies or one?

Rabbits aren't bad pets, but they are more complicated than most people think. If you get one and then just stick it in a cage and expect it to be docile and sweet and well-behaved whenever you sporadically decide to pull it out and play with it, you are going to be disappointed. They do best when handled frequently and gently. For instance, when you open their cage you should let them come out on their own, not reach in and snatch them out. They are somewhat timid creatures and they need to be handled carefully. When you handle them you need to hold them close and support their bottoms and hind legs. If picked up carelessly they will be frightened and kick - sometimes breaking their own backs in the process. We have one that our nine year old daughter has had since he was a baby. She handles and plays with him everyday for a couple hours. He lays beside her, plays with her toys, and nuzzles and licks her just like a little dog BUT he knows he can trust her completely. He is also a house rabbit, so he lives in a large enclosure that is cleaned daily and, with the use of baby gates, he is free to roam frequently. He is litter trained so he goes to the bathroom in one area of his enclosure. All that being said, we have to watch him carefully. He's chewed through at least three lamp cords (a rabbit favorite). He can be a lot of work, but we knew that going into it. Rabbits can live anywhere from 8-12 years on average so it is a significant commitment.

report

11/10/2012 08:05

Subject: Re:Two bunnies or one?

quote

Anonymous

OP here, and I concur completely with 21:58. We have enjoyed having a rabbit (hence the quest for the next one), but if you're looking for a no-maintenance pet, a rabbit is not for you. Our rabbit also did her business in one side of her cage, but that side needed to be changed daily and sometimes twice daily. She required fresh veggies twice a day, in addition to food and timothy hay (and a hay tunnel to chew on - we went through one of those maybe once a month). Our rabbit had a large cage that opened into the playroom. I "bunny-proofed" the playroom so she could roam freely all day long (we kepy the door to the room shut so that our dog and she only interacted when someone was there to oversee). Our bunny was extremely shy and scared when we first got her (she had had little contact with people and had never been out of a very small cage). Consequently, after we adopted her, she didn't come out of her cage at all for a month and then while we were present for another month, so there was no "immediate gratification" in terms of a pet to snuggle with. But finally she came out when she heard me coming - I would sing to her as I walked into the room. By the end of six months and throughout the rest of her life, the minute she heard my voice or the voices of the children, she would come hopping out to see us and would lie flat to get pets, until she was done and then she would dance and prance around and do these hysterical twirls that made us all laugh. She definitely did bite if people weren't careful with her, and she had very partiuclar ways of wanting to be held and petted (had to be petting coming from the top, never approaching her going towards her). She did indeed kick if she were scared. Overall, we loved having her, but I don't recommend a bunny for people who don't want a pet to take care of. We took her on vacation with us or paid someone to come in to care for her, because she got very lonely when left alone. She didn't do well when we moved her cage to a friend's house -she really preferred her own space.

We are going to the shelter today, and are excited about getting a new rabbit (or two). Thanks again to people who responded here!