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A '''house rabbit''' is a pet ] kept for companionship that lives inside its owner's home. House rabbits can be trained to use a litter box and can live as long as eight to twelve years when properly cared for.<ref>{{citation | title = Basic Rabbit Facts | accessdate=2 December 2009 | publisher = House Rabbit Society | url = http://www.rabbit.org/care/facts.html}}</ref> |
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In 1988, the House Rabbit Society was founded in the United States as an educational and activist organization with the general philosophy that domestic rabbits should be neutered or spayed and live in human housing".<ref>{{citation | title = House Rabbit Society Philosophy | accessdate=11 September 2011 | publisher = House Rabbit Society | url = http://www.rabbit.org/hrs-info/philosophy.html}}</ref> Pet rabbits may also be kept outdoors in temperate weather or year-round in temperate climates, in ] for rabbit livestock, or allowed free egress to and from a ] in an enclosed yard. |
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==History== |
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Keeping a rabbit as a house companion was popularised by Sandy Crook in her 1981 book ''Your French Lop''.<ref>Crook, Sandy. "Your French Lop". 1981, p. 4.</ref> In 1983, Crook was a featured lecturer to the 35,000 attendees at the American Family Pet Show in Anaheim, California where she presented her personal experiences of living with her indoor rabbit as evidence of a human–rabbit bond.<ref>Crook, Sandy. "Lop Rabbits as Pets''. T.F.H. Publications, Inc., 1986, p. 8.</ref> Throughout the 1980s it became more common to litter-box train a rabbit indoors. The house rabbit movement took off with the publication of Marinell Harriman's House Rabbit Handbook in 1985, and the subsequent founding of House Rabbit Society in 1988.<ref>Harriman, Marinell. House Rabbit Handbook: How to Live with an Urban Rabbit (Alameda: Drollery Press, 1985).</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rabbit.org|title=House Rabbit Society|work=House Rabbit Society}}</ref> |
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==Sources of house rabbits== |
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There are many ], ]s, and ]s, that have rabbits available for ]. Typically, animal shelters charge the smallest fee. House rabbits are often purchased from pet stores, private breeders, and fanciers. House rabbits may be acquired as either housebroken or not housebroken. |
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Rabbits are often spayed or neutered for health and behavior benefits or to reduce the chance of unwanted offspring.{{sfn|Pavia|2003|p=123}} Starting at ], rabbits that are not spayed or neutered may begin displaying ], which can frustrate efforts to litter train as well as damage household items.<ref>{{citation | title = Litter Training | accessdate=10 January 2008 | publisher = House Rabbit Society | url = http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/litter.html}}</ref> |
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==Socialization== |
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Rabbits are social animals whose welfare benefits from being housed with other rabbits;<ref>{{Citation |
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|last1=Chu |
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|first1=Ling-ru |
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|last2=Garner |
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|first2=Joseph P. |
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|last3=Mench |
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|first3=Joy A. |
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|title=A behavioral comparison of New Zealand White rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) housed individually or in pairs in conventional laboratory cages |
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| periodical =Applied Animal Behavior Science |
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| volume =85 |
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| issue =1 |
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| pages =121–139 |
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|url=http://www.appliedanimalbehaviour.com/article/S0168-1591(03)00243-0/abstract |
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|accessdate=18 December 2010}}</ref> however, house rabbits can live alone if enough attention is paid to them by the owner. Bonding with rabbits can be a long and difficult process, so it is important to be patient and understand that every rabbit has its own personality. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/bond.shtml|title=Love Match: A Guide to Bonding Your Rabbits|work=rabbitnetwork.org}}</ref> |
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Some house rabbit keepers teach their animals to follow ]s such as coming when called by name.{{sfn|Pavia|2003|p=166}} |
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Many house rabbits have successfully cohabited with the family dog or cat. Leaving ]s and ]s alone with rabbits has been dangerous in some cases, as animals with aggressive ] ]s or overenthusiastic play can lead to the dog or cat attacking the rabbit spontaneously. The choice to gradually introduce the different species is usually made with caution and after consideration of known temperaments of the animals involved.<ref>{{citation | title = Cats and Rabbits | accessdate=4 January 2008 | publisher = House Rabbit Society | author = Shapiro, Amy | url = http://www.rabbit.org/journal/2-11/cats-and-rabbits.html}}</ref><ref>{{citation | title = When Fido Met Thumper (Dogs and Rabbits) | accessdate=4 January 2008 | publisher = House Rabbit Society | author = Shapiro, Amy | url = http://www.rabbit.org/journal/1/dogs.html}}</ref> |
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Rabbits have been successfully housed with ];<ref>{{citation | title = Guinea Pigs as Rabbit Buddies | accessdate=10 June 2009 | publisher = House Rabbit Network | author = Rubins, Suzanne | url = http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/gpfriends.shtml}}</ref> however, there are risks in doing so that may make the practice inadvisable. Guinea pigs are susceptible to respiratory disease from bacteria that rabbits carry. Additionally, rabbits may harm small rodents sharing their territory.<ref>{{citation | title = Top Ten Questions asked about Rabbits | accessdate=24 February 2010 | publisher = The Irish Blue Cross | url = http://www.bluecross.ie/top10others.html}}</ref> |
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==House rabbit care== |
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House rabbits may be kept in wire or wooden cages or, because of the space limitations of a cage, allowed to run free, sometimes limited to an exercise pen or designated area of the house.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indianahrs.org/rabbit-care/housing.aspx|title=Rabbit Housing Options|work=indianahrs.org}}</ref> Housing with wire floor can cause sore hocks, thus housing with solid floors is preferred.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rabbit.org/faq-housing/|title=Housing|work=House Rabbit Society}}</ref> House rabbits can be trained to use litter boxes or litter trays, but litter training can be quite challenging with unspayed or unneutered rabbits due to their hormones.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rabbit.org/faq-litter-training-2/|title=Litter Training|work=House Rabbit Society}}</ref> |
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Access to unlimited amounts of hay is essential and should constitute approximately 80% of the rabbit's diet.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kb.rspca.org.au/What-should-I-feed-my-pet-rabbit_35.html|title=What should I feed my pet rabbit?|work=rspca.org.au}}</ref> Adult house rabbits should receive grass hay, while young and growing rabbits can receive alfalfa hay.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indianahrs.org/rabbit-care/food-pellets-hay.aspx|title=Rabbit Food - Hay and Pellets|work=indianahrs.org}}</ref> Pellets made from hay may supplement a house rabbit's diet, constituting a small portion of their overall diet.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sandiegorabbits.org/diet/place-pellets-rabbits-diet|title=The Place of Pellets in a Rabbit's Diet|work=sandiegorabbits.org}}</ref> This differs from commercial rabbits, where pellets often account for a much larger portion of the diet.<ref name=tll>{{citation|title=Feeding Your Rabbit|url=http://www.threelittleladissrabbitry.com/feeding.php|publisher=Three Little Ladies Rabbitry|accessdate=5 June 2009}}</ref> In addition to hay rabbits also need fresh leafy greens and vegetables daily to get adequate vitamins and minerals.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bunny Diet Basics|url=http://dennishopperbunny.com/Bunny_Care/Diet|publisher=Dennis Hopper Bunny|accessdate=4 January 2014}}</ref> Fresh water should always be available, either in a water bottle or bowl.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/small-pet-care/general-rabbit-care|title=General Rabbit Care|work=ASPCA}}</ref> |
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Living indoors shelters a rabbit from outdoor dangers such as ]s, ], and ]s, but steps should be taken to "rabbit-proof" an indoor rabbit's living area.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rabbit.org/faq-outdoor-and-indoor-hazards-to-companion-rabbits/|title=Outdoor and Indoor Hazards|work=House Rabbit Society}}</ref> To prevent ], house rabbit owners can hide electrical cords or cover them with flexible clear tubing. Rabbits' ingestion of papers, fabric, and ] may cause life-threatening gastrointestinal blockages, and their chewing may damage their owners' possessions and homes when proper precautions are not taken.<ref>{{citation | title = FAQ: Chewing | accessdate=25 February 2010 | publisher = House Rabbit Society | url = http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/chewing.html}}</ref> House rabbits need to have regular mental stimulation and physical exercise to be healthy.<ref>{{citation | title = Toys for Rabbits | accessdate=5 March 2012 | publisher = I Love My House Rabbit | url = http://ilovemyhouserabbit.com/toys-for-rabbits-some-ideas-for-you/}}</ref> |
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Physiological and behavioral responses to humanly induced ] (abbreviated TI, sometimes termed "trancing") have been found to be indicative of a fear-motivated stress state, confirming that the promotion of TI to try to increase a bond between rabbits and their owners—thinking the rabbits enjoy it—is misplaced; however some researchers conclude that inducing TI in rabbits is appropriate for certain procedures as it holds less risk than anesthesia.<ref name=McBride2006TrancingRabbits>{{cite journal |last1=McBride |first1=Anne|year=2006 |title=Trancing rabbits: Relaxed hypnosis or a state of fear? |journal=Proceedings of the VDWE International Congress on Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare |volume= |issue= |pages=pp. 135–137 |publisher=VDWE International Congress on Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare |doi= |url= http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/54860 |accessdate=2 September 2013|display-authors=etal}} (downloadable .doc file). • Click for PDF copy from hopperhome.com.</ref> |
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In most regions, house rabbits do not require ]; however, vaccines are ] against ] and ] where these vaccines are legally permitted.{{sfn|Pavia|2003|p=182}} While ] is a zoonotic disease of concern, there is no vaccine currently available; instead, good hygiene is the best preventative.<ref>Society for General Microbiology (28 July 2008). Francisella Tularensis: Stopping A Biological Weapon. ScienceDaily. Retrieved 21 August 2011, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2008/07/080727224101.htm</ref> In the United States these diseases are rare; however, they are reportable diseases which all pet owners should be aware of. Cases of rabbit hemorrhagic disease (VHD) in the United States are reported periodically.<ref>{{citation | title = ''Center for Food Security & Public Health Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine''. http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Factsheets/pdfs/rabbit_hemorrhagic_disease.pdf. Retrieved on 2008-02-06.}}</ref> |
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House rabbit organizations and veterinarians recommend that house rabbits be ] or spayed by a rabbit-savvy veterinarian.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/spay.html|title=RABBIT HEALTH: Spay or Neuter my Rabbit?|work=miami.edu}}</ref> Health advantages of neutering and spaying include a reduced risk of ] and ] and ] in females.{{sfn|Pavia|2003|pp=195–199}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/spay-neuter.html|title=FAQ: Spaying and Neutering|work=rabbit.org}}</ref> Neutering and spaying house rabbits also reduces territorial marking in males and aggression toward other rabbits.<ref>{{citation | title = Spaying and Neutering | accessdate=29 October 2007 | publisher = House Rabbit Society | url = http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/spay-neuter.html}}</ref> The risks associated with spaying a rabbit include infection of the surgical site and death from anesthesia.<ref name="House Rabbit Society">{{cite web|title=Health Concerns|url=http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/medical.html|accessdate=19 April 2012}}</ref> |
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A rabbit cannot be ]. Lacking pads on the bottoms of its feet, a rabbit requires its claws for balance. Removing its claws will render it unable to stand. Rabbits with access to rough surfaces will naturally keep their claws worn down to a certain extent when running, but most pet rabbits normally require their claws to be clipped regularly.<ref name="clipping">{{citation |
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|url = http://www.myhouserabbit.com/tip_clipping.php |
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|title = Clipping Your Rabbit's Nails |
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|publisher = My House Rabbit |
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|author = Cushman, Abi |
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|accessdate=18 June 2007}}</ref> House rabbits may need regular brushing, especially if they are of a long-haired variety. Due to the rabbit's biological incapability to vomit, removing excess fur prevents intestinal blocking and fatal choking that can be caused by hair ingested during self-grooming.<ref name=tll2>{{citation|title=Grooming Your Rabbit|url=http://www.threelittleladiesrabbitry.com/grooming.php|publisher=Three Little Ladies Rabbitry|accessdate=5 June 2009}}</ref> |
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{{clear}} |
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==See also== |
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{{Misplaced Pages books|Pet rabbits|Pet rabbits}} |
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{{Portal|Rabbits and hares}} |
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* ] |
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==References== |
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{{reflist|colwidth=30em}} |
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{{refbegin}} |
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*{{citation |last=Pavia |first=Audrey |title=Rabbits for Dummies |publisher=Wiley |location=New York |year=2003 |isbn=0-7645-0861-X}} |
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*{{citation |last=Harriman |first=Marinell |title=House Rabbit Handbook: How to Live with an Urban Rabbit |publisher=Drollery Press |year=2005 |isbn=978-0-940920-17-0}} |
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{{refend}} |
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==External links== |
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*{{dmoz|/Recreation/Pets/Rabbits/}} |
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*http://www.rabbit.org/ |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:House Rabbit}} |
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