Should You Buy A Rabbit As A Pet?
What kinds of things should you consider before buying a rabbit as a pet? How do you know how much work it will be? How do you know if a rabbit will fit in well in your home?
Choosing your rabbit is the most basic and important decision you make before starting to care for it. You want to find a rabbit that is disease-free. This isn't necessarily as difficult as it may sound. You need to inspect a potential pet rabbit for any signs of disease. Most rabbits at a pet store have been vaccinated and mostly likely will be completely healthy. However, at a shelter many rabbits come to the shelter diseased. This isn't to scare you away from shelters; there are many reputable shelters. You just need to know what to look for.
Clean coat.
Healthy rabbits will have clean coats. Run your hands over the fur of the rabbit. Look for bald spots or any trace of parasites.
Weight.
If a rabbit is underweight it has a chance or a susceptibility to disease. Feel along the rabbit's back and sides. If you can feel its spine and ribs, it may be underweight. Rabbits with a normal body weight will have a good layer of meat or fat over it's bones.
Watery eyes.
Good clear eyes is one sign of good health. If a rabbit has excessive discharge or a watery film over it's eyes it is likely diseased.
Breath rate.
If the rabbit is panting or short of breath this is another sign of a variety of diseases. You should not be able to hear the rabbit breathing. If it wheezes or breaths audibly or takes more sixty breaths per minute, something is interfering with its breaths or an infection in it's lungs.
Teeth.
Lift the lips away from the rabbit's teeth. The main incisor should be healthy, white and with plenty of enamel. Also notice the rabbit's bite. If the bottom and upper teeth close and fit together snugly this is another
sign of good health. If the rabbit has an abnormal bite, it could unintentionally bite down on its lip. This cut could become infected without your knowing.
Demeanor.
The easiest and always tell-tale sign of bad health. If the animal seems sluggish or reserved. Notice the rabbit's behavior outside the cage. A rabbit is always, by nature inspecting and fussing around. If the rabbit stands about, it may have some sort of health problem.