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Community Corner

Are You Bunny-Bound?

If you're considering getting a rabbit, here's what you should know before you hop to it.

Rabbits are often a first pet for a child or a step up from a hamster or guinea pig, but they are complicated creatures who require more attention, training and care than you might think. They can also live 8 to 12 years or more, so they are a long-term commitment.

Far from being low-maintenance pets that don't need a lot of interaction, rabbits require as much as or more care than a cat and just a bit less than a dog.

The good news is that they can be housetrained and are capable of learning endearing or entertaining tricks—including running an agility course—but their special needs include plenty of space to play, dig and kick, certain dietary restrictions, and training to become satisfactory housemates.

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Rabbits are easy to care for in that their exercise needs can be met indoors. No need to take a rabbit for a walk. They do need space to play, though.

Hopping, Digging, Periscoping

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A rabbit's natural behaviors, meaning activities that it is physically driven to do, include chewing, jumping up on things, digging and, yes, hopping around. The cages most often sold as hutches for rabbits rarely offer the amount of space they need to be active, says Mary Cvetan, co-founder of the Pittsburgh House Rabbit Society.

To keep a rabbit happy and physically fit, look for an exercise pen that is at least four feet wide by four feet high. That amount of space can contain a large litter box, a large cardboard box for the rabbit to hide in or hop on top of, and some toys. It also provides plenty of room for the rabbit to "periscope" (bob up and down) and play.

Place the pen in an indoor area where the carpet can be protected from scrabbling bunny paws, and make sure the rabbit has a safe and approved place to dig.

One of the advantages of rabbits as pets is that they can learn to use a litter box. Because they are herbivores who eat a vegan diet, their poop doesn't stink.

"You should never be able to smell a dirty litter box," Cvetan says. "That includes urine. If you're using the right litter, no one's going to know you have a rabbit in the house."

If a rabbit stops using its litter box, it's usually because something is wrong. The rabbit may have an injury, such as a sore on its paw, that makes it unwilling to dig in the litter, or it may have some other health problem that is causing the change in behavior. A trip to the veterinarian is in order. In cases where no physical problem can be identified, a change in the environment may have the bunny on edge.

Be sure to spay female rabbits, especially if they have a male partner. There's a reason some ancient societies considered rabbits fertility symbols. Females can get pregnant every 30 days and even while giving birth. They are also susceptible to uterine cancer if they are unspayed. A spayed female has a much longer lifespan than one that is unspayed.

The idea that rabbits are quiet pets is appealing. It's true that they aren't going to bark and annoy the neighbors, but it doesn't mean that rabbits don't make noise. They can thump loudly, and the sound of their digging is often an early-morning wake-up call for rabbit owners, whether they want one or not.

Careful With Carrots

Feeding a rabbit is simple. You're just going to give him carrots, right? Wrong! Peter Rabbit notwithstanding, carrots are high in sugar and quickly cause dietary upset. Rabbits are herbivores with distinct dietary needs. They need to eat grasses such as hay or timothy every day, along with some leafy greens such as cilantro, kale, dandelion greens or red leaf lettuce.

Pelleted diets are available but should be limited to one-quarter cup per day in addition to the hay and greens. Choose plain pellets, not the brands that look like a rabbit version of Lucky Charms cereal. It's easy to overfeed rabbits, but it's not good for them.

Keep treats to a minimum, and avoid giving anything with sugar, honey or seeds. Dairy products are out, too, so no yogurt drops. Too much sugar in a rabbit's diet causes painful and messy diarrhea. If you really want to give a sweet treat, Cvetan recommends high-fiber fruits such as a piece of organic apple that is mostly peel or a bit of strawberry with the green top still attached. Fruits such as bananas and carrots are too high in sugar. Whatever you give, the amount should be no larger than the joint end of your pinky finger.

Like any pet, rabbits may do things their owners don't like, such as jumping on the furniture, digging in the carpet, and biting. Training takes time, Cvetan says, but learning to understand a rabbit's body language allows you to teach it to replace unwanted activities with other behaviors instead, including tricks and activities such as running across a room and jumping over a hurdle, spinning in circles, or bobbing up and down like a prairie dog. Rabbits also love to run and twist in the air, then land facing a different direction, an activity that rabbit lovers call "binking."

"When they do it, it looks very joyful," Cvetan says. "They're awesome creatures."

February is Adopt a Shelter Rabbit Month. Orange County Animal Care currently has 18 bunnies available for adoption. Visit the OCAC facility at 561 The City Drive South in Orange, open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., 7 p.m. on Wednesdays.

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