Cost of caring for a rabbit

Question
Hello, my almost 10 year old daughter is intereted in getting a pet rabbit. We've checked out several books from the library regarding their care-from having them inside freely roaming, in a cage inside and outside in a hutch. Some issues that concern us are the cost of care and we go out of town to visit family a few times a year for 2-4 days at a time. What is the average monthly cost of caring for a rabbit? Could you please tell us what it's really like to have a rabbit for a pet? The only problem we see in keeping one outside in a hutch would be when we go out of town. Our neighbor could feed it, but would not want to get the rabbit out. Any advice on this? Also, how many years do rabbits live? Thanks.

Answer
Well, it's going to depend on where the rabbit is.

Certainly an outside hutch or an inside cage will be more expensive than free-roaming, but if the rabbit is free-roaming you have to cover electrical wires and make other bunnyproofing modifications.

The big upfront cost is the cage, water bottle or bowl, food bowl and litterbox.  If you get the rabbit spayed or neutered (which if the rabbit is female is highly recommended because of the incidence of uterine cancer), then that's another big cost.

Monthly is going to be food and hay.  If you get something like Purina, which a lot of feed stores carry, that's relatively cheap.  Plain pellets tend to be less expensive than the food with treats in it, and the plain pellets are better for the rabbit.  Also hay is important, depending again on where you get it you might be able to get a deal.  If you get it at a pet store of course you will be paying more.

I don't like to keep them outside because you really miss all the fun of having a rabbit - watching them explore, run around, flop, do happy dances, try to steal your food, watch TV with you, and angle for petting as often as possible.  They have personalities, and it's fun to watch them develop.  A bunny can be shy, or pushy, could like to sit by you a lot, or would prefer to do their own thing.  The one thing most of them don't like is to be picked up and held.  

If you do just pellets and hay, you may get away with just $25 a month.  If you also feed vegetables, you will also need to factor in that cost.

A well-taken care of rabbit can live a long life.  I know a 12 year old rabbit that's still alive, in fact I will be boarding him next week, and a friend recently lost 2 11 year old rabbits to cancer.  I know a number of rabbits that are 9 or 10.  So another thing to consider is what to do with the rabbit should your daughter leave home and not want to or not be able to take him with her.

Rabbits that live outdoors don't tend to reach these ages, unless they have really good genetics and there are no predators in the area (dogs, cats, hawks, snakes, raccoons, etc.).

I think that they are fun to keep in the house, although I prefer to have a cage for when I am not there, so they can't get into trouble (and also because I have a dog and cat).  

Kim