The ins-and-outs of pet rabbits

By Sufi Moskow


Beatrix Potter turned us into a nation of bunny lovers through her tales of the irrepressible Peter Rabbit, Benjamin Bunny and their associates, Flopsy, Mopsy and Cotton-tail. With their endearingly humanistic traits, it is easy to understand why children clamour for their own pet bunny, yet it is important to realise that rabbits are wild animals, not cuddly toys, and can be high maintenance.

The bunny rabbit is a creature that thrives on company. They do not take well to the single life and can become very forlorn. Unless you have sufficient time to become your bunny's daily companion, it is suggested that you house them in pairs, either two neutered bucks or a buck and neutered doe. Do not leave bunny contraception to chance: a doe could have her first litter at only four months old, and with a pregnancy of only 32 days, you could rapidly have an entire rabbit warren on your hands!

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.

Although perhaps not as naughty as Peter Rabbit, house bunnies can still get up to mischief and thus your home will require some chew-proofing before introducing your new pet. Wires, computer cables and drapes are all fair game for a rabbit so remove them from temptations way. Make sure that you do have a large cage that your rabbit can be placed in when you are not free to supervise. Rabbits are clean and intelligent animals and can be trained to use a litter tray.

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.

A pet rabbit can be a delightful addition to your family, however, ensure you do your research carefully to determine whether it will be the best animal for you. Every year a tragic 35,000 bunnies are dumped by their owners, meaning it is essential that you don't take on this responsibility without considering all the ramifications of owning a mischievous Peter Rabbit!




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