Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Why Rabbits Do Not Make Great Starter Pets: Are You Suitable For A Rabbit?

Why Rabbits Do Not Make Great Starter Pets: Are You Suitable For A Rabbit?


If you weren't already aware, Pets are subjected to abandonment and mistreatment all over the country, even the small animals such as Rabbits are implicated. These animals are usually misunderstood for being low maintenance, and wound up getting abandoned when owners are unable to fulfill such responsibilities.
Rabbit welfare and care
Source
Are you guilty as well for thinking that Rabbits could possibly be amazing starter pets— they're pretty tiny and display a calm temperament don't they? That common interpretation isn't entirely wrong, however, we're going to look into a few other reasons you might have overlooked before obtaining a Rabbit.

Rabbits do make great pets, but one should NEVER get a Rabbit on impulse, or as a starter-pet for kids. 


Common Misconceptions


1. Size  What's not to love about a small and fluffy creature? This is especially tempting to young children, to have a companion that is soft to touch. And as for human Adults, Rabbits are the perfectly sized alternative as opposed to a Dog or a Cats.

Fact: Not all breeds of Rabbits are small in size, and even so, the amount of responsibilities are no different from that of a Dog or Cat. Due to this initial misconception, Rabbits are abandoned when owners are unable to cope.
How to look after Rabbits
Source
View related: 



2. Habitat — Bunnies look harmless enough in Pet shops and farms, they're curious, yet calm at the same time. As seen in Pet shops, they're within a confined space and hardly move about— this leads to patrons thinking that Rabbits are easy to handle. After-all, they need only stay within their cage, right?

FactLike all other types of Pets, Rabbits require time to adapt to their surroundings. Natural burrowers in the wild, they have the penchant of finding comfortable spots around the home. Daily exploration time has to be provided, including accessories that double up as hiding spots.



3. Hygiene — If you didn't know by now, Rabbits shouldn't be bathed in water at all. They are fastidious creatures whom are seen grooming themselves more than half of the time. This should make them even more easy to handle, no?

Fact: Every Rabbit has characteristics unique to each of them, like a fingerprint. Although they may be tidy with their coats, not all Buns practice good habits when they go to the loo. Urine burns and fecal staining is very real, owners are advised to check on their Bunny's rear ends as often as possible. Using a damp cloth, spot clean these areas if necessary. Dry thoroughly after!
How to care for Rabbits
Source
View Related:



4. Personality & Behaviour — Bunnies look calm, and stationary most of the time, but if you observed long enough, they can be seen grooming themselves, eating, and more. We even see Rabbits on the internet hopping, flopping and binkying— they even enjoy a snuggle or two with their hoomins! Why isn't my new Bun this way?

Fact: Rabbits are known to be preys in the wild. Being instinctively sensitive to danger and potential threats, a new bunny needs time, patience and attention— these aid in familiarizing with you as its companion, and its surroundings!
Adopt a Rabbit
Source


5. Starter Pet — They're small and adorable, Children will have no qualms about sneaking a hug or two with these pets. Furthermore, that's what Pets are for, providing companionship and warmth. You should enjoy similar joy from Rabbits, and they should make great starter Pets for my kids, right?

Fact: Sudden spontaneous actions (i.e. hugging or grabbing) from children would ultimately trigger a lot of shock and stress for a Rabbit. Before considering Rabbits as pets for children, its important for the adults to be experienced in Rabbit care and welfare— so as to guide and supervise the children on responsibilities and proper handling☺



How To Tell If Your Rabbit Is Happy


Rabbits owners can argue that their Buns are equally as expressive as a Dog or a Cat. Their main communication with humans and other Rabbits would be through actions and sounds. Rabbits' nails and teeth are known to grow faster than a Dog or Cat's— Provide wooden toys and fresh hay to keep those munchers healthy and in shape, and clip their nails when necessary. Bunnies tend to shed a lot, but they can't cough it up like cats, hence regular brushing is a must.
Rabbit Binky
A Binky in Action
Happy — An extremely happy Rabbit would express their joy with an unavoidable movement termed Binky (a repetition of hops, scuttling & more hops) or even purring (not similar to a cat).

View Related:
What Is My Rabbit Thinking?: Understanding Your Rabbit's Behaviour



 You might also be interested in:

Can Rabbits Eat These?: Safe Vegetables And Fruits For Your Bunny

How To Tell If Your Rabbit Is Sick

Rabbits Of Instagram: Dangerously Cute Bunnies Of Social Media



Your Stories Can Be Heard Too


Are you a proud owner of Rabbit(s)? We’d love to share your stories with the world! Your voices are important to us and the Pets community. Our readers are encouraged to share their  Pet-related reviews of a place and its services, experiences, even lifestyle tips and tricks to better our Pets lives, on our platform, one paw at a time. Be a part of an educational and informative Pets community because at ThePetsDialogue, your voices could make a huge difference on a global scale.

Write to us at hello@thepetsdialogue.com today!

Our website is a work in progress, however, if you did find our articles interesting please do feel free to share! For more Pet care tips and other Pet-related articles, head to www.thepetsdialogue.com 



Disclaimer


This article was written with informational purposes, as you know, we’d love to share our collective research and experiences as fellow Pet owners and lovers. It is not meant to alternate in any way as advice or diagnosis of Professionals.

ThePetsDialogue claims no credit for images posted on this article unless otherwise displayed/stated. All rights go to respective owners as mentioned. If you do not wish for your image(s) to appear here do drop us an e-mail and it will be removed promptly. If you do wish to use any of our original published information, you are welcome to contact us!

No comments:

Post a Comment