Don’t buy a bunny

The first thing I tell people when they ask me about myself is that I am a crazy bunny lady. And that I am. A bulk of what I earn is spent towards giving my two rabbits a better life. For real. Because life as a rabbit person in the Philippines is a challenge, and I wouldn’t encourage anyone but the most committed to actually make that 12 year commitment.

First of all, here are the bunnies in question:

Cute right? They are adorable. They are also the most destructive forces I have ever met. Chester has chewed through two macbook cords, a Calvin Klein belt, a Coach bag, a Nine West wallet, a Dell laptop cord, numerous pairs of Havaianas flip flops. Chibi has not met a bed sheet she’s liked and has proceeded to chew holes into each and every single one she’s ever seen.

They eat a diet of 90% Timothy hay, which I have a few special stores to hit every week, and can go through a P300 bag a day. They also eat fresh greens, basil, and fruit. They are proof that a vegan diet does not make you skinny.

They have two vets, and both host a national TV show. They are hard to pin down because of their schedule, and yes, they cost a premium because rabbit savvy vets are hard to find.

My first rabbit that stayed with us for seven years was kept mostly in a cage eating pellets from a pet store and kangkong (water spinach). When we got Chester 2 years after my first bun passed, we did a lot of research, and under the sentiment that this time we had jobs and worked from home, could give them a much better life than my first bun had.

And they are, but they’re a handful. There are no rabbit kennels. Planning vacations can be quite challenging since we have to make sure the person who’s looking after them know how and when to feed them. We have been quite lucky that I have a sister that has been willing to do so every time we have to go out for long periods.

They are not affectionate. Only dogs snuggle on a regular basis. Chester nips when I’m asleep and their food or water bowl is empty or he just wants pats on the head. Chibi has never tolerated being held, and require three people to hold her steady for a checkup with the vet.

The only reason I don’t have dozens of bunnies at home is because we had them spayed at the first sign of sexual maturity, and the operation plus aftercare required a lot of attention and thousands of pesos.

So don’t get a bunny. Rescue a dog from PAWS or CARA. Feed the strays you meet on the street. Sponsor a neighbor who always lets their dog get pregnant for a spay. Save yourself the trouble and don’t do it.

But if you really really want to love a rabbit and commit to more than a decade, do your research.

Here are a couple of sites I regularly consult:

House Rabbit Society: https://rabbit.org/frequently-asked-questions/

Binky Bunny: https://www.binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/54/Default.aspx

Bunny Bunch: http://www.bunnybunch.org/pages/rabbit-care-health-behavior/

And let me know if you want help. I am a fervent advocate of making sure rabbits live good lives.