#easterbunny: SPCA warns about giving bunnies as gifts

The Boksburg SPCA is urging people not to give “cute” bunnies as presents at Easter – in fact, pets should never be given as gifts.

Vicky Finnemore, SPCA manager, said owning a rabbit is not as easy as people think and they can, in fact, become quite high maintenance if not cared for properly.

“Rabbits are difficult to house train and can burrow out of grassy enclosures,” she said. “The SPCA does not condone the giving of pets as gifts, for any reason, because often the person receiving the pet is not prepared for this specie of animal or the expenses which come with owning it.

“All sorts of factors must be taken into consideration when you get a pet – such as enough garden space, body corporate rules, vet costs and feeding routines.”

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Things to know before owning a rabbit (www.treehugger.com):

• They can live up to 12 years. This may be the most important thing to know when it comes to rabbits since they require a sizable degree of daily and weekly care throughout their lives. Given how long they live, it’s a good bit of work that’s more than just feeding and picking up after their poop.
It’s an especially big commitment if a rabbit is given to a child as a pet and then that child goes off to college and now that rabbit is the parent or guardian’s responsibility.

• Rabbits are not great pets for small children. Rabbits are prey animals and, as such, they’re easily startled by loud noises and lurching movements. Picking up rabbits is also a no-go as it may make them think they’ve been grabbed by a predator. Parents should wait until children are older before the family adopts a rabbit.

• Rabbits are social animals that rely on one another to survive in the wild. A rabbit by itself must be alert at all times for potential predators, but if there’s another rabbit about, that spreads the responsibility around. And since rabbits only speak rabbit, it helps them feel immensely safer if there’s another rabbit about.
Related to this, spaying and neutering your rabbit is a good call if you’re going to have two rabbits, but it’s generally smart even if you’re going to stick to one rabbit.

• Rabbits need exercise and room to roam. They should get a solid four hours of exercise per day, which means that leaving them cooped up in a cage all day isn’t the best idea. Exercise for rabbits helps with overall health, including digestion and mental health. If you have space, a whole room just for your rabbit is probably a great idea, as it gives them plenty of room to run to and fro.

If you don’t have space, then the cage or container holding your rabbit needs to be five times the size of the rabbit at minimum, and this includes on a vertical level so the rabbit can stand up on its hind legs without bumping its head. Multi-tiered containers are also recommended. The rabbit’s area will need to be spruced up every day and cleaned once a week. If you don’t have the space for a dedicated rabbit room or a large cage, giving your rabbit free rein of the living area may be your only option, and that means preparing the rest of the home.

• Rabbits’ teeth never stop growing, so they love chewing on everything, including furniture and cables. Plastic tubing around cables will take care of that chew temptation, or taping the wires up and out of the rabbit’s reach will also work. Make sure your rabbit has plenty of safe and chew-friendly toys as alternatives.

• Rabbits need more than carrots. The common conception is that rabbits will just nosh on vegetables all day long, and some might want to do that, but providing your rabbit with a varied but healthy diet is important. Hay or grass should make up the bulk of their diet, with fresh vegetables providing a smaller portion of their intake. These vegetables can include kale, broccoli, romaine lettuce and parsley. Small bits of fresh carrot, apple and pineapple are treats that should be given only once or twice a week.

• Rabbits can need unique medical care and should have annual vet visits to check their teeth, test for parasites and be vaccinated.

Finnemore concluded residents should not shop but adopt a rabbit from an animal rescue organisation, such as the SPCA if they feel they can adequately care for the animal and cater to its needs.Contact Boksburg SPCA on 011 916 5906 for more advice on pet care and to find out which animals they have up for adoption.

More resources for organisations involved in the rescue and rehoming of rabbits can be found on the internet.

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