Why Rabbits are not Easter Decorations

1. Rabbits are very high maintenance and expensive to set up and maintain properly. They are a lot more work than a dog or a cat.

2. They have an average lifespan of 10-12 years with some getting even older. This is a long commitment.

3. Rabbits must not be kept alone! They are social animals and require at least one other member of their own species - an ideal group is two males and two females. Groups of four allow for more stimulation.

4. A mixed group means that the males must be neutered, this must happen before 12 weeks in most breeds. The females may also need to be spayed as they can go through pseudo pregnancy where they think that they are pregnant and so act accordingly. They can become aggressive with their rabbit group and even owner. This causes immense distress for the rabbit.

5. Rabbits need to be vaccinated. They will require both the Nobivac Myxo-RHD and the Filavac RHD K C+V every year, this can get quite expensive. They absolutely need these vaccinations even if they live indoors. For more information click here.

6. Rabbits most often don’t like being picked up and some don’t enjoy being stroked or any human contact at all.

7. Rabbits can be very destructive, a carpet and skirting board can be destroyed in minutes!

8. A hutch should never be a home for rabbits. Outside they require a shed or a playhouse with a secure attached run or aviary that they have constant access to. Indoors they must have a large rabbit proofed enclosure or be allowed to free roam - NOT a cage from a pet shop. A good starting point is an area of 10m2. An area of 4m2 can only be offered if the rabbits are allowed to free-range for the majority of the day, every day!

9. A rabbits diet is complex and expensive. You will need to spend a large amount of money on fresh food and you will need to go out and forage in nature for fresh wild plants. This means that you need to learn to identify safe plants. Pellets should not be fed, find out more here.

10. Rabbits can suffer from tooth problems if they are fed the incorrect diet and this can become extremely expensive and stressful for the rabbit.

11. Rabbits need constant food (not just hay) available to them, as they eat small meals all throughout the day and night as they are natural grazers. If you do not provide this, rabbits will get GI Stasis where the digestive system shuts down due to lack of food. This can happen overnight and can be fatal! For more information click here.

12. Rabbits must be health checked and their nails need to be clipped often which is extremely difficult when most rabbits do not like being picked up. Long-haired rabbits need to be brushed daily.

13. Although rabbits may look cute, they are not toys. They like their own space and do not enjoy being man-handled. They can die of fright.

14. If at the end of this list you still want rabbits, then consider waiting until after Easter and going to a rescue. They will be full of unwanted Easter rabbits needing homes and they are usually already neutered and vaccinated, cutting initial costs.