Who doesn’t love the cute furry animal hopping around the house? Most people keep pet rabbits at home, however, many wonders if they make a good indoor pet or are they safer to keep around small children.

DID YOU KNOW? Male rabbits are called bucks; females are called does.

Rabbits have long been kept pets beginning from middle ages. They were kept as livestock in Ancient Rome. Cottontail Rabbits are the most common form of pet rabbits found in homes today.

Pros of owning a rabbit

• They are intelligent animals
• They are clean
• They can be potty trained
• They have a good lifespan

Things to remember while keeping a Rabbit

Expenses

Owning a pet rabbit is similar to owning a dog or a cat. It comes with added financial responsibility. You must provide housing, food, and proofing along with ongoing costs for supplements, litter, spay/neuter, and vet bills.

Housing

Rabbits are social animals. You should consider keeping them within your home in a form of puppy pen, bunny condo, or a large cage. Rabbits need social interaction, plenty of exercises, and a lot of enrichment activities, hence a homely environment is important to keep them indulge.

Bunny Proofing

Bunnies are quite curious and persistent creatures. You must consider bunny proofing your house to keep your things safe from being chewed. They will nibble on almost everything they may find, like you most important documents.

Enrichment

They tend to find their own fun activities if they get bored which can range from breaking things to chewing papers, rugs, and upholstery. You must consider providing them with entertainment to keep them indulged. Keep empty toilet paper rolls, old phone books, and other paper products into their shelter, so they can nibble on it.

Litter Training

The great thing about rabbits is that they can be potty trained. Most rabbits are potty trained when you bring them from a shelter, however, some of them forget their good habit once they move into their new home. The drastic change in the environment can be very stressful. You should be persistent and consider potty training them.

Nutrition

A rabbit’s nutritional needs vastly vary from that of a dog or a cat. Proper nutrition and in the correct amount is vital for a rabbit’s well-being. Fiber is the most staple diet of rabbits hence they must have access to unlimited grass hays at all times.

Pet rabbits need a high-fiber (18% to 22% DM), low-protein (12% to 16% DM) diet for maintenance. Timothy grass hay pellets should be fed for maintenance because they are lower in protein, calcium, and calories than alfalfa pellets.

Traveling

Traveling can be really stressful for rabbits. You should consider hiring a bunny-sitter while you’re away from home. They aren’t considered a flight-friendly animal, hence you can save yourself from the hassle by keeping them as a pet if you do not move around a lot.

Children and Rabbits

Rabbits should be supervised when small children are around. The DSPCA advises that because rabbits are physically delicate and require specialized veterinary care, they are not appropriate for families with young children