Rabbits are not beginner pets. They can be almost as much work to take care of as a dog (sometimes even more). Don’t get me wrong, I love rabbits! But a lot of people decide to adopt a rabbit thinking that they will be easy to take care of. Rabbits are not the right pet for everyone.
Rabbits can be little troublemakers and attention seekers that take over your life and destroy your furniture. If you’re not prepared for the amount of care rabbits need, you may find yourself resenting your new pet, rather than falling in love with your new fluffy friend.
Learn more about the rabbit adoption process to expect from your local shelter
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1. Rabbits are not cuddly pets
Despite their cute appearance, most rabbits do not like to be cuddled. In fact being held is a very scary experience for rabbits. Most of the time, if you try to pick up a rabbit they will kick and struggle, scratching or even biting you in the process. Holding your rabbit too often can also lead them to be wary and distrustful of you, since they’ll associate you with the scary feeling of being held.
2. Rabbits need a lot of space
Rabbits are not the kind of pet that can be happy living in a small cage. They need an enclosure that gives them enough space to sprawl out and hop around whenever they want to. Unfortunately, most cages that are sold and marketed toward rabbits are much too small for them.
A rabbit’s enclosure should be at least three to four times their full length (when they are sprawled on the ground) and it should be tall enough to allow the rabbit to stand up on their hind legs without hitting their head. Instead of purchasing a cage for your rabbit, I recommend getting a pet exercise pen and using that as an enclosure. These are bigger than a typical rabbit cage or hutch and they are cheaper too! (check out the current price)
In addition to a large enclosure, rabbits need a lot of time and space to exercise in an even larger space. You’ll need to aim to give your rabbit at least three to four hours of exercise per day to help them stay healthy and release pent-up energy.
3. Rabbits can suddenly get very sick
As prey animals, rabbits have evolved to hide their weaknesses. In the wild, this would have helped them to survive by preventing them from being picked off by a predator. As pets, this means that it’s difficult to know if a rabbit is sick until they are very sick. You need to learn the subtle signs of illness and pay close attention to your rabbit’s behavior.
For more information about these symptoms and what to do when your rabbit is sick, visit my article ‘How to know if Your Rabbit is Sick’
4. Rabbits are safer indoors
Even though traditionally rabbits were kept in hutches outside, this practice is slowly becoming outdated. Rabbits are much safer as house pets. They don’t have to deal with the fear of potential predators, extreme changes in temperature (heat can be deadly to rabbits), and there is less risk of coming into contact with parasites and other easily transmittable diseases.
This means they are at a much lower risk of developing fly strike, fleas, mites, or coming into contact with highly contagious viruses like RHDV (learn more about RHDV at the House Rabbit Society).
5. Rabbit are destructive pets
These little furballs have the instinct to dig and chew on everything. That means they have the potential to destroy wires, furniture, carpets, baseboards, and anything else that is within their reach. You’ll need to spend time rabbit proofing your home to make sure your rabbit can’t destroy anything.
6. Rabbits have a specialized diet
Rabbits have a unique and sensitive digestive system. They need to eat a high amount of fiber to keep their digestion moving, with a low amount of sugary and starchy foods. Without the correct balance, your rabbit could easily end up sick.
The main part of your rabbit’s diet should be a grass based hay (such as timothy hay). with fresh leafy greens and dry food pellets making up a smaller portion of their diet.
Sugary treats (including carrots, apples, and other sweet fruits and vegetables) should only be given in moderation. Make sure to cut up any treats into small pieces and only offer a couple to your rabbit every day.
Check out my in depth article to learn more about a healthy rabbit diet.
7. Rabbit body language is unique
Rabbit body language is not always easy to read, especially if you are used to the behavior of cats and dogs. When they’re happy, rabbits take a running jump and twist in the air. When they’re scared, rabbits will thump their back legs to let you know. They will swivel their ears and wiggle their nose when they’re curious about something, and when they’re tired rabbits will often sleep with their eyes open.
There are way too many rabbit behaviors to explain here, but you can find out more about rabbit body language in my illustrated guide.
8. Rabbits can get uterine cancer
If you have a female rabbit, it is extremely important to get your rabbit spayed. Rabbits are built for multiplying their numbers very quickly, so the reproductive system of the female rabbit is always working hard to make that happen. This puts a significant strain on their body and leads to an incredibly high chance that the rabbit will develop uterine cancer.
By the time rabbits reach 6 years of age, they have an 80% chance of contracting uterine cancer, and most rabbits do not recover once the disease takes hold. The good news is, this disease is completely preventable if you get your rabbit spayed.
9. Rabbits need a lot of attention
Rabbits are social animals and are prone to boredom and even depression if they are left alone too long. If you are keeping a single rabbit, you must provide them with a lot of attention and interaction in order to keep your rabbit happy and healthy.
This means you need to make time in your daily schedule to socialize with your rabbit. You can also let your rabbit hang out with you while you watch TV or go about your at-home schedule. Whatever you can do to include your rabbit in your daily life will be beneficial to them.
While many people think of rabbits as cage pets, they are actually excellent companion pets (like a cat or a dog). They are highly social and are the most loving animals I have ever lived with. Give them a chance to be a companion and integral part of your family, and you will never regret it.
10. Rabbits shed a lot
You will find rabbit fur everywhere. Their fur will find its way into your morning coffee and onto all of your clothes. Rabbits typically have four shedding seasons in a year. Two will be big, fur-filled seasons where your rabbit changes from a summer to winter coat and vice versa. There will also be two smaller shedding seasons in between that will be less noticeable.
11. Dental problems are common in rabbits
After digestive problems, dental issues are the most common health concern for rabbits. Rabbit teeth grow continuously. By chewing on hay and wooden toys, rabbits are usually able to keep their teeth from overgrowing. However, if their teeth are out of alignment, they aren’t able to grind down properly and can often end up growing too long.
12. Rabbit hay is not easy to clean
Hay is the main food in a rabbit’s diet. It’s vital for keeping their digestion healthy and preventing illnesses such as GI Stasis. This comes with one annoying setback. Hay tends to get into everything, sticking to clothing and getting caught in carpeted flooring. If your rabbit is a messy eater (most rabbits are), then you’re going to find yourself spending a lot of time cleaning up hay.
The problem is that hay likes to clog up pipes and tubes that are uses to clean it up. It will get stuck in your vacuum, making you have to unclog the tubes frequently. I use a vacuum that has easily removable parts to make cleaning a little easier.
13. Rabbits thump very loudly
For the most part, rabbits are very quiet pets. That’s why it can come as a surprise when you hear a rabbit thump all of a sudden. It will sound like a large textbook suddenly hit the ground flat on its side.
Rabbits thump either because they are scared or because they are angry. It stems from their instincts to warn their family group (their warren of rabbits) of incoming danger. For most house rabbits, thumping is not common. However, once they start thumping they will often continue for several minutes at a time, making a racket with their hind legs.
14. Rabbits are bigger than you think
When most people think of a rabbit, they imagine a small, almost pocket sized animal. They might expect an adult rabbit to reach a maximum of 2 pounds. The reality is, there are only a few breeds of rabbit who remain small.
Even dwarf breeds of rabbits are bigger than people expect, typically reaching three or four pounds as adults. So make sure you take the full-grown size of your rabbit into consideration when setting up their enclosure and living space.
15. Rabbit poop tells you a lot about their health
Rabbits poop a lot. A healthy rabbit fecal pellet will look almost exactly like a cocoa puff. It will be a small brown ball with very little scent, and it will not be squishy. When your rabbit’s poop deviates from the norm, you have an early sign that something is wrong with their health. For animals who hide their weaknesses, this can be a vital early sign of illness in rabbits.
For example, if you find your rabbit is suddenly giving you poops that are half their typical size, you’ll know that something is stressing your rabbit or causing them pain. If you see a lot of fur stringing along the fecal pellets, you know it’s time to brush your rabbit. There is a lot more you can glean from the contents of your rabbit’s litter box, check out my article to learn more.
16. Rabbits are slow to trust people
As prey animals, rabbits tend to be wary of strangers. They’re not going to open up to anyone right away. With time, treats, and patience your rabbit will slowly start to open up to you and become a best friend.
You can help your rabbit trust you more easily by avoiding behaviors that scare rabbits. Avoid loud noises and fast movements since these can easily startle your rabbit. You’ll also want to help your rabbit feel safe in their home habitat by keeping other pets away and giving them places to hide.
17. Don’t trust pet store marketing
There are so many products with colorful packaging and clever marketing that are sold for rabbits. They will all have a happy rabbit right on the package with cute taglines to make you think this is a product that is good or healthy for your new pet rabbit. Don’t trust any of it!
Most of these products your rabbit does not even need. Rabbits don’t need bedding or salt licks, and most of those treat mixes are incredibly unhealthy for rabbits (stick to fresh or dried fruits and vegetables). For dry food pellets, you want to get a brand with only those boring brown pellets and no added colorful or fruity pieces (I recommend Oxbow as a healthy brand).
18. Rabbits keep themselves clean
No need to bathe a pet rabbit. Like cats, rabbits are very efficient self cleaners. They aren’t smelly pets and don’t need baths to stay clean. In fact, bathing a rabbit can be very harmful to their health.
Rabbit fur is very thick and once wet it will soak in the water and take a long time to dry off. This puts your rabbit at an increased risk of developing hypothermia after a bath. This is even possible in the summer if your rabbit is kept in a room with air conditioning or a fan blowing onto the rabbit.
19. Rabbits are intelligent animals
Rabbits are actually pretty smart. They can be taught to use a litter box like a cat, and they can be trained to do tricks just like a pet dog. You can train a rabbit to come when you call their name, or even give you high fives and jump over hurdles.
Rabbits can also benefit from mental enrichment activities, to keep their minds sharp and curious. Try hiding treats around the room and wait for your rabbit to find them. I like to give my rabbits treats in a food dispenser ball (their favorite toy!), so they can use their brain to figure out how to get the treat out.
20. Expect your rabbit to live longer than you think
Believe it or not, rabbits have a life expectancy of around 8-12 years. That’s much longer than most people expect. This means rabbits are a bigger commitment upfront than you might have been led to believe.
You have to consider what kind of life changes you will go through in the next 10 years before you get a rabbit. This will help you make sure you can bring your rabbit along for the ride and give them a happy home and family for their entire lifetime.
Sources
- Brown, Susan DVM. “Small Animal Nutrition.” House Rabbit Society. Jun. 10, 2012. rabbit.org/small-animal-nutrition.
- Harvey, Carolyn, DVM. “Oral Health in Rabbits.” House Rabbit Society, rabbit.org/journal/3-9/oral-health.html.
- “Medical Bibliography.” House Rabbit Society, https://rabbit.org/care/bibliography.html.
- Praag, Esther van Ph.D. “Normal and Abnormal Fecal and Cecal Feces of Rabbits.” Medirabbit.com, www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/drop/Drp_en.htm.
Tips and Tricks Newsletter
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Recommended Products and Brands
Important: These are Affiliate links. As an associate to Amazon, Small Pet Select, and Chewy.com, I may receive a small commission from qualifying purchases.
The two brands that I use when buying food for my rabbit are Oxbow and Small Pet Select. These both have high quality rabbit products and are companies that care about the health of our small animals. If you are purchasing anything from Small Pet Select use the code BUNNYLADY at checkout to get 15% off your first order.
- Hay: Second Cutting Timothy Hay from Small Pet Select
- Pellets: Oxbow Garden Select Food for Rabbits
- Treats: Oxbow Simple Rewards
- Toys: Small Pet Select Natural Toys
- Enclosure/cage:A rabbit exercise pen
- Rabbit carrier:SleepyPod Mobile Pet Bed
