With Easter this Sunday, many children are expecting to wake up and find baskets filled with candy and eggs hidden around their home. Some might even find a special little bunny of their own. While these bunnies are adorable and fun at first, many parents don’t realize how much work goes into raising a bunny and after the first few weeks, many either abandon the new pet or turn it over to a shelters and rescue groups. Hundreds of bunnies are euthanized as a result. This Easter season the Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center and Urgent Care is urging potential bunny owners to consider the following before adopting a bunny as a pet:
* Consider the cost of owning a bunny including vet care, food, litter, toys and housing. Bunnies can live for 8-10 years, something most people are surprised by.
* Think about how much time your family has to dedicate to a new bunny. It will take time to litter box train, socialize and exercise your bunny every day. Bunnies are active–they may dash around the house, hide behind furniture and chew on baseboards. They can make very nice pets for the home and will bond with humans and other household pets if owners take time to play with them. Bunnies actually can be litter box trained and can roam around freely inside the house as long as they have enough sun-lit exercise space. Families who keep their bunny in an outdoor cage will miss out on their special personalities.
* If your children are young, you will need to supervise their interaction with the bunny. Bunnies are very delicate, which means they are easily hurt when children pick them up. They also feel frightened when held and children may get hurt by a bunny kicking and struggling to run, or they may get bit.
* Bunnies are healthier if spayed or neutered, lowering their chance for cancer and relieving sexual aggression. Costs for altering a bunny can range from $100-$200.
Bunnies can be great pets if given the time and Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center and Urgent Care suggests families adopt a foster bunny first before deciding they want to buy one.
–Rebecca Guyon
