Rabbits are adorable, smart, and engaging animals with personalities that can be sweet, sassy or energetic. Some people who are allergic to dogs and cats find relief by caring for a rabbit. They can live up to 12 years and require proper care for a healthy life.
While the word bunny is a great term of endearment, it can also be misleading. The technical term is hare. This term is usually used to refer to wild rabbits, not domesticated rabbits. Hares are larger than rabbits and have longer ears. They are more likely to be found in open areas, such as prairies. They are not as tame as domesticated rabbits and are more dangerous to humans.
Some people use the term bunny when referring to their pet rabbit, especially if they are new to this type of responsibility. This is fine, but it is important to remember that a rabbit is a prey animal and can be stressed by loud noises or sudden movements such as hands reaching down to pet them from above. Rabbits also have a tendency to hide illness so they do not look vulnerable to predators.
When choosing a home for your rabbit it is essential to consider the impact of other household pets. Rabbits should not be kept with dogs or cats as these animals have a natural instinct to hunt and kill them. If a family has multiple rabbits it is best to separate males and females and have them desexed to avoid unwanted pregnancies and fighting. Providing a safe, spacious environment that includes a secure cage or hutch that is at least three hops long and twice as wide is important to ensure that your bunny feels at home.