Fluffy Tails

Rabbits are one of the most jittery animals on this planet, having one, I think that I know most about them. My rabbit, named "Bunny" got scared of his own reflection. He tried to attack the mirror, but as he failed and slid down the surface, he got freaked out of his fur and all I saw was a speeding ball of brown-white fur.

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Lagomorpha

Family: Leporidae

Genus: Oryctolagus

Species: Oryctolagus cuniclus

Eating Habits

Rabbits, just like rats, will pretty much eat anything that is put in front of their furry little muzzles. They can gnaw through wood (as Bunny has demonstrated) and can even chew through hard cover books. They love fruits, but these little fuzzbutts are notorious for their sensitive stomachs. Apple is a favorite, and so is lettuce. Surprisingly, many rabbits don't like carrot and banana. They prefer fruits or tomatoes (which should NEVER be given to them). Some rabbits love chew toys, some don't. Some love to be cuddled and others will shriek in discomfort when hugged or held. Some love to be kissed and others will scratch the skin off of your face to get away. Each rabbit has his own personality, which is why I call rabbits: "dogs in rabbit suits". Rabbits are also gluttons for food, but should never be given more than needed because they can die from stomach problems, stopped up bowels and obesity.

Rabbits as Pets

Rabbits make excellent pets, and they are like dogs, but smaller and MUCH lower-maintenance. They love their humans and will pick favorites in their family if not well treated. Everybody in a human family should have a good bond with the rabbit to ensure its trust in the owners.

Rabbits have very basic needs. Fresh water every day, a small handful of dry rabbit food and about 1 cup of fresh and well dried non-watery vegetables. They love broccoli and spinach, and do well with basil and lettuce. If you want your rabbit to live its maximum life, which is about 12-15 years, you should change the bedding everyday or every other day. Rabbits can get infections in their lungs, eyes, ears and anus from feces left too long in their cage. Also, an unkempt rabbit will smell bad. Do not get sawdust. Get wood shavings. Just make sure that the wood shavings are not pine or cedar. These can irritate rabbits' lungs and eyes. Avoid scented wood shavings, because these too are not safe for your furry friend. They also need a supply of fresh hay every hour of the day, because this helps them with the digestion of their food.

Rabbits can live outside, but need a warm hutch and if it's a female, a nice nesting box. Make sure that no predators or other house hold pets have access to the rabbit. My Bunny is scared to death of cats and dogs, and usually tries to bolt, even if he sees them through a window or we're holding him. I think that you can imagine the outcome when you are holding a desperately struggling animal, and a dog barking doesn't help either. Bunny jumped onto my back when he saw a dog, and my family had to extract him before he fell off. That was just plain scary. Rabbit cages need to be at least 4x the size of the rabbit, ensuring that the bunny will have enough space to run. Rabbits love 2-3 floors on their cage, but will do fine in a normal one.

Rabbits are very clean animals, and my rabbits spends most of the day grooming and lying in chamomile hay. This results in amazing pleasure when you kiss him, because he smells like cinnamon and chamomile. Contrary to what many people believe, rabbits are very clean and definitely cleaner than cats. They can be litter box trained too, although I haven't managed this yet as my rabbit goes to one specific corner of his cage to do his stuff. Most rabbits have a specific corner where they "go" for their needs. Others can be messy slobs that couldn't care less about what they lie in, eww!

Both males and females make good pets, but I think that males are better because they don't get their period and like cuddles more, much like rats. Females get their period and excrete a yellowish/red liquid which is sticky, and they also aren't very fond of hugs. She will jump at the slightest thing, even a small swoosh in the grass or a human walking around the house.

Rabbits need at least 2 hours of excersize every day. Think about being trapped in a cage 24/7 without anything to do!

Go research them, because if you can't afford a dog or a cat, an elder isn't really fond of hamsters etc, a rabbit might be a good choice for you!

Rabbits are very unique, and they all shine with a glow of their own. I think that rabbits deserve an altar on the pantheon of pets, as they are just as caring as a dog or cat. If you decide to get a rabbit, look forward to an amazing and quirky relationship, because rabbits are truly humorous!