|
  |
|
|
Rabbits: good pets, lousy gifts
After dogs and cats, rabbits are the animal most frequently dropped off at animal shelters. Why? Many rabbits are given as gifts, especially for Easter. People look at them like living stuffed animals. When the novelty wears off, they end up in the shelter. Many don't make it to shelters at all, because people release them back into the wild, thinking they'll take care of themselves. Rabbits generally don't make good pets for small children. Even though the look very docile, they can kick quite hard is handled roughly. Of much more concern is a small child accidentally hurting the rabbit. They have long backs and are not as good as a cat at righting themselves if dropped. A tumble out of a child's arm could result in a bad back injury, which will be traumatic for both pet and child. Who should have a rabbit then? They make great pets for apartment dwellers as they don't need a lot of space and are nearly silent. They're sensitive, curious animals but are sometimes shy with strangers. They can also be litter box trained. They'll coo like doves when contented. Personality-wise, they're similar to cats. If you're a cat person living with someone with cat allergies, a rabbit may be an excellent option. Many people keep rabbits as house rabbits, giving them free run of the house or a room in the house. They can be litter box trained, so they're easy to clean up after. However, they do chew, so the house needs to be rabbit proofed. Be especially careful of electrical cords. Either make sure cords are out of rabbit reach, or you can buy metal sheathing for them at your local hardware store. (this also works well for kid proofing) If you don't want to rabbit proof the house, you can also keep them caged for most of the day and only let them out for supervised play while you're home. Make sure they get out to stretch their legs everyday, especially larger breeds. If given the run of the house, your rabbit may well come to greet you at the door or follow you around the house. They do enjoy toys. Mine in particular enjoyed balls as they could bulldoze them around the house with their nose. Toys they can chew on such as fruit tree branches or flavored wood blocks are also favorites. When picking out a rabbit, be sure to find out what kind of rabbit it is. Dwarf breeds may stay a cute and cuddly handful at 3-4 pounds (1.5-2 kilos) while Flemish giants may be a whopping 20 pounds (9.5 kilos) when grown! Dwarfs are the best pet when you will be keeping your bunny in a cage for most of the day. If you'll be keeping them as a house rabbit, you may want a larger rabbit that is at least cat sized, just in case you trip over him. If you have other pets, you may want a larger bunny so they're closer in size to your cat or dog. Don't leave them alone unsupervised until you're sure they'll get along. They may ignore each other, or may actually play together. And don't be surprised if it turns out the bunny is boss of the house! If you want multiple bunnies, make sure to have them spayed or neutered to keep from being overrun by rabbits. If you're now ready for a rabbit, go do some research and consider adopting a rabbit from a rabbit rescue. In the US you can find a local one through Petfinder.com. Outside, ask your local animal shelter. Even if they don't handle rabbits themselves, they'll know who does. You'll have the widest selection of rabbits in the months following holidays, especially Easter. Better yet, since they come from a rescue the caretakers will be better able to point you at the right bunny. If you want one that was previously in a house with cats or especially likes to cuddle, they'll be able to point you to the right bunny.
|
Contributor's Note
I've had several different rabbits including a 15 pound half lop/half giant that loved knocking his basketball down the steps so he could watch it bounce.
I also had two dutch rabbits that were rescued after being released into the 'wild'. Fortunately they were captured before they were eaten by anything or run over.
|
|
The House Rabbit Society- more info on proper care of your new friend
PLEASE VISIT THE CONTRIBUTOR'S WEBSITE
No reactions yet.
Please login or sign up to rate this intel.
Please login or sign up to add a comment.
The copyright for this content entitled "Rabbits: good pets, lousy gifts" has been specified by the contributor as:
Public Domain
The copyright for this content has been relinquished by the author. The content may be used freely by anyone.
|
 |
May, 2012
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2009
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2010
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2011
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2012
January, February, March, April, May
|
|
Not a member yet?
Qondio is a powerful network for making it online. If you have a website to
promote, we can help.
Sign up and get in on the action.
|
|
Welcome to Qondio! Discover the awesome power this network can deliver by going to our About page. Or you could skip straight to the Sign Up form.
|
|
