February is Adopt a Shelter Rabbit Month!

It’s Adopt a Shelter Rabbit Month!

Will you consider giving a rabbit a new home this February?

February is “Adopt a Shelter Rabbit Month,” so the Athens Area Humane Society is highlighting some of the wonderful things about these adorable animals! Rabbits make great pets for many reasons. They are extremely social and can form close bonds with their owners, as well as with other rabbits. Bunnies love to play, and watching them can be endlessly entertaining, not to mention off-the-charts cute! And did you know that rabbits are easily litter trained and can even be free-roaming house pets in the right situation? When properly cared for, a companion rabbit can live seven to 10 years, with some even living into their teens. 

Why a Shelter Rabbit, You Ask?

With all these positive traits and all of the fun that bunnies can be, it’s important to also consider the responsibilities involved in owning an exotic pet. Too many rabbits end up in shelters after being purchased from pet stores as cute, tiny babies to become children’s pets. However, these rabbits often don’t live up to the expectations that kids have. Being a prey animal, rabbits are usually afraid of being held and will often struggle to get away.  Children can be scratched or bitten in the process and become upset or frustrated when they don’t understand why their bunny isn’t sweet and cuddly like in a Disney movie. That’s when rabbits end up in the care of a rescue. This isn’t to say that children can’t enjoy rabbits! Parents just need to help them understand what a rabbit’s needs are before they take home a bunny. Older and more mature children are generally able to have a more engaging and fulfilling experience with their pet rabbits.

Daily Care: Diet, Housing, Litter

Another thing people often don’t consider when acquiring a rabbit is their special diet. It’s more involved than throwing down some pellets and moving on. Rabbits need fresh timothy hay throughout the day. Providing a sizeable amount twice a day should be sufficient for most rabbits. Fresh, green, leafy vegetables should be provided two to three times daily. A nutritious pellet meal should also be given once daily, as well as tasty treats (i.e. carrots) in moderation. Detailed information about diet (including lists of appropriate greens) can be found on the Georgia House Rabbit Society’s website.

A rabbit can be housed in many different ways, and the above-mentioned website has many ideas. For a long-term living situation, it isn’t recommended to keep a single rabbit in a space smaller than four feet wide, two feet deep, and two feet tall. Avoid wire bottoms. Enclosures need to be indoors in a climate-controlled area, as bunnies can be very sensitive to temperature extremes. It is also recommended to allow the rabbit to spend some time out of the cage playing with you, indoors. Playpens designed for dogs can be a great option.

As mentioned earlier, rabbits can be litter trained and need to be provided with a specialty small animal litter or an alternative cat litter such as Feline Pine or Yesterday’s News.  Never use traditional clumping or non-clumping clay cat litter because they tend to eat it, which can cause fatal internal health problems. 

As with any animal, you will have some upfront costs of purchasing an enclosure, litter box and toys, as well as the need for veterinary care in the future. The monthly costs include pellets, greens, hay and litter. It’s a little different than buying a bag of dog or cat food, but devoted owners the world over will tell you it’s well worth the little bit of extra shopping!

Adopt a Shelter Rabbit at AAHS

If you’re interested in adopting a rabbit, the Athens Area Humane Society has five available at this time. Each is unique and special in his or her own way. Our adoption counselors are dedicated to helping you select the right bunny to fit with your personality and your household’s needs. You can view each of the bunnies on our adoption page, but here are some quick facts about each of them:

• Ren is very tolerant and would be perfect for a home with children, or even a classroom. 
• Stimpy feels like velvet and would do well in a home with gentle dogs. 
• Rocky and Bluebell recently got adopted--yay! 
• And, then there’s Nibbler, our biggest bunny, who is very gentle and gets along well with a variety of animals. She has also proven gentle with children in her foster home. 

You can meet Ren and Stimpy at the Adoption Outreach Center in the back of Pet Supplies Plus (191 Alps Rd., Athens) from 1:00pm to 7:00pm Monday-Friday and 12:00pm to 6:00pm Saturday-Sunday. Nibbler is currently in foster care and can be met by calling 706-383-7387 to make an appointment.

Click here to print a flyer to post at your work or school!

Thanks to our adoption counselor Lacey Lancaster for writing this blog about our adoptable bunnies!