If you share your life with rabbits, you already know how special they are. The minute they hop into our lives, rabbits quickly become valued family members with amazingly cheeky personalities. But what else do pet bunnies do for us?
Wellbeing:
Caring for our little fluff bums gives us immense satisfaction. When you’re a pawrent, the unconditional love we receive from rabbits in return for their dependence on us to deliver the proper care is so rewarding. Those little faces with wiggly noses looking up at us are incredibly adorable. Even how they glare at us when we have done something wrong makes us melt on the spot.
House rabbits have excellent communication skills, even though they don’t meow or bark. This, combined with their preference for a daily schedule that meets their demands, keeps us on our toes. If for some reason, we don’t maintain the regularly scheduled program, rabbits quickly notify us of their displeasure.
However, being a servant to our bunnies is rarely doom and gloom. Pet rabbits have magical ways of letting you know they are happy and love you. Of course, they might not tell you daily, as bunnies have their moods! But when they do, it is extraordinary indeed. Bunnies make it very clear they are very thankful for all you do for them.
Security:
Not many people know that our pet rabbits can be great security guards! You’ll hear your bunnies thump with their back legs if they don’t recognise something or someone. This thumping can be very loud, even waking you up from a deep sleep! Incredulously, some house rabbits alerted their families via thumping when they smelt smoke from a fire, saving lives.
Exercise:
Pet rabbits don’t require daily walks like dogs do but looking after them can keep us just as fit!
As a part of their love of a daily schedule, keeping their homes clean and tidy is a regular thing we bunny parents do. When we give their enclosures a clean and a bit of a rearrange, we think, “job well done.” Although we like their home to look a certain way, our bunnies have other ideas. Once our backs are turned, they will change their residence to how they want it to look.
Then, there is the unexpected workout when we nip into the local pet shop for a couple of items and end up buying loads. It is always a challenge to carry it back to the car and do it quickly enough before the bags of hay split!
Companionship:
When some people say, “it’s just a rabbit, “ they have no idea what amazing companions bunnies make. Bunny pawrents get frustrated when people don’t understand rabbits provide the same relationship benefits as dogs or cats. Our fluff bums bring so much to our lives that it really is a blessing to share our lives with them. Their unconditional love and friendship are priceless.
Education:
When it comes to caring for rabbits, there is always something new to learn. As an exotic pet species, their needs and husbandry requirements require a gold standard level of care. Therefore, knowing we are doing our very best is critical as a bunny pawrent. Observing bunnies and their behaviour daily teaches us so much. That, combined with constantly increasing our knowledge, helps us discern unusual rabbit behaviour. This knowledge increases your ability to spot early warning signs of illnesses, enabling you to act quickly.
Therapy:
Spending quality time with our bunbuns makes us feel so happy; they can help lift our spirits if we are having a bad day. Just looking into their eyes has such a calming effect, and they are great listeners, too! Rabbits love the attention and appreciate the opportunity to help us relax.
Written by bunny moms Jess Sullivan and Della Smith
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