Rabbit breeds and health

Question
Hello,
I really want a rabbit and I have been looking at different breeds and my favorite breed of rabbit is lop eared rabbits and I was wondering if that type of rabbit is a good family rabbit for young and older ages.

                    Taylor

Answer
Dear Taylor,

I think I may have just written a response to your question about whether to buy or adopt a rabbit.  Hope you got that response.

Rabbits, unlike dogs and cats, have been bred more as ornamental (and food--yuck!) animals than as companion animals.  That means that there are as many personalities as there are rabbits, and that different breeds are not always predictable as to their temperament.

I've found that lops tend to be willful and smart and a handful!  They rule the house, and Must Be Obeyed!  

Dutch rabbits are smart and sweet, but can be moody.  

But there are sweet lops and good-natured stable Dutch bunnies.  Just no way to know by getting a certain breed!

That's one of the MAIN reason that I recommend people adopt, rather than shop.  If you adopt a rescued rabbit, it's personality will already be known to the rescuer, who can tell you all about him/her.  The rabbit will also already be spayed/neutered, which will save you a LOT of money (not to mention the anxiety that comes with having a beloved family member go under the knife!).

If you have small children, I would not recommend a rabbit as a pet unless you can ensure that the kids absolutely cannot get to the rabbit unsupervised.  In the past day, I have already answered TWO tragic questions from people who had rabbit killed by kids who accidentally stepped on them.  I can't tell you how many I've gotten from people whose kids dropped the bunny or the bunny leaped from the child's arms.

Rabbits are just NOT good pets for small children under any circumstances, and should be handled by kids only with strict, careful adult supervision.  Please read:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/shybun.html

and especially:

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/children.html

In a home with kids, a LARGE rabbit is best, since rabbits do not like to be picked up and held.  A large rabbit is less likely to be picked up by a small child, and hence is safer in his own home.

You can find your local rabbit rescuer here:

www.rabbit.org/chapters

Hope that helps!

Dana