The things no one tells you about when you get a cute baby bunny.
BE VERY PREPARED!
Having a ‘cute’ baby bunny may be easy & calm for the first month but then they will turn into something that resembles having a two year old toddler and an over active puppy that is into EVERYTHING! Mix that up with the mood swings and attitude of a teenager and there you have it… Exactly what to expect with a ‘Cute’ baby bunny. All we can say is if you are not educated or prepared for looking after a ‘Cute baby bunny… GOOD LUCK! You are really going to need it!
BE PREPARED!
When a bunny reaches a few months old their hormones kick in and they become extremely energetic and can be a nightmare, even if you are prepared! They will be into everything and they can cause chaos! They will constantly want to investigate new areas and items and if you stop them, they will just keep trying again and again and again.
They may sleep for a little while, but once their energy levels are recharged they will be ready to cause chaos all over again.
BE PREPARED!
You will need a very secure, spacious ‘bunny-safe’ home.
You will need lots of ‘bunny-safe’ space for them to play in. You will need lots of ‘bunny-safe’ toys for them to play with. You will need the area they play in to be very secure.
DO NOT even think about shutting them up in a small cage or hutch! That is not the right way to care for your new baby rabbit. Rabbits need lots of space, no matter what age or size they are. To keep them enclosed in a small cage or hutch is extremely cruel.
BE PREPARED!
Bunnies will get bored very quickly!
They will get bored of the bunny toys and want to investigate items that are not for them. They will get bored of their home and space (no matter how nice or large it is) They will want to continually investigate more areas. They will want to investigate what is behind the door; in the next room; up on the shelf; behind that cupboard; under the bed; out of bounds areas in the garden, etc, etc, etc. Their wanting to investigate something else will not stop!
BE PREPARED!
A bored bunny can be very destructive!
If they get bored they will look at things to chew that they shouldn’t and that can be anything! They love to chew and dig. It’s all natural behaviour to them, so very difficult to stop them. In fact, you won’t stop them. What you need to do is give them something that they can safely dig or chew and destroy.
BE PREPARED!
Bunnies need company!
Ideally you should have two bunnies, so that they have company, but they will still need lots of your time, too. Time for you to teach them right from wrong. Time for you to bond with them. Time for them to learn to trust you. Time for them to become your friend.
BE PREPARED!
Bunnies will fight!
Having two bunnies is great, but they will start to fight when their hormones kick in. You will need to get them BOTH spayed/neutered before they start to fight to keep them bonded. Even same sex bunnies will need to be spayed/neutered.
BE PREPARED!
To find the right vet!
You will need to find a vet that specialises in rabbits as they are classed as exotic pets! Many ‘normal’ vets do not know enough about rabbit health, so do your homework in finding a rabbit savvy vet. You may also have to be prepared to travel to find one.
BE PREPARED!
They will need to be vaccinated!
You will need to have them vaccinated every year to protect them from three diseases. Myxomatosis and RVHD1 and RVHD2.
BE PREPARED!
You need to get them spayed/neutered!
You will need to get them booked in to be spayed/neutered just as soon as they are old enough. Having them neutered/spayed will calm your bunny’s hormones down. It helps to stop spraying urine. It helps improve litter tray toilet training. It helps to stop fighting between bonded bunnies. It is also needed for many health reasons and to obviously stop any babies.
BE PREPARED!
You will need a good bank balance!
Creating the perfect home for them can be expensive, but it is very important to give them the right space and security they need. Creating an ideal home can be a lot of fun. Create something that will last them for many years. Create something that is the right size right from day one. That way you are getting more for your money.
DO NOT buy a small hutch or cage. They are never big enough. It is so cruel to keep a rabbit in a small cage or hutch. Plus, these small cruel cages and hutches can cost just as much as it does to create the ‘right’ home for your bunny.
Even if you decide to have your bunny become a free roam house bunny (which is great), they will need a secure penned off area to call their own until they are house trained and can be trusted to be free roam in your home.
BE PREPARED!
You will need even more of a good bank balance!
Neutering/spaying and vaccinations are very much needed, not just for your bunny to live a happy healthy life, but for you, too. You will have a much calmer, content bunny to share your life with.
THE EASIER WAY!
If you don’t like the sounds of going through all of the above with a cute, little bunny rabbit then don’t. All you have to do is adopt instead.
Rescue rabbits will already be neutered/spayed and vaccinated, so that is saving you a whole heap of time and worries. Perfect!
DID YOU KNOW? Most of the unwanted bunnies at rescues would have become unwanted because they came from people who were not prepared!
GET PREPARED!
A great idea to get prepared is to volunteer at your local rescue for a day or two and get to know what it’s really like to care for rabbits. The rescue staff will be able to answer your questions and give you so much valuable advice. They will know the personalities of the bunnies they have in their care and will also be able to find you bunnies that will suit you and your home.
Click here to find out more about adopting bunnies and why it makes perfect sense to adopt!
Does your child desperately want a pet bunny? Then please click here to read the blog that all parents should read first!
In summary…
We a Best4bunny love bunnies very much, but unfortunately we come across so many people that are not prepared for just how hard it can be to care for bunnies, especially young ones! We hope this blog helps people realise just how important it is to be not just prepared, but educated, too! Once you are prepared, be prepared to experience a wonderful friendship with bunnies. They will bring you so much joy and laughter and they are amazing companions to share your life with every day. Once you live with them, you won’t be able to live without them!
You can enjoy more features on bunny care and what it’s really like to share your life with bunnies in the Best4bunny Magazine. Click here to buy.
