What rabbit should you get?

Answer 1

It doesn't matter what kind you get as long as you give it love and care. They make a wonderful pet! But, there are a lot of things to consider when deciding on a pet rabbit! The rabbit's appearance should really be the last thing you think about.

• Is a rabbit the right pet for you?

Rabbits can be great pets but they also require a specialized diet, habitat, medical care, etc. They're also expensive to keep! There are tons of resources online that can help you learn about rabbits, and to decide whether you're willing/able to take care of one, like the House Rabbit Society (see related link below).

• Where will you get your rabbit?

There may be lots of local possibilities. Do you want to adopt a rabbit from a shelter or rescue group, or buy one from a store or breeder? This is a hot issue and you should do research before you decide. Consider that rabbits are overpopulated in many urban areas around the world, and in North America, hundreds of healthy rabbits are killed in shelters every year just because there's no room for them. Also consider that some breeders are irresponsible and negligent and might sell you a sick or diseased animal. Choose a place that you support, and that you trust to give you honest information about their rabbits. Do some research about how to identify a healthy rabbit.

• Do you want one or two rabbits?

Most shelters will have bonded rabbits available for adoption. It might seem like more work to adopt two rabbits instead of one, but in fact it can lighten your work-load because rabbits are extremely social animals, and it can take a lot of time and energy to meet a rabbit's social needs if you're his or her only friend. Bonded rabbits are also typically less stressed-out, which is a good thing considering how sensitive rabbits are to stress and how easily their health can be affected. They also groom each other and play with each other, which can be really cute and funny to watch!

• Okay, which rabbit do you want?

Talk to the people at the site you've selected about what you want out of a rabbit, how you plan to care for it, and what your past experience is, and hopefully they'll suggest rabbits that might make a good fit. (For instance, an older rabbit with aggression issues probably shouldn't go to a first-time rabbit companion! And a long-haired rabbit shouldn't go to someone who doesn't want to spend a whole lot of time grooming! And a small fearful rabbit shouldn't go to a home full of children!)

• Great! Now, before you bring home that rabbit...

Completely stock up on all the supplies you'll need, and set up the rabbit's territory completely. Also make an appointment with a rabbit-savvy vet.

Do not wait until an emergency to see the vet. First of all, not all vets know about rabbits, so you should assess the vet before they start any emergency procedures on your rabbit. Vets have killed rabbits by treating them like cats/dogs! Second, it's good to start your pet's file with a clean bill of health so there's something the vet can refer to when something goes wrong. Also, your vet can give you tips about local resources that you might not know about. Finally, vets can catch problems before we notice them, especially when we're inexperienced rabbit companions.