The Easter bunny’s one thing, but keeping a real-life rabbit as a pet is a whole other ball game. They may look cute and cuddly – and they are – but rabbits require a specific kind of owner to give them a happy, full life as a pet. Find out why:
They're social animals… In the wild, rabbits live in groups with complex hierarchies – pretty different from living alone in a hutch. If you have the resources, consider getting two rabbits so they can keep each other company. (If you get a male and a female, just make sure they're spayedto avoid any unexpected baby bunnies!)
…but they're crepuscular That means they like to snooze during the day and are most active early in the morning and in the evening. It's a trait that makes them the perfect pets for 9-to-5ers.
They have subtle ways of communicating They may be a little less easy to read than cats and dogs but that doesn't mean they aren't complex creatures with all kinds of emotions. Acquaint yourself with the various indicators of your rabbit's mood: a happy rabbit looks relaxed, with ears facing to the front, while a scared rabbit lies flat with its ears flattened. And if you ever see your rabbit thump its hind legs? They're warning you of danger!
They're very clean Here's the good news – rabbits are super-hygienic. They keep their own coats clean, like cats, so they don't really need to be bathed (just brushed with a soft brush, especially during biannual shedding phases). That said, you'll need to make sure you're on top of cleaning your rabbit's hutch: change their litter daily and clean the entire enclosure to prevent any bad smells. (Fun fact: Rabbits can be housetrained - and it's easier to train a de-sexed rabbit.)
They love boxes, just like cats You know how you can spend all the money on fancy cat toys, only for your feline friend to decide they'd rather crawl inside an old box and have the time of their life in there? Rabbits are the same. That doesn't mean you should skimp on toys, but you can get creative – box tunnels will keep them busy for hours.
