Rabbit?

Question
I am twelve years old and very mature for me age. I have had birds, cats, dogs, hamsters, rats, and fresh water fish. I have also had rabbits and I know that some rabbits can be quite mean. I was planning on getting a rabbit but I want one that is friendly, small, and doesn't bite. Do you have any ideas of what kind of rabbit I should get?

Answer
Dear Alysha,

Yes, I have just the right rabbit for you:  a rescued bunny from your local rabbit rescuer!

Any breed of rabbit can have aggressive individuals.  There are as many rabbit personalities as there are rabbits.  So if you get a baby bunny, you really can't tell what s/he will be like upon reaching sexual maturity, when aggression usually starts to show.

It's also extremely important that the bunny be spayed/neutered to reduce aggression caused by sex hormones.  Read more here:

www.rabbit.org/health/spay.html

And find a good rabbit vet in advance here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

Finally, remember that rabbits are very intelligent and social.  They are *not* "low maintenance" animals that you can tuck in a cage and forget.  Boredom and insufficient running time and play with the human family can cause aggression, too.  A bunny who gets lots of playtime running free (our rabbits are *never* caged, and all are litterbox trained) is a happy bunny.

If you get a bunny from your local rabbit rescuer, these are the benefits:

1.  The bunny will already be spayed/neutered, saving you hundreds of dollars (not to mention the worry!)

2.  The bunny will have a known, developed personality and you can find the bunny who's just right for you.

3.  The bunny will have a known health history, so you won't get unhappy surprises (such as dental malocclusion) as you might from getting a pet store bunny.

You can find your local rescuer here:

www.rabbit.org/chapters

Give them a call, and be sure to read all the good rabbit information here:

www.rabbit.org/

before you make your final decision.

I hope this helps.  Good luck!

Dana