Traditionally, rabbits have been kept in small wooden hutches, which they are often lucky to see the outside of, particularly during winter. I’ve actually owned a rabbit who lived indoors all year-round, so this article is written from personal experience.
Rabbits are incredibly sociable creatures, and if you purchase the right rabbit, from a breeder who focuses on temperament, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at what wonderful companions they can make. They adapt easily to other pets (mine was best of friends with my female cat, and protected her from my second cat, when we first rehomed him) and they adore the company of humans, especially children. My rabbit would climb onto our laps and lick us, and she played for hours with our toddler, bouncing around the house. I recommend choosing a giant French-Lop, because they are bold and friendly, and children won’t be tempted to pick them up, which can cause injury.
Rabbits are intelligent, and can be taught to perform tricks and use litter-trays, as would a cat. In fact, my rabbit often used the cat litter, instead of her own. It is usual for a well-trained house rabbit to take up position in the lounge or family room, laying on the floor like a dog, completely oblivious to all the noise and commotion. My rabbit played throw and catch with her toys (honestly, she actually threw them back to us!), and we were even able to train her to walk outside on a leash. She wasn’t in the slightest bit scared of anything, having been brought up indoors with four children, and she loved to sit on the window-sill, between the two cats, watching the children playing outside.
And now for the not-so-good news…
Rabbits like to chew, and they’re not picky as to what they chew on. Electrical wires are very similar in appearance to the roots of plants and trees, And, although your rabbit may never have been outdoors, they will instinctively know these “roots” are wonderful aids in wearing down those forever-growing teeth. We tried sprays, designed to repel animals, but they didn’t work. In just a few short weeks our rabbit chewed through three telephone leads, the mains for a sub-bass unit, a camera charger wire, a mobile phone lead and some speaker cable.
They also like to chew on wood, so furniture is at risk. My rabbit once decided to strip the wallpaper in my son’s bedroom. We hadn’t been planning to decorate, but she did a fairly good job of it…
Finally, rabbits like to dig, so carpets are particularly vulnerable – especially in the corners of rooms. We have one room with a completely bare patch – she even managed to destroy the under-lay.
So, all in all, although they have charming personalities and make wonderful companions, rabbits do not make ideal house-pets, and require being kept locked away in a cage, or a hutch, and supervised when allowed out.
If you liked this you may also be interested in the following:
Is It Possible to Leash-train and Walk a Cat?
Fear Me, Love Me, Worship Me: A History of the Domestic Cat
What Exactly are We Feeding Our Pets?
Genetically Modified Cats: The Toyger
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User Comments
martie
On September 28, 2009 at 8:23 am
We rescued a house rabbit once. (The owner was too sick to keep her) and she thought she was a dog. We did however keep her in a cage when we couldn’t watch her.
CaSundara
On September 28, 2009 at 8:41 am
Yes, our rabbit (called Lala, after a teletubby – don’t ask…) acted a lot like a dog! We also had a large cage, which was indoors, but she just destroyed things every time we let her out. She was such a character, though. I’ll never forget her.
Nancy
On October 7, 2009 at 2:53 am
Yes they are suitable and should be kept in the home, no question. In a hutch, they will not only be lonely, bored, and frequently forgotten by their owners, but they will also be vulnerable to many different types of prey including birds, wild animals, and other dogs and cats within the neighborhood. So, if you or anyone reading this blog is thinking about adopting a bunny – you should think carefully about how you will bunny-proof the environment and make sure that hazardous chemicals or wires are removed from reach just like you would for a new baby. Bunnies are perhaps the most joyful animals I’ve ever seen and amazing as pets, but they need very special care and attention… They deserve nothing less…
WriteEditSeek
On October 12, 2009 at 1:27 am
Those rabbit pictures are so adorable. This wasn’t a good article for me to read. I don’t need to acquire any more critters since I have the four kitties, but I’ve always wondered about how rabbits are as pets.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Do you think you’ll get another rabbit as a pet? Or are you sticking with kitties now?
CaSundara
On October 13, 2009 at 8:31 am
I would love to, but not right now – things have to be very rabbit proof! If you’re going to get one make sure it’s the right breed to ensure a good temperament and that it’s been well-handled from birth – it’ll be a brilliant pet. Mine bounded over to say hello whenever a new person walked into the room, and she also licked us when we stroked her, which I thought was strage, for a rabbit. She was just so cool. Once, she stole a pizza crust from my son’s plate and we had to chase her around to retrieve it. Just try to imagine a GIANT rabbit holding a curved piece of pizza crust in her mouth (looking like a giant grin) and hopping around with her huge floppy ears flying up and down! I wish I’d got a photo…
WriteEditSeek
On October 14, 2009 at 1:08 am
I wish you would have gotten a picture. That sounds hilarious.
lillyrose
On October 17, 2009 at 1:50 pm
Haha… I love rabbits, had them, bred them then became allergic to them!!! very strange, I think I OD on them. My rabbits used to love mash potato, I used to boil up potato peelings for them in winter as a belly warmer. they go mad for it.
Great article BTW loved your story!
CaSundara
On October 17, 2009 at 2:26 pm
@Lilyrose – It’s nice to some people do appreciate what amazing pets rabbits can make. They are very much underestimated, IMO. I think rabbits kind of eat anything, apparently my partner’s mum used to feed theirs a roast dinner every Sunday – gravy and all!
BMDonnelly
On January 27, 2010 at 10:01 pm
Great article. I keep a house rabbit (a lionhead) in my bedroom. She is best friends with my pomerainian and is trained to walk on the leash. She did eat my phone charger though.
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