Sympathetic Lightning Blog Post #3: An Ode to Sara's Rabbits

I have four pet rabbits, and they are all beautiful, sassy, wild little critters that are so very loved. From left to right, we've got Eevee, Bulbasaur, Tawny, and Leeloo. I first discovered pet rabbits with my Flemish Giant Heather. For those of you who know the breed, it is a very large one. Heather was nearly fourteen pounds. She passed away Christmas Day of 2022, but she is missed every single day. In her memory and the memory of all beloved pet rabbits, I always try to offer honest insight when people ask me about rabbits as pets.

In truth, rabbits are difficult pets - they aren't as common as cats and dogs, and they generally don't have the same options for care available to them. While many of us have rabbits as children, it may come as a surprise to know how much room they need to roam, or what an appropriate diet is. For those things, I would advise you to check out organizations like the House Rabbit Society, which is dedicated to offering helpful tips. Rabbits can present extra challenges so I would consider them to be intermediate to advanced pets when it comes to care. However, the feeling of gaining the trust of a rabbit is a beautiful thing, and I will say that it absolutely changed my life.

While I do my absolute best to offer the best care to my pets, I am far from a rabbit expert. I still learn new things about how to better care for them all of the time. So I recommend being in touch with rabbit-specific organizations if you are interested in adopting one (or, better yet, two!) The process may be a little more complex than going to a standard shelter, but it's worth it just to know the bunnies are being properly cared for. Besides, those organizations tend to be on the front lines in regard to helping abandoned or abused rabbits, and they can always use the support.

Anywho, these rabbits cheer me up every day, and they sure are adorable, so here's hoping you enjoyed the spotlight. These photos were taken during the summer - they have a small pen in the back that they can hop around in. Of course, I never leave them unattended, so it gives me lots of time to read, take photos, and think about how cute they are. They live well with my cats (they do slightly bully the cats but that's a story for another time), and they're just the best. As a cat owner I didn't totally know what I was getting into with rabbits, but I'm glad I took the chance.