If you are considering getting a pet rabbit for your kids, make sure to take the following points into account before making your purchase.
The main thing you should about pet rabbits is that they bite. While rabbits are cute and appear to be cuddly, the majority of rabbits do not like to be held, or even picked up, and most rabbits will bite anyone who tries to hold them against their wills. Unlike dogs, rabbits cannot be trained not to bite. So, if you have small children who do not understand that they can’t hold down the rabbit or try to pick it up, you might want to reconsider getting a rabbit for your child.
Rabbits are a lot of responsibility. Even though it may seem simplest to have a caged pet for your child, keep in mind that the healthy rabbit needs exercise outside its cage on a daily basis. This will require not only the daily time commitment of allowing your pet rabbit supervised exercise outside the cage, but it will also require a commitment of keeping at least one designated area or room of the house “rabbit proofed” (i.e., free of electrical cords, small toys/coins/anything a rabbit could choke on, and anything you don’t want to have chewed up and/or destroyed). Rabbits also get depressed if they do not have human contact on a regular basis, which means your child (or you) will have to set aside time to pet the rabbit daily. Rabbits also need to be brushed often (how often varies by the breed and hair type/length of the rabbit, but most rabbits need brushed at least once per week), because rabbits will swallow their own loose fur in their self-grooming regimens (and unlike cats, rabbits can’t cough up hair balls), and swallowed fur to a rabbit often means intestinal blockages and breathing problems. Additionally, a rabbit’s cage needs to be cleaned every day or two, both for optimal health of the rabbit and to keep the odor from becoming overwhelming. Rabbits can live for ten or more years if they are properly cared for; so if you are looking for a short-term pet, or if your child gets bored easily, you might want to opt for a hamster (which will only live between one and three years) instead.
Rabbits are costly. Although you can get a pet rabbit from any pet store for under fifty dollars, there are other costs to take into consideration, including the cost of the cage ($100 easily) plus biodegradable bedding/chips for the cage. You’ll have to include the price dry food, hay (which is necessary for all rabbits’ digestion), fresh greens and other vegetables, plus any treats. If you litter box train your rabbit, you will have to take the litter box and the cost of fresh litter into account. The biggest cost of having a rabbit, though, is vet bills. Rabbits of either sex need to be “fixed,” even if you only have one rabbit, to avoid health problems (including uterine or prostate cancer caused by having reproductive organs that aren’t being used), spraying (in boys), and false pregnancies (in girls). Rabbits also have to have their nails clipped every six weeks or so, and while you can do this yourself, it is not recommended, because the rabbit will most likely hurt itself (and you) in the process of trying to get away.
Rabbits can be messy and destructive. Even if you groom your rabbit regularly, rabbits molt (or shed large amounts of hair) four times per year. Be prepared to clean up a lot of fur. Also, be prepared that rabbits like mischief. They will chew everything from extension cords to shoes, and they cannot be trained not to do this, nor do they outgrow this behavior (like puppies do).
For the most part, rabbits are not a very good choice for families with young children. In addition to the above points, rabbits also tend to be afraid of children. Pet rabbits die most from heart attacks (due to being afraid) and from spinal/neck/back breaks (from trying to get away when someone is holding them down). While rabbits are a lot of fun and can be great companions, pet rabbits are best suited to adults, teens, or older children.
