Are rabbits a good pet for children?

The experience of being picked up can be terrifying for rabbits and hinders any trust being built between rabbits and their owner. If the rabbits are constantly being picked up (which is what new owners usually do to get them used to it) they will realise what is coming and hide so actually has the opposite affect. Once children realise they can’t cuddle their beloved pets they quickly become bored and disinterested. Parents/carers then don’t want to, or can’t look after them themselves meaning the rabbits find themselves looking for a new home at no fault of their own. This is unacceptable and very irresponsible; we cannot and should not expect children to take responsibility for an animal. This also teaches children that we are a 'throw away' society, this is wrong, especially where pets are concerned. This is why extensive research, which is so accessible now, should be done before welcoming rabbits into your home. If you are reading this – you're making a good start!

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Rehoming can be very stressful to rabbits and we have witnessed it being fatal due to their sensitive digestive system which stress can play a huge part in.

Often they are branded as boring but in all honesty what could you do if you were situated in the garden on your own in a small area you couldn’t get out of all day every day? The answer is simple, just sit there!! Rabbits cannot do much in a hutch; if they are given the space they need and a friend to interact with you quickly see they have their own personalities and can be just like a small dog.

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Rabbits are also VERY high maintenance pets and the care shouldn’t be and can’t be left solely to children. Children cannot begin to understand the rabbits’ needs and how to care for them correctly. They require a lot more space than you may think, and have very specific dietary needs that need to be adhered to as a lot of health issues are caused by the wrong diet; children feeding them unsupervised could be fatal.

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They have powerful back legs and if they are not handled correctly (this can be hard with little arms and little experience) can kick out in an attempt to escape and can break their own spine; not to mention the cuts, bruises etc. to your child when they do this. This in turn can obviously cause further disinterest.

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Rabbits require as much if not more upkeep than a dog. When cared for correctly they can live up to 10+ years.

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Here are some basic things you need to know before you decide to get rabbits

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·    Rabbits are very sensitive and take a lot of looking after

·    A hutch is NOT enough

·    The average life expectancy of a rabbit is around 10 years; this can vary greatly depending on the breed, its living conditions       and its diet

·    They are a prey animal and most rabbits do NOT like being picked up and cuddled

·    They are sociable creatures and require company of their own kind

·    Rabbits and guinea pigs should NEVER be kept together

·    Female rabbits have an 80% chance of having uterine (womb) cancer if not spayed early enough

·    They are clean animals and can be litter trained; this is usually more successful once they have been neutered

·    Litter boxes should be cleaned out every day especially in warmer months so you can keep an eye on their droppings (this           can tell you a great deal about their health); and also help protect them from Fly Strike

·    Rabbits have an extremely sensitive digestive system which can easily cause severe illness through poor diet. They need to         have a constant, unlimited supply of hay (not to be confused with straw).

·    They should NOT be fed the ‘muesli’ type food that some shops / supermarkets still sell as rabbit food. Good quality pellets       in limited portions should be given instead

·    A rabbit’s health depends on their digestive system working continuously; simply put they need to eat throughout the day. If       they don’t eat their digestive tract will stop working and they can go into a state known as GI Stasis. This can be fatal if not            treated in time so getting to know your rabbits habits is important for early detection

·    Not all vegetables are suitable for rabbits – in particular Iceberg lettuce has no nutritional value and can cause serious gut           problems. In fact we no longer feed our rabbits vegetables – herbs are an exception

·    Carrots are also a once in a while treat in small quantities – they are full of sugar and can lead to obesity in a rabbit; as are           any safe fruits

·    Their teeth never stop growing this is another reason why they need to eat hay to keep them trimmed

·    Rabbits hide their illness / pain in order to not attract predators to their weakness, so it isn’t always obvious that there is a           problem; again getting to know their habits can help with earlier detection

·    Unlike cats and dogs you should never wait for a ‘day or two’ to see if they get better; by then your rabbit may well have             died as by the time they show their illness it is usually progressed to the latter stages

·    No rabbit should be ‘starved / fasted’ prior to an operation – if you are told to do this by your Vet / Receptionist at the vet           practice tell them they are wrong and consider changing to a different vets

·    Rabbits have a delicate bone structure which can easily be damaged by the incorrect holding of them or by being accidently       stepped on

·    Rabbits dislike fast movements and loud sounds

·    Veterinary care is very expensive for any animal and as rabbits are classed as ‘exotic’ pets a rabbit savvy vet may be some             distance from your home

·    Sadly not all vets are experienced or knowledgeable enough to treat rabbits correctly. This is due to people thinking ‘they’re        just rabbits’ and are not worth taking to the vets; therefore, vets don’t get the same volume of experience that they do with        the many cats and dogs they see. Inevitably they have to work from what they have learnt from a text book which sadly isn’t        always enough. You need to find out where your nearest ‘rabbit savvy’ vet is before you need them

·    Rabbit insurance only covers certain things so check out what is omitted before signing up. Not doing so can be a costly             mistake

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After saying all this rabbits are incredibly beautiful and sensitive animals and spending time getting to know them and take care of them is extremely rewarding. Rabbits can make great pets when part of the right families! 

As a rescue we see so much cruelty and neglect towards rabbits which is why we like people to know what they are taking on before welcoming rabbits into their family. 

 

Rabbits should not be treated like a child’s toy or a way to stop them nagging, as they can end up being forgotten. If you are not willing or able to take care of a rabbit for its lifetime then buy a stuffed toy instead. Please remember although they don't speak they still feel pain and suffering as we do so please don't leave them to exist in a hutch.