There are many factors to consider before choosing a pet and deciding whether rabbits are good pets for you. The kind of animal we can adopt will depend a lot on our needs and the time we can spend on its care. We must be realistic when acquiring this new friend since our main task will be to give him a good life and make him happy.
Cats and dogs have always been among the first choices when it comes to choosing a family companion, but now more people are opting for other species. In recent years rabbits have been growing in popularity as exotic pets.
Rabbits are gentle, docile, playful, and intelligent animals. They can establish emotional bonds with their masters, and they can learn quickly. But being so small, they are very delicate and fragile, so they must be treated with care and gentleness.
It is worth mentioning that rabbits are not rodents. Rabbits are lagomorphs, and there are about 50 different breeds, although some are more popular than others for domestication.
Are Rabbits Good Pets?
Sure, they are! The decisions for anybody looking for the faithful friendship of a pet need not be limited to felines and canines. Rabbits can also make excellent pets.
Rabbits are also good pets to be kept in tight spaces. They will just need a small area or garden where they can hop freely two or three times each day.
They have a docile, active, and playful personality. Although few people know it, rabbits are quite intelligent. They can be potty trained with ease and can learn many tricks.
However, rabbits also need special attention concerning their hygiene, nutrition, habitat, and physical condition. All of this is necessary so that they can enjoy healthy growth and development.
What Care Does a Rabbit Need?
Rabbits are pets that require some special needs. If you want to gift this cute pet to your children, you must commit and follow several recommendations.
A rabbit’s life expectancy is relatively short when contrasted with other domestic species. With adequate care and attention, these animals may live up to 7-10 years.
The following are the main aspects to which you should pay more attention when taking care of your pet rabbit:
Suitable Feeding
One of the factors which may need your attention the most in the raising of a rabbit is their feeding. Rabbits are creatures that have extremely delicate digestive systems. Their digestive system works through pushing, which means that they need to eat small portions several times a day to be able to maintain adequate abdominal transit. For this reason, they need to eat food that is rich in fiber.
Another important fact you should know is that rabbits are strictly herbivores. So, they don’t need to eat carbohydrates, proteins, or sugars to live. A diet of this kind may cause severe gastrointestinal problems and even death.
What Is the Basis of Their Nutrition?
With proper nutrition, you will be giving your rabbit the nutrients it needs for healthy growth. For this reason, you should become familiar with the rabbits’ eating habits.
- Hay: This is the main component and constitutes 70% of their diet. Hay favors their digestive system due to its high content in fiber and helps them to wear out their teeth. Remember that rabbits have two pairs of upper incisors that grow continually, and they need to eat often to wear them out. Hay is perfect for this purpose.
- Green leafy vegetables: Should be offered at least once a day as they are a source of calcium, vitamins, and necessary nutrients for our pet. Green leafy vegetables must make up 15% of their diet.
- Pellets: The amount of daily feed will be 1 or 2 tablespoons. Pellets make up 5% of the rabbit’s diet. You can serve them alone or mixed with hay.
Although they are not part of the rabbit diet, many people tend to offer some types of fruits to their pets. Fruits are not necessary but can be offered as treats or snacks to reinforce their training. These should be limited to 1 or 2 times a week in limited quantities due to their high sugar content.
You should also provide them with fresh water at all times so that they keep hydrated.
Fur Care
When talking about rabbits, the first thing that comes to mind is the little white animal with red eyes. Few people realize that there are different breeds of rabbits. Many of these breeds have abundant and voluminous fur, so brushing their hair is essential to avoid knots and an excess of hair rolling all over our floors.
Rabbits need frequent brushing, especially when they shed. Doing so will keep their coat in good shape and decrease the amount of hair they can ingest when grooming.
Also, you should pay special attention to the cleanliness of their ears as these may be the focus of mite proliferation.
Conditioning Its Cage
Habitat is a fundamental part of the healthy development of your rabbit. In nature, rabbits live in dens. These dens offer them shelter and protection, so you will have to provide them with a place in which they can feel secure.
The cage is going to be its new home and will serve as its den. Choosing the right cage is particularly important as well as its conditioning. The cage should be large enough for your pet rabbit to move around in. Also, it should have an area where it can take shelter and rest quietly, as well as an area where it can eat and drink.
Rabbits are extremely clean. So, you will have to dedicate several minutes a week to clean their cage and change the hay.
Time to Exercise
It is not advisable to keep your rabbit in a cage all the time. Rabbits’ legs have strong muscles intended for jumping and running. Your bunny will need daily exercise so that it can stretch its limbs.
You must take a few minutes a day to get him out of its cage and let him wander around the house. It would be good for them to have some freedom and exercise every day. Your pet rabbit might even surprise you with a binky!
Advantages of Choosing A Rabbit
There are many varieties of rabbits to suit all tastes. About fifty breeds of rabbits exist, all beautiful and with unique personalities. We can find from tiny rabbits to giant rabbits, and from short-haired rabbits to rabbits with lion-like manes. You are sure to be enchanted by any of them.
If you still have doubts about whether or not you should adopt a rabbit as a pet, here are some advantages that can help you make the best decision:
- Rabbits are extraordinary animals, and they can learn quickly. They can be toilet trained and can learn fantastic tricks. Just as with dogs and cats, these adorable pets have unique personalities, behaviors, and physical appearances.
- They are an excellent first-choice pet for children. Rabbits are perfect for children to learn to love and respect animals while learning to have responsibilities. Children will enjoy the companionship of these little animals as they learn and mature. However, if your children are too young, you should supervise every time they play together because rabbits are very delicate animals and accidents could happen.
- Rabbits are extremely clean. Just like cats, they like to preen themselves constantly.
In short, rabbits are adorable, extremely affectionate, and can quickly adapt to their new home. Your pet rabbit will always be ready to offer you lots of love and attention when you need it most.
Other Important Points to Consider
If you want to ensure that your pet has the best quality of life, you must be willing to fulfill several responsibilities. You must be aware that every pet requires particular needs, and it is our responsibility to provide them. These are other aspects you should consider before bringing a rabbit to your home:
- Spending time with your pet: Many people think that having a rabbit implies less commitment than a dog or cat. That’s completely untrue. Rabbits, like humans and other animals, need to socialize. They can also get depressed and sick if they spend a lot of time alone or indoors. Be sure to offer them space and time to exercise, plenty of toys to play with, and above all, lots of love.
- Cage cleaning: Rabbits urine has a pretty strong smell. Their cages can smell bad if they don’t get frequently cleaned. Besides, urine buildup may lead to the proliferation of germs and bacteria responsible for allergies and diseases. Adding some kind of substrate to the cage will help absorb the urine. You can use newspapers, wood shavings, or compressed paper for this purpose.
- Regular visits to the vet: your furry pet will need regular visits to the vet to keep its vaccination and deworming up to date. It will also need periodic vet checkups to make sure they remain healthy.
- Neutering and spaying: Make your rabbits get spayed or neutered to prevent them from having offspring. Remember that rabbits can reproduce at a fast rate. They can have between 6 and 8 kits every two months. It will also prevent territorial fighting and behavioral changes.
- Gnawing: Bunnies are not rodents, but still, they love to gnaw. You should give them stuff or toys that they can nibble. Toys will keep them away from biting other things around the house. They have a particular taste for electrical wires. So you should keep your rabbit away from them to avoid injuries.
As we have already seen, keeping a rabbit in our house, just like any other pet, is a great responsibility. Rabbits are not toys. They are living creatures that deserve a dignified and happy life. So, before you adopt or acquire a rabbit or any other pet, make sure you’re ready to engage in that kind of responsibility.