Yuma Sun - Raising Yuma Families
ask a vet: rabbits
Bunnies are fun and very cute,” is 6-year-old Kylie Christie’s opinion on the pet rabbit that joined her household about a year ago. In the past, she and her mother have had a cat and dogs.
Added her mother, Malia Christie, if she didn’t have a pet and was in the market for a new one, she would definitely prefer another rabbit.
She acquired Graham Cracker as a “foster mom” to keep him from going to the animal shelter when the previous owner had to give him up. At the time, the then-1-year-old rabbit had spent his life in a hutch.
That wasn’t the life Christie wanted for her new pet. She did a crash course on the Internet on the care of rabbits, bunny-proofed her house with baby gates and chord covers to protect carpeted areas and electrical cords and turned Bunny, as he’s affectionately called, loose to roam.
Well, she also litter box trained him, an easy process, she said. And she adopted some ground rules on how to handle the animal – such as no rough handling. “They’re fragile and not a play toy.”
She noted that the rabbit is very social and gets along well with other animals as well as humans. And the more attention he gets, the less apt he is to get into trouble. Kylie will sit on the floor and read to Bunny. He also likes to get on the Robot Roomba and go for a ride.
“He’s at the top of the list for a pet,” Christie said. “He doesn’t bark and he doesn’t need to be walked. Cats, you have to clean their litter box. You do need to clean his litter box … normal things you would have to do as a pet owner. But he’s so sweet and is always happy to see you.”
Her final advice: “Let them be part of the family and love them to pieces.”
Veterinarian Dr. Cheryl Haugo of Desert Veterinary Clinic has experience with rabbits both personally and professionally.
“They make good pets, especially if you work with them. They can be quite loving and affectionate,” she said. “A lot will come when they think they’ll get something to eat. It’s easy to litter box train them so they make good house pets. They’re good around children … of course it depends on the children and whether they respect animals. Properly handled and respected, they should be fine.”
She did have a few observations that potential rabbit pet owners should be aware of. “They are remarkably strong but also remarkably fragile. When they’re handled and get agitated, they can easily break their backs and be paralyzed.”
She also noted that females who Graham Cracker takes time out in his basket lined with hay for him to nibble on. Rabbits such as Graham Cracker make good pets. They’re easy to care for, social and affectionate to their humans.
haven’t been bred or spayed will develop ovarian cancer. Rabbits do harbor some harmful bacteria and parasites (especially outdoor rabbits) that can cause a variety of conditions and diseases in the animals, Dr. Haugo warned. So she recommended they have an annual examination.
They don’t need vaccinations, although a rabies vaccination is probably a good idea.
“They will chew every electrical cord in sight,” she said. “We used to buy phone lines by the box when we had plug-in phones.”
A lot of rabbits will do fine as sole pets. If people want more than one, Haugo recommended it’s best they grew up together and are spayed or neutered. Boys can’t be kept with other boys as “they try to neuter each other.” If unaltered male and female rabbits are together, they will multiply like, well, you know.
Her rabbits did fine with her dogs and cats, but she didn’t leave them alone around the other animals without supervision as the rabbits are natural prey.
Rabbits have a shorter lifespan than cats or dogs, living on average between 8 and 10 years, although they can live longer, she said.
She does advise that anyone thinking of getting a pet rabbit do their research first and consider their ability to spend time with their pet. “Will you be able to care for the bunny for its life? You will be its human. No pet should be a spur-ofthe-moment purchase.”
The Humane Society of Yuma rarely gets in a rabbit and when it does, it works with a rescue group in Phoenix to place it.
To acquire a pet rabbit, the best option in Yuma is from a reputable local breeder, of which there are several. A list can be obtained from the Yuma County 4-H Office (call 928-726-3904). Cost of a rabbit ranges from about $25 to $45.
“We have a list of breeders and they will back their animals,” said 4H Agent Amy Parrott. “For 4-H or as a pet, get to know the breeders and be comfortable with who you are purchasing your animal from. Know they will be quality animals and good with kids.”
She said the breeders can provide information on the various breeds of rabbits and their characteristics to help in the selection process. Many of them are also 4-H leaders. They’re the experts.
Breeder Cheri Meade of Meade Bunny Barn offered her own Kylie Christie gets down on the floor to play with her pet rabbit. thoughts on rabbit ownership. “They’re fairly easy to care for as long as you have a proper habitat for them – hutch or indoor fencing,” she said. They are very sensitive to extreme temperatures, both hot and cold. And they don’t swim so keep them away from a backyard pool.
“They get along well with cats and dogs and kids,” she continued. “They don’t make a lot of noise and they have good personalities.”
Rabbits come in a variety of sizes from 2-3 pounds for the smallest up to the size of a medium-sized dog.
Rabbit feed in the form of pellets can be purchased at a variety of stores. They also need hay and water.
They like fruits and vegetables such as bananas, apples and romaine lettuce but they should only be occasional treats, Meade said. Plain Cheerios and raw sweet potato chunks can also be given as treats. “Essentially they’re a bribe,” she said.
While carrots are like candy to rabbits, she said, “I don’t recommend them on a daily basis. Pellets are the best food. They need nutrition from special rabbit food.”
“A really good place to pick up a pet rabbit is during the barn sale at the Yuma County Fair,” suggested Meade. “The rabbits have done their job for the kids and now they’re in need of good homes. They’ve already been handled and have some manners.”