Rabbits Make Great Pets

By Leslie Brown

Domesticated rabbits make wonderful pets, mainly because of their quiet, sweet dispositions, soft cuddly fur, and small size. They are inexpensive to keep, which makes them the perfect pet in many types of homes. They are easy to house and feed, and can live for over 10 years if well taken care of. Rabbits also tend to be hardy little animals and don't easily catch diseases.

A popular pet for both adults and children, rabbits are very social creatures. It's okay to have only one rabbit, as long as it is given a lot of attention. They can also become good friends with cats and dogs.

Rabbits come in several different varieties (at least 40 known breeds) and can vary in size from 2 to 20 pounds. They have a great capacity to multiply themselves. Their fur and colors have a large range, from long to short in fur length, and black to white in color, with everything in between.

As with breeds of dogs, rabbit breeds were selectively bred at different times to achieve different characteristics (such as the long, fluffy hair of the angora). There are over 47 rabbit breeds recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association in the United States. There are many more breeds of rabbits worldwide.

When looking for a rabbit as a pet, a young rabbit between 2 and 3 months old can be best, but even an older pet rabbit can make a good companion. A healthy rabbit should be slim and sleek, have brilliant eyes, good sound teeth, and a healthy coat with no matted fur. Either sex will make a good pet, although males sometimes have better temperaments. If you plan to buy more than one rabbit, two females are the best choice because males that have not been neutered will almost always fight (especially if there are females around).

Depending on the breed, rabbits are sexually mature between 5 and 9 months. The bigger the breed, the longer it takes for them to mature. They can produce a whopping 4 to 6 litters a year until they are 6 years old. The gestation period for females is one month, and they have from 1 to 12 offspring, with an average of 6 babies. Rabbit babies are born in underground burrows and are blind, deaf, and naked. They open their eyes at about 10 days old and will gradually start moving around just after that.

Rabbits are herbivores and in their natural environment they eat large quantities of leaves and grasses, and will occasionally eat flowers, fruits, and vegetables. It is necessary to provide them with a constant supply of water. Rabbits love to chew! Their teeth are constantly growing, so they should be provided with some kind of chewing material, such as twigs and small logs. They also like to chew on things that move, such as a paper towel or toilet paper roll.

When considering what type of environment to provide for your pet rabbit, keep in mind that he or she will need to be able to jump and run around, as well as sleep and rest. A rabbit cannot be strictly confined to a cage, as exercise is very important. You can provide them with a cage that is open to an exercise area, or you can put them in an enclosed cage for part of the day and then let them out into an open area for several hours. A general rule is one rabbit per cage, unless they are kept in an outdoor hutch where they have plenty of room.

The cage or hutch needs to be large enough for your rabbit to stand up on its hind legs and have enough room for a resting area and a litter box. A mesh wire metal cage is best. Cages can be kept either inside or outside, but make sure that they always have a place to go to get away from drafts and direct sunlight. Rabbits also need a resting and hiding place for some privacy. Use your imagination to come up with a safe, cuddly place for them to hide.

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