Some rabbits go right to the shelter when parents realize that the children aren’t as committed to the care of the bunny as they promised. A rabbit is not a suitable pet for a child of any age unless you want to bond with and love the bunny as well…here’s why:
Ages 2-5: This is a very excitable age. crying, screaming, loud playing and laughter as well as ear pulling and trying to grab are all things that will upset and scare the rabbit. If your child is this age, you need to want the bunny to be YOUR pet, and you need to constantly supervise and keep your little one quiet and gentle when touching the bunny.
Ages 6-12: This age is more open to the individual child. Bunnies aren’t as amiable as cats and dogs, and can therefore bore this child very easily, quickly putting his love, attention and exercise needs in your hands. The general needs of the bunny should never be left in the hands of a child this age. They require special attention to diet, and cleaning up after them isn’t something that a child should be expected to do. If your child is this age, you need to want the bunny to be YOUR pet, and your responsibility.
Ages 12 - 18: Yes, one would think that tis age is a good one for having a bunny and being able to handle the responsibility. Think about this…your 12 year old daughter gets her new baby bunny, and she’s thrilled with him/her. She and dad make a beautiful hutch together for her bedroom, and bunny is living it up hangin’ out on the bed, going for walks, etc, and your responsible little girl has done all her homework researching rabbit care and knows more about it than you do! It’s an awesome scenario until she turns 15 and wants to listen to the music at top volume, and hang out with her friends doing 15 year old things instead of playing with the bunny. Then, even if she does continue to make the bun her number one love and priority, what about when she graduates from school and has to go to college? The bunny is 6 or seven years old by then, and if you haven’t bonded with him, and don’t want the responsibility, then what’s going to happen to him?
Getting a bunny for your child always comes back to ONE VERY IMPORTANT DETAIL… you need to want that bunny in your life as much as your child!
Dori wrote,
Very well said; I hope parents read this and pay attention before they bring any animal into the home.
Link | August 30th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
Marissa wrote,
I have had my oldest daughter, now 13, taking care of animals since she could walk (supervised, of course) and now I am doing the same with my 2 1/2 year old. They need to learn from the start that the animals are as much dependant on her (or us) as she is and need care just like she does. Responsibility never comes to early, especially if its understanding how what we do to another living thing affects them.
Link | October 4th, 2007 at 7:18 pm
Kace wrote,
I agree that it is never to early to show a child some responsibility, but like you said, that is “supervised responsibility”. So, like Sharry said, when you are supervising it the entire time, it is more like your pet anyways. It is much harder to imagine them doing all these things if you aren’t around watching them.
I am not saying that your children are not responsible or like to neglect animals, it’s just the nature of the child’s brain.
Link | October 10th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
anna wrote,
as a 16 year old girl. i for one have been taking care of my own animals ever since i can remember and i have been buying everything for them for several years now. i agree that some kids and teens are irresponsible and need supervision, while some are perfectly capable of tending to there own responsibilities. i believe that it all depends on the person at hand and whether or not they were raised around animals. and whether or not they had responsibilities growing up
Link | December 25th, 2007 at 11:32 pm
sharry wrote,
I agree that it depends on the individual, and that there are many people your age who make their pets their focus, but most kids can’t commit to the 10-12 years of care throughout a rabbits lifetime. It’s a long time to devote to an animal that basically does nothing but hang out and look cute chewing up their toys. I just don’t take chances with the bunnies here. The parent always needs to be prepared to make the bunny a family member that they will love, train, and care for daily, otherwise, the rabbit will either go neglected, be sent back to a shelter, or worse, end up in a hutch.
On another note, rabbit care in general isn’t easy. They have special diet needs that need to be adhered to, and they can get sick easily and die within days if signs of sickness aren’t noticed, and the signs aren’t something that a child would normally be able to recognize. I’m not saying an adult will always be able to tell if something is wrong with bunny, but it’s more likely if the pet is loved and cared for by the adult.
Link | December 26th, 2007 at 8:34 am
Elizabeth wrote,
i have had my bunny oreo for three years, since i was 14 i am now turning 17 and every day i dont work and nights after i work he is right by my side in my recliner. and even though they will never be left alone together my goldren retriever seems quite fond of him but i have been more responsible most of my life. what is about the average lifetime of a rabbit? repost on here. ill check back in
Link | January 9th, 2008 at 7:28 pm