This time of year is often thought of, in this part of the world, as “around Easter” rather than the period of the Omer. During Easter, it’s common for families to give baby rabbits as presents, not realizing that rabbits are not a starter pet.

While rabbits are litter trainable, and indeed, essentially litter train themselves, they need a decent area to roam and cannot be constantly caged. This area needs to be rabbit-proofed, e.g., free of wood and cables, both of which they will happily chew on. They require a LOT of hay, all day long, their litters will need to be cleaned regularly, and some will need vet visits for things such as molar trims on a semi-regular basis. They also require regular nail trims, which take practice, and grooming such as brushing, so that they do not go into stasis from ingesting too much fur. They like being petted, but they do not enjoy being picked up, and so kids often do not find them to be “fun” pets. Finally, their lifespans are commonly 10 – 12 years, and can be as long as 15 – 16 years.

For all these reasons, shortly after Easter, rabbits commonly get dumped at shelters or with the Friends of Rabbits that is the premier rabbit adopted network in this area, or worse, turned out into the wild, where domesticated rabbits will quickly die, either of fright or by becoming prey to a local predator. If you have friends who are considering “giving an Easter bunny” to their kids or grandkids, please educate them on the basic care and lifespan of a rabbit, and why a stuffed rabbit is a much better choice.

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