Having a rabbit as a pet: When choosing a pet, there are many factors that we must take into account. Depending on our needs or the time we have available for their care, we may better adopt one animal than another. We must be realistic when acquiring this new friend since our main task will be to give him a good life and make him happy.
They may be the smallest of the house who are wanting to have a new partner, and the parents will be responsible for ensuring that the new family member is well treated and feels like one of them with the best care. Here you will find everything you need to know about whether the rabbit is the best pet for you and the advantages and disadvantages of having one at home.
Rabbit as a Pet
Rabbits are usually very good pets, especially for small spaces and for children, since they do not need as much care as a dog or cat.
The advantages of having them at home are that they are very intelligent. If they get used to them, they are very docile, it costs little to maintain them, they have few zoonoses (diseases communicable from animal to man), and they do not need as much veterinary care.
The drawbacks would be that their cages or habitats smell bad if they are not sanitized, they are nocturnal animals like all rodents. So they can bother at night since they are especially active, they are great escapists, their life is very short to other domestic species, and if they are not manipulated often. They become scared of what can get to bite or do damage with their hind legs when kicking.
They are affectionate if they live with the family from a young age and have a lot of contact with people if they are loose at home and it is called by its name, over time they can come to recognize and follow its owner as if it were a dog.
Ideally, keep it in a well-conditioned cage. In general, the larger the size, the better the quality of life it will provide.
If they have the possibility of making outings controlled by the house, their cage may be smaller, on the contrary, if they remain confined all day, they must have the possibility of having the space to do some physical exercise inside.
It is very difficult to leave them loose without control because they can bite objects in the house, such as books, furniture, or small things that can harm their health.
They are very easy to adapt to your new home if they have the minimum necessary conditions; that is, their food, water, some hay to eat, and some hard material to gnaw on.
In general, they relieve themselves in the cage, and if they are removed, they can do it anywhere in the house because they do not get used to a certain place.
Having a Rabbit as a Pet Pros and Cons
Their diet must be mainly specific feed for them and can be supplemented with fruits such as apples, peaches or pears, green leafy vegetables and also carrots and of course hay or dried alfalfa to maintain a good level of fiber in their diet.
They are not animals that must go to the veterinarian frequently. It is advisable to make the first visit when acquiring them so that the doctor indicates their care and health.
You can apply a special vaccine for them, and you have to control the state of their skin since they may have parasites or fungi, their ears due to scabies, and their mouth due to the overgrowth of their teeth. Any abnormality in your health the veterinarian can solve with the indicated treatment.
It is necessary to avoid that your hair, if they are of those that have it very long, is tangled, and for this, it is best to brush it. If they can’t do it at home, they can go to the animal hairdresser and there they will take care of giving them a good shower and leaving it nice, perfumed and hairless.
We have in our clinic a bunny named BUGSI, who comes to the hairdresser. Like a puppy on his leash and collar, once a month, and is happy in the bathtub among the foam.
Is the Rabbit the Right Pet for Me?
If you live alone, work long hours, or have small children, the rabbit will be the ideal pet for you. It is true that it is not an animal that requires very arduous and complex care so that people who do not have too much time to have a pet the rabbit will be perfect as a pet.
Although it is true that, although he lives in a cage, you must spend a few minutes a day to get him out of it and turn around the apartment or house where you live. It is good for them to have a little freedom during the day because, like any other pet, it is not recommended to keep it in the cage all day. You also need to have time for the rest of the care:
Feed the rabbit specific food and not any other food
- Keep the cage always clean
- Fill the drinker every day with clean water
- Remove the pee every four days from the cage
If you have young children, you should teach them to keep the cage clean, feed the animal when it touches, and treat it with care and respect, as long as they don’t harm each other. So, if you think that the rabbit is the most suitable pet for you, we will tell you about the advantages and disadvantages of having this animal as a companion at home.
Advantages of Owning a Rabbit
The good thing about rabbit for very busy people is that the care of a rabbit is more limited since you should not take it out for a walk three times a day like a dog, nor pay as much attention as you should like this one. Same animal. However, you do have to spend a few minutes a day. As we have already mentioned, as long as it can run a little.
Being most of the time in a cage, if you go on vacation, you can leave it to a trusted person as long as they take care of him until you return. Caring for this animal is low, and surely you will find someone delighted to take care of it. It is a pet that accepts solitude well and will pay attention to you when you want its affection. You will be able to caress it and hold it on your lap, since with other pets, you cannot do that, like a bird or a fish. He is quite affectionate, so you can leave him with the children (always under your supervision so that they do not harm each other), and it will be a great way for the little ones to learn to have responsibilities.
Disadvantages of Having a Rabbit as a Pet
The rabbit is a delicate animal, so visits to the vet may be frequent. Like all pets, you need your time and money, so you should have enough to cover these visits to the vet, their food, and the cage. You must keep the cage always clean, with food and freshwater.
Having a rabbit as a pet also requires some responsibilities
To be happy, your attention will be basic, so no matter how busy you are, you will have to dedicate at least one hour every day so that he runs loose in the house. Supervision all the time, while you are free, is more than necessary since it could gnaw on a cable, fall, get into a hole, causing damage, or you could lose it forever, depending on the type of house you have.
Although they are not usually violent, rabbits have very sharp teeth, so be careful with children, as long as they do not harm each other. With these teeth, you could also break something at home, so this is a problem that you should consider before purchasing the animal. As with all pets, when you buy them, they are for life. Therefore, when you decide to buy a rabbit as a pet, make sure that it is the best option for you and that you will make each other happy forever.
