Are thinking about getting a pet rabbit? Do you want to know the biggest pros & cons of having a pet rabbit? Pets truly are the secret ingredient to a joyful life! They offer us companionship and become a part of our family. They share our happiness and sorrows and become life long friends.
But owning any pet comes with a set of challenges, especially rabbits as they are quite different from other common pets like cats or dogs. You can also check out our article on 10 Things To Keep In Mind Before Getting A Pet Rabbit to learn more if you do decide to get a rabbit.
Now without further ado here are the Biggest Pros & Cons Of Having A Pet Rabbit! Find out for yourself if bunnies are the perfect pet for you and your family.
Pros Of Having A Pet Rabbit
Here are the Pros in The biggest pros & cons of having a pet rabbit. Most rabbit owners love their pet rabbits for the following amazing reasons.
Pet Rabbits Are Really Adorable
Pet rabbits are cutest and most adorable creatures to have around the house. Bunnies are small and full of energy, they love to bounce around the house if you let them roam free. They love hand feeding, they sleep in the cute poses and can even learn some tricks if you take the time to teach them.
Rabbits are social animals so they easily bond with their owners. Its so much fun to even observe them just doing their thing.
Pet Rabbits Are Docile & Affectionate
Rabbits are quite docile, the can easily bond with their owners or other pet rabbits if they are given enough love and care. They adapt easily to living with your family and if you have small children then they are a good choice since you wont have to worry much about your bunny being aggressive with your kids.
Pet rabbits are also quite affectionate towards their owners and often like to cuddle up with them.
Pet Rabbits Can Be Litter Trained
Yes, you heard me right. All rabbits can be litter trained! Rabbits can be taught to use a litter box quite easily if you have a bit of patience. Once they are litter trained they seldom go to the bathroom anywhere else. Learn more about How To Litter Training A Pet Rabbit.
This is an excellent thing because you don’t need to clean up too much after them. They don’t need to walked outside like dogs either. This alone makes rabbits one of the best choices for indoor pets.
Pet Rabbits Are Very Clean
Rabbits are the neat freaks of the pet world, you think that only cats like to groom themselves clean? Wait till you get a rabbit!
Bunny rabbits love to keep themselves clean, they groom themselves or each other religiously throughout the day. This is not only good for them but their owners as well as rabbits do not need to be bathed, they have no odor and the don’t spread any diseases to humans.
So if cleanliness in a pet is important then rabbits are the perfect pet for you.
Pet Rabbits Don't Make Noise
Cats meow and Dogs bark.. sometimes a lot. This is the reality of pet ownership for most people. If you live somewhere like an apartment, with young children or the elderly where pet noise can be a problem then pet rabbits can suit you perfectly.
Rabbits are prey animals so they don’t make any noise, that means no barking and no meows throughout the night keeping you awake. Rabbits communicate through body language or grunts and purrs, you can learn more about Rabbit Behavior – How To Understand & React To It.
Pet Rabbits Do Not Need A Lot Of Space
Rabbits are typically smaller than most cats or dogs and require much less space compared to them. You can have your rabbits free roam in your house or you may choose to cage it, either way rabbits adapt perfectly to the amount of space provided to them.
It is recommended that you provide with enough space so that your bunny may take three full hops in the horizontal directions and enough space vertically to stand upright. Check out our article on How Big Does A Rabbit Cage Need To Be?
Once litter trained rabbits can even be given access to your bed or sofa since they are quite clean as well.
Pet Rabbits Are Vegan
If you are someone who is a vegetarian or vegan then a rabbit is the best choice of pet for you. All rabbits are Obligate Herbivores, it means that they can only eat green leafy vegetables, fruits and hay or grass. To learn more about rabbit’s diet check out our article on What Can Rabbits Eat? The Best Rabbit Diet Explained
This is very different from cats or dogs as they need foods that contain animal proteins, that is meat or fish products. So if you have a vegan lifestyle or have a religious background that does not allow you to be in contact with meat or fish then a pet rabbit will suit you perfectly.
And even if you eat meat and fish, having a pet rabbit will force you add some fresh green veges to your diet making you healthier in the process.
Pet Rabbits Can Learn Many Tricks
Most people consider rabbits as dumb animals who just eat and sleep but that is definitely not the case. Pet rabbits are incredibly intelligent and all have varied personalities.
Most rabbits can learn some simple tricks like spinning around or coming to their owner when called. Some bunnies can even learn more complex tricks like playing basketball or painting.
Check out konijnentrainen and their rabbit perform lots of cool rabbit tricks on Youtube
Although most of your rabbit’s tricks need to be motivated with some treats, teaching your rabbit tricks is an excellent way for you to bond and have lots of fun with them.
Cons Of Having A Pet Rabbit
Here are the Cons in The biggest pros & cons of having a pet rabbit. Most rabbit owners dislike these points about their pet rabbit.
Pet Rabbits Require A Lot Of Clean Up
Pet rabbits may be one of the cleanest house pets around but they do certainly leave quite a mess around your house. Having a pet rabbit comes free with constant cleaning up after it.
An average rabbit poops out about 200 pellets everyday plus some breeds of rabbits shed a lot of fur during certain times of the year. Although humans cannot get any diseases or allergies from rabbits but it will definitely need an hour of your time everyday to clean.
And then there is they hay, a staple of any rabbit diet. Your rabbits need to consume a large amount of hay everyday to keep its gut moving plus they love to chew on this stuff throughout the day. This means your house will have hay littered all over if you let the bunny roam free.
Pet Rabbits Are Very Fragile Creatures
As you might know, rabbits are small prey animals. They have survived in the wild by having social animals living in large numbers, in specific environments and looking out for each other in times of danger. They are the literal embodiment of the word, strength in number. But the downside to this strategy is that they are quite fragile.
Rabbits do not respond well to harsh living conditions like extreme heat or cold, they liked to be kept together with other rabbits to keep them company. They also need constant attetntion from their owners in terms of feeding, cleaning or providing medical care.
Pet Rabbits Chew & Dig A Lot
The one thing that is the same for every rabbit in the world, they love to chew and dig. Most of the time they do this as a playful behavior but in some cases this can become really destructive for their owners.
Rabbit’s teeth grow constantly so they need something to chew on to keep their teeth in check, this is also a natural behavior for rabbits. That is why some rabbits tend to chew and tear holes in their owners clothing, sofas, carpets and cables. The only proven way to prevent your rabbit from chewing on the things that you don’t want them to chew is to give them healthy and safe chewing toys and keep them distracted.
Digging is one other behavior that rabbits have inherited from their wild cousins. In the wild all rabbits tend to live in burrows underground which they dig themselves with their powerful hands and feet.
So most rabbits tend to practice their digging skills on your bed, sofa or carpet. This rabbit digging mat that I found on Amazon.com is perfectly safe option for rabbits to chew or dig. All without causing any damage to your cloths or furniture.
Again a good way to keep your rabbit from digging up your valuables is to keep it distracted will toys and plaything that they can dig around safely.
Raising Pet Rabbits Can Be Quite Expensive
Looking at how small and low maintenance rabbits are might think that raising a rabbit must not cost a lot of money. But this is most certainly not the case. Although raising a pet rabbit does cost a bit less than cats or dogs but not by much.
Having a house rabbit in most places in the US can cost as much as $50-100 depending upon the breed of rabbit. Plus there are quite a few incidental costs that you must consider like vet visiting or getting your bunny spayed and neutered.
Even the adoption cost for a rabbit could be upwards of $50. So as for any pet, sorting out your financials is a must if you are getting a pet rabbit.
Pet Rabbits Can Become Aggressive
Rabbits are social animals, both wild rabbits and their domestic cousins depend on close social bonds to survive and live happily. And when it comes to house rabbits, that social bond they need must be with you, their owner.
Rabbits who are bonded with their owners perceive them as parent figures in their lives. All rabbits need a good amount of care and affection from their owners but when they are deprived of this bonding they may get aggressive towards humans and build a distrust that cannot be easily corrected.
Rabbits who do not get to socialize may lunge and bite their owners, this is as stressful for the rabbits as it is for you. Learn Why Rabbits Bite & How To Stop Rabbits From Biting
Our suggestion is to always get rabbits in a pair so they can develop those important social bonds with their partner even if their owners are not able to provide too much attention to their bunnies. Rabbits are happier and may even live longer when they are kept in pairs or compatible groups with other rabbits.
Pet Rabbits Cannot Be Kept With Dogs Or Cats
All dogs and cats are predators, they have inherited their predatory instincts from their wild cousins. This means that they are always ready to pounce upon anything that looks like a prey to them.
Rabbits are small and fragile animals, in the wild they are often preyed upon by wild dogs or cats. Their only defense against attacks is their speed and ability to burrow. But this defense ability is often neutered in domestic rabbits especially in a home environment. This make keeping rabbits along with dogs or cats quite unpredictable.
Although most cats or dogs can easily get acclimated to living with a bunny friend, this may not always be the case. There will always be a chance that your cat may chase your rabbit around or your dog may bark at it. This kind of stress and anxiety may prove fatal to your bunny
Pet Rabbits Are Hard To Travel With
Rabbits look small and easy to carry around. They do not make any noise and can easily be confined in small carriages.
But we must remember that rabbits are fragile, they can sometimes feel a lot of stress or anxiety if they are being carried around in an unknown environment.
If you like traveling then you also need keep in mind that some hotels and airlines within the US may not allow you to check in a pet rabbit even if it is cages. Most international destinations also may not allow to enter the country with a pet rabbit.
Pet Rabbits Need Specialized Vets
Although pet rabbits are the third most popular pet in the US after dogs and cats, their biology is completely different from dogs or cats. Likewise they have completely different health issues and require different treatments compared to cats or dogs.
That is why pet rabbits need rabbit friendly vets who understand the health issues rabbits face and can treat them. This also means that the vet must have access to rabbit specific medication as most common veterinary drugs are made for cats or dogs.
Here is a list of Rabbit Friendly Vets throughout the USA that you can use in case you are looking for a vet who specializes in pet rabbits near you.
Conclusion
Pet rabbits are indeed very different from other common pets. Their physical traits such as diet or care needs mean that they require you to have a certain mindset.
Although rabbits may be perfect for some of us, that may not be the case for everybody. The best answer to this is just do you research. If you would like to learn a bit more about getting a pet rabbit then check out our article on 10 Things To Keep In Mind Before Getting A Pet Rabbit.
If you have a cool pro or con that I have missed then do post it down in the comments. Give it share with your friends if you likes the post. See ya next time.
