What makes a good pet? Well to be honest it's is a matter of your needs and ideals when it comes to maintaining an animal or life form of some kind. If the reason you want to obtain a pet is solely just to have one.. then you shouldn't be venturing down this road at all. Having a pet is so much more than owning an animal. You are literally coexisting with another form of life in close quarters. There will be both positive and negative experiences. An animal will change you as they require their basic needs.. but more so require companionship on some degree or another. I have had many people ask about my bunny and what it is like to have a furchild like Delph. The biggest thing I tell anyone before they decide to buy an animal is to research whichever type of animal they want to get. Get familiar with their tendencies, needs, likes/dislikes, and anything else you can possibly think of. Make sure you are dead set on understanding the conditions you will need to supply for any animal you will be obtaining. Be certain that you will be able to not only start out right by giving the animal the correct environment but most importantly maintaining that environment. Now for bunnies there are a number of categories you will want to get into and get familiar with. I will break them down into categories with each category composed into its own paragraph.
The biggest thing to understand with bunnies is that they take time to bond with. They are skittish and very frightful of almost anything untill grown accustomed so be ready to wait. By that I mean that a bunny will deal with you on its own terms. Yes you can go ahead try and force a bonding connection with a bunny, but that will only solidify their unattachment from you. Never rush a rabbit to do anything. Do not pick them up at all right away as being away from the ground they will always fear of being dropped (no matter how comfortable you might think they are). I find that it sits best with my ethical mind to never pick up my bunny unless I have to. From an evolutionary standpoint.. bunnies have seemingly been prey animals for as long as time can tell, so it is prevalent that they are naturally afraid of many things. Some things to consider when operating around a bunny are: movement speed, volume of voice, staring, and loud noises. Now with a bunny that has been around your environment for a few months these things can be treated with a bit of lax because assumingly a rabbit will get comfortable after time and get used to certain noises and such. Keep this in mind however, it only takes one incident for a rabbit that if it gets afraid enough.. no matter how much you two have bonded.. it will detach itself and be very fearful of you. This being said it is best to never force your rabbit to do anything like I stated earlier. If you are cleaning the cage or want the bunny to come out, open the door and wait for the bunny to come out on its own. The cage or home of a rabbit should always remain their territory as it is from their perspective a "safe zone". Reaching your hand into the cage or forcing the rabbit out by picking them up can tarnish their perception of their home. If the bunny is not leaving the cage, just wait awhile or close off the cage and try again later. Treats work wonders for getting them out of their cage.
Other questions that arise whilst people are bunny daydreaming is the thought of the waste. "Won't they go the the bathroom all over the place?!" everyone says. No.... they won't. Bunnies are some of the most cleanly animals in the entire world. Just like a cat uses a litter box, a bunny can the same. Infact a bunny will take to a litter box and use that as its waste area much faster and with less trouble compared to a cat. With my experience with pet rabbits, each rabbit had no problems understanding that the litterbox was their designated place. In my recommendation, placing their litter box on the inside of their cage is idea. This way they won't have to rely on a human to let them out of their cage if they need to use the bathroom. A bunny WILL hold it in their cage if they have no place to go. This is bad for them and is due to the fact that they enjoy a clean environment. So to alleviate this problem just get a cage big enough for the bunny to have its litterbox inside the cage with extra room for them to lay down and walk around. Understand that a bunny will have its own set of cleanliness standards. However, all bunnies with litter boxes inside their cages will let you know when it is full enough. It is best to change the litter often (every 2-3 days) because if it is too dirty to their liking they will stomp in anger and this will be the only time that they will use their cage as their potty spot which results in even more stomping. Now to train a bunny to use a litter box is a breeze. Simply put the box with the litter you want to use (never use wood shaving or clay litters - this is bad for their respiratory system) in their cage and presto! The bunny will understand that it is there for that purpose. It is best to keep a new bunny in its cage with its box for about a week before letting them explore. This way they will attribute their home with using the bathroom and will not go other places. It is always a good idea to place some timothy or alfalfa hay in a corner of their box because they will feel more comfortable chewing while they "go". This will only solidify their liking of that place to use the bathroom.
So I had said that a bunny might stomp above. There are many communication variables that they will use to get their point across to you. They will use their strong back two legs to make a thump which is quite loud. Stomping signifies frustration or anger. Not giving them food quick enough will result in a stomp or toying them with a treat. They are not like dogs when it comes to treats. Other behavior includes teeth clicking, boxing, cleaning, sitting like a ball with front feet out, laying on tummy with legs stretched out, flopping, classic, standing up high on all four feet, nose biting their bottoms, head flat on ground with ears back, binkie, nudging you with their nose, and flicking feet. Yes that is a lot of communication interfaces for a bunny to use. Just for the sake of organization I will create a list with descriptions below.
Teeth clicking: Bunnies sometimes show their enjoyment if you're petting them by grinding their teeth. This is a rabbit's way of purring. But teeth grinding can also signify discomfort or pain. Grinding due to pain is often louder and more frequent than grinding due to contentment
Boxing: Your rabbit may be trying to get your attention or be asking you to move your feet out of its way. This also could be a sign of aggression towards you. They are saying "hey you! I don't like you right now! (but not enough dislike to bite)"
Cleaning: Your rabbit is grooming itself
Sitting like a ball with front feet out: Your rabbit is sleeping or dozing. Rabbits can sleep with their eyes open but some rabbits may twitch their eyelids and droop their heads when sleeping
Laying on tummy with legs stretched out: Your rabbit is relaxing, doing nothing in particular. It may have just filled its tummy with food and be happily digesting it
Flopping: Your rabbit is extremely relaxed and happy. It may have just finished a good meal, be enjoying a patch of sunshine or is relaxing after a good grooming session
Sitting up with weight on bottom, forelegs stretched, ears up and looking alert - the "classic" rabbit pose : Your rabbit is looking around to see what's going on, usually thinking about what to do next and is often a prelude to grooming. It may be rocking slightly due to its weight being balanced on its four feet close together
Standing up high on all four feet: Your rabbit is curious about something and wants to investigate
Biting their bottoms: Your rabbit is taking soft caecal droppings from its bottom and eating them - this is perfectly normal
Head flat on ground with ears back: Your rabbit is showing submission to you or another rabbit and may be requesting petting or grooming
Binkie: Your rabbit is inviting you to play or is excited about something
Nudging you with their nose: Tricky one - if you are stroking your rabbit, it may be asking you to stop. But, if you have just stopped stroking it, it may be asking you to continue. If you are just minding your own business and your rabbit nudges you lightly, it is probably trying to get your attention or is requesting food
Flicking feet: Your rabbit is annoyed with you for doing something it disapproves of, such as cleaning out its litter tray or clipping its nails
Now bunnies are natural chewing machines. They will literally chew almost anything. You will need to bunny proof your home or the designated area the your bunny will be in. It is important to let your bunny out almost every day to exercise and play for a minimum of one hour a day. If you ever go on vacation make sure to have someone pet sit for you. Bunnies love to run. Make sure you have an area that is open for them to jump and run. Toys include wooden blocks, plastic caps, cardboard, or paper. Bunnies will love to throw things as a sign of enjoyment and playfulness. It might be in your best interest to invest in a wire foldable fencing system. I use this to block of any areas that my bunny is not allowed to tamper with such as areas with electrical cords or delicate furniture or electronics. Always make sure when allowing your bunny play time, that its cage door remains open and accessible in the event that the bunny gets spooked in some way or another. This will allow them to retreat to their "safe zone" like discussed earlier.
Many people think of bunnies as being "stupid". I am here to tell you that a bunny is a very intelligent being. They understand vibes better than any other animal. People tend to baby their pet rabbits because they think they are helpless. If you simply let them do themselves and provide their basic needs, a bunny will figure the rest out. For example, you can provide a bunny with drinking water in a bottle or a dish. I recommend a bottle because you won't have to replace it every day and debris from their litter pellets or hay won't contaminate it. People worry that a bunny won't know how to use a bottle if they switched from a dish. If you switch to a bottle let that bunny alone for awhile and stopped babying it, it will figure out that there is a source of water somewhere in their cage. It will take time for them to be thirsty enough to look, but trust me.. it will happen.
What do bunnies eat? Food is a very important aspect for a bunny. If a bunny does not eat for 24 hours it will die. It is best to keep its hay supply full at all times. This way if you are not at home and it's hungry it will have something to munch on until you get home. As far as a feeding schedule I keep it pretty loose. My rule is, if I am going to eat something, I will feed my bunny the same time. They will get used to the schedule whether it be a designated time or a loosely tolerance. It is important to mix it up with what you feed your bunny. This will ensure that they get all of their needed nutrients. Just to be safe you might want to purchase a multivitamin that can be added to their water once every three to four days. Bunnies will eat almost anything, so be sure that it is food that their tummies can handle. Any form of seed or nut is 100% off limits for a bunny. Their tummies can not digest them. Another no go is iceburg lettuce. This is not good for a bunny to eat. Romaine lettuce is always a favourite. The list of foods that I trust feeding my furchild is romaine lettuce, alfalfa sprouts, broccoli, cilantro, kale, apples, strawberries, grapes, bananas, pineapple, black and red berries, basil, carrots with green tops, celery, clover, collard greens, dandelion, dill, mint, mustard greens, parsley, watercress, and pellets. They will appreciate the diversity in the diet you feed them!
Some rabbits are very personal and some not. You get what you get. Personally I enjoy a furry friend that does its own thing. Given the correct treatment any personalised rabbit will interact with you on some level given it has built trust. Bunnies are very good pets. They all have their own little amusing quirks and personalities, and they are very quiet pets. Just be sure to understand as much about them as you can before you obtain one.