Small animal special | PETS
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#2 THEY’RE CLEAN
Have you ever had your carpet messed up by
your dog’s muddy paws, or your couch scratched
to pieces by your furr-ocious feline? With a
rabbit, you’ll often fi nd that keeping your house
and their living area clean is a whole lot easier.
“Rabbits are very clean pets,” Susie says. “They
like to groom themselves constantly and they
like to choose one place for a toilet and keep
the rest of their home clean.”
Sure, you’ll still need to clean up after your
pet to ensure she stays healthy, but it’s hardly
back-breaking work.
#3 THEY’RE LOW-MAINTENANCE
It’s not just their cleanliness that makes rabbits
easy to look after; there are several other reasons
why rabbits are such low-maintenance pets. “We
now know more about their diet, and feeding
them a proper diet means they live a much longer
and healthier life, making them a better choice as
a long-term family pet,” Susie explains. “They do
need to be let out of their cages for a run around
regularly, but don’t need to be exercised or
walked like a dog. They can have a run around the
house and can be trained to use a litter tray.”
She also points out that while cats and dogs can
be expensive to maintain with annual vaccinations,
rabbits are low-maintenance in this respect. The
only vaccination is for calicivirus if your bunny lives
outdoors in a high-risk environment.
Finally, a pet rabbit is much cheaper and
easier to be boarded or cared for than a dog
or cat when you go away on holiday.
#4 THEY’RE VERSATILE
No matter how young or old you are or where
you live, a rabbit could potentially fi t right into
your family lifestyle. “The range of breeds and
temperaments makes them a versatile pet, from
the docile bunny suitable for young children as
fi rst pets through to breeds suitable for older
children, adults, companion pets and those
looking to show or compete with their bunnies,”
Susie says.
Rabbits are also happy to be housed indoors
or out, or a combination of both, so they are
great for those with limited garden space or
no garden at all. Some landlords who don’t
allow cats or dogs will allow tenants to have
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a pet rabbit, enabling you to enjoy the many
benefi ts of pet ownership.#5 THEY BOND WITH YOU
There’s something of a misconception that
rabbits are timid, frightened pets that often don’t
enjoy human contact, but this is simply not the
case. While they do need to be handled with care,
rabbits are social animals and love nothing more
than spending quality time with a loving owner.
“We are learning more about their behaviour
and their character — we know we can train
them and we know how to bond with them,”
Susie says. And while training and bonding with
your rabbit is very diff erent to how you develop
a relationship with a dog or cat, with a little
research and the right approach, you will soon be
able to build a strong bond with your furry friend.CHOOSING A RABBIT
If you’ve decided a rabbit is the right pet for you,
the best place to start is at your local rabbit club —
the rabbit council in your state or territory should
be able to put you in touch with your nearest club.
Christine Dean, vice-president of the
West Australian Rabbit Council Inc (WARCI),
recommends visiting a rabbit show to fi nd out
more about what it takes to keep a rabbit as a pet.
“Go to one or two shows to look at the
diff erent breeds and talk to a breeder — they
will help you. The knowledge a potential pet
owner can get from a discussion with a breeder
is priceless. They will also recommend hutch
size, food, health and husbandry,” she says.
Research is key when choosing a rabbit as you’ll
need to know how to feed, house, train and bond
with your pet. You could go the traditional route
and buy your furry friend from a breeder, or you
might want to consider lending a helping paw to
an animal in need and adopting your pet from a
rabbit rescue group. Whichever option you choose,
make sure your pet comes from a reputable source
and the breeder or rescue group off ers plenty of
advice on how to care for the breed you choose.
And, as Susie says, you need to be ready for a
long-term commitment. “Remember that rabbits
are living longer now that we know how to care
for them better — around 12 years of age and
longer for smaller breeds — so make sure you are
prepared for the commitment,” she advises.