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Rabbits are highly sociable creatures. They
love to interact with their human companions and rabbit buddies
once they are bonded. There is nothing sadder or more depressed
than a rabbit left in an outdoor hutch with no toys to stimulate
his intelligence and no human companion to stimulate his playfulness
and feed his desire for interaction. If you want to buy a
rabbit, please give him or her a safe, clean home inside your
own home where he can become a true companion to you and your
family.
Rabbits are delicate, sensitive
creatures who thrive best in adult homes or homes with older
children who are sensitive to their care needs. Children under
the age of 8 are much too young to correctly handle a rabbit.
Parents need to always monitor their children's interaction
with their rabbit because if your rabbit gets scared or if
a child accidentally hurts him, he may bite your child in
self defense.
1. Buy the supplies you will need to provide
your rabbit with a comfortable play area in your home before
you bring your rabbit home. Set your rabbit's play area up
in a corner of the room where there is not a lot of foot traffic,
noise from outdoors, or drafts.
2. Make your rabbit more a part of your family by placing
him in a play area rather than a cage inside your home. Houserabbits
can live longer, healthier lives than outdoor hutch rabbits
who may be stalked by predators or scared to death by noises
or animals.
3. Make sure everything you buy for your rabbit
is the correct size for him, such as food dish, water dish
or bottle, flea comb (for grooming), litterbox, play area
fence (dog fence's work well), and travel case.
4. Select a rabbit breed that is right for
your lifestyle and living situation: larger rabbits tend to
be more mellow, although this is not always the case; and
smaller, dwarf breeds tend to be more high strung and are
happiest in quiet, adult households where they can receive
individualized attention.
5. Keep in mind that breed information about rabbit temperaments
is not as accurate as it is about dog temperaments. Each rabbit
is a distinct individual and if you work on bonding with a
high-strung rabbit, he may become more mellow over a period
of years. One of my rabbits always bit me and drew blood,
but today, nearly six years later, he's my most loving rabbit.
6. Keep in mind that lop rabbits (rabbits
with floppy ears) often have more ear problems than rabbits
with upright ears.
7. Keep in mind that rabbits with long fur, such as Angoras
and Jersey Wooleys require daily grooming, and sometimes more
than once a day during molting (shedding) season to prevent
tangled fur and stomach impaction from furballs.
8. Bring your rabbit home in his new travel case and line
the case with a soft fleece blanket (in winter) or a flat,
flannel-covered, waterproof crib mat (in summer).
Only bring a rabbit home if you are going
to let it be a house rabbit and if you have the time and inclination
to provide your rabbit with the care, attention, affection,
and companionship it needs and deserves.
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