Lovely pets- but think carefully before getting one (Rabbits in general)

Member Name: Linnyg

Product:	Rabbits in general
Date:	12/11/09 (48 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Quite easy to look after

Disadvantages: May not be ideal for children

Rabbits are popular small pets, especially for children, and are relatively easy to look after, but they still have needs which must be met daily so somebody must be able to fulfill these if the children are away/ ill/ bored with it!

Rabbits are by nature sociable animals so it is best to keep more than one so they have company; two does from the same litter is probably best as unrelated males can fight. Too many rabbits are starved of company and do not have enough exercise or living space. They need a good sized hutch with two compartments, preferably with daytime access to a run, or if not a run that they can be put into for regular exercise.

My rabbit care regime went something like this:
Mornings: Fed dry rabbit food, top up water and hay, remove and replace soiled sawdust.
Afternoon: Placed in run for exercise
Evening: Fed greens
Weekly: Replace all hay and sawdust and newspaper underneath
Monthly: Disinfect and thoroughly rinse hutch
When needed: Clip claws
In winter: Moved hutch into the shed for protection from cold, he then had free run of the shed.

Rabbits can be fed a wide variety of greens but avoid lettuce as this is not good for them. Ask at greengrocers and they may give you spare leaves etc for free. You can also grow carrot tops by putting a cut off carrot top into a saucer of water and the green tops will grow again. these were very popular! Mine also loved dandilion leaves, but check that no chemicals have been used on them first.

There are many varieties of rabbits and it is important to get one suitable for your circumstances. Some breeds are too big for children to handle, and require more space and food. Dwarf rabbits can be a good option for children but still need just as much care and attention. Rabbits temperament can vary. They can be lovely and docile but can bite and scratch badly. Learning to handle them properly can help, but if your rabbits temperament is not ideal you will still have to care for it well. They are popular childrens' pets but think carefully about whether your child is ready for the responsibility. If not a smaller animal may be better. Rabbits are not short lived pets, they can live for 8-10 years. A ten year old child may be mad keen on a rabbit now but will they want to look after it throughout their teenage years?

Summary: Make sure you can provide for their lifelong needs