Thinking of buying a Rabbit?

Good Stuff – They come in all different shapes and sizes and with a little research and thought you can usually find the perfect bunny for you. They are very cute, easy to look after, readily available and depending on the breed, inexpensive to purchase.   They can live inside your house or more traditionally outside in the garden. They are very clean animals and can be easily litter trained, and with a little effort will respond to command words like ‘no’, ‘stay’, and respond to their name. Some will play football, sit on your lap and others can do agility courses. Our bunnies live inside and outside and just simply make us laugh with their acrobatic jumps (binkying) and general behaviour. The living room does get a little crowded during strictly come dancing though – they just seem to love it!!

Food for thought - Rabbits are very complex social animals with very individual personalities. They can be anxious animals and when nervous it can directly effect there health. The need to vaccinated and have regular vet checks to ensure they are healthy. They moult on average 3 times a year. The fluffier the rabbit the more hair to maintain. Our hairy rabbit can fill a pillow case every 3 months and needs grooming every other day to keep him healthy – but all rabbits vary.   They are generally happier when kept in pairs (see bonding) and so one rabbit is never a very good idea.   They are rarely very cuddly, suffer from mood swings, can be aggressive and do not make good pets for small children due to sharp claws, tendencies to nip and big feet are difficult to hold when you are a toddler. If you want a pet to cuddle we would recommend a cat or dog every time.  Rabbits naturally live in large groups and are built for speed. The up-keep of a rabbit is very cheap; however the initial financial outlay can be very expensive (see starting up).   They need to be housed in the largest possible hutch you can manage (see housing) with access to a secure outside run, plenty of things to occupy them and nibble on. The bigger the rabbit the larger the enclosure and housing needs to be. Your fully grown rabbit needs to be able to lye down fully (about half its normal body length again) stand on its hind legs (at least 2ft high) and be able to hop freely in its hutch. Recommended hutch size for a single medium sized rabbit is 2ft x 2ft x 4ft. We would recomend at least double this area. 

If you are not put off by these things, then we would suggest you visit your local RSPCA or rescue centre before going to a pet shop.   These organisations are experts and would be able to advice you of the complexities of owning a rabbit and more than likely will be able to find you the perfect pair of bunnies.   If you have already brought your rabbit from a pet shop – still visit the RSPCA for help and advice or research rabbit welfare and up keep. There are many books, web sites and information to help you understand your bunnies’ needs. We hope the following information will be of some use to you.

If a rabbit is the pet for you, it will not be long before they quickly become a valued member of your family and you are as Bunny Barmy as the rest of us.

Housing
Bonding
vacinations
Cleaning Out
Grooming
Health & Hygiene
Neautering