Even Though It's Bunny Day, Don't Buy Live Rabbits As "gifts" To Your Loved Ones!!

Since it's easter, I came to remind everyone:

Even though it's bunny day, don't buy live rabbits as "gifts" to your loved ones!!

Rabbits are LIVE CREATURES and they need PROPER CARE. Rabbits are just as much work as a cat or dog, because it's an animal. It's a pet. Not a cute thingy.

I can speak on this. I have a live rabbit and I have to clean her litterbox, feed her, put some fresh water in her pot, clean the space she stays in, etc EVERY DAY. Not to mention, she doesn't stay in a small cage or one of those pet crates. She does need to be contained because spoiler warning: rabbits eat EVERYTHING. But she has her own space limited by a grid which has her water pot, litterbox w/ hay, a cardboard box with two holes on the sides so she can enter and feel safe there (like her little hut!), some toys, and I make sure her little scp containment site is spacious enough for her to run around, but I still set her free every day because she needs some proper exercising as well. I limit myself to a minimum of 1 hour every day but the ideal would be more (though I usually put her back on her little space when I see that she's hungry).

In short, a rabbit needs as much care, attention and money as a cat or dog, if not MORE.

Now, I'll share some funfacts about rabbits and why they're incredibly misunderstood:

- While they're usually depicted doing little squeaks, rabbits are very silent in nature in order not to attract predators. They do eventually emit sounds: they can do a little growl in order to alert that they're about to attack, and most notably, they hit their back paws hard on the ground in order to do a *THUD* sound. This can be used to alert other rabbits of the presence of a predator, indicate that they're angry and/or annoyed, or when they're just generally stressed.

- Due to the lack of sounds in order to communicate, many people struggle while trying to understand their bunny's language. If you plan on adopting a bunny, keep in mind that you need to observe their body language well in order to understand them and their needs. It will take a while, but eventually you'll understand. They might look like mindless little creatures that don't understand what they're doing and don't care about you, but they simply don't communicate the same way a human or a dog does. But rabbits are very much capable of caring, and they can be as intelligent as a cat or dog (believe me, you don't know all the stunts my bunny ever did... yeah, they are pretty smart).

- Contrary to popular beliefs, rabbits are not classified as rodents. The most notable difference being their teeth: rabbits have not two, put four incisor teeth (the big, front ones you usually see when they open their mouths) and have a set of smaller teeth as well.

- Linking to the previous fact, their incisor teeth never stop growing. That's mainly why they eat ALL THE TIME, eating EVERYTHING they see and go "oh, looks yummy!" which may include but not limited to: the couch, sandals, wires (main reason why you shouldn't let your rabbit roam free without vigilance!) the literal WALLS and the cat's scratching post. All of these are real life examples of things my bunny has gnawed before. They don't usually swallow those things but they do absolutely destroy them with time.

- What you can conclude from those two previous facts: never underestimate a rabbit's teeth. The pain of a cat's or a dog's bite will be NOTHING in comparison to that of a rabbit's bite. But don't worry, rabbits usually warn before they bite, mine does by attempting to dig through you or by doing a little growl.

- Another common misconception about rabbits is the oh so famous, and you'll be surprised by this, "rabbits eat carrots" thing. Yes, I know, you were lied to, I was lied to, we all were. Though not quite: Rabbits can, indeed, eat carrots, though they are regarded as "treats", and, if fed to rabbits, needs to be in small portions and not very often. What rabbits do eat a lot are the carrot's leaves. My theory as to how this myth came to be? Well, it probably was when farmers saw rabbits very brutally taking their carrots out of the soil and eating their leaves. In reality, a pet rabbit's diet is made by mostly hay and/or grass, some specific leaves (avoid feeding them cabbage! they don't digest it well) and other nutrients contained in pet food specifically made for bunnies, just like cat or dog food.

- Rabbits usually walk by jumping. Unlike humans or cats where they walk one leg at a time, bunny's back legs are made specially to jump, and so they can only walk by hoping around. It doesn't harm them, and it's the cutest! Specially when they're happy and start jump-running!

Besides all those, rabbits also behave like other common pets: they like to be pet (at least mine does!) are very very fluffy (oh, you have NO IDEA how it feels to touch a rabbit's fur...) and they will love you unconditionally if you treat them well! <3

Bonus, but very important thing: if you want to adopt a rabbit, search for a good and ethical rabbit creator. Do your research. Yes, you'll need to make some effort, but if you aren't willing to at least do this, you don't have what it takes to have any kind of pet. Pets require time, effort, money, and attention. They aren't some plants or a tamagochi, they are living beings and they are capable of feeling just like you are.

Of course, if you are responsible and understand all of these concepts, you can, indeed, gift someone a rabbit as long as they're responsible, are in conditions to take care of it and agree with it. I made this giant post because, unfortunately, there are people who don't realize this or don't see rabbits as proper pets, and thus unfortunately many rabbits are bought only to be abandoned once the owner realizes that it's a proper pet and it needs proper care. This is also why most rabbit creators don't sell bunnies this time of the year, but people buy them from pet shops anyway. Never buy any pets from a pet store, much less without considering that they're animals, and not decorations.

Happy Easter and say no to animal negligence and abuse, even if the animal isn't a conventional one like a cat or a dog!! Eat your chocolates without guilty consciousness <3