Should I Get a Rabbit?
Get a rabbit if you can give it a rabbit-proofed indoor space, an hour a day, fresh greens daily, an exotics veterinarian, and ten years. Skip it if you want a low-maintenance pet, a pet for a young child, or an animal that enjoys being held. Most rabbits are neither cuddly nor easy.
Most rabbit articles are written by people trying to sell you something
This one is written by a sanctuary. We would rather talk you out of it now than take the rabbit back in eight months, and in the largest published study of shelter rabbits, 77 percent arrived as owner surrenders, a far higher proportion than dogs or cats (Cook and McCobb, 2012). Almost always because the animal turned out to be different from the picture.
So here is the picture.
Seven things people get wrong
They are not cuddly. Most rabbits dislike being picked up. Being lifted is what happens to a prey animal immediately before it dies, and the instinct does not care that you mean well. Rabbits are affectionate on their own terms, on the floor, at their initiative. If you want an animal that wants to be held, get a cat.
They are not low maintenance. Daily fresh greens, unlimited hay, a litter box changed every day or two, an hour of supervised free time minimum, and constant vigilance about what they are chewing.
They are not cheap. Several hundred dollars a year in food and litter alone, plus exotic veterinary care that costs more than dog and cat care because fewer practices offer it. Spay or neuter runs $250 to $500 in California. One emergency can exceed a thousand dollars.
They are not short-lived. A well-cared-for indoor rabbit lives eight to twelve years. This is a decade.
They are not a good first pet for a child. Rabbits are fragile, startle easily, and can be injured by ordinary handling. A rabbit is an adult's animal that a child may help with.
They destroy things. Baseboards, cables, furniture legs, carpet. Rabbit-proofing is not optional and it is never entirely finished.
They need an exotics vet. Most general practices do not treat rabbits well. Find your vet before you need one, because the night your rabbit stops eating is the wrong time to start searching.
What they actually are
Rabbits are intelligent, opinionated, funny, and specific. They learn names and routines, come when called if they feel like it, and have real preferences about people. A bonded pair grooming each other is one of the better things in domestic animal keeping. A rabbit that trusts you will flop over sideways at your feet, which is an animal saying it does not expect to need to run.
None of that is available in the first week. Rabbits take months to open up, and the ones who take longest are often the best company in the end.
The honest test
Answer these out loud.
- Can you give up a room, or most of one, to an animal?
- Are you home enough to give an hour a day, every day, for ten years?
- Can you spend $1,500 on an emergency without deciding between the rabbit and your rent?
- Is there an exotics veterinarian within a reasonable drive?
- Do you rent, and if so, does your lease allow it?
- Will anyone in the household be bothered by chewed baseboards?
- Are you prepared for an animal that may never want to be picked up?
A no on three, four, or five is a real no. A rabbit without a vet, without space, or without a landlord's permission ends up in a shelter.
If the answer is not now
That is a good outcome, not a failure. Foster instead, and you get rabbits with an exit ramp and a support system. Sponsor one. Volunteer. Come back in two years.
Take the full assessment
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Common questions
- Are rabbits good pets for beginners?
- They are good pets for attentive people. Prior pet experience matters less than willingness to learn a species that behaves nothing like a dog or cat.
- Are rabbits good pets for children?
- Rabbits are not well suited as a child's own pet. They are easily injured, they generally dislike being held, and they can scratch or bite when frightened. As a family animal cared for by an adult, with supervised gentle interaction, a rabbit can be wonderful.
- Should I get one rabbit or two?
- Two, bonded, if you can. Rabbits are social and a pair keeps each other company through the many hours you are not there. Adopt an already-bonded pair rather than bonding them yourself.
- How long do pet rabbits live?
- Eight to twelve years indoors, sometimes longer.
- Is a rabbit cheaper than a dog?
- No. Food is comparable and veterinary care is often more expensive, because exotic practice is specialized and less common.
- What about a rabbit just for Easter?
- No. Buy a chocolate one.