Is a Rabbit the Right Pet For You?​

 

Rabbits can make great pets, but they require a gentle touch and plenty of care. Here’s what to consider before adopting a rabbit.

​

• A healthy rabbit can live for more than 10 years, so a rabbit may be with your family for as long as a dog would.

• Rabbits require safe, gentle handling and a quiet environment. As prey animals, they can be easily startled and stressed by the loud noises and fast, uncoordinated movements that are typical of excited children. You may need to wait until your kids are older before bringing a rabbit home.

• You'll need space for a fairly large pen and/or an area in your home that has been thoroughly rabbit-proofed. Domestic rabbits need to be lodged indoors in a location that they will receive daily attention. They need to be a part of the family, just as much as a cat or dog does.

• A rabbit's primary source of food is hay, which can be messy and affect allergies.

• While rabbits are, for the most part, litter-trained, they will leave occasional dried-up hay ball poops as they hop around. These can be picked up and thrown in the litter box. Rabbits have a second kind of poop, called "cecotropes," which are the "gross" type of poop. You should never see these, as rabbits eat them directly from the source (necessary part of their diet!).

​

Take Time To Learn More About Rabbits

 

Can you meet a rabbit’s needs?
 

You’ll need to:

• Be sure your rabbit has unlimited access to hay. Archie's provides hay pick-up and delivery service.

• Clean your rabbit area thoroughly at least once a week. Litter boxes may be cleaned once or twice a week.

• Provide a half-cup or so of fresh greens, when possible. Ideally, this is daily. You can also provide healthy treats, such as a slice of apple or carrot, or a small chunk of banana, on occasion.

• Give your rabbit at least an hour outside their pen each day during their "awake" times (morning and evening) for play and exercise. You may wish to consider a full bedroom, rather than a pen, or full free-roaming! You will bond better with your bunny if they are a regular part of your family activity. You can use baby gates to keep bunny(ies) to one area. Be sure all bunny-accessible areas are bunny-proofed!

• Interact with your bunny regularly so they stay socialized and happy. (Note that rabbits sleep a lot during the day and night and are generally most active at dusk and dawn.)

 

Consider the financial costs of caring for a rabbit

​

Archie's Exotic Pet Rescue charges a nominal adoption fee to help pay a portion of the cost for spay/neuter. If you purchase a bunny elsewhere, please consider that domestic rabbits are considered exotic animals and require specialized veterinary services. Exotic vets are difficult to find and tend to be quite expensive. Getting rabbits spayed/neutered is crucial to quality of life, for both you and the rabbit.

​

Along with our adoption fee, you can also choose to receive all necessary rabbit starter supplies for a minimal additional cost:​

• Large pen (optional)

• Hardwood pellets for litter waste absorption (found at hardware stores)

• Timothy hay

• Food pellets

• Litter box

• Food/water dishes

​​

You will need to continue to purchase supplies on an ongoing basis. We recommend Oxbox food pellets and Canawick hardwood pellets for litter. Archie's does offer hay pick-up and delivery service.

​

Please consider that animals require ongoing veterinary costs, e.g., check-ups, vaccinations. The only vaccine required by rabbits (excluding any special travel requirements) is for a virus that causes fatal bleeding called Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV2). For more information on exotic vets, please see our Rabbit Care section.

​​

Rabbit Basics

​

Housing:

A rabbit will need a space, usually enclosed in a 4' x 4' x-pen, that can hold their litterbox, hay, water/food dishes, a toy, and a hidey-place for them. Traditional cages promoted at pet stores are RARELY suitable.

 

Diet:

85% Hay (usually Timothy), 10% Appropriate Greens, and 5% Appropriate Food Pellets. Occasional healthy treats: baby carrot, piece of apple, or small chunk of banana.

 

Exercise:

A happy bunny needs time and space to explore, socialize, zoomie, and binky!

 

Bunny-Proofing:

Rabbits love to chew and/or dig (helps to keep their teeth/nails growth down). Keep cords away and supervise while in carpeted areas and areas with wood/wicker furniture.

 

Litter Box:

Domestic rabbits are litter-trainable. Their litter box should have a layer of wood pellets along the bottom and be big enough to keep hay in (or they will need a hay feeder next to the box).

 

Boredom Busters:

Bunnies can be clever and get bored without stimulation. Toys and/or cardboard boxes and rolls will help keep them occupied.

 

Basic Medical Tips:

Since rabbits are prey animals, it is in their nature to hide health issues. Keep track of their eating and pooping routine, as changes to this can be a major concern for GI stasis.

​​

​

​Where To Get A Bunny

​

Just like dogs in puppy mills, rabbits are often kept in deplorable conditions when they're bred for pet stores or private buyers. Don't ask what happens to the rabbits that are not sold! Instead of buying a bunny from a store or breeder, adopt from a rescue or help someone who is trying to re-home a rabbit.

​

Benefits Of Adopting A Bunny Through a Rescue

 

Rescue volunteers will help you choose the right rabbit for you and provide detailed information on care and behavior. Archie's Exotic Pet Rescue promotes a foster-to-adopt program to be sure the rabbit is a fit for your home. Our adoptees are all spayed/neutered. Depending on when an animal has entered care, they may or may not have been vaccinated for RHDV2. Either way, the adoption fee rarely covers the entirety of the expense of our adoptees; however, we try to keep our prices low so they can find homes. (Pricing listed on Adoptee page.)

​​​

Our website has a wealth of information on caring for your potential new companion. Rabbit behaviors need to be prepared for in advance, such as digging and chewing.

​