Pet Rabbits – What to Expect from Rabbit Care

There is no other animal that mixes elements of furryness, innocent appeal, and overall lovability like a pet rabbit. Rabbits are universally renowned for their innate abilities such as speed and keen hearing. What is lesser known about rabbits is exactly how they behave as pets. It’s assumed that they will be adorable and obedient, but will they? If you are considering getting a rabbit as a pet, you are undoubtedly attracted to the cuddly appearance of the furry species. It’s easy to fall in love with any rabbit at first site, and your affection will probably continue unabated for the first few months regardless of how your new pet behaves. But what kind of pets do they make in the long term? Like with any animal, pet rabbits have good and bad points that should be considered before welcoming one into your home. 

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Do rabbits make good pets?

Rabbits are terribly cute – case closed. Seeing one groom itself with its tiny paws or gently lapping its tongue against the water dispenser is enough to melt anyone’s heart. There is a relaxing effect to simply watching a pet rabbit operate. They will quietly go about their business munching on hay, lying in the sun, or exploring their surroundings. Having a tiny companion that can bring a smile to your face by perking its long ears can be of benefit to your own spiritual well-being. When it comes to rabbit care, all the little things you do for your bunny will come back in immeasurable ways. And apparently, there are some rabbits out there who are smart enough to give advice on fat loss.

Pet Rabbits can be house broken. This is one bonus that comes with rabbit care for sure. With time, rabbits can be trained to do their business in a designated area of your choosing. A comfortable cage lined with wood chips makes an excellent bathroom, or they can even use a cat litter box. It takes a little persistence and patience, but if done properly a rabbit owner won’t have to worry about cleaning droppings all over the house. This is good news for those who don’t have the time to walk their pet on a daily basis as a dog owner would. Make sure to do your research when looking at rabbit cages and you'll be set.

Rabbits are unique. Everyone has seen a rabbit, but relatively few have had one as a pet. They aren’t as needy as dogs, temperamental as cats, or boring as hamsters. The closest comparison might be a guinea pig but again, rabbits beat out the competition in the important category of cuteness. A rabbit’s behaviour is dependent on its mood which can be entertainingly unpredictable. Pet rabbits run, hop, jump, relax, lounge, listen, eat, and sleep. Curiosity and an investigative nature are prominent characteristics of pet rabbits. They need to familiarize themselves with their settings to feel comfortable, but once they do, they settle down and start being comparatively low-maintenance pets. Taking care of rabbit requires a good understanding of normal rabbit behaviour.

Rabbits love to chew. Rabbits weren’t given their trademark long teeth for nothing as they love to gnaw, nibble, and bite. If left unsupervised, a rabbit has the potential to leave computer cables and telephone cords in shredded ruins. Carpets, towels, and even wood have been known to fall prey to a mischievous rabbit looking to satisfy its innate urge to munch. You might not see it in action, but a gnarled door edge or frazzled extension cord is a tell-tale sign that a rabbit has passed by.

Rabbit care can be expensive. An initial purchase of a rabbit will include the need to buy a cage, a water dispenser, and a chew toy. On an ongoing basis, the healthy upkeep of a rabbit will require food, wood chips, hay, and the occasional treat. It’s important not to change your rabbit’s diet from one food source to another very often. Rabbits have sensitive tummies and while they will most likely eat whatever you give them, their overall and long-term health should be taken into consideration. The true expense that a rabbit care will incur on your wallet comes with the fact that rabbits love to be around other rabbits. Charming as you may be, your rabbit would also love the company of a fellow bunny. As such, be prepared to spend double, or more, depending on how large you’d like your rabbit family.

Rabbits won’t come when you call. Rabbits are not dumb animals, but they aren’t exactly rocket scientists either. Rabbits are to be commended for their natural instincts that have allowed them to survive in the wilderness for thousands of years despite being one of the most delicious forms of prey in the animal kingdom. However when it comes to being a pet and recognizing their names, or showing purposeful affection, rabbits should not be saddled with high expectations. This comes into play when it comes to how to take care of a rabbit. A pet rabbit can conceivably live its whole life in your home without knowing exactly who you are. It may be aware of you, it will know when you’re coming, and it may even hop into your lap out of curiosity, but none of its actions will be based on any sense of love or loyalty. This may sound harsh, but knowing this upfront will help you to appreciate your rabbit for what it is rather than being disappointed by the shattered preconceived hope of your rabbit acting like a friendly puppy. Rabbit care is all about being patient and being willing to accept when a rabbit is feeling anti-social.

Here is an example of a typical experience with your rabbit:

You come home from work and drop your keys on the counter. Your rabbit is nowhere to be seen. You call to your rabbit, “Fluffy Pants!”

Fluffy Pants doesn’t answer.

You look at its empty cage and scan around the room to see if it’s around. It is not. But you do notice the sour smell coming from the cage so you drag out a bag of wood chips, a dustpan and begin the unpleasant experience of cleaning the mess. While you’re at it, you refill its food bowl and change the water. When the task is done, you plop down on the couch.

As you turn on the TV, you see out of the corner of your eye that your ipod headphones are on the ground. You look closer – the wire has been chewed in half. Fluffy Pants! Your rage and frustration build as you sit up and the blood rushes to your head. Just when you’re about to act on your anger, your rabbit comes out from behind the couch and hops up beside you. It sniffs your pants and probes the area with its tiny twitching nose. Cuter than anything you could ever imagine, you realize you can’t stay mad at Fluffy Pants and give it few pats on the head. The rabbit accepts the petting, makes one more round of exploring your lap, and then hops away with its furry tail bobbing in the air.

There are thousands of rabbits in pet stores or humane societies who would love a new home, remember that when getting a pet rabbit. With the proper preparation and expectations, rabbits can make excellent pets for people looking to avoid the hassles of owning a more common household animal. For better or for worse, rabbits have been given perceived personalities over the years through famous stories, cartoons, and characterizations. Pet rabbits are their very own animals, each possessing its own temperament, but all of them are to be cared for following the same general rules. If you are prepared for some of “the bad”, then you will better be able to appreciate “the good”. Ownership of a rabbit inducts a person into a special club where only rabbit caretakers fully know what it is like to experience the joys and/ or frustrations of having a rabbit friend. So now the only question is: would you like to join?

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