EASTER IS A BAD TIME TO BUY A RABBIT

William Duncan

For some people rabbits make excellent pets and for other people rabbits are not a good choice. Most people are acquainted with the characteristics and habitat needs for dogs and cats but few people really understand those of a rabbit which are very different than that of a cat or dog.

Rabbits can be kept as indoor pets in cages or allowed to roam free about the house. They can be trained to use a sand box like a cat but most cat sand sold today is not considered good to use for rabbits. Any animal allowed to roam about the house can be destructive but because of the nature of the rabbit they can be very difficult to break from their destructive ways.

Most dogs will get excited when their human comes home and they want attention while cats usually are a little less aggressive when seeking attention, yet they still have their ways of saying, "pet me." Dogs and cats usually like to be held and fondled over but most rabbits do not like that type of attention.

The Easter time bunny sellers frequently play on the natural affection children have for animals and it is quite normal for a small child to fall in love with the cute bunny. One big problem with this tactic is rabbits are usually not the best pet to have in the home with small children. Children normally want to pick up their pet and, as has already been said, most rabbits do not like being picked up so they will kick and scratch; even in some instances rabbits will bite. The child not only suffers physical pain but also emotional pain because they feel the pet they so adore does not like them.

Rabbits are social animals. They may socialize with humans a little but for the most part they want to socialize with other rabbits. That means when a person purchases a rabbit they should purchase two rabbits. If one is a male and the other is a female and you don't want them to multiply like rabbits; one or even better both will need to visit the vet. Spay and neuter operations on rabbits need to be done by a veterinarian familiar with rabbits thus the cost is usually higher than with dogs and cats that can go to spay and neuter clinics.

Rabbits can also be kept as outdoor pets but their life expectancy will be greatly shortened. It is estimated that an indoor rabbit will live 9 to 12 years while 5 years is normal maximum for outdoor rabbits. If rabbits are kept in hutches outside they should be of very solid construction to prevent predators or dogs from hurting or killing them. (It is estimated that approximately 85% of the female rabbits will die of cancer before they are 3 years old if they are not spayed.)

Some people like to turn the rabbit lose in their yard and in a few instances the people are very satisfied with this arrangement. It just needs to be remembered that rabbits are burrowing vegetarians thus they can be very destructive to landscape and gardens. While you might be willing to put up with such destruction in your yard rabbits do not understand property lines and your neighbor might not be as happy with the arrangement.

Impulse buying of a pet is always a bad idea. The home should be prepared to receive the new inhabitant providing it with protection and comfort. Before buying or adopting a rabbit, or any other pet, do some research to determine what these needs are and if the rabbit will make the right pet for you and your family. If you are convinced that a rabbit is what you want there will most likely be some available at the local animal shelter just a few weeks after Easter.