How to Buy a Rabbit

Rabbits are highly sociable creatures. They love to interact with their human companions and rabbit buddies once they are bonded. There is nothing sadder or more depressed than a rabbit left in an outdoor hutch with no toys to stimulate his intelligence and no human companion to stimulate his playfulness and feed his desire for interaction. If you want to buy a rabbit, please give him or her a safe, clean home inside your own home where he can become a true companion to you and your family. Rabbits are delicate, sensitive creatures who thrive best in adult homes or homes with older children who are sensitive to their care needs. Children under the age of 8 are much too young to correctly handle a rabbit. Parents need to always monitor their children's interaction with their rabbit because if your rabbit gets scared or if a child accidentally hurts him, he may bite your child in self defense.

Instructions

1. Buy the supplies you will need to provide your rabbit with a comfortable play area in your home before you bring your rabbit home. Set your rabbit's play area up in a corner of the room where there is not a lot of foot traffic, noise from outdoors, or drafts. (see Shopping List)

2. Make your rabbit more a part of your family by placing him in a play area rather than a cage inside your home. Houserabbits can live longer, healthier lives than outdoor hutch rabbits who may be stalked by predators or scared to death by noises or animals.

3. Make sure everything you buy for your rabbit is the correct size for him, such as food dish, water dish or bottle, flea comb (for grooming), litterbox, play area fence (dog fence's work well), and travel case.

4. Select a rabbit breed that is right for your lifestyle and living situation: larger rabbits tend to be more mellow, although this is not always the case; and smaller, dwarf breeds tend to be more high strung and are happiest in quiet, adult households where they can receive individualized attention.

5. Keep in mind that breed information about rabbit temperaments is not as accurate as it is about dog temperaments. Each rabbit is a distinct individual and if you work on bonding with a high-strung rabbit, he may become more mellow over a period of years. One of my rabbits always bit me and drew blood, but today, nearly six years later, he's my most loving rabbit.

6. Keep in mind that lop rabbits (rabbits with floppy ears) often have more ear problems than rabbits with upright ears (although, again, this is not always the case as one of my rabbits with upright ears has had two infections).

7. Keep in mind that rabbits with long fur, such as Angoras and Jersey Wooleys require daily grooming, and sometimes more than once a day during molting (shedding) season to prevent tangled fur and stomach impaction from furballs.

8. Bring your rabbit home in his new travel case and line the case with a soft fleece blanket (in winter) or a flat, flannel-covered, waterproof crib mat (in summer).

Tips & Warnings

• Only bring a rabbit home if you are going to let it be a house rabbit and if you have the time and inclination to provide your rabbit with the care, attention, affection, and companionship it needs and deserves.

• When you go on vacation, you will need to hire a bunnysitter who can visit the house twice a day to feed and care for your rabbit. Make sure the sitter knows how to correctly lift and care for your rabbit, as well as what signs to look for concerning illness, and how to handle veterinary visits.