| New Zealand's Nature & Science Discovery Centre |
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| A note to parents: Your children may become bored with their pet after a few months. You will then become responsible for its daily needs. Be sure that YOU want a rabbit before you agree to buying one. Long haired rabbits like the angora require a great deal of grooming on a daily basis. Though very attractive, this breed is not recommended for children or new rabbit keepers. A short hair breed is much easier to care for and more suitable to be kept in traditional rabbit hutches. All rabbits need daily attention - these are not the sort of pets where you can 'skip a day'. Rabbits make delightful pets, but before purchasing do remember that it will rely on you for its every need all 365 days of the year. This needs to be carefully considered in terms of holidays and other plans. With careful handling and daily attention, your rabbit will soon be part of the family and become very tame. The average lifespan is between five and ten years, though some rabbits may live up to 15 years! Male or Female? Rabbits are social animals and in their natural state are found in family groups. A single animal may not thrive unless given a great deal of attention and provided with environmental enrichments (things to do). Providing that space allows, females may be kept together or a female and a desexed male. Un-neutered male rabbits over the age of three months will fight with other males. Talk to your veterinarian about desexing your rabbits. It costs about the same as desexing a cat. [Adult rabbits of either sex are unlikely to tolerate the introduction of another rabbit into the same enclosure at a later stage. A new rabbit will need to be housed separately. A young rabbit put into a hutch with an adult may be injured or killed.] |
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