I don't think in all that time you've ever really tried to understand your rabbits on their own terms. They are very smart and affectionate, but they aren't like dogs, who have been bred for centuries to want to please humans no matter what. You have to actually win a rabbit's trust, they're closer to wild animals. Grabbing a rabbit is pretty much the most offensive/scary thing you can do to them.
My rabbit follows me everywhere, every time I turn around I'm practically stepping on her. She headbutts my ankles to be petted. She sits at my feet when I'm studying. She knows exactly when her dinner time is, and will start throwing around her food bowl if it's late. She knows where her treats are kept, and starts begging if I go anywhere near the cabinet. She is often sitting in front of the bathroom door waiting when I get out of the shower. She has never had the slightest problem with using her litter box. When she's in a really good mood, she'll start leaping up and down and doing twists in midair, is this form of hilarious rabbit acrobatics. It is a huge pick-me-up to stumble out of the bedroom at 6am and have a rabbit leaping around in joy just because I woke up and said hi. I don't think she's an exception to the norm, I basically just read up on rabbit behavior when I got her and acted accordingly.
Also, all female rabbits should absolutely be spayed, they have an 80% uterine cancer rate. Its the difference been a 3 year lifespan and a 10-12 year life span.
Agreed. Rabbits can make absolutely wonderful pets. I have had 12+ years of rabbit experience (as pets, working in a rabbit only shelter, and vet clinics), and each of my rabbits have had distinct personalities and been part of the family.
My rabbits are all litter trained and freely run around the house when I'm home. They jump up on my lap when I study, make a ruckus when it's dinner time, and one will hop on my bed to wake me up. All of mine have lived 9+ years in good health.
But you have to understand they're not like a dog or cat. If you want something to pick up, cuddle to pieces, and play with at your will - you should find a different species. Rabbits are fantastic, but you have to get to know them on their terms. As HelenaP said, you have to win their trust.
As cute and cuddly as they may seem, rabbits generally don't like being picked up -- in the wild the only time their feet leave the ground is when they've been caught as prey by birds -- so their initial response is fear.
Some rabbits are just cuddlebugs, and yours can grow into it. But don't get a rabbit expecting that it's going to like being picked up and petted right away. Also, rabbits are fairly fragile. A bad fall from being poorly held can result in a broken spine.
Please spay AND neuter your rabbits. Even if you only have a male. After being neutered, males are much easier to litter train. They are, in my experience, much calmer. And they quit spraying urine everywhere. Which I'd assume you want. They'll have a longer lifespan too.
One more caution -- the 'rabbit cages' they sell in pet stores are far from the ideal way to keep a rabbit. Since you'd be gone most of the day I'd recommend an exercise pen. See
http://www.sandiegorabbits.org/adoption/Cages/cage.html for good housing ideas. Pens are the best way to go in my experience.
For the OP:
Are you allergic to hay? Rabbits require hay. And not just the little tiny bags they sell at pet stores, they're way too expensive and not enough hay. A rabbit should have always have access to plentiful hay.
If you're going to be gone most of the day, consider getting a pair of rabbits. A single rabbit can get lonely and would appreciate a companion if you're gone all the time. If you adopt from a shelter (
http://www.rabbit.org/adoption/index.html) they may already have a bonded pair. Please adopt from a shelter.
Anyhoo, rabbits can make wonderful pets. There's just a lot to know -- and the pet stores will not tell you! If anyone has questions about rabbits, please feel free to PM me. I'd be happy to answer any questions!
I meant like a 18 - 22 year-old with low self-esteem.
They require fruits/veggies on a daily basis, and hours of attention. Some may pluck out their feathers with only a few hours. They need to be out most of the day, and they are immesnsly intelligent beings.
