Do Rabbits Make Good Pets? 5 Top Reasons Why We Think They Do!

Are you looking at adding a bunny to your household? Keeping rabbits for pets (as compared to breeding, meat or fur) has become hugely popular in the last decade. In fact rabbits are now the third most popular family pet after dogs and cats. It seems the world is finally cottoning on to how intelligent, fun and loving bunnies are.

So, what makes a rabbit such a good pet? Well here are our top 5 reasons:

1. Bunnies are very social

In the wild bunnies live in warrens, or groups. There can be up to 40+ in a warren so your bun is used to having company (but probably not their own bedroom!) Rabbits crave interaction (compare that to cats who are essentially solitary creatures) and if they are handled frequently and gently when they are little will always be happy to interact with you.

Many a rabbit owners tells stories of how their rabbit is very inquisitive and always needs to know what they are up to.

Older rabbits tend to become even more affectionate and companionable as they age and are often content to spend the evening snuggling beside you with a good DVD, especially if it's 'Watership Down' or 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit'.

2. They love to play

Bunnies absolutely LOVE to play, possibly more so than any other animal. It doesn't get much better in life than watching a rabbit play. They hide, run, jump and throw their toys in sheer joy.

Bunnies even have a legendary 'jump for joy' called a binkie (or binky) which is where your bunny will jump in the air and twist at the same time. It is amazing to watch and a great sign that your bun is on top of the world.

Laughter is great medicine for all of us and it's a rare person who can watch a bunny at play and not laugh out loud!

3. They are easily litter trained

If you've heard they are hard to litter train then you've been mislead! Rabbits are naturally clean animals and provided you work with their natural instincts to keep clean you will have a toilet trained bun in no time.

4. Rabbits form close bonds with their owners

Years ago rabbits were almost thought of as 'disposable' pets. That they lived outside and weren't really part of the family. Nowadays, particularly as more and more rabbits are becoming inside, house rabbits this isn't the case thankfully.

Owners are quickly realising that they can become very attached to their bunny in the same way they do for a dog or cat and find themselves just as devastated at the loss of a precious pet rabbit.

5. Bunnies are off the scale when it comes to cuteness

OK, so this one is really logical but who can forgive us for adding it in here. Rabbits are very high on the cute scale. Who can resist the snugly, calm and inquisitive Holland Lop or the cuter than a bug and softer than velvet Mini Rex?

So, if you're looking for a new addition to your family maybe it's time to pass on a Fido or Snowball this time and consider making a bunny your new best friend?

Always keep in mind that while keeping rabbits for pets is an amazing experience, bunnies are not low maintenance animals. Please be a responsible owner and do your reasearch first. Abbey Mitchell is a long-time animal lover and rabbit enthusiast. Get your FREE copy of her new Pet Rabbit Care Secrets mini course from http://www.RabbitsForPets.com and learn bunny care secrets that you won't find anywhere else on the web.

Rabbit Temperament - An Interview With the Experts

Rabbit Temperament

We love holland lops! I believe they are the greatest breed in the world.
Most of our herd will run to the front of the cage when they see us. They love
to be petted, and often lick us affectionately. Each of our three daughters
breeds their own rabbits, including our eight year old. She will often carry
her 8 or 9 week old kits around as though they babies, and the bunnies
absolutely love it.

Every rabbit we've purchased from a breeder has had good enough temperament
for us to breed and show. Unfortunately not all of the bunnies in our barn have
that temperament. We have rescued several bunnies. One bunny we rescued is one
that we are very cautious around. We will never sell him nor will my daughters
use him in their breeding programs. He is very aggressive and has bitten on several occasions. We will continue to care for and love him, but his

temperament is such that he would be a risk to anyone that purchased or tried
to breed him.

It's funny to watch holland lops on the show table. They often get very
inquisitive. They will peak their heads over the side of the box to see who
their neighbors is. Sometimes they will repeatedly hop out of the box as if to
say, "hey judge, judge me next!" Once in a while you'll see a bunny
that is nearly out of control on the table, and difficult for the judge to
assess. On rare occasions you'll see a holland laying in the back of the
judging box as if to say, "ho hum, another rabbit show."

There is a great article on the Holland Lop Rabbit Specialty Club site by Sylvia Hess called Holland Lops Personality. Sylvia classifies the temperament

of holland lops into three categories. My favorite category is one she calls
"cuddles". I think most of us would agree that this is the personality
we desire of all of our hollands as long as they stay inquisitive. But how much
emphasis should you put on temperament? How do you get hollands with the cuddly
personality that Sylvia talks about? We decided to go to some of the top
holland lop breeders and ask them those questions. I think you will find their
responses helpful and informative.

Interview with Top Breeders

1. How would you describe the temperament you most want in your
holland lops? 

Pam: I like a Holland that
is very personable and loves to show off on the show table, but is not so hyper
that it cannot be posed.

Laurie: I like a curious, interactive personality the most. I love to
see my rabbits investigating new toys and I always want them to come forward in
the cage to see me when I visit.

Heather: The temperament that I like the most in my herd, are more like
me, hyper. My favorite rabbit in the barn is extremely hyper. He will race back
and forth in his cage until you open the door, but as soon as you get him out,
he is very calm. He loves to snuggle and share 'treats' with me. I like the
hyper rabbits, but I also like the rabbits that will snuggle with you, and it's
just a matter of luck to get both.


2. When considering temperament, do you put more emphasis on rabbit
selection or rabbit breeding?

Pam: Temperament should be a concern both when choosing rabbits for your
breeding program and when selecting rabbits to breed from your own herd.

Laurie: I breed first and foremost for conformation to standards. Then,
from the resulting rabbits, I choose the ones that I keep. I will not keep
those with aggressive personalities (those that bite with no warning or fight
when held, even after a period of adjustment). Luckily, I've had precious few
of those. I do not cull out rabbits that are not as interesting as others
personality-wise - not consciously at least - but I know I'm drawn more to the
curious, interactive rabbits just like I'm drawn more to broken pattern
rabbits. Over time, that has an effect on the population of my barn.

Heather: I am most concerned about temperament when I am purchasing a
rabbit. I don't want to add a new rabbit to the herd that has a bad attitude
and have to work extra hard to get the rabbit to behave when I already have
rabbits in my herd that need to be worked with.


3. When purchasing a new rabbit, do you do any type of evaluation of
temperament, and if so what do you look for?

Pam: We try to avoid hyper bucks that spray a lot and are sexually
aggressive. These bucks general don't do well on the show table because they
won't sit still, and these are the most likely candidates for vicious
tendencies.

Laurie: Temperament is very hard to evaluate when you are purchasing a
rabbit. Rabbits may behave at a show because they are intimidated or misbehave
because they are more excited than usual. They may behave toward a man
differently than they do toward a woman. If I have concerns about a rabbit's
temperament, I ask the owner for their assessment. I should not be purchasing a
rabbit from someone whose evaluation I cannot trust.

Heather: When I purchase a new rabbit, I take time and really work with
the rabbit, to see if it will let me hold it, flip it over, or when I get it
out of it's cage, if it attacks me. I don't really want a fighter that won't
let me flip it over or fights me when I try to hold it, or lunges at me with an
open mouth. Most of the time, a Holland Lop won't display any of these
characteristics if they have been worked with a lot.


4. If you have a rabbit with what you consider poor temperament, is there
anything you do with that rabbit to improve it individually?

Pam: I find that genetics play a large role in individual temperament,
although handling a rabbit will help calm their "show table jitters".
When judging, it's generally easy to pick out the "first-timers" or
those rabbits that have been handled very little. They may try to bolt on the
show table or are often difficult to examine.

Laurie: I will tolerate poor temperament in a doe as long as it is
associated with high hormonal activity. I've had young aggressive does turn
into sweethearts after their first litter or two is born and this has happened
numerous times. But they must come around at some point. I do not tolerate poor
temperament in bucks, however. With a buck that shows some aggression, I place
my hands over him and hold him down gently for several minutes at a time. I am
just trying to communicate that I'm the big Kahuna around the barn and deserve
more respect than that. If he doesn't come around with extra attention, then he
just can't stay in my barn. Also, I refuse to pet out any rabbit that I do not
feel has a pet personality, so it is definitely to his advantage to cooperate!

Heather: There are many things you can do to improve any rabbit's
temperament. It helps to play with them everyday, just petting them or holding
them. Sometimes, if I am worried about how my rabbit is behaving towards me or
someone else, I carry them around while I am feeding the rest of the rabbits,
this way they get familiar with you and get used to being held at the same
time.


5. When breeding rabbits, do you consider temperament?

Pam: We do take temperament into account and avoid using vicious
animals.

Laurie: I don't try to fix temperament with breeding. Rabbits with poor
temperament are just not part of my breeding program. The exception is
moodiness due to hormones in does, once again.

Heather: Temperament is a tricky subject. I don't want to breed two
rabbits that attack me together and pray that the babies will all be friendly,
but I don't want to breed two extremely hyper rabbits together either. I prefer
to breed the poor tempered rabbit to the hyper rabbit to get a calmer, less
mean version of the parents.


6. Is it possible to breed a poorly tempered rabbit with one of good
temperament and produce offsprings of a good temperament?

Pam: There are many genetic influences on behavior as well as
environmental influences, so it is possible to produce animals with good
temperaments out of those with poor temperaments. However, it is more likely to
produce animals with a pre-disposition to poor temperament when you use animals
that exhibit undesirable behaviors.

Laurie: It is not worth it to me to keep a rabbit with poor temperament
in my barn. So trying to fix it in a breeding program would not come up. But,
since my sweetest doe of all times produced my meanest buck of all times, I'd
say that it is possible for things to go the other way around on an individual
rabbit basis. But what we need to concentrate on is trends.

Heather: I believe it is possible to breed out bad temperament. If the
breeding works out properly, the babies should have a better temperament than
the poorly tempered parent.


7. In comparison to appearance, how much emphasis do you put on
temperament?

Pam: Type is the first consideration, but temperament must certainly be
considered.

Laurie: With a rabbit's conformation, there is always something that I'm
working on. With temperament, either a rabbit has an acceptable one or doesn't.
It's apples and oranges. Would I keep a rabbit with exceptional conformation
that has a bad attitude? I hope that never happens, but if it does, I hope I
have the resolve not to use him in my breeding program.

Heather: I believe that if a rabbit has a bad temperament, but shows
well, then it is worth keeping. However, if the rabbit is putting you and
others at risk, then the behavior should be taken very seriously and dealt
with.


8. Do you find that breeders as a whole need to put more emphasis on
temperament? 

Pam: I think breeders have been doing a good job in culling animals with
poor temperament and producing high quality show animals. I don't personally
know any breeders that will tolerate a vicious animal in their herd.

Laurie: I think that there are as many different temperaments in
breeders as there are in rabbits. Some breeders do not necessarily need a
highly interactive rabbit to enjoy their hobby, for example. Some breeders
don't care if their rabbits snuggle. I think it is more important that you work
with the type of rabbit that you enjoy most. And it is probably best to
purchase stock from breeders who have similar views on temperament to yours.

Heather: I believe that all breeders need to work on temperament with
their rabbits. I know that I don't want to reach into another person's cage and
get bitten. I don't really mind if my own rabbits bite me, because I know that
I will work with them later.


9. Would you like to give any closing thoughts regarding temperament?

Pam: Temperament varies widely by individual. The nice show-type Hollands
that sit up on the table are generally more high-strung than the Hollands
with a low head mount that sit close to the table.

Laurie: I also want to mention that I take responsibility for being
nipped if I frighten a rabbit. Sometimes we get busy with our chores and don't
realize that we've reached into a cage and scared a sleeping rabbit.
Temperament is much more long-term than a single behavior. I don't hold the
actions of a scared or upset rabbit against him. Breeding rabbits is a hobby
and should be enjoyable. Don't work with rabbits you do not enjoy spending time
with. It's just not worth it.

Heather: Some rabbits don't like certain people. I have one rabbit that
will attack everyone but me. There are other rabbits that will try anything to
get their teeth into me, but never bite anyone else. They are just like people.
They want to choose who they are associated with.


Thank you to each of our participants. I trust that you will find their
answers insightful as you raise and breed your own herd of holland lops.

Our Expert Panel

Pam Nock. Pam is both a breeder and an ARBA judge. Visitors to many
rabbit forums know the name Pam Nock. She spends a great deal of time sharing
her knowledge with rabbit breeders and pet owners alike, much of which she does
through the rabbit forums. She has been a great help to us on many occasions.
We owe a lot of thanks and gratitude to Pam for her excellent advice. You can
visit her website at http://www.geocities.com/pamnock.


Laurie Stroupe. Laurie's web site The Nature Trail is the primary
website we go to for rabbit raising information. Her site has a wealth of
information, including her new blog
which she adds to on a daily basis. Whether you are a new pet owner or an
experienced rabbit breed, you will find Laurie's site very helpful. Laurie had
the top Broken Senior Buck at the 2005 ARBA convention in open. Her latest
project is Precious Pet
Rabbits, a website for pet rabbit care information.


Heather Washburn. Heather is one of the top youth holland lop
breeders in the country. I remember sitting at one of our first rabbit shows.
We had no clue what we were doing. I looked past my family and saw a young lady
grooming one of the most incredible holland lops I had ever seen. The rabbit to
me was perfect in appearance and in temperament. That rabbit won best of breed
that day. The Washburns were great to talk to as we were newbies, and they were
very friendly. Heather is a member of the OHLRF and the HLRSC. Most recently
Heather's rabbit took BOB at the 2005 ARBA convention in youth. Her website can
be seen at http://www.geocities.com/washrabbit/.

Rob Usakowski is owner of Three Little Ladies Rabbitry which

is run by his wife Cathie and their three daughters. Visit their site www.threelittleladiesrabbitry.com
for lots of rabbit raising information for both pet owners and breeders alike.

DWARF RABBITS

Here is everything you need to now about a dwarf rabbit . My bunny is a Polish Dwarf rabbit. He is tiny and about 3 pounds. The Polish Dwarf rabbit I believe has developed in England in the 1800s. Some experts believe that the name does not refer to the country of Poland, but rather to its shiny coat. The Polish Dwarf is a companion to the Netherland Dwarf. He is also very petite and lively in his behavior. The Polish rabbit breeds in as many colors as the Netherland Dwarf. There are advantages to mini rabbits as pets because their feed and housing are less than the larger ones, and they are more easily handled. 
That is why we chose a dwarf rabbit. We love him and he is so easy to handle. There is a saying that medium-size or larger rabbits tend to be calmer and more manageable than mini dwarf rabbits. Our first bunny was a Holland Lop and my daughter couldn't handle him as god as our Polish rabbit because he was heavier.
We adopted him as an adult so we new his size.
Any rabbit dos not like to be lifted and held unless they are gradually taught to tolerate it. He was held very much in his life, so he accepted being held by us right away. He already was house-trained and used his litter box. We trained our first bunny.
Rabbits, just like dogs and cats prefer not to foul the area where they eat and sleep and will instead venture out of their "dens" to relive themselves. Important to remember when litter-box train a rabbit is consistency and praise. So be alert in the early days and follow your rabbit everywhere. When an accident happens pick him up and put him in his litter-box with a few droppings inside. Also clean the spot with some vinegar. Rabbits don't like the smell and avoid the area for another try. Spayed and neutered rabbits are easier to litter-train. It is also important for the health and overall happiness of any dwarf rabbit.
An adolescent rabbit often sprays urine and performs the sexual act on people's legs, slippers and other pets. There also tend to be more restless and more aggressive. Neutering reduces or eliminates all these problems without changing the personality of the bunny. When rabbits start circling and love bite legs that is a sing that it is the right time to go ahead with the procedure.
Our dwarf rabbit was neutered and we didn't need to take care of it.

Pregnant Rabbits - Signs to Look For

When breeding rabbits, it is best to make a record of the date of breeding so you can anticipate when your rabbit needs her nestbox. If you are unsure of whether or not your doe has been around a buck, you may want to keep an eye on her for awhile to make sure you're not surprised if she has a litter. Even veterinarians may misdiagnose pregnancy in a rabbit; it isn't that easy to tell. Rabbit gestation is approximately 31 days, so if your doe goes well beyond that without exhibiting any of these signs, she probably isn't pregnant.

Age

How old is your doe? It is best that does not be bred until they are between six and nine months old, but sometimes, they can conceive as early as three or four months of age. If this rabbit is new to you, ask the breeder you got her from when she was separated from her brothers. It wouldn't be the first "oops" litter to happen when littermates are not separated early enough.

Palpation

Around three weeks into the pregnancy, sometimes you can feel little "marbles" inside your doe's belly. If you don't feel them, don't assume she isn't pregnant. They can be difficult to feel for some, even when they've been raising rabbits for years. First litters are harder to palpate due to better abdominal muscle tone on the doe.

Behavior

Some does will get aggressive while pregnant. Does she pounce towards your hand when you reach into the cage? Is she beginning to growl at you when you open the cage door? These could be signs your doe is pregnant... or that she's hit puberty or wants to be bred. Aggression is a possible clue to pregnancy, but not a definitive answer.

Nesting

Some does start nesting early, while others wait until the last minute, so be prepared with a nestbox either way. A doe that carries her hay around in her mouth so it looks like a hay moustache is nesting. A doe that starts pulling clumps of fur off her belly and dewlap is nesting. If you've got both going on... give that girl a nestbox as soon as possible! Give her plenty of hay to fill it with and let her have her fun. If she makes the nest outside of the nestbox, carefully move the nest into the box and place the box where the nest was originally made.

Of course, some does don't make nests or pull fur until after the babies are born, in which case by the time you discover them, they may have gotten chilled. Babies in this instance most likely won't live unless you can warm them fast enough. Wearing chilled babies next to your skin may help, or setting them under a brooder light might work if you keep an eye on them so they don't get overheated.

If your doe is pregnant, congratulations on the new litter! Check the nestbox daily to count bodies to make sure they are all lively and warm. Remove any that die. If your doe isn't pregnant, you won't need to worry about all those extra bunny mouths to feed.

Donald Stuart answers your questions about Rabbit Hutch With Breeding Box on his website at http://www.rabbit-cages-and-hutches.com/how-to-build-a-rabbit-hutch-with-a-breeding-box.html

Rabbit Illness - What Are The Signs You Should Look Out For When Raising Rabbits

Don't think that your pet can't get sick. Animals get sick too sometimes even more often than people do. And since they can't tell you what exactly they feel you must be sensitive to the signs and symptoms observable to you. Rabbit illness like other animal sickness is not obvious, so it is often ignored.

The main reason why you need to widen your gaze regarding rabbit illness is because they can lead to complications and even death. Pay close attention to your pet if you must!

Common Signs of Rabbit Illness

- Loss of Appetite - This is the most common sign that there is something wrong with your pet. No matter how enticing and attractive you make its food look like it just won't eat. In some cases if the rabbit is really sick it won't even take a small sip of water.

- Irritability - Irritability among animals is exhibited through running away when you want to pet or cuddle them. Sometimes this includes biting and screaming.

- Always Sleeping - A sick animal is always resting. You'll notice that it would rather sleep than eat or run around.

- Lack of Energy - you'll also notice that the rabbit does not hop around too much. It's either asleep or resting in one corner. It looks tired even though it's always sleeping.

- Fever - Animals with fever exhibit high temperature. You don't need to take a thermometer to check this. You will notice a rise in temperature when you pick the animal up. Its body is warmer or hotter than usual.

Dangerous Signs of Rabbit Illness

- Vomiting - aside from loss of appetite. Look for signs that your rabbit vomited. Check out its hutch for anything.

- No litter droppings and or Diarrhoea

- Seems in pain when hopping or refuses to hop around.

- Swollen hind leg - This can be a serious sign of injury, which is indicative of fracture.

What you can do about it ?

First thing to do is give your rabbit some fluids. Rabbits are generally gentle creatures so you don't have to worry about biting and scratching. Use a dropper to so the rabbit won't be overwhelmed. Don't force your rabbit you might cause more harm to him than help. Let it rest while you observe for more signs of Rabbit Illness. Give it fluid from time to time. If this doesn't work don't wait for a few days before you take it to the vet. Take the rabbit to a pet clinic immediately especially if you noticed signs of injury. The vet will prescribe medications for your rabbit which you need to religiously give your bunny. Rabbit illness doesn't usually last long; it often takes about half a day or the whole day at most before it starts to eat again.

Learn step by step the right way of keeping rabbits the first time and avoid having to make painful mistakes that beginner rabbit owner's are prone too. Separate yourself from the average rabbit owner who will end up harming their rabbits without knowing it and you could learn more tips on raising rabbits from the guide here: http://www.howtoraiserabbits.com.

RABBITS EAT ? - What You Should Not Give To Your Rabbits

Rabbits like to often chew on something. They chew on cage bars; they chew on rugs, broom and even on hair! They do this even after they are fed. This could be interpreted as animal pica, the behavior of eating inedible stuff. It could be indicative of something serious or not. But no matter what it is, feeding rabbits must not be taken for granted. Letting your bunny loose to eat anything it wants is a sure way to kill it.

Don't think that it's easy to feed rabbits. They are actually more sensitive in what you give them. You might also be thinking that all vegetables and all fruits are good for them but you're wrong. They are not that predictable. Feeding rabbits can be more complicated than just tossing them a bowl of your left-over salad for munching on. Be wise about choosing the food you give to your bunny.

What you should not give:

- Lettuce
- Cabbage
- Parsnips
- Swedes
- Potato Tops
- tomato leaves
- Too much rabbit pellets
- and certain plants that can be found in your garden (best not to let your rabbit loose then)

NEVER give your bunny sweets and junk food, too.

All vegetables mentioned can give serious problems to your rabbit. They can either cause diarrhea or gas to your bunny. Some are too high in calcium that's unhealthy for the rabbit. They can die from bloating. So be careful on what you give them. If you are busy during the entire day, put you pet rabbit in a cage or hutch. Don't let it loiter around the house because they literally eat anything! Not only because you're worried about your rug or blankets but also because you should be worried about your bunny. It must be kept healthy. Feeding rabbits sure is tough. Now you know why you can't simply tell your bunny to help itself to the leftover salad. There are other vegetables and fruits you can give to your rabbit as treats: apples, carrots, and banana. Don't let rabbit pellets become the bulk of its diet. You wouldn't want to eat cereals for breakfast, lunch and dinner would you? So alternate its diet by giving it fresh foods.

Feeding rabbits should not be difficult for you. You can already memorize the vegetables you should not give your pet bunny. Keep your pet rabbit healthy and happy by giving it the right food for its growth. Believe me, if you do this you'll have a very healthy and happy bunny that'll love you.

Learn step by step the right way of feeding rabbits the first time and avoid having to make painful mistakes that beginner rabbit owner's are prone too. Separate yourself from the average rabbit owner who will end up harming their rabbits without knowing it and you could learn more tips on raising rabbits from the guide here:http://www.howtoraiserabbits.com. Don't forget to claim your FREE "4 Rabbit Care Tips That Every Rabbit Owners Should Know!" eReport!