So you are willing to bring a cute furry pet to your home for your little and adorable children. When the kids know that you are getting a new pet, they will become too excited. The ecstatic looks on their face will melt away everyone’s heart. But, being protective parents, it is natural for you to think if it is a decent idea or not. Domestic rabbits are famous for being attractive and easy to take care of animals. But, it is better to make sure whether the furry one fits your family or not.
Rabbits are cheerful pets for reliable children because they are friendly with their owners. The rabbit enjoys exercise so your children can get enough playtime which will help them to remain active. Also, a rabbit is like an energetic and cuddly partner to your kids. They need a little bit of responsibility. If you want to bring a pet to your children, you should consider their maturity levels and age. Giving a rabbit to teenagers between 12 to 18 years is a good idea.
Below are a few valuable suggestions, and using them, you can check whether rabbits match your family or not.
Contents
Common Care
Expenditures
Like other animals, rabbits also have a few necessities. But these ordinary pet costs are not costly. Taking the rabbit to the veterinarian often is not necessary. So, you are likely to pay around 25 to 50 dollars a month for the rabbit:
- Hay – 80%
- Veggies – 15%
- Proper pellet diet, few wooden chewing and play toys – 5%
The initial pens for rabbits must be around the size of a guinea pig area. Choosing the cage with 30 × 36 dimensions is a good idea, and the price ranges from 40 to 60 dollars. It is better not to buy too small enclosures because it causes discomfort on their feet, overweight, and depression. When your pet is growing, you can buy a high-end hutch which costs around 40 dollars. These types of pens will have large dimensions of 6×2×2 feet. Remember to set up a wired gate or fence during nighttime, particularly if you own other pets.
Sometimes the rabbits may suffer from upper respiratory infections, and the treatment costs about 10 to 15 dollars. Poor care of the surroundings might cause this type of illness to your pet.
Other Information:
The children should not give the food to the rabbit in the wired food stand, and providing water in a plastic bottle is a bad idea. It will make the rabbit sick and dehydrated because the pet did not get enough access to water. If you want to bring a rabbit for your kid, it is better to get a young and small pet. So, the child can make a good bonding with the pet from the early stage.
Make sure to cover the wired fence during night times. It makes the rabbit feel comfortable and safe in its pen. If you already have other animals at your home, it is better to introduce them one by one in the early stages. This method will create a peaceful connection between the animals, and you can avoid the prey vs. predator situation.
The Bad
Let’s begin with the negatives first because you can take a quick decision. One factor that can make a severe distinction between health and illness is maintenance. It will depend on how responsible the kids’ are. The pet rabbit is a little messy when it comes to its food, litter box, and poop pellets or hay.
Rabbits’ urine radiates a dominant stinky smell, so there need to be regular cleanups. Your children’s electronic gadgets should not be near the rabbit. The furry pet likes to chew, so there are high chances that they will chew on the cables and wires.
It is the best idea to buy a cordless portable vacuum device with a mopping feature in it.
The pet’s nails will often grow, so you should teach your children how to trim them without hurting the rabbit. Instructing the kids how to carry the pet will prevent the rabbit’s hind legs from hitting them. Tell them to hold it with care and keep the pet’s legs on the kid’s chest or arm.
When the pet gets needed attention, it will let you know by stomping its paws. The rabbits tend to create allergic reactions in humans, so observe your child for any possible symptoms.
Rabbits, being social animals, would not be decent to children if they find other forms of entertainment. If you do not want to get another rabbit, your children can develop companionship with the pet.
The Good
Domestic rabbits are famous for being one of the pets with incredible affection. If the pet has a good enough bond with the kid, it will follow and hops around the child everywhere. If it undergoes voice command training, the rabbit will even sit on the child’s lap. As the rabbits are sociable animals, they will become cute cuddle friends to your children.
You can litter train the rabbits, and their teeth length will file down by chewing on wooden toys and blocks. Also, the veterinarian fees are not expensive.
You have to take the rabbit to the veterinarian only when it exhibits indications of upper respiratory problems. The common symptoms are weight loss, lack of appetite, wheezing, and a runny nose. Your pet will suffer from them when it does not get proper care and maintenance.
Things To Do And Not To Do
Do’s
- It is better to make the kids cuddle the rabbit because this is an effective bonding way.
- When your pet is dirty and needs a cleanup, use only pet-safe wipes or a moist handkerchief.
- If your kids require an ESA, it is better to bring a rabbit for them.
- When your rabbit is having health problems, go to the rabbit expert rather than a local veterinarian.
- Often trim the teeth and nails of your pet with the help of proper nail clippers and gadgets.
Don’ts
- It is not a good idea to give a bath to the rabbit. It has delicate skin and can suffer from hypothermia or shock.
- Avoid giving sweets to your pet as this may lead to a harmful G1 stage, which also causes death.
- Do not hold the pet by its scruff, and you should not lay it on its back as you would do to the babies. The rabbit will start to panic when you hold it like that because it will think of you as a predator.
- You should not leave the pet alone in the outside pen if there is no well-vented enclosure or protection from the breeze or other predators.
Your kids will love the pet rabbit’s company if there is regular maintenance of the pen and if the furry pet is getting plenty of physical and social bonding. If your children’s and household’s necessities are meeting, then a rabbit is an excellent choice for your children.