Rabbits As Pets

Rabbits also known as bunnies or bunny rabbits are small furry animals with long ears and legs, large hind feet, and a short bushy tail. A baby rabbit is called a kit. A female is called a Doe and a male is called a Buck.

In the wild, rabbits are prey animals and must be on the look out for predators. Rabbits have eyes that are on the sides of their head, which helps them see almost all the way around them, helping them watch out for other animals. Rabbits can also turn their ears by 180 degrees helping them listen out for predators.

Since rabbits are social creatures that normally live in groups, rabbits should be kept with at least one more bonded rabbit partner to prevent loneliness.

A rabbits’ teeth never stop growing. They are gradually worn down as the rabbit chews on different foods.

Rabbits excel at baby-making due to the mother’s short gestation time of 28-31 days and giving birth up to 14 baby kits at a time.

Rabbits have very strong hind limbs which allow them to leap great distances. They can jump over 2 feet high and leap up to 9 feet horizontally.

Is A Rabbit Right For Me And My Family?

Caring for rabbits can be more difficult than most people think as well as more costly. They should not be considered a “Beginner pet.” They need a strict diet, daily exercise, a lot of space, socialization, and a calm home. They can make a great pet for the right person, who has the time to socialize them, and learn about their needs and body language. Rabbits can be a good match for someone that enjoys a quiet lifestyle. Extreme amounts of stress such as being taunted by a cat, dog, or child, or being hurt could make a rabbit go into shock and possibly die.

Rabbits do not bark like a dog or meow like a cat, so you do not have to worry that your rabbit will bother the neighbors. When rabbits are happy they can make purring noises, humming, clucking. When scared or nervous they can make teeth grinding, hissing/growling, whimpering, and screaming if they are very scared or injured. They can thump their hind legs against the ground when they are frustrated, angry, or scared.

Rabbits Life Span

Rabbits can live 8-12 years or more. You must be prepared to care for them for the long term.

Rabbits and Children

Rabbits are not a good pet for younger children as most rabbits do not like to be picked up, held, or cuddled. They may kick, bite or scratch to escape as they are prey animals (Prey animals are sought out, captured, and eaten by predators in the wild). Rabbits can have fight or flight type behavior. They can be socialized to enjoy the company of their humans over time but prefer to interact with you at ground level. Once they are comfortable with you, they may seek out your attention and enjoy being petted.

Rabbits in the house

Rabbits can make great house pets for the right person. Rabbits are best kept in the house with preparation. Rabbits are social, intelligent, and curious creatures that need exercise. Keeping a rabbit in your home with hours outside their enclosure to roam will make your rabbit the happiest. You will also get the most out of your interaction with your bunny watching them explore, eat, and groom themselves, they may even jump into your lap for a treat. Rabbits poop a lot. They can be trained to use a litter box and once neutered they shouldn’t have very many accidents in the house. Rabbits enjoy being clean and will groom themselves all day. You can keep a rabbit enclosure in your home to house your rabbit when you are asleep or away for their safety as rabbits are also big chewers and they may chew on something you don’t want them to in your home.

Rabbit Cuteness

When rabbits are happy and healthy they are known to do several cute behaviors. They can run, jump, and twist up in the air, this is called a Binkie. They may do a happy bunny flop, which is a sudden flop to their side, a way a rabbit can let you know that they are feeling happy, safe, and relaxed.

Rabbits are adorable when they are munching on something. Watch your rabbit from floor level to get a better view when they snack and move their nose up and down. Rabbits love to groom themselves, watch them clean their faces and ears with their paws, do cute stretches and big yawns. Rabbits may also beg for a treat.

Rabbit Tricks

Rabbits are intelligent animals and can learn to perform some cool tricks. Rewarding the behavior you want with a treat works well. Many rabbits can learn:

• Come when called
• Spinning
• Lift a paw
• High five
• Jumping agility tricks

Rabbit Cleaning And Maintenance

Rabbits poop a lot. A rabbit’s cage cleaning frequency can depend on many factors; how well your rabbit is litter trained, the size and type of the cage, etc. Typically, a thorough cleaning may be needed every 1-2 weeks. Spot cleaning should be done daily. Remove any uneaten foods in the morning and evening daily. Scoop out litter boxes daily to avoid odor building up. Spaying or neutering the rabbit will also help as this will reduce the amount of urine marking/spraying that can happen with an unneutered rabbit’s territorial behavior. Wash the food bowl and water bowl or water bottle daily to avoid bacteria build up.

Rabbit Socialization

Many rabbits do like to be pet by their pet parents, on the rabbits' terms. Since rabbits are prey animals, they can be timid or scared. Each rabbit will have its own personality with likes and dislikes. If you have spent the time to socialize your rabbit and built trust with them, you will have a greater chance that your rabbit will come to you and enjoy affection.

Rabbit Pros

• Rabbits are cute, fluffy animals
• Rabbits are generally quiet
• Rabbits are intelligent
• Rabbits are generally gentle pets, if socialized well
• There are many different breeds of rabbits to choose
• Rabbits can bond with their pet parents with time and patience
• A rabbit is able to learn tricks
• Rabbits live for a long time

Rabbit Cons

• Rabbits need to chew to keep their teeth from getting too long. They may chew on things they are not supposed to without supervision, if not provided with safe things to chew on
• Rabbits like to scratch. Rabbits may scratch your furniture or carpet if not supervised, or given other things to keep them busy It can be expensive to buy everything needed to take care of your rabbit, and then monthly expenses
• Rabbits need several hours of exercise each day outside of their enclosure
• Rabbits need social interaction or they may get lonely. If you are unable to give your rabbit enough attention you should get a pair of rabbits
• Rabbits run fast, and can be good at running away from their pet parents, and try to escape
• Rabbits poop a lot (300-500 pellets a day). Daily litter cleaning will be needed as well as picking up any accidents outside of it’s litter box
• Rabbits also eat their own poop, to digest a second time. The first ones come out soft, which you should leave, the second poops come out drier and they do not eat those
• Veterinarians that are familiar with caring for rabbits may be harder to find
• If you already have pets such as a cat or a dog, it may not be a good idea to get a rabbit as the rabbit could be prey to the other animals

Rabbit Litter Training

Yes, rabbits can be trained to use a litter box for their restroom, just like a cat. Note that rabbits that are not neutered can be more difficult to litter box train. Do use a litter box that is roomy enough, with a low entry that is easy for them to hop into. A big rectangular box works well with no lid. Obtain or make a few litter boxes that will eventually be placed around the house. Do use a rabbit-safe bedding inside the litter box such as paper-based bedding that is soft and absorbent *Never use a clay based or clumping cat litter which has the potential to cause intestinal blockage if eaten. Do add fresh hay to half of the litter box area. Yes, rabbits like to eat hay as they poop and this will keep them attracted to using the litter box. Start by introducing the litter boxes in their enclosure. Fill their enclosure completely with litter boxes so they are always sitting in a litter box. You can add some of their poop to the box, so this may give them the idea that this is where they should go. Keep the full set up of enclosure litter boxes for approximately a week while they are in training. Make sure to keep the litter boxes clean and dry so they are not standing in wet litter. After a week, remove one of the boxes and see how things go. If the rabbit continues to use the litter boxes that are available, then remove another litter box, until you are down to one litter box. If your rabbit has some accidents outside the box, you can put the litter boxes back in and try again.

Male vs. Female Rabbits

In regards to personality, there is no way to know what the rabbit’s personality will be based on their gender. Some male rabbits can be more outgoing and laid back, but this is not always the case. Sometimes rabbits will mark their territory with spraying urine, more commonly with male unneutered rabbits, even though occasionally a female will also spray.