Did you know rabbits can be litter trained? Yes, like a cat. And did you know they can be snuggly, loyal companions? Yes, like a dog. They are inexpensive to keep, and they're darn cute! And every year after Easter, the Humane Society is inundated with them because people don't know what they're REALLY getting into when they put one in their kid's easter basket.
My rabbit's name is Annie. She's named after Annie's Organic mac and cheese which is my favorite and which features a rabbit on the box. Annie is also ten years old. Did you know rabbits live that long? i didn't when I got her. I bought her at a pet store after my brother was killed. She was a soft, snuggly baby, and I needed that at the time. I really wasn't thinking about the long term commitment at the time, but here we are, ten years and a schnauzer later, still soft, less snuggly.
Annie was once litter trained and had free reign of the house. Then I inherited my grandfather's schnauzer. They are sort of mortal enemies. Rabbits are prey animals, so my bringing a dog into the house was a major betrayal. She is convinced that she will be eaten any minute now. Rabbits are best kept as a sole pet or with other rabbits. They are much happier when they have room to roam than when they have to be in a cage all the time. Now that there's a dog in the house, she is terrified to be out of her cage.
The dog's arrival also coincided with Annie's puberty, which occurs around three-years of age. Rabbits sometimes experience a drastic personality change at three, sometimes making the sweetest baby into an attack rabbit a la Monty Python. Puberty and the dog ensured that Annie became kind of a b**ch. We have a mutual respect for one another now, but she no longer welcomes snuggling.
If you are going to have a free-range house rabbit, be aware that they chew. Everything. It can't be helped, so you need to have a room they can roam that a.) won't be utterly destroyed by teeth marks, and b.) won't poison them if they ingest anything. Free-range rabbits are not good for rental housing. Landlords frown upon nibbled woodwork.
I think people equate bunnies with puppies and flowers and sunshine, which makes them seem like the perfect pet for kids. They're really only appropriate for the most responsible of older kids. People realize this too late, their kids get attacked by a terrified rabbit the day after Easter, and off to the pound it goes. They're great pets, but know what you're getting into before you get one.
P.S. Amy Sedaris has rabbits. I love her.
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I had a rabbit once. I loved her even though she was grumpy and only seemed to eat newspaper. I was sad when she died. I still want a rabbit, but I have so many other animals now and not enough time to cuddle and love on it. It just wouldn’t be fair for it.
Sadly, I had to put Annie down less than two weeks after I wrote this. She had an aggressive tumor in her chest and I didn't want her to be in pain. It was awful. I cried for a week. i'm pretty much over it now, but I still haven't put away her house. i can't quite bring myself to do it. *sniff*
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
I remember you wrote a blog on it.
Are you going to get a new rabbit/ have you gotten a new rabbit?