So You'd Like to Get a Rabbit

By Bernadette Worden

While most of the things we have discussed during the last few months have been regarding the care of rabbits you already own, the time has come to discuss the decision of getting a first rabbit (or even a second, third, or fourth).

In the March column, Make Way for the Easter Bunny, I suggested five major categories people should consider before they choose to get a rabbit. I’ll reprint them here for your convenience (although I do recommend that you go back and read the article).

• Consider the age of the rabbit. Do you want to go through the terrible teens? Do you want to deal with the frequent issues elderly rabbits have?
• Consider your living situation. Do you have things (like furniture) you wouldn’t want rabbits getting to? Are you allowed to have pets? Do you room for a rabbit?
• Consider your time commitment. Will you be home often enough to provide sufficiently for a pet?
• Consider your family. Do you have kids? Are they old enough to understand the proper respect for animals? Do you have other pets? Can they get along with rabbits? Do they pose a threat to the rabbit (or vice versa)? Is anyone in the house allergic to rabbits?
• Consider your financial situation. Can you afford the care a rabbit needs?

Consider adopting a rabbit

Top five reasons to adopt a shelter rabbit (instead of purchasing from a breeder):

• Wide variety of choice (not pick of the litter, pick of many litters!)
• Cost-effective
• Supporting your local shelter
• The chance to save the life of a rabbit someone didn’t want
• Advice from people who are trained to work with house rabbits, not just to breed them

With this in mind, I urge you to forget about buying a rabbit from a breeder. No animals benefit from this process.

Once you have thoroughly reviewed these questions, you may have decided that you are prepared to accept the responsibility of getting a house rabbit. The first thing to keep in mind is that time is a major key. Just because you have considered your situation, don’t rush out and adopt a rabbit today, or even tomorrow. Continue to learn about house rabbits, including possible problems you might encounter. Decide what you are looking for in a rabbit. Do you want a young bunny or an old one (for those of you with soft hearts, older rabbits, in spite of being more “mellowed-out”, are much less likely to be adopted)? Do you want a bonded pair of rabbits (two who already get along)? Is there a breed you would prefer? When you know, contact your local shelter, or, even better, your local House Rabbit Society, who can put you in touch with a local shelter, as well as help you through the adoption process.

When you adopt a rabbit, expect to pay a minimal adoption fee, usually between thirty and one hundred dollars per rabbit (with a possible bonded pair discount). This will usually cover spaying or neutering, a basic examination, all necessary vaccinations. Most rabbits from a House Rabbit Society are totally or partially litterbox trained (if this is something that you are worried about, from my experience, rabbits and other small mammals tend to litterbox train themselves anyway).

If your shelter can’t seem to do anything for you, hit the internet in search of a long-distance adoptable rabbit. Other shelters may have the perfect bunny for you. You will have to make a trip (and your first experience with the rabbit will be traveling, so read up!), but in the long run, it could very well be worth it.

If you reviewed the above questions and you still aren’t sure if you want to get a rabbit, contact your local shelter or HRS and start volunteering!

There are two final options to consider, especially if you have rabbit experience (although nothing says a total beginner can’t try one of these options- I did).

The first is fostering a rabbit. This is basically what it sounds like. Rabbits who aren’t used to living with people and interacting in a normal house rabbit way are sent to a foster home instead of awaiting adoption in the shelter. This is also true for rabbits who have been in the shelter too long, or rabbits who have needs that the shelter workers can’t care for in a large scale setting. You can foster a rabbit or two, and while it will be hard to let go, you can know that you helped make a rabbit a loving pet for a family that might not have been able to handle it otherwise.

The second option to consider is adopting a special needs rabbit (keep in mind that this isn’t referring to rabbits with less than average brainpower, as rabbits have very little brainpower to begin with). This is a good way to help a rabbit if you can’t foster because you get too attached. Special needs rabbits may have physical disabilities, such as teeth problems, hip problems, or eye problems. Special needs rabbits may also simply have personalities that others would find hard to deal with. The Fall 2001 issue of the San Diego Rabbit News features a rabbit who attacks people wearing plaid. My own rabbit would probably have been considered special needs because we think she was abused before we found her. She doesn’t like people, and is especially frightened of men. But after six years of love and care she has come out of her shell. She has learned to relax, to accept gentle petting, and has gone from being shy of strangers to trying to attack them (a big accomplishment for her). If you have the patience to give special needs rabbits a chance, please take the time to consider them.

About the Author:

I play the violin (hence the name), and I love every sound it makes, no matter how horrible. I am a huge John Williams fan (the composer, not the guitarist), and it is one of my biggest dreams to meet him.

I am an all around animal lover, although cats seem to like me. I have a freakish cat who thinks I'm god and she is my second in command, and a rabbit who likes to eat and sleep and grit her teeth. I don't remember the last time a room in my house hasn't been scattered with Carefresh and hay...

Article courtesy of Suite101.com.