This article was originally published in March 2018.
Easter is just around the corner, and bunnies are appearing everywhere in the form of chocolate candies, stuffed animals, and other themed gifts. Rabbits are an iconic symbol of the candy-filled holiday, but no toy or treat can match the absolute cuteness of a real, live bunny.
Rabbits are quiet, charismatic and adorable pets, but rabbit lovers in Maine are warning people not to impulsively gift these cute little creatures. There may be more to petting a rabbit than you think.
“Easter is not the time to buy rabbits,” said Liz Kennerly, president of the Eastern Maine Rabbit Breeders Association. “Buy stuffed animals. Kids love stuffed animals. But for rabbits, have a plan. Get them a cage. Get their food. Let's talk about them first. Please learn.”
Kennerly, who lives in Temple, currently has 26 rabbits, but has kept enough rabbits for 33 and is expecting her first litter of the year (usually four to six) later this month.
“Rabbits are small and have wonderful personalities,” Kennerly says. “People say not to get your hopes up, but just like cats, they learn their names. Just like cats, they come and don't come when you call them.”
A common mistake new rabbit owners make is not researching their rabbit's diet. For example, many people think that pet rabbits eat lettuce, but lettuce causes diarrhea, Kennerly said. Pet rabbits also cannot eat celery or broccoli. They should be fed a steady diet of pellets and straw, and certain treats like pineapple and papaya are fine. These treats contain enzymes that help your rabbit digest the fur it consumes during grooming.
Another acceptable rabbit treat is carrots.
“The biggest mistake is [new rabbit owners] “You get a rabbit, you take it home, you put it in a cage, and you never let it out,” said Bangor resident Pat Camic. He and his wife, Val Camic, breed and exhibit rabbits internationally. “If you have a rabbit, I always tell you to take it outside and hold it.”
Most rabbits are social creatures, especially if they are socialized from an early age. They enjoy being petted, held and even walked on harnesses and leashes, Pat Camic said.
“One of the biggest trends right now is rabbit hopping,” he says. “They set up a little course of jumps and the rabbits compete.”
While the Camix family breeds award-winning rabbits for display and sale, others keep rabbits for entirely different reasons. For example, some people raise Angora rabbits for their extremely soft fur. Its fur can be spun into expensive threads like silk. Some people raise rabbits for their nutritious meat, but rabbit consumption is thought to be more common in Europe and China than in the United States. Then there are those who simply want a family pet.
“We always have house rabbits as well as barn rabbits,” Kennerly said. “They're quiet. They're easy to carry. But you have to keep them in check when you're not looking…My rabbit chewed the phone cord for the third time and my husband bought another cord. The day I had to go, I was in trouble.”
Alicia Roussin, an adoption counselor and small animal specialist at the Bangor Humane Society, owns and fosters rabbits. In her opinion, they are great pets.
“You can potty train them and teach them tricks,” Roussin says. “They love being around you. My rabbit likes to lie in bed and watch Netflix together.”
Roussin said BHS has a waiting list of area residents who would like to surrender the rabbits, as well as a list of people interested in adopting the rabbits. Roussin said rabbits are turned over to BHS for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they become strays or are abandoned. Other times, the owner may be moving, developing allergies, or simply looking for a change in lifestyle.
“Rabbits can have babies on either the right or left side, so they can be very irritable,” Roussin says.
BHS has to operate on a waiting list because there is limited space in the facility to keep rabbits, and rabbits typically fight (commonly occurring between rabbits of the same sex) and mate (breeding with each other). They should be housed in separate enclosures to prevent this (a common occurrence). of the opposite sex).
“Rabbits come year-round,” Roussin says. “We look at all the different breeds and personalities of rabbits.”
The American Rabbit Breeders Association recognizes 49 breeds of rabbits. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. There are also many crossbreeds and hybrid rabbits that contain the genetics and traits of several breeds.
On Tuesday, March 6th, two 2-year-old rabbits (a large brown rabbit and a small jet black rabbit) were delivered to BHS and placed in a large glass enclosure in the front lobby with plenty of hay, pellets, and water. It was placed. . After getting used to their new environment, they will be spayed/neutered and then put up for adoption for a $50 fee.
Before sending the rabbit to its new home, Roussin or another BHS adoption counselor meets with the prospective owners to discuss the ins and outs of caring for the rabbit.
“It's very important to know what you're considering, the upfront costs, etc.,” Alicia Roussin said of rabbits. “Rabbits require veterinary attention just like cats and dogs, and because they are considered exotic pets, not all vets will adopt them.”
