Rabbits are so cute, they usually look so candy and cuddly. However don’t be fooled into considering these are simple starter pets.
Having a rabbit isn’t the low dedication you could assume it’s. Rabbits are simply as a lot work as every other pet (and price as a lot cash, too).
Preserve studying to study the drawbacks of getting a rabbit so you may make an knowledgeable resolution earlier than leaping right into a decade-long dedication.
1. Rabbits Are Not Appropriate For Small Kids
Rabbits should not appropriate pets for babies. Firstly, a toddler can’t play with a rabbit in the identical manner as they might with a canine or perhaps a cat. Plus, rabbits should not overly affectionate in the way in which a toddler would need from a pet. This stuff alone are sufficient for a kid to rapidly neglect concerning the rabbit and transfer on to one thing else.
Additionally they don’t do properly in high-paced and loud environments, which youngsters can’t assist however create. Additionally, younger youngsters aren’t bodily in a position to maintain a rabbit correctly, which places the rabbits prone to harm, in addition to your baby ought to the rabbit scratch them.
2. They Are Excessive-Upkeep
Taking a look at a rabbit, you could not assume there’s lots of upkeep concerned. However you’d be fallacious. Rabbits are actually high-maintenance. In actual fact, I’d say that my rabbit requires simply as a lot as my different animals, if no more.
Rabbits should be litter-trained to keep away from fixed sweeping or vacuuming. However even then, you’ll must maintain their litter field and enclosure clear, or their urine can develop into fairly smelly.
3. Rabbits Want a Quiet Environment
When a rabbit is uncovered to fixed startling, they get stressed simply, which might trigger critical well being issues. They want peace and quiet to actually thrive. They don’t perform properly in high-activity or loud conditions. In fact, they’ll stand the occasional disturbance so long as they’ve acquired a quiet place to cover away.
4. They Are Ordinary Chewers
Rabbits don’t simply like to chew. They should. Their tooth will develop too lengthy in the event that they don’t have sufficient issues they’ll chew. Plus, it’s an intuition and one you may’t change. Rabbits are recurring chewers and diggers.
Even while you bunny-proof each nook of the home and get all of them the chew toys they need, there’s nonetheless an opportunity of high-priced issues getting chewed. Furnishings, wire, books, baseboards, you identify it. If they’ll discover it, you guess a rabbit will attempt to chew on it.
5. Rabbits Aren’t as Cuddly as You Suppose
Rabbits appear to be they like to cuddle, however they actually don’t prefer it normally. Effectively, not normally. Once more, they present affection in a different way than different pets, like a canine or a cat.
When you have a superb bond, you may cuddle with a rabbit on its phrases. Your rabbit might lay in your lap or sit by you. However forming that bond takes lots of time and effort, and even then, that particular rabbit might not wish to cuddle.
6. Conserving a Rabbit Is Extra Costly Than a Cat
Don’t get a rabbit, considering they value nothing to maintain. They want rather a lot to maintain them wholesome and joyful, and that doesn’t come low cost. In actual fact, they’re proven to be costlier than cats.
This ASPCA study lists the yearly prices of getting a cat at $1149. The yearly prices of getting a rabbit are virtually twice that.
The upfront prices of getting a rabbit can attain a whole lot of {dollars}. Then, you’ll seemingly spend at the very least $200 in your rabbit each month for its complete life, round 10 years. And that’s simply giving your rabbit the naked minimal.
7. Rabbits Want a Lot of House
Rabbit cages offered in shops are WAY TOO SMALL for rabbits to truly reside in. Pet rabbits want lots of area to run round and train. 4-6 toes to be precise. And that’s simply the enclosure. Additionally they want at the very least 32 sq. toes of train area.
Additionally, rabbits ought to by no means be within the cage all day, even when it’s sufficiently big. They want a number of hours of train and playtime in an train area or simply operating across the room. Actually, rabbits do significantly better after they have free roam of the home, however that additionally means you need to bunny-proof your entire house.
8. They Want Numerous Consideration
Rabbits want far more consideration than you assume. They’re extraordinarily social creatures and have to kind bonds. That’s why they’re not speculated to be alone, however we’ll get into that quickly.
Alone or not, rabbits want loads of one-on-one time for bonding and coaching. Plus, they want issues to maintain from turning into bored as a result of rabbits can get damaging or depressed with out one thing to occupy their minds.
9. A Rabbit’s Dietary Wants Can Get Difficult
Rabbits aren’t like different pets, who can survive with good dry meals. A rabbit’s digestive system is delicate, they usually want a well-balanced weight loss plan to maintain it in working order. You might be shocked to learn this, however dry meals is the smallest a part of a rabbit’s weight loss plan.
Principally, it’s hay and grass, then there’s greens and a little bit of fruits, after which on the backside of the listing, there’s dry meals. There’s additionally a protracted listing of meals a rabbit CAN’T eat.
10. Veterinary Care Can Be Costly & Onerous To Discover
Rabbits want common vet visits like every other animal and may value a whole lot of {dollars} yearly. And that’s not protecting any emergencies. However that’s not the one problem.
Rabbits are thought-about unique pets, which suggests two issues. Common vets usually received’t see them, and people who do cost a reasonably penny. It took me endlessly to discover a good vet to take my rabbit on.
11. They Are Delicate
Rabbits should be dealt with with care, and I imply that in additional methods than one. First, rabbits are small. Their bones break simply. Being dropped or leaping out of our arms can develop into disastrous. Irrespective of the breed or measurement, rabbits should be actually dealt with correctly.
The opposite which means of that’s their psychological well being. Including to their bodily fragility, additionally they have a really complicated emotional make-up, which suggests they get depressed and careworn simply.
12. Rabbits Don’t Do Effectively Alone
Rabbits should not meant to be alone. Within the wild, rabbits reside in massive colonies, however even home rabbits have particular social wants that solely different rabbits can meet.
Alone, a rabbit will want much more of your consideration and might be extra prone to develop into depressed. That’s why it’s significantly better to have rabbits in bonded pairs. So, you may’t simply get one.
13. They Can Be Aggressive
Talking of combating, rabbits aren’t all cute and pleasant. Some can get fairly imply when there are hormones or stress concerned. Rabbits really feel anger and get stressed, similar to you and me and should lash out by biting or scratching.
Aggression isn’t all that frequent in rabbits, however it might occur. I’ve seen it loads of occasions from each genders and in each fastened and unfixed rabbits. However, I’ll say that this behaviour is far more frequent in males or nursing females.
14. Rabbits Don’t At all times Do Effectively With Different Pets
Rabbits are prey animals. They’re not likely that appropriate with canine and cats– predators.
Whereas good relationships are doable, it doesn’t at all times occur like that, and it might take a very long time to kind that bond.
In case your animals aren’t appropriate, your rabbit could also be in critical hazard. Even separated, a rabbit will nonetheless know there’s a predator current and should develop into careworn by the sight or odor. That stress could cause well being issues in the long term.
15. They Shed a Lot
Grooming is absolutely essential. Not only for holding free hairs off the ground but additionally on your rabbit to shed correctly. Not all breeds shed, however most do. They usually shed a stunning quantity of hair for such little critters, particularly round spring and fall.
Weekly brushing is often wanted, however some breeds want extra. I also needs to point out that you just’ll additionally have to study correct nail clipping or discover a vet who can do it.
Conclusion
Rabbits are lovely, and they are often fabulous pets, however they arrive with lots of drawbacks. When you’re significantly all for having a rabbit, be ready to place up with these drawbacks for the following 10-12 years of your life.
Having a rabbit is probably not what you count on, and that received’t be the rabbit’s fault. So, if you would like a rabbit, please take time to contemplate every thing earlier than deciding as a result of it’s a giant dedication.
