Easter and pet bunnies

[Cheesenugget]

Seeing as it is National Pet Day and Easter is around the corner, it is common to see bunnies being sold (mostly by impulse buy) around the country. In about 30 days or longer, many will be relinquished and abandoned.

Most of these bunnies will not make it to their 1st birthday. Some will be rehomed, if they are lucky. Most that become unwanted are dumped outside or at the local park under the notion that the bunny is returning to its wild roots.

Pet bunnies are domesticated from European rabbits, so releasing them in the states is not exactly returning them to their original habitat. Secondly, like your dog, they rely on people for food, shelter and attention. They do not know the difference between a poisonous or safe edible food. While some feral bunnies do exist, this is rather the exception than the rule. Many starves to death or gets hunted and preyed on by dogs, cats or wildlife.

Bunnies can live to about 8-10 years. They eat a lot, poop a lot, and that is what helps them stay healthy meaning hay must be provided 24/7 and litterboxes or cage must be cleaned every other day or so.

Living indoors reduces risks of predation, injury or the elements so it is strongly recommended which some people do not like. They need a lot of floor space: they should be able to hop 3 times and stand without having their head touching the top if the cage. The more space, the better, because exercise helps with their digestion which in turns keep them from being sick. The cage bottom must be a flat surface to prevent hock sores. It is common for a bunny to be kept in puppy pens. I use a large 4 foot long cage plus puppy pen for my 3 lb dwarf bunny.

Bunnies are destructive and can chew through almost anything in your home in seconds. Carpet, walls, wiring, etc. Bunny proofing is a must or strict supervision.

Bunnies need medical care. Finding a bunny vet near you is important. When they get sick, they go downhill very quickly and usually this happens on an emergency basis. Not all exotic vets are bunny vets. Bunnies do not do well under anesthesia or antibiotics because of their sensitive gut flora. They can also die from extreme stress or fright. So treatment is almost always conservative and can take days and overnights at the vet which cost a lot of $$$.

Not all bunnies are friendly. Most hate being picked up. Mine was very aggressive towards the shelter staff and bit me a few times after I adopted her. She is now doing better but never trusting completely.
They require a lot of time and patience. They are not dogs or cats so one cannot have the expectations.

If you or your child cannot commit to such care, it is best to skip the real bunny and pick up some chocolate bunnies instead. They are very rewarding pets for those who knows what they are signing up for.

[Bogertophis]

Very well said. I hope anyone considering this "traditional Easter impulse" reads this ^ ^ ^ then reads it again, & thinks a lot about it all before buying.
Same goes for those cute little chicks & baby ducks...they all deserve proper care, never treated as throw-away living "toys".

[mlededee]

Thank you for this post. My dwarf bunny (which was a rescue from people that bought Easter bunnies for their kids, and those bunnies made a dozen more bunnies) turned 11 this year. It is so much more of a commitment to own a bunny than most people realize! It's a large chunk of space in your house, a LOT of hair (you would not think a 3lb animal would shed that much), it is replacing the french doors leading to your backyard because your bored bunny literally ate a hole through the door and let himself outside, it is an emergency vet visit to a specialist an hour and a half away because you woke up early one morning and bun was feeling poorly despite no prior signs of illness, it is a daily commitment to providing fresh greens and out of enclosure exercise and enrichment that needs to last for several hours, it is a bunny that you want to hug and snuggle soooo badly but bunny simply isn't into snuggles (not all bunnies like hugs and kisses!). It is also an adorable face to greet you every day, a wonderful member of your family, a sweet beggar of treats at every opportunity, and a rewarding and irreplaceable pet. People think a bunny is something cute and easy to put in a cage, but that could not be farther from the truth.