"If you locked a cat or a dog in wooden box in the garden, it wouldn’t be long before your neighbours complained to the RSPCA, and rightly so – but why should it be any different for rabbits?" RWAF
All this week its Rabbit Awareness Week and this subject is so important to me that I couldn't not blog about it because quite frankly rabbits get a raw deal! When I decided to get my two bunnies- Millie & George, I did do my research and read books and boy did I do the right thing as I had no idea of how much work it would involve. Here are some of the things I learnt:
A rabbit needs a hutch at least 6x2x2ft and an 8ft run.
A rabbit must be able to stand on its hind legs whenever it wants to avoid spinal problems.
Rabbits are physically incapable of being sick so when they moult they are unable to throw up the fur balls like cats which can lead to stomach problems.
Most rabbits actually hate being picked up because they are prey animals- being picked up is what happens if a predator catches them.
Rabbits shouldn't live on their own, they should at least live in pairs as they are social animals.
Rabbits are very territorial so if you don't have your rabbit spade or neutered they can get aggressive and will spray urine to mark their territory.
Vets bills are very expensive. Rabbits need regular check ups for their teeth, weight and need various injections every year, so just like cats & dogs you would need to get insurance which you would have to pay monthly.
Unfortunately it's a sad fact that most people just don't have the correct information on how to look after their rabbit/s correctly. The image of a rabbit down the bottom of the garden in a small hutch with a small run (if they're lucky) still sadly exists today in many households. Rabbit Awareness Week was started with the aim to re-educate the general public so that they can take care of their bunnies correctly. I so wish this information & research had been around when my parents bought me my first pet rabbit when I was a child, it makes me shudder now when I think of it living alone in a hutch far too small for it. Thank goodness we can do something about it now!
Please, please, please watch this video and spread the word
To find out whether your bunnies are happy bunnies please click here
And finally, a final plea (as I could passionately talk about this subject forever!) If you know of anyone who is thinking about buying a bunny for themselves or for their children please show them the video above and if they still want to go ahead please encourage them to get a pair of bunnies from a rescue centre as there are so many unwanted bunnies that desperately need good homes (plus the centres are far more likely to give them correct advice on how bunnies should be looked after). Just like cats and dogs bunnies should not be sold in pet shops anymore. Spread the word so that bunnies are given the chance to lead happy & healthy lives which every living animal deserves.