Rabbits: The Animal Answer Guide

8 Rabbits and Humans

144 Do rabbits make good pets? No wild animal makes a good pet, and lagomorphs are no exception. In fact, lagomorphs in general are challenging to maintain in captivity and are rarely exhibited in zoos. The only lagomorph that makes a good pet is the domestic European rabbit. In the United States, estimates suggest there are about 5 million pet rabbits living in just over 2 million homes, and people who have pet rabbits love them. This number does not include the rabbits raised and shown by hobby breeders, who don’t necessarily treat their rabbits as house pets. But even domestic rabbits are not for everyone, and they are less popular as pets than dogs and cats, which number about 70 and 80 million, respectively , in the United States. Rabbits are more fragile and sensitive than most cats and dogs, for instance. Some experts do not recommend rabbits as pets for families with young children who might inadvertently handle the rabbit roughly, which will, in turn, scratch or bite if it doesn’t like the way it’s being treated. A houseful of children on the rowdy side is not recommended either because rabbits tend to be stressed by too much commotion . Rabbits can be trained to use a litter box and enjoy socializing and playing with their caretakers but very often do not come when called or may have no desire to sit in your lap. They do chew on everything and your house must be rabbit-proofed so a pet doesn’t chew on dangerous items such as electrical wires. Rabbits must also be kept indoors, where they are safe from predators. They must be spayed or neutered to prevent them from marking your home—their home—with urine and feces. The practice of bestowing small children with a bunny rabbit at Easter is generally Chapter 8 Rabbits and Humans 145 Rabbits and Humans a bad idea—most of these rabbits end up in shelters because families aren’t prepared to care for them or can’t afford to. If you think a pet rabbit might work for you, there are always plenty of rabbits available for adoption from shelters and rabbit-rescue organizations. The House Rabbit Society advocates for pet rabbits and their owners. Show rabbits, also called fancy rabbits, are bred by hobbyists to compete for prizes in shows. In the United States, the American Rabbit Breeders Association registers and sanctions rabbit shows, breeds, and organizations . The ARBA recognizes 45 rabbit pure breeds, the most popular of which are Mini Rex, Netherland Dwarf, and Holland Lop, all relatively small breeds that are also popular as pets. The European Association of Rabbit Breeders, which includes 15 countries, registers 66 breeds. Rabbit breeds differ primarily in size, coat color and length, carriage, and length of the ears. Breeding rabbits for show began in the late 1800s, about the same time as people began breeding dogs and cats for the same purpose. The domestication of rabbits has a longer history. Whether you are interested in adopting a rabbit as a house pet or in breeding rabbits for show or as a commercial activity, there are many excellent guides to their care. The Web sites of the House Rabbit Society (www .rabbit.org) and the American Rabbit Breeders Association (www.arba.net) offer good introductions. Rabbit Production by Peter R. Cheeke, Nephi M. Patton, Steven D. Lukefahr, and J. I. McNitt, now in its eighth edition, is considered the bible of rabbit care, primarily as it relates to breeding rabbits commercially. The House Rabbit Handbook: How to Live with an Urban The giant Angora is one of several breeds of Angora rabbit, prized for their long, soft fur. Photo by Oldhaus, Wikimedia Commons/CC-BY-SA 3.0 146 Rabbits: The Animal Answer Guide Rabbit by Marinell Harriman, now in its fourth edition, is a highly regarded primer on care for pet rabbits. How were rabbits domesticated? More than 2,000 years ago, ancient Romans began systematically exporting European rabbits from Iberia to the Mediterranean islands and Italy and eventually to all parts of the empire. The rabbit is believed to have reached even as far as China during that period as a result of the Roman’s vast trade network along the Silk Road. Romans kept rabbits, hares, and often deer and birds in leporia, enclosed spaces several acres in size. Sometimes a small island served...