You may not know that July is adopt a rescue rabbit month. What else you may not know is that rabbits are the third most popular animals found in shelters and rescues in the US. And after the influx of house rabbits during the spring, it’s easy to see why summer is when their population in the shelters increase.
What you need to know about adopting a rescue rabbit
First off, most rabbits get put into shelters because people don’t quite understand how adopting a rabbit is different than owning a cat or dog. While they are clean, affectionate and social, they are often misunderstood as pets. That’s why it is imperative that you take time to sit and heavily consider whether or not adopting a rescue rabbit is right for your family.
- Rabbits can lived indoors from 5 to 15 years
- There are more than 60 breeds of rabbits and widely vary in size and appearance
- Rabbits love to chew
- They can be litter trained
- Rabbits often aren’t fond of being held too closely or carried
What you need to consider:
Housing
You will need to consider is where your rabbit is going to live. Pick a place that will give them space, but still allow them to be near the family. You can set them up with a puppy pen, a bunny condo, or a large area to call their own. However, if they are going to have a free reign area of their own, make sure to bunny-proof that room. They can’t just sit in a cage all day. There are tons of fun chew toys to get them and make sure to spend time with them every day. You can find some great rabbit housing from ideas from MyHouseRabbit.com.
Chewing
Rabbits are natural chewers. They will gnaw on furniture, rugs, drapes and worst of all, electrical cords. Tuck all cords away far from your rabbit’s reach.
Children & Other Pets
Thankfully most rabbits are great around children and other animals.They are patient and mild mannered. As long as you have another affable pet, then it shouldn’t be a problem.
Litter Training
If you’re getting a rescue rabbit, chances are that they have already started the process of litter training. However, they can easily forget their training when the environment changes. With persistence you can help reinforce their good habits. It is often best to start with them in a cage or enclosure. Then, to make cage time a time for learning, put a litter box in the corner for when your rabbit chooses for a “bathroom.” As they use box consistently and get used to the home, give them a little more freedom.
For more information make sure to check out My House Rabbit. They have all the information you need about owning a rabbit.
Are you a proud rabbit owner? Send us a picture of your precious pet on our Facebook page, we’d love to see them! And don’t forget, we also pet sit rabbits as well. If you’re going out of town and need someone to take care of your flop-eared cutie make sure to give us a call!
