sabato 23 gennaio 2010

Should You Get a Pet Rabbit?

By John Brown

Rabbits can be wonderful house pets whether you're interested in having an animal to keep yourself company or as a pet for everyone in the household to enjoy. Surprisingly loving animals, rabbits are generally good natured creatures, but much like any living thing they do have some special needs in regards to their housing and basic care so you will want to ensure a pet rabbit will be the right addition for your home.

First, determine whether or not you have ample room for keeping a pet rabbit. While hutches can be on the small side, rabbits will still need a place to be outside of the cage or hutch for running, playing, and exploring. The rabbit's hutch will serve as his or her burrow, which in the wild, is where they go to feel safe and sound. During the daytime, rabbits will usually be at their most active and will need room to move about. Constructing an outdoor run that offers enough protection from other animals as well as from the elements is one option to consider, or you may rather just allow your pet rabbit to roam freely around the house.

There are also things that you should remember about the rabbits themselves. Even larger rabbits can be fairly fragile and they should not be handled clumsily. This might make them a poor choice for younger children unless you are going to be on hand to supervise at all times. Similarly, it is worth noting that rabbits are social creatures. Many people will recommend getting two rabbits so that they can keep each other company. This will be a good thing to do unless you are willing to have your rabbit bond to you be as clingy as a young child! To make sure that the rabbits get along well together, you might want to consider getting two littermates.

Another thing that will make your life and your rabbit's life easier is some basic training. For instance, you should work on litter training your rabbit as soon as possible, and after that, he can have the free run of your home. Be willing to let your rabbit follow you around, but also be willing to foresee what kind of damage he can do. Many owners will spend some time rabbit proofing the area where he is going to be. Rabbits will chew raw wood and they will "dig" as well, which can damage carpeting. Be patient with this very natural behavior and look into how you can prevent it in the future.

Always keep in mind that a pet rabbit may live up to ten years or more so be sure you are completely ready for this type of commitment before bringing a new animal into the home.

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