Many people posting cute videos with their cute rabbits, and you wonder, would those make a good pet in your house? Bringing a cat and dog home is a widespread phenomenon nowadays, and you might want to go with the flow, which is fine!
But hey! In case you are wondering whether rabbit can be the right pet around your house, I have got good news for you! All you need to do is welcome them with an open mind and heart and say to yourself, yes, I will take care of them and give them enough time; there you go, those cutest little creatures are going to make it to your favorite pet list in no time!
Pros and Cons of Having Rabbit as Pet
Pros
- Rabbits are social, active and playful – they form quick bonds of friendship.
- Great for children – it teaches them to take responsibility and show empathy.
- Rabbits need less space than other house pets, also seek very little attention.
- Pets help relieve stress! Rabbits make great pets as they are cute and quiet.
- Rabbits are easily litter trained – saves the trouble of following them around!
- Rabbits can live indoors with your family – they don’t need much room!
- Rabbits are relatively clean and odorless, and they self-clean their fur.
- Easy to maintain as Rabbits can be litter-trained, and are easy to feed – they mostly eat hay.
- Unlike cats and dogs, rabbits make much calmer and quieter house pets.
Cons
- Rabbits are fragile and require extensive maintenance and constant care.
- Male rabbits need neutering to avoid territorial or aggressive behavior.
- They chew on almost anything – keep electric cords out of their reach!
- If they feel threatened or cornered, they will bite! Do not corner them!
Things to Consider Before Choosing Rabbit as a Pet
Before you finally get your hands on a rabbit, let me emphasize on some of the basic questions you may want answers to before getting one for yourself.
Can You Train a Rabbit?
Yes, you can. And it’s imperative that you know how to do it. Litter training or training your rabbit not to bite requires patience. Rabbit chooses the place it wants to poop, and they tend to go to that exact place again and again. You need to find that place and put a litter box there. The bigger the box sizes, the better.
Rabbit’s training becomes far easier after neutering or spaying. So try to do it as soon as possible. For the biting habit, you have to be more patient. The rabbit must understand what you want by your good association. Never hurt a rabbit. They will not try to understand your hand if you do.
Bonding With Your Rabbit
Rabbits do not trust people easily, so to create a bonding; you’ll have to spend a lot of time with your pet. With the change of their natural environment, it is certain that they will be scared, and cautious. No bonding comes without a price in this world. But they are intelligent animals. They will learn slowly but surely.
You’ll have to be consistent with all your tricks. Make yourself seem like a safe person. Try touching them while they are eating. Provide food continuously and pet them before and after giving them food. If you do it for some days, you will see the difference.
How Long Can They Live?
Rabbit’s lifespan outside the home is very short. It can be 3-4 years. But an inside home as a pet can live up to 7-12 years long. So don’t put it outside your home. No matter how much you try to make the area safe, be sure that the lifespan of the bunny will cut into half.
Rabbits are attacked by most of the species. They are the second-lowest species on the ecosystem. There are many animals that can hurt them. Even the weather can hurt them. The ones that live in the woods are the ones that adapted with the climate, but the domestic rabbits are not able to take care of themselves. So it’s your pet’s best interest to keep them inside.
How Much Space Do They Need?
Rabbit needs its exercise, or they will fall ill. Yeah, you read right. Any animal that can’t move for an extended period of time and doesn’t have enough space will not be able to maintain a regular life. Giving enough space to your rabbit will also make sure that the pet enjoys its presence to the fullest.
Almost 8 square feet of quiet space and 24 square feet of running space is required for the rabbit to run freely. Make sure that you separate places for eating and pooping. That’s how it will get a healthy pet.
What to Feed Them?
Rabbits have a healthy diet routine of fresh hay and green leaves. Generally, the amount of food should be half of their weight, and there are many items that rabbit like, such as green leaves, romaine, red leaf kale, dandelion greens, lettuces, carrot tops, chard and even fresh herbs like basil, cilantro, oregano, and parsley.
Veggies are rabbits’ favorite, but they also need fresh hay. You can find it any local pet store or any feed and hay store. Storage of such items can be a problem because it needs to be in a dry area. Also, the storage area needs to be well ventilated, or the hays will be rotten.
Onions or potato tops, tomato plants can be toxic to your pet. If you think it has eaten something like that emergency contract the vet.
What Kind of Home or Hutch is Appropriate for a Rabbit?
Rabbits do not have pads in their feet like dogs and cats, so they are vulnerable to the cages. The shape of the cage will hurt the rabbit’s feet, and they will try to spend his time in a minimal area in order to protect their feet. At least give a plastic bottom to stand on because they need a hard area.
If the pet is not feeling comfortable where it lives most of its time, it will be affected by various diseases. The wired surface will force them to tuck into the litter area. And this is not healthy for the pet.
Can Rabbits be Aggressive?
Believe me, the first time your rabbit becomes aggressive is scary. As time passes by, you will understand that the pet is not scary at all. And it’s not because the rabbit is a frightening animal but because there is some problem the animal facing which you do not understand.
Most of the time, a rabbit becomes aggressive because it is scared of you. You’ll have to take your time to make your cute pet understand that you’re an ally, and you will not hurt her. It’s all about your patience. Sometimes male rabbits become more aggressive when the time of mating comes. So it will be a good idea to neuter your rabbit beforehand.
When Rabbit become aggressive, it might bite you. You need to know why Rabbit bites and how to prevent it.
Final Words:
For many years rabbits have been treated as pocket animals, but now it is being treated as a companion like a cat and dogs. Rabbits will not ask for much of your daily time, but if you provide, then they will gratefully accept it. If you want a warm and funny relationship with your pet, later try a rabbit.
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