We've all heard the words utter out of young ones mouths, "I want a rabbit", but when we hear it, what should we do?
1. Decide if rabbits are right for your family
7 out of 10 rabbits are given up in the first year of purchase
The first step is to decide if rabbits are the right animal to live with your family. Do not rush this decision. Rushing teaches your children to make irresponsible decisions and often results in adding to the statistic above.
You may be surprised to hear that the number 1 reason rabbits are in rescue centres is because they were not suitable in the home with children.
Why is this? Because rabbits and children do not often mix well. Let's look at the facts:
- Allergies - Many children are allergic to hay. Having rabbits in the home equals hay everywhere and anyone with hay fever will struggle with the pollen reactions. Children often come out in hives and can struggle to breathe with the hay.
- Look but don't touch - Rabbits look cute and fluffy, which can be tempting to touch - but rabbits often do not like being touched. As a prey animal, they can be skittish and do not like loud noises, busy environments and they especially do not like being picked up. Rabbits prefer the company of their own kind than human company, this can disappoint children as they may not get a lot of interaction from them. They also nip to communicate, this can frighten children and they can be nipped and scratched easily.
If you want rabbits and all that they bring, are willing to take the full responsibility on yourself and you have children who are understanding and considerate of animals, it's time for step 2!
2. Research their needs
8 out of 10 rabbit care givers said that they only learned how to properly care for their rabbit after they got them
Finding the right resources to learn about the right way to care for rabbits isn't easy, as there is a ton of outdated advice out there. Where are the best places to turn to? Reputable rescues and welfare organisations are the best places to turn to, as they are ensuring their information meets welfare standards and is up to date. Pet shops are trained to focus on profit, and selling unsuitable items means they can make money regardless of how this affects the animals. Even vets may give incorrect information, as the majority do not have up to date training on rabbits.
Sit down with your children as a family and teach them how to care for rabbits.
What do rabbits need? To meet their essential welfare needs, rabbits need the following:
- Access to a lot of space 24/7 - rabbits cannot live in cages or hutches, they need at least 1 full room in a home or a large enclosure in the garden.
- A suitable diet - this includes a lot of good quality hay!
- Enrichment and toys - rabbits love to dig and chew, so they need things to do these behaviours.
- Companionship - they should never live alone and should always live in at least pairs. This means you should consider at least 2 compatible rabbits. Bonding is complex, but has to be done for rabbits to live happily together.
- Vet care - Rabbits require a lot of medical expense, they also need to be neutered and annually vaccinated no matter their age/gender or where they live. Rabbits need an exotic rabbit vet and regular health checks, these typically involve travelling further. You should find a good rabbit vet first to register with before bringing rabbits home. Find a good rabbit vet here.
3. Reach out to a rescue
Rescues can match you with the right rabbits to fit your family
Rescues can match you with the right rabbits. They get to know the rabbits well, so they can assess whether they are suitable in a home with children or other animals. Instead of committnng to adoption right away, you can consider fostering rabbits as a trial to get to know them better. That way, if you do not feel rabbits are right for you, you can return them without contributing to rescue numbers.If you love them, you can adopt them.
Why not a breeder? Learn here why there is no such thing as an ethical breeder.
Adopting from a rescue means you have life long support and advice. Contact a reputable rabbit rescue to discuss adopting and foster trials.
Why not a breeder? Learn here why there is no such thing as an ethical breeder.
Adopting from a rescue means you have life long support and advice. Contact a reputable rabbit rescue to discuss adopting and foster trials.
4. Set up the home and budget for them
A study by the ASPC showed that rabbits on average are the most expensive of all companion animals to care for, far more so than dogs.
Once you and your family are certain you want to bring rabbits home and have the support of a rescue, you need to prepare your home and garden (if you have one) for your new rabbits.
Read our bunny checklist for everything you will need before bringing your buns home.
Read about how to set up the right home environment for them here including how to bunny proof your home.
You will also need to prepare a monthly budget as a family and put money aside each month to pay for their insurance. Vet bills come often for rabbits as they are susceptible to so many illnesses. Insurance is a must!
Read our bunny checklist for everything you will need before bringing your buns home.
Read about how to set up the right home environment for them here including how to bunny proof your home.
You will also need to prepare a monthly budget as a family and put money aside each month to pay for their insurance. Vet bills come often for rabbits as they are susceptible to so many illnesses. Insurance is a must!