Do rabbits make good pets?

However should you’re keen and able to make a ten+ yr dedication, bunnies could make an extremely rewarding companion. I turned a bunny proprietor a yr in the past, and now my life revolves round a pleasant two-pound ball of fluff named Atticus. 

Do rabbits make good pets? 

Brief, squat, and liable to gastrointestinal points, Atticus is my plucky Holland Lop bunny roughly the dimensions of a roasted Cornish recreation hen. He has a profound love for cilantro and chewing on cellphone chargers, and will get testy if he doesn’t get his morning head rubs.

Just like canines and cats, bunnies like Atticus are brimming with persona. However in addition they require an analogous period of time, care and cash as bigger pets – extra so than I anticipated when first bringing house an eight-week-old fluff ball. 

Are rabbits affectionate pets? 

Bunnies could be extremely affectionate, expressing love via grooming licks (or as I endearingly name them, bunny kisses) and nostril bops. When content material, rabbits will softly grind their enamel, producing a singular purring sound known as “clucking.” Atticus enjoys watching TV in mattress cuddled up with me, and perches himself on my shoulder or lap whereas I work. Once I return house from an outing, he greets me on the door demanding consideration and ear rubs. Atticus has by no means bitten me or anybody else, however will gently nibble on my hand to immediate me to pet him.  

But affection in rabbits is partially a discovered conduct, and personalities range by particular person. They’re prey animals by nature; many bunnies are skittish round people and don’t take pleasure in being picked up, performed with and even pet, particularly in the event that they got here from a neglective house. A stressed-out rabbit can turn out to be violent (these enamel aren’t any joke!), reclusive and damaging. 

When you have the time and want to bond along with your rabbit, they could turn out to be much less shy over time. I’ve been socializing Atticus with different people and pets since he was two months outdated, and dealing from house has allowed me extra time to are likely to him. Rabbits get lonely and bored simply, so should you’re absent for a lot of the day it’s finest to personal two bonded rabbits who can maintain one another firm. 

Briefly? For those who’re anticipating the love and enthusiasm of a Labrador Retriever from a pet bunny, you’ll probably be upset. Rabbits could be loving and personable when given care and a focus, however their personalities lean extra towards cat than dog-like.  

How lengthy do rabbits dwell? 

Whereas rabbits within the wild dwell a mean of 1 to 2 years, domesticated rabbits can live eight to 12 years. Bigger rabbits usually have shorter life spans than smaller dwarf breeds, and mixed-breed rabbits are likely to dwell longer than purebreds. 

As a bunny proprietor, there are just a few methods to increase their life span: Housing them indoors and getting them spayed or neutered between 4 to 6 months of age. Whereas rabbits could be saved in protected outside areas, hazards like predators, excessive temperatures and pathogens can put a rabbit’s life at risk. Rabbits are additionally extremely liable to reproductive cancers, so getting them mounted eliminates risk. Altering your rabbit additionally reduces sexual aggression, making them calmer, much less damaging pets.    

Caring for a pet rabbit

What do pet rabbits eat? 

Rabbits are herbivores who repeatedly graze all through the day. They’re vulnerable to life-threatening digestive points, so a high-fiber weight loss plan is critical. Their most important supply of vitamin? Surprisingly not carrots, however hay. Rabbits ought to have limitless entry to a high-quality Timothy, orchard or meadow hay (Atticus chows down on Oxbow’s organic meadow hay). 

Oxbow Animal Well being Meadow Hay – 40 oz.

$12.99

Whereas hay must be 80-90% of a rabbit’s weight loss plan, it must be supplemented by dietary pellets and leafy greens. I personally suggest Oxbow’s Organic Bounty Adult Rabbit Food, which Atticus will get a 1/eighth cup serving of every morning since he’s below 5 kilos. A bigger-sized rabbit (6-10 kilos) ought to get 1 / 4 cup of pellets every day. Younger bunnies (two to 6 months outdated) ought to have limitless entry to alfalfa hay (alfalfa has a better quantity of calcium and protein for rising buns) in addition to limitless pellets (Oxbow has pellets specifically for young rabbits). If the child bunny is ignoring the hay for the pellets, limit to 1 / 4 cup per day. 

Oxbow Animal Well being Natural Bounty Grownup Rabbit Meals – 3 lb.

$12.49

At three months of age, leafy greens and veggies can slowly be launched into your rabbit’s weight loss plan. As an grownup, Atticus will get 1-2 cups of romaine or butterhead greens every day. Bits of carrots, arugula, tomato and different extra carby or high-calcium veggies could be given as treats in addition to fruits like banana or strawberries in small portions. Atticus additionally enjoys these barley biscuits and fruit snacks. 

Oxbow Natural Rewards Barley and Hay Biscuit Treats

$5.45

Oxbow Easy Rewards Freeze Dried Banana Treats

$4.79

Lastly, rabbits ought to have limitless entry to contemporary water. They’re notoriously messy eaters, so be ready to have your property coated in hay and pellets – I’m at all times discovering strands and kibbles all over the place from my bathe to my mattress. To negate the mess, a hay feeder has been extremely useful. This budget-friendly one from Amazon is sturdy, compact and comprises hay effectively. Since rabbits wish to poop the place they eat, this larger hay feeder has an hooked up litter field which I’ve discovered to be the best choice and definitely worth the funding. Atticus enjoys tipping over his meals and water bowls, and after a lot trial and error, I discovered success with this chic ceramic bowl set that holds them in place (and isn’t an eyesore in my house). 

No Spill Pet Meals & Water Feeder

LIONWEI LIONWELI

amazon.com

$12.99

How a lot house do rabbits want? 

Bunnies want extra space than chances are you’ll assume. As for critters who like to hop, run, and discover, your pet rabbit ought to have no less than 32 sq. toes of house (8×4 toes). Cages and hutches don’t typically provide an ample quantity of room for adults, however designated areas could be arrange on your rabbit with a wire pen. The ground ought to ideally be carpeted for easy traction, as rabbits can develop hip issues over time if solely working round on hardwood flooring. 

HOMIDEC Pet Playpen 48″ x 24″ x 16″

$31.99

Rabbits wish to have areas to cover, so little forts like this one by Kaytee make nice additions to your pet’s space in addition to soft bedding. 

Kaytee Woodland Get-A-Method, Brown, Medium

$20.79

3 Items Rabbit Mattress Mat

$14.99

In case your bunny doesn’t have enriching actions of their house, they’ll chew up nearly every little thing they aren’t purported to (Atticus has an affinity for chewing on my wall corners). Since their enamel repeatedly develop all through their lifetime, they want toys to gnaw on to forestall dental issues. Atticus enjoys this medley of sticks and hay balls.

Changeary Small Animals Chew Toys

$7.99

Skylety 15 Items Small Animal Chew Ball Toys

$16.99

And, in fact, rabbits want house to poop – they deposit 200-300 poop pellets per day and pee quite a bit for his or her puny measurement. Just like cats, rabbits could be litter field skilled by merely organising a field near their feeding space. Fastened rabbits are usually simpler to coach as they’re much less territorial. Apart from the aforementioned hay feeder/litter box combo, I’ve discovered that this smaller litter box pan from Amazon matches effectively in my house house. I line the tray with a Glad activated charcoal pee pad and put a layer of paper litter within the pan. I modify out the pee pad and litter each different day.

Word: Clay cat litter can’t be utilized in rabbit litter containers as it may be poisonous if ingested.    

Petco Model – So Phresh Litter Field, Small

$24.99

Glad for Pets Black Charcoal Pet Pads – 150 rely

$46.00

Oxbow Animal Well being Eco-Straw Litter, 8 Pound Bag

$12.04

Atticus is a free-roam pet, so he has a full vary of my studio house. To guard my wall corners from his chewing I apply this non-toxic deterrent spray on to the partitions. I additionally use these cord covers to guard cellphone and laptop chargers from Atticus’ wrath. 

Grannicks Bitter Apple Style Deterrent, 8 fl. oz (236ml)

Grannicks Bitter Apple

amazon.com

$13.35

Wire Protector – CritterCord

D&W Improvements

amazon.com

$13.99

What medical care do pet rabbits require?

Bunnies require annual journeys to an exotics-specialized veterinarian for routine well being checkups. In addition they must be vaccinated in opposition to myxomatosis, Rabbit (Viral) Haemorrhagic Illness (R(V)HD) and a pressure of R(V)HD – R(V)HD2. 

Moreover, rabbits must be spayed or neutered between four to six months of age to remove the danger of reproductive cancers and sexual aggression. 

Since vet charges can add up rapidly and bunnies are delicate creatures who’re liable to accidents, I extremely suggest buying pet insurance coverage. Nationwide Pet Insurance is among the few that may cowl pet rabbits and has saved me over $1000 in only a yr. For round $12 per 30 days Atticus has emergency (non-general care) medical bills coated. Nationwide additionally provides insurance coverage for each emergency and common take care of round $25 per 30 days. 

Exterior of veterinary care, common grooming could be carried out at house. Whereas rabbits self-clean and don’t require bathing, your pet’s nails must be trimmed and fur must be brushed each few days. Rabbits molt twice a yr, which means their fur sheds all over the place and sometimes in chunks. Throughout these instances they’re going to want additional brushing so they do not ingest an excessive amount of of their very own hair. I’ve discovered that this shedding brush helps transfer the dreaded molting course of alongside quicker. 

VICTHY Pet Nail Clippers for Small Animals

$4.99

Pet Republique Deshedding Device

Pet Republique

amazon.com

$14.99

How a lot do pet rabbits price?

Including a pet rabbit to your loved ones comes with a price. Whereas preliminary adoption charges and provides to get began will typically set you again just a few hundred {dollars}, month-to-month spending for requirements like meals, litter and treats come out to round $100 to $125. The beneath breakdown is calculated based mostly on my expertise solely.  

• Hay (80 ouncesmonth) – $26 
• Pellets (1.5 lbs/month) – $8 
• Pee pads (14 rely/month) – $8 
• Litter (15 lbs/month) – $25
• Contemporary veggies (8 baggage/month) – $25
• Medical insurance – $12 
• Treats/toys/misc – $20 

Complete month-to-month price: $124

Are pet rabbits value it?

As a single gal residing alone in a studio house in the course of the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, getting a pet bunny final yr was a choice I’ve by no means as soon as regretted. Atticus has turn out to be my beloved companion and made me extra accountable. Though bunnies are sometimes thought of “starter pets,” they demand comparable care as canines and cats and wish supervision round young children. 

For those who assume you are able to convey a pet rabbit house, the Humane Society provides steerage on discovering native rescues and shelters in your space.