Many new rabbit owners bring a rabbit home without fully understanding the level of commitment required. Unfortunately, outdated myths persist.

Two examples of these myths are:

1) Rabbits are low-maintenance starter pets; and

2) They are suitable holiday or “special event” gifts.

Overall, neither of those things is true.

There are cases where someone gets a rabbit as a gift and it turns out well. This occurs when the new owner learns how to properly care for the animal and makes a commitment to a rabbit’s safety, health and happiness. However, the majority of giving someone a rabbit as a gift (especially children) results in the animal being tossed out, overcaged, abandoned or dying too young.

There is a significant difference between a rabbit surviving harsh treatment/improper care, and a thriving rabbit that is allowed to live a happy, healthy life. Rabbits are fragile in many ways, but some have managed to survive extreme hardship at the hands of humans. A rabbit simply “surviving” should not be the foundational goal, nor should it be any measure of success for rabbit owners.

Information that is not credible or is published merely to ensure a rabbit “survives” can create problems. These problems include preventable illness, behavioral problems, accidental breeding, or injury during unsafe bonding attempts. Rabbits coming from neglectful or harsh beginnings may require rehabilitation techniques that go well beyond basic pet care.

You may hear people who have backyard breeding operations or “raise” what they call meat rabbits say: “It’s just a rabbit. Our rabbits are not pets.”

While some of the rabbit owners that use these animals for purposes other than compassionate pet ownership treat their rabbits with kindness and respect… too many do not. There are still many people who somehow believe that the pet rabbit vs. other-purposes rabbit is an entirely different species. They are not different. Regardless the intended use of a rabbit, they are the very same species with the very same needs and base nature. 

Information Sources: Helpful vs. Harmful

Though there is always varying information and different perspectives in the world of rabbits, do your best to seek reliable, experience-based information. Join online groups that attract people who believe in kindness toward animals rather than making videos go viral.

Some popular information is published by rabbit owners who have only one or two rabbits in their direct care, but they share information by more experienced rabbit caretakers that they consider to be credible. That information can be helpful due to the content creator’s ability to grow a large audience.

Other viral content about rabbits might be entertaining, but it can result in harm to the world of rabbits as a whole. Learning what you can about a rabbit’s base nature, biology, behavior and body language will allow you to discern which information is helpful and which is harmful.

Our present technology is a mix of good and bad. While it allows us to advance proper care and handling of these animals, it can also provide a platform for harmful teachings.