So You Want to Adopt a Rabbit!

Who can resist rabbits? They are soft, gentle and ridiculously cute, and almost every American child has been brought up reading Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Peter Rabbit or hearing tales about the Easter Bunny. Although there are more than eight million pet rabbits in American households, however, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) suggests learning all you can about these very special creatures before adopting one.

"Rabbits are very complex animals," Adam Goldfarb, an issues specialist for the HSUS, said. "It is essential that you do research ahead of time and become really familiar with a rabbit's needs, especially as it relates to diet. They are not the easy starter pets that they are portrayed to be, and rabbits should never be a child's responsibility."

Domestic rabbits, depending on breed, can live for 10 years or longer, Goldfarb said, especially if they are spayed or neutered, which the HSUS recommends. Un-neutered females have a 60 to 80 percent chance of developing ovarian, uterine or other reproductive cancers. Not all veterinarians know how to care for rabbits, but local shelters or rabbit rescue organizations can help you find one who does.

Rabbit facts and tips

• Domestic rabbits should always be kept indoors. They cannot tolerate very hot or cold temperatures, and they become very frightened and can suffer a deadly heart attack at the sight of another animal.
• Approximately 40 or 50 breeds of rabbits are recognized in the U.S., from the smaller Netherland Dwarfs, which weigh two or three pounds, to Flemish Giants, which can top 20 pounds. Families who are looking for a pet rabbit shouldn't worry about breed, Goldfarb said, although larger rabbits tend to be less fragile and often have great personalities.
• Rabbits should be kept in large enclosures, and if they don't have free run of the house, they should be offered a chance to exercise for several hours every day. Wire floors can harm rabbits' feet -- rabbits don't have pads on their feet like dogs and cats.
• Rabbits need a lot of fiber. They should have access to fresh hay, preferably Timothy Hay, daily. Some leafy green vegetables are also important (iceberg lettuce is dangerous to rabbits, however), along with certain fruits as treats.
• Make your home rabbit-safe by removing anything your rabbit might chew, especially dangerous electric wires.
• Rabbits are the third most surrendered animal to shelters. Rather than buy a rabbit from a pet store, where the animals may come from large-scale breeders run like puppy mills, consider adopting a rabbit from a shelter or rescue.
• Rabbits are naturally prey animals, so they tend to be more frightened and might not enjoy being picked up. Some will love being petted, but it's important to respect the animal's signals about handling. Rabbits need peace and quiet, and don't do well in noisy environments.
• Rabbits have very light, fragile bones. They have to be handled in a special way, and can actually break their own bones if they squirm too much. A veterinarian can teach you how to pick up or hold your rabbit.
• Rabbits can be house-trained! Certain types of cat litter can damage their digestive systems, however, and Goldfarb recommends the CareFRESH brand. Never use clumping litter, and avoid cedar or pine chips.
• Rabbits, especially larger ones, can do very well in a home with cats, depending on the specific ones. Dogs, not so much. "There are certain breeds that I would be extremely wary about. For example, a retired racing greyhound could be problematic with rabbits," Goldfarb said. All interactions between animals should be supervised.

For more information about rabbits, visit the House Rabbit Society's Web site at www.rabbit.org or information posted by the Humane Society of the United States at www.humanesociety.org/rabbitcare.

Faye Rapoport DesPres is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in The New York Times, the Intermountain Jewish News, the Rockland Review, the Colorado Mountain Club Magazine and many other publications. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and five cats. You can visit her website at Ourplacetopaws.com