Adopt
Things to think about Before you adopt.....
Rabbits can be
phenomenal, long-lived companions when cared for properly, but they are not right for everyone and should not be adopted impulsively. Rabbits require special care, diets, veterinarians, and owners who are willing to learn and be observant life long. They are not good first pets for children.
Rabbits are
very loving, social animals. They are very intelligent and affectionate. Rabbits’ personalities differ just like those of people. Some bunnies are reserved and quiet, while others are energetic and outgoing. Rabbits are quick to learn and quickly learn to train their owners. Their body language is diverse and clear. You will learn to understand what they are saying
Rabbits Have a Long-Expected Life Span
With proper diet and medical care, rabbits can live eight-12 years or more—which is longer than many other small animal pets. Be sure you are prepared to feed, house and offer attention to a pet for that many years. Parents – remember, the rabbit is really your pet – so when your child goes to college, moves out, or is no longer interested, the bunny still needs you to provide for him!
Rabbits should be Indoor Only Pets
Domestic rabbits are not equipped to handle outside dangers from extreme weather, predators, loneliness, boredom or fear. Their thick fur coats and absence of sweat glands lead them to overheat easily when exposed to temperatures over 80 degrees Fahrenheit. And, the lack of fur on their ears and on the bottoms of their feet, predisposes them to frostbite if they are outside in freezing weather.
Rabbits Need Exercise
Rabbits do need time every day out of their enclosed pen areas. They need bunny-proofed areas to zip around, jump in the air and binky to their hearts content. Daily exercise aids in their digestion and prevents excessive weight gain. However, they should never be out of their enclosed pen areas unsupervised, as they are known to chew on inappropriate objects and notoriously get into trouble when no one is watching.
Rabbits Need a High-Fiber Diet to Stay Healthy
Bunnies are herbivores (vegetable eaters) who need to consume large amounts of hay each day, not only to help wear down their continuously growing teeth, but also to provide fiber to the bacteria in their gastrointestinal (GI) tracts that breaks down their food.
A proper daily diet for a bunny includes unlimited amounts of timothy or other grass hay plus a small amount of leafy green vegetables and an even smaller amount of pellets.
Rabbits Require Veterinary Care
While bunnies don’t require annual vaccinations like dogs and cats, they do require annual preventative veterinary care, including checkups and fecal examinations to look for GI parasites.
In addition, after 6 months of age, all female rabbits should be spayed, since 70-80 percent of unspayed female bunnies develop fatal uterine cancer after age 3. Neutering males is also a must. Best to adopt an already altered rabbit.