Pros and Cons Of Having a Rabbit

All beautiful things in the world have their pros and cons. Rabbits have them too. In this article, I am going to tell you about all the pros and cons of owning a pet rabbit. Let’s begin.

Pros of having a rabbit

Rabbits are social animals

Rabbits are social animals, and my favorite aspect about them is their sociable nature. I suggest keeping rabbits as companion pets, treating them similarly to cats and dogs. Rabbits genuinely enjoy spending time with people; they desire attention and enjoy being petted.

It’s a wonderful way to introduce some joyful companionship into your life. Though it may take some time for rabbits to warm up to you due to their instinctual wariness, once they do, they’ll become quite affectionate and enjoy your company.

They are eco-friendly

Bunnies are quietly eco-friendly pets. Most of their toys are made of biodegradable materials like wood, cardboard, or natural fibers. They eat a plant-based diet, and their droppings are dry and compostable. Even their moulted fur can be repurposed in many ways.

They are crepuscular

Rabbits are crepuscular, which means they tend to be most active at dawn and dusk. While rabbits can be trained to mimic your schedule closely, a crepuscular schedule is truly a gift for humans.

While we’re typically at work, school, or running errands, our rabbits are peacefully sleeping. We don’t have to worry about them getting bored, feeling lonely, or getting into mischief. They’ll be active when you wake up and when you come home.

They can use a litter box

Like cats and dogs, rabbits can be trained to use a litter box. This makes for relatively easy cleanup and contained mess compared to some other house pets. It is recommended to spay and neuter your rabbits once they reach sexual maturity for the best litter box training results.

They are herbivores

Rabbits are herbivores. This means that rabbits pretty much only eat greenery, including their hay. Their food won’t be stinky, mushy, or consist of other animals. They may even influence you to eat a little healthier.

Rabbits live a long time

Rabbits actually have a relatively long lifespan. It’s not like getting a rabbit and only having two years to spend with them before they pass away. On average, rabbits can live 8 to 12 years.

So, you can have ten years with a lovable rabbit, become best friends, and make them a part of your lifestyle. While that’s not as long as most cats and dogs, it is still quite a long time compared to many other small animals you can get.

They are quiet and peaceful

Rabbits are typically very quiet pets. They don’t vocalize their feelings much like dogs or cats do. They’re not going to bark when a stranger passes by the house. Rabbits can thump, and that can be pretty loud, but that’s not typically a behavior that they exhibit all the time.

Just occasionally, rabbits will thump, and yes, it is loud enough to wake you up in the middle of the night if that’s when they choose to do it, but that’s not typically very common. So, they can actually be great apartment pets. And if you like a quiet lifestyle, rabbits can indeed be a great addition to your household.

Rabbits don’t smell

They really don’t smell very much. The only part of rabbits that does smell is the urine. If they have a litter box, you can easily scoop out and spot clean the litter box every day to keep any smell from building up, so you’re not going to come home to that wet dog smell.

They don’t have a lot of noticeable pheromones, at least to humans, so they tend to be a relatively scentless pet. It’s believed that part of the reason for this is because having very little scent actually protects them a little bit from predators.

So, the predator will have a little bit of a harder time tracking them based on their smell. That’s why rabbits tend to be not smelly pets in general because it’s a protection mechanism.

Rabbit poops can be used as fertilizer

Yes, you heard it right, rabbit poop can be used as fertilizer. You can apply it to all trees.

They are loyal

Most people don’t realize how loyal rabbits really are. They recognize your scent, your voice, and your touch. Rabbits know who their human parents are, and they will always respond to you.

For example, when you return from a vacation, your rabbit will immediately cling to you as if you two were never separated. They will be happy to see you and be with you again. The same goes for when your bunny has another partner; that partner will be their soulmate, and they will never cheat on each other.

They love you back

This is the most important thing, in my opinion. Rabbits are true companions with big hearts, and when they fall in love, they fall hard. Nothing beats this vulnerability, in my opinion. They will show you their love in many ways, like grooming you and spending time with you.

They understand commands

Most people don’t realize how smart rabbits truly are. Through training, rabbits have the ability to learn commands and tricks. However, it’s important to bear in mind that they do have limits in terms of what they can do, based on how they’ve evolved and been domesticated.

Cons of having a rabbit

They shed a lot

Rabbits actually shed a lot. Even short-haired rabbits are going to end up shedding quite a lot, and the fur is going to get everywhere. It’s going to get in your food, it’s going to get in your tea, and it’s going to get on your shirts to some extent.

I’ve given up just trying to leave the house without fur on me because it’s just everywhere. Unless you are a super-prestigious cleaner and you dust every day, you’re gonna get fur everywhere.

So, that’s something that you’re either gonna have to get used to, or you’re gonna have to up your cleaning game. So, that is something to expect when you get a rabbit.

Rabbits chew everything

A rabbit’s teeth never stop growing, so they always have the desire to chew. Unfortunately, a lot of times, they chew on your stuff: baseboards, furniture, phone cables, anything at their eye level that is easy enough for them to bite.

So, that is something to expect if you get a rabbit, and you’ll need to rabbit-proof the things you don’t want your rabbit to chew.

Rabbits don’t like being held

Rabbits actually don’t like to be held. They’re not necessarily super cuddly pets, even though the popular opinion is that they are. So, this isn’t the kind of pet that you can pick up all the time and they’ll be happy just lying in your arms. There are exceptions to this rule, but most of the time, a rabbit is not going to be a cuddly pet.

So, don’t get a rabbit expecting that. Now, rabbits do often love to be pet, but they prefer if you would do that while they’re on the ground rather than in your arms. That’s just a perspective shift that many people don’t expect when they first get a rabbit.

Expensive medical bills

Expensive medical bills hurt. Rabbits unfortunately are still considered exotic animals in many places, so your average cat or dog vet won’t see them. But with this label also comes being slapped with pricey medical bills from specialists.

So always make sure to have enough money saved up to take care of your rabbit in case of an emergency.

Rabbits are also prey animals

Which means that they are very good at hiding when they don’t feel well. Many times, you won’t even know if your rabbit is sick until they are too ill to move. This can mean that something as small as stress or just a tiny tummy ache can quickly escalate from bad to worse.

You have to be an extremely vigilant animal owner to own a rabbit. You can’t just feed them whatever or be loud and make a lot of noise, as this can terrify them. Rabbits are very sensitive, and they probably won’t even show you that they’re uncomfortable or in pain until it’s too late.

You can’t travel frequently

If you are someone who likes to travel all the time, a rabbit might not be the best option for you because they can be really difficult to travel with or leave behind. Travel in general is just more complicated with a rabbit. Most pet sitters understand how to take care of dogs and cats.

There are even kennels where you can drop off dogs or cats if you’re going out of town and don’t have someone to watch them. But that really isn’t as much of an option for rabbit owners. Now, some rabbits can travel and become more adaptable, but as an overarching fact, rabbits really like their routine and their space.

So, anytime you travel with them, you are removing them from that space, and it just becomes more stressful. Oftentimes stress can lead to GI stasis, which can really hurt your rabbit.

They are Exotic Animals

While rabbits are very popular, they are not popular enough to be considered mainstream pets. They won’t be allowed in certain public places like airplanes or stores, and it will also be hard to find businesses that cater to or specialize in rabbits, such as grooming services, boarding services, supplies, and even vet care.

They are not self-sufficient

Rabbits, unfortunately, cannot be left alone for long periods of time like cats and some dogs. Aside from hay, their food is perishable, so it needs to be fed to them on the spot before it goes bad.

Additionally, rabbits require around-the-clock monitoring of their digestive system. Hay and water should be constantly replenished, and due to their curious nature, they may get into mischief when no one’s looking.

Rabbits have a complicated diet

Rabbits also have a very complicated diet and a sensitive digestive system. Their health works in a way that if their digestion isn’t constantly moving, it can end up being a real health emergency.

So, they have a very specific diet to ensure that they can get the proper nutrients from their diet without gaining too much weight, and also to enable them to continue eating throughout the day while maintaining their health.

You can’t just give a rabbit a bowl of dry food pellets at the beginning of the day and expect that to be good enough for them. Instead, there are many different parts to a rabbit’s diet, with the main part being hay. They have to have constant access to hay throughout the day.

Dealing with hay

Hay is literally the most annoying aspect of having a bunny. Unfortunately, it’s 80 percent of a rabbit’s diet, so it’s hard to avoid. It can be pretty messy, heavy to lug around, and difficult to clean up. Not to mention, many people are allergic.

There are definitely ways to keep your hay contained and your house dust-free though. And for those with allergies, try oat hay or orchard grass instead.

They can scratch you

Rabbits are prey animals. If they feel endangered, they can easily scratch and bite you.

Rabbits are not super snuggly

Typically, rabbits are not super snuggly because of their prey animal instinct. They are less likely to trust right off the bat, so picking up your rabbit and cuddling them all the time is something that usually comes with years of bonding.

If you’re looking for a pet that you can just scoop up off the ground all the time, snuggle with, grab onto, and carry around everywhere, you might not want to look to a rabbit for that.

Rabbits are fragile

Many people think of rabbits as children’s pets, but this is a perspective shift that we need to make. Rabbits don’t actually make great pets for children, and one reason for this is that rabbits are quite fragile compared to other common house pets.

They have a delicate bone structure, which is especially complicated because they have very strong hind legs but a relatively weak back. If they’re held incorrectly or squeezed too tightly, their back can actually break, or they can kick with their hind legs and become paralyzed.

Therefore, you have to be careful with the way you hold your rabbit and handle them with care. If not, they can easily be injured.

Concussion

In my opinion, the pros outweigh the cons. However, none of these pros and cons will measure up to the blessing of just having your bunny in your life.