"Rabbits are a great starter pet", "they're perfect for kids", "rabbits are boring!"
I'm sure you've heard these statements just as much as me and those of you with rabbits will be shaking your head thinking no, no, no! (Me too - every time).
Rabbits are so complex, smart, loving and take a lot of effort to care for properly! Here are 13 things I wish I'd known before getting a bun and having them free-roam indoors...
1. They're more work than a dog or cat
I've never been the sole owner of a dog or cat, but the family dog was such a good boy and didn't get into mischief. Sure, you don't have to take your rabbit out for a walk twice a day, but I never had to 'clean out' my dog's pen or litter box, hoover up hay or poops, find things around the house had been chewed, I didn't have to tidy up nearly as much, worry about the carpet being peed on or chewed, worry about tiny spaces in the house that could be squeezed into... the list goes on...
2. Nothing is sacred
Thinking about buying that expensive new wooden table? A fancy new sofa throw? Be prepared for it to be chewed, scratched, or peed on! I have honestly just totally given up on buying expensive furniture or items I can't keep out of reach because I know one day they'll see an ugly demise...
These destructive behaviours can be curbed by providing plenty of toys (and regularly rotating them) to avoid boredom in rabbits. But beware that buns are naturally curious animals and will investigate your new purchases! Introduce them to areas while supervising and gradually earn trust before allowing them to roam unsupervised!
3. You need to remember to put things away or else!
Similarly to the above points, I didn't realise just how much I'd have to constantly tidy up after myself. I couldn't just disconnect my phone charger and leave the plug in the wall - the wire would get chewed and I've been through so many! You have to remember to put things away immediately if you're not watching them, or tuck them up and out of reach. Having a rabbit has definitely made me a tidier person and I'm grateful!
4. Be prepared to hoover (or sweep) every. single. day.
Hay, fur, poops, more hay - these will get tracked all over your home if you don't keep up with hoovering or sweeping regularly. Hay will get stuck to their paws and your socks, poops will sometimes just fall out of their bum when they're not in their litter box, they'll kick litter and poop accidentally when they hop out of their tray... They'll literally throw their food bowl around if you have a lightweight plastic one and you'll be finding pellets under the sofa for weeks to come!
5. You will never eat a banana the same way again
At the sound of the first peel, your rabbit will be there. Watching. Waiting. Always.
6. You'll be frustratingly reminded just how inferior your hearing is
Thump. Thump, thump. What are they thumping at? You can hear literally nothing out of the ordinary with your pathetic human ears. Is it a burgular? Is there a cat meowing down the steet? Has a poltergiest finally surfaced? More often than not, you won't find out the source of whatever is making your bun go on alert, no matter how hard you strain your ears.
7. You'll be figuring out "the best way" forever
From litter box types, blanket textures, ways of arranging their pen, different rabbit-proofing methods... you'll be constantly trying to improve their living situation, no matter how good it is!
8. You need to be really in tune with your rabbit in case they ever get sick
Rabbits are prey animals and so they naturally do their best to hide when they're sick in order to avoid being singled out by predators. This means that sometimes illness can be very difficult to spot! The best way around this is to get your rabbit regularly checked by a rabbit-savvy vet and to also spend time with your rabbit every day.
By spending regular time with your rabbit you'll learn their usual behaviours, poop patterns, food preferences, normal apetite level and activity levels. If something is even slightly amiss with any of those (and more!) you'll know that your bun might not be feeling their best and it's time for a trip to the vet. A rabbit's health can go downhill extremely quickly, so it's important to spot signs of illness early!
9. You'll spend way more money than you think you will on them
"What a cute toy! They'll love this" - I say at every single rabbit toy I see. A trip to the pet shop is a dangerous one and online shopping is a slippery slope... next thing you know, you've bought them an overpriced cat tower...
The best rabbit toys are designed to be chewed and destroyed, so you'll go through a few! Not to mention the pellets, veggies, hay, litter, blankets, treats, replacements of destroyed household items, and medical bills that you'll end up paying for!
10. You'll never be bored ever again
While we all lived with my grandma, she used to call Apollo and Athena 'time-wasters' because she could just sit and watch them, play with them, and stroke them for hours! Rabbits are so intelligent, curious, and loving. You can teach them tricks, play with their toys with them, make toys for them, and in my case: spend hours taking their photo! Just put in the time, love, and effort and your bond will keep growing stronger and the rewards will pile up.
11. You'll forever be running out of phone storage
... Because you'll be taking millions of photos of the new loves of your life!
He just yawned!? OMG 📸 She stretched!? Aww 📸 He's just laying there doing nothing and not even paying rent? Adorable! 📸 📸 📸
12. Your mental health will improve
You'll have someone that relies on you. You'll feel needed, responsible, and loved unconditionally. Dogs have been helping humans with their mental health for years: therapy dogs, emotional support dogs, and mental health assistance dogs all have proven track records. In more recent years, emotional support animals have extended past just dogs as people have realised that animals and nature in general are so beneficial for our mental wellbeing - this extends to rabbits!
13. It will be the best thing you ever do...
If I'd known just how rewarding having a rabbit would be, I would have done it a lot sooner. As someone who is super committed to the hard work and effort needed to properly care for a rabbit, I can see myself having bun companions for the rest of my life!