Keeping rabbits as pets
The rabbit is an extremely popular choice of family pet, no doubt bolstered by generations of children reading the tales of Peter Rabbit and his equally endearing friends, Benjamin Bunny, Flopsy, Mopsy and Cotton-tail. It is not only in Beatrix Potter’s stories that bunnies are imbued with human characteristics, many a house-rabbit can be found snuggled on the settee, to all appearances enjoying watching TV! That said, it is imperative to remember that, however cute, rabbits are living, breathing creatures, not toys, and should be treated accordingly.
Rabbits are sociable animals. Shut-away in a hutch all day they will become very blue and lonely. Consider homing your bunnies in pairs, two neutered males (bucks) or a neutered male and a female (doe) share well together. Unless you want to set up a veritable bunny farm, neutering is essential as rabbits start breeding at 4 months, gestate for 32 days and have litters of 4-12 babies -making for a proliferation of bunnies in a very short time!
Rabbits are equally happy kept indoors or outside, as long as their home is customised accordingly. Your outdoor bunny will require a large, warm, bed area, sufficient in dimension to allow him or her to stretch out fully. (A word of warning: ‘dwarf’ in the breed name does not always mean small!) All rabbits need to have a large and secure garden run as, like humans, they need a regular dose of vitamin D, obtained from the sunshine. The biggest threat to your bunny is probably from the fox, which will do anything to break into bunny’s house. For this reason, embed wire sides into the earth, or house your run on concrete foundations. Furthermore, secure the hutch door with a proper padlock as catches and latches are no foil to a cunning fox.
Be warned by the tales of the mischievous Peter Rabbit and undertake some remedial bunny proofing of your home before allowing your pet to run amok. Wires, drapes and computer paraphernalia are all fair game to a house rabbit so secure them out of harms way. When you are not free to keep an eye on your bunny companion make sure you have a large cage to house them in. That said, rabbits are fast learners and fastidious in their habits so are easy to toilet train.
The rabbit is a creature that eats little and often, up to 100 snacks a day in the wild. This is due to the nature of their diet, being high in lignified fibre to maintain a healthy gut. For a pet rabbit it is recommended that they be fed: 75% hay, combined with a rabbit pellet that is formulated with long fibres and some fresh vegetables. Amongst vegetables the favourites seem to be carrots, broccoli and spinach, however, never feed your rabbit lettuce, potatoes or grass-cuttings, as they may make them seriously unwell.
Rabbits can make lovely pets but before you find your own Flopsy or Mopsy, take time to decide if they are the right creatures for you and your family. 35,000 pet bunnies are abandoned every year, so make sure you are prepared for an animal that can be hard work as well as fun, just remember how much havoc Peter Rabbit caused!
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