with spring right around the corner we all know this is the biggest season for rabbits
to be impulse purchased
so i wanted to do a video today talking about whether or not rabbits are going to be the right pet for you
and potentially help somebody not impulse buy a rabbit
so the first question to ask yourself is do you have any allergies?
this is a very big factor when it comes to deciding whether or not rabbits are going to be the right pet for you or not
rabbits molt two times a year
one during the spring and one during the fall
this means there is a lot of hair that is going to be floating around your home
and with hair floating around that means it's also bringing their proteins and dander which causes allergies
another very common allergy in humans is hay
and unfortunately, this is not something that can be avoided because 80% of a rabbit's diet is hay
now many people still own rabbits even with allergies and this may depend on how severe their allergies are
or whether or not they're willing to live with it or not
and unfortunately, allergies are something that can be developed at any point in your life
so it is very possible for you to own rabbits for years and then suddenly develop an allergy to them
but before you get rabbits it's good to assess whether or not you are already allergic to them
so that it can prevent you from having to possibly re-home them in the future
do you have a lot of space?
rabbits need a lot of space and none of those pet store cages are going to be suitable for them to live in
some rabbits can be as large as a cat or even a small dog so it's absurd to think that
those cages would be suitable for a permanent home because you would never house your dog in
a cage that size
it's also important to remember that rabbits are social animals and should have same species companionship
so when you consider them as a pet you should be considering a pair or more which means you're going to need more space for at minimum two rabbits
a popular choice among rabbit owners is free roaming your rabbits in a rabbit proofed room
but other suitable options can include dog x pens as well as C+C grids which you can customize the amount of space
if you're unable to provide the space rabbits need it's best that you look into a different pet
do you have the money?
rabbits can be very expensive pets to own
they are quite literally pooping machines because of how much food they ingest in a day including hay and veggies
and both of these things can get really expensive depending on a couple of factors
like do you have access to quality hay?
are vegetables cheap where you live?
are you able to grow your vegetables instead?
when it comes to my rabbits I'll give you a breakdown on how much i spend on hay, veggies and litter in 2021
so i spend about $40 a month on veggies sometimes more in winter when the prices are higher
i spend $74 on hay every other month because i buy two bags at a time
and i purchase 80 pounds of litter monthly for $14
so in a year on just these three supplies
i spend roughly $1,092
this does not include other things like toys, treats, hideouts and of course vet care
a lot of the times when adopting rabbits you are going to be getting rabbits who are already spayed and neutered
which can save you a lot of money because if not you are going to have to go ahead and do that yourself
for your rabbit's health
spaying and neutering can really vary when it comes to cost it depends on where you live and your vet
but i've seen the prices be anywhere from $50-$500
and of course, we haven't even talked about if your rabbit gets sick
unfortunately one of the most common health issues in rabbits is gastrointestinal stasis
and without vet treatment, a rabbit can die within 24 to 48 hours
in some cases, your vet may recommend that your rabbits stay at the clinic so that they can have round-the-clock treatment
and this can get expensive back in 2020 Cleo my rabbit had to stay at the vets overnight
and this came to a total of $589
do you care about damage?
rabbits naturally use their mouths for so many things including communication, exploring and foraging
this makes rabbits pretty good at destroying anything you love
this list includes clothing, baseboards, carpets, electrical cords and plenty of other things
this is tied in with having the money for rabbits because if your rabbit chews $100 computer charger
you're going to have to replace it and we all know that that costs a lot
this means you're going to have to rabbit proof your home to ensure that your rabbits and your supplies both stay safe
but remember even the most rabbit-proofed home can still have damage done to it
if you're not looking to have to replace items or have them wrecked in the first place having rabbits may not be the best pet for you
do you have the time?
rabbits can take up a lot of your time whether it's cleaning their areas,
grooming them, preparing their foods or letting them out for playtime
make sure that you're prepared to be able to do all of these things because even on the days when you don't want to do them
you have no choice
do you like to travel?
something many pet owners don't consider when getting any pet
is what they're going to do if they need to travel or like traveling
rabbits cannot just be left at home and given a lot of food and water they need to be tended to at least a minimum of two times a day
this means you're either going to have to sacrifice your traveling or find a pet sitter or family member or friend
who is willing to be able to take care of your rabbit
not all rabbits want to cuddle
many people are looking for a pet who wants to be held and cuddled all of the time
but it's important to remember many rabbits are not like this
rabbits are prey animals so a majority are not going to enjoy being held
you may even end up with a rabbit who doesn't let you pick them up at all and just kicks and scratches you
rabbits can be affectionate and loving pets but remember to only do what they're comfortable with
some may enjoy being pet but some may also not enjoy being pet
and it's unreasonable to expect them to always want to cuddle with you
and lastly what are your future plans?
another thing to consider is that rabbits have long life spans
depending on the breed of rabbit a rabbit could live anywhere from 8 to 12 years
are you going to be able to care for your rabbits their entire life?
are you planning to go to college or university?
where will your rabbits go if so?
this is something very very very important to consider when getting rabbits
and if this is an issue for you i'd consider getting a pet with a shorter life span
i really hope this video was able to help somebody decide whether or not rabbits would make a good pet for them or not
so i will see you guys in my next video
bye