A Bunny for Easter? Eek!
The idea of adopting a bunny and welcoming them into your family is a beautiful thought. They are simply precious with their soft fur, delicate features, and playful personalities making them rather easy to fall madly in love with. However, contrary to popular belief, they are far from easy to care for and require very specific care that is essential to their overall wellbeing.
Unfortunately, many well intentioned folks come up with the idea of adopting a bunny as an “Easter gift”, often for a small child. Sometimes the idea of getting a “starter pet” is discussed as a way of teaching a child lessons in responsibility. Honestly, if you are completely new to the bunny world, I can totally understand why those might seem like great ideas but that just doesn’t typically work out for the bunnies in these situations and often leads to extremely devastating and even fatal outcomes.
I come from a long line of animal lovers and caretakers so when my bunny Klaus came into my life, it didn’t even occur to me that I didn’t have the proper knowledge and experience to care for him. He’s a bunny so he needs a cage and some carrots, right? WRONG!!!! I was so incredibly wrong and I’m so fortunate that my Bunny Boss was so patient with me as I learned how to properly and humbly serve as his loyal Executive Assistant managing his housekeeping, room service, spa treatments, fitness regimes, and social media accounts. See how that drastically changed from being “my bunny” to my “Bunny Boss”? Yep. That is the bun life!
Proper house rabbit care includes regular grooming, vacuuming, litter box changes, fresh water, and full bunny body massages in a safe and peaceful indoor environment.
I could go on and on about proper house rabbit care and the joys of cohabitating with a bun. It’s true! I actually taught a class about proper house rabbit care that lasted for three hours and I really could have kept going! There is so much to discover about these beautiful bunny beings. Much of my education comes from the very passionate souls at San Diego House Rabbit Society and my own discoveries as Klaus continues to train me and teach me extremely valuable lessons every day.
Spring is a tough time in the Bunny World because it is extremely common for people to adopt a bunny for Easter with a preconceived idea in their mind of what they think it will be like and when it doesn’t instantly look like that, they are either returned to the shelter (sometimes dumped in a box at the door even) or simply just left at a park somewhere essentially abandoned and marked for death. (Domestic bunnies are not wild bunnies and do not have the same survival instincts.) This weighs heavy on my soul because it is so avoidable. We just need the right education and awareness to circulate so we can do better and do right by the buns!
“I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.”
- Maya Angelou
This is one of my favorite quotes as it is applicable to so much in life. It’s important to give ourselves grace and remember that we are all just trying to do our best. Personally, I think that is at the core of what our human experience is all about - trying to do better and be better than who we were and what we did yesterday for ourselves and our loved ones which includes the animals that we share this planet with.
Spending as much time as possible on the floor with your bun is an excellent way to bond with your bun. This also helps in building trust and lets your bun know that they are loved.
Here are a few things that I have learned along the way about bunnies that I want everyone to really think about before considering if a bunny might be a good fit for your home, your family, and/or your lifestyle:
1- Bunnies cannot live in a cage.
They need space to be a bunny! Bunnies need to hop and stretch and have the physical space to let their personalities come out and grow and shine as they exercise and bond with you in a safe indoor environment. They can live roam free indoors in a dedicated space or in an exercise pen however, they do need 3-4 hours outside of the pen to hop around indoors to explore.
2- Bunnies have specific nutritional needs.
Bunnies require 24/7 quality hay, preferably a blend of Timothy Hay and Orchard Hay. They also enjoy a proper salad but not all veggies are created equal which means we need to be really mindful of how their bunny bodies react to their room service items. Plus, not all treats that are marketed to bunnies are safe and some really shouldn’t get anywhere near buns at all so we must read labels carefully.
3- Bunnies typically do not like being picked up.
This can be a bummer if you had the idea of scoping your bunny up and making them your purse bun. They will likely plot revenge if you attempt to do this. They are prey animals and prefer to be on the floor where they feel safe and secure. This is why I stopped sitting on my furniture years ago. I’m always on the floor with my bun. This is how we’ve been able to bond and how I’ve built trust with him over the years. Of course, you do need to learn how to properly pick them up to groom them or to help them into their carriers or as we call it, “his adventure transporter.”
4- Bunnies are delicate.
Bunnies can scare themselves to death. They can give themselves heart attacks and strokes when they perceive that they might be in a dangerous situation. For a bunny this could be from loud noises like traffic, other animals, noisy children, loud music and even being held incorrectly could lead to death. They are also sensitive to weather, parasites, and pesticides which means they must absolutely live indoors.
5- Bunnies are expensive.
It is imperative that bunnies see an Exotic Veterinary Doctor which is typically more expensive than doctors that see cats and dogs. It is highly recommended to spay and neuter buns which can improve their health while avoiding possible medical concerns like the risk of cancer. They also need yearly wellness visits with blood work and dental exams to make sure that everything is working as it should in their bunny bodies. Since Klaus is a more “mature bun”, we do wellness visits every six months and each visit is close to $300. Also, due to the RHDV2 outbreak, it is crucial for all bunnies to be vaccinated. There are also x-rays to consider if needed as well as other possible medications.
Bunnies need enrichment accessories for physical and mental agility. They are sophisticated beings that enjoy showing off just how smart they are!
This is just a very short overview based on my personal adventures with Klaus, my time as a volunteer with animal shelters, and having dozens of conversations with my fellow bunny loving friends who have decades of experience in proper house rabbit care.
Another big factor to consider is time. Do you have time to spend with them? Time to groom them? Time to play with them? Time to get to know them? Time to observe them to see if they are hiding any health concerns from you? (Remember they are prey, so they are inclined to hide signs of illness or pain.) Do you have time to ensure that you are taking all of the recommended biosecurity measures to keep them safe?
Bunnies are bunnies. They aren’t like cats. They aren’t like dogs. They are their own special creatures that have so much magic in them with great big hearts that have the power to change your life for the better. They just require unique care and attention that many folks might not be used to or might not currently have the time for. There was a time in my life when I was working 60+ hours a week (not working from home) and that definitely would not have been the right time for me to have any animal at home. When things shifted on that front and I had more time at home and a more flexible schedule it then became appropriate for me to consider adopting an animal companion.
The bun life isn’t for everyone. There is nothing wrong with taking your time to do some research and maybe deciding that a few more stars need to align in your life before hopping into the bunny world. That’s more than okay! In the meantime, I do suggest considering delightful vegan chocolate alternatives for Easter instead of a living 10-15+ year commitment.
It’s really easy to get sucked into a seemingly “cute” TikTok or Instagram video or post but to ensure that you are getting proper education please check out the following links to discover more about the bunderful world of buns and to see if it might realistically be the right match for you.
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES:
https://rabbit.org/
https://rabbit.org/hrs-howcast-videos/
https://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/blog
SIGN UP FOR HOUSE RABBIT FUNDAMENTALS AKA “BUNNY 101”:
SDHRS ONLINE LEARNING LIBRARY
BUNNY SUPPLIES:
https://san-diego-house-rabbit-society.square.site/
BUNNY SHELTERS AND EXOTIC VET CLINICS:
https://www.sandiegorabbits.org/
https://www.avianexoticvetcare.com/
VEGAN EASTER CHOCOLATES:
https://www.peta.org/living/food/bunny-approved-vegan-easter-candy/
FUN BUNNY READING:
A sweet collection of stories about rabbits in literature, art, mythology, and pop culture throughout history all around the world! A “must have” in all bunny homes!