Rabbits 101: The Hazards

(Previously: The Basics I and The Basics, II)

A Primer to the Domestic House Rabbit: The Hazards

1. I killed that snake for you: rabbits vs. power cords
2. Everything must go: rabbits vs. your furniture
3. I don't like that: rabbits vs. you, biting/scratching (Trigger warning for a picture with a bit of blood)

Before I start this, I recently found two articles that show what it's like to live with a rabbit from two very different point of views.

The first article, "Rabbits: A Bad Pet Decision" is a long rant about why rabbits are terrible pets.  A lot of the unknown author's (their home blog seems to have since been deleted) complaints are valid, but I can also see a lot of ignorance on their part.  This is probably what led to the early deaths of the author's rabbits - the author didn't like them, so the author didn't bother to put the effort in.

The second article, "What Are Rabbits Really Like?" was written by Elizabeth TeSelle, and examines the relationships humans have with the animals we bring into our home by looking at the reasons we take in certain critters and what we expect in return.  She also explores the term "pet" and if it should even really be applied to house rabbits.  It's a great read, if you're interested.

Anyway, let me tell you all the ways rabbits are super destructive (which, coincidentally is one of the main reasons they make "bad pets" according to whoever wrote the first article).

I killed that snake for you: rabbits vs. power cords

Rabbits chew on everything.  It's an instinct.  They're teeth are constantly growing, so they need something to chew on. 

Now, that something can be a nice stick from outside (better than the color wooden blocks from Petsmart, I tell you - which my rabbits just tend to throw around for five minutes, then ignore), anything cardboard (boxes are great), anything paper (little paper cups are cheap, fun, and safe for rabbits).  It can also be something that looks vaguely like a snake i.e., your phone charger.

Khan is a bit more aggressive in going after cords than some of our other rabbits.

Rabbits will eat and chew on everything.  You have to learn from it - we learned to either keep extra power cords, to hide them better, or even how to splice cords like a pro (we have at least ten rolls of electrical tape in our house at all times).  In the rabbit room, we've covered the lamp cords with thick plastic tubing.

Everything must go: rabbits vs. your furniture

Again, nothing is safe from a rabbit.

Ziggy's been busy.

To be totally fair, most of the damage to this chair was caused by Gordie, a Flemish Giant we had before Ziggy.  Gordie was named after Gordie Howe, a legendary hockey player, and would often sit underneath the fake Christmas tree we had and strip it of all of its little plastic leaves.

Sidebar:

Something I forgot to mention in the last post - rabbits know when they're not supposed to be doing something.  So, because rabbits are basically teenagers, you need to be watching them at all times.   

They will literally wait until your back is turned/you're out of the room, before they go back to doing the thing they know they're not supposed to be doing.  They're brats like that.  So you need to be willing to be patient with them and be able to put up with a few chewed up things.

(No, you can't train them not do the thing because they honestly don't care if you spray them in the face with a water bottle or clap your hands at them and shout, "No!"  Rabbits essentially only aim to please themselves.) 

(Again, they're brats.) 

(I love them.)

I don't like that: rabbits vs. you, biting/scratching

Speaking of love, it's time to talk about biting and scratching and how rabbits are actually kinda dangerous (Monty Python and the Holy Grail levels of dangerous).

Rabbits have several different types of bites:

1. They have the playful nip - usually just to get your attention.  Ziggy nips at my ankles when I stand next to the dining room table without acknowledging him.
2. There's the "stop that crap" nip.  This is usually a quick pinch to let you know they don't enjoy whatever it is you're doing - like playing too rough or plucking too much fur (like if a grooming session lasts too long, especially during molting season).
3. There's the "enough!" bite.  This is when they bite hard enough to draw blood and force you rethink your life choices.
4. And then there's the "I'm gonna kill you!" bite when a rabbit sees red - they may be panicking or in pain or may just be absolute DONE with you and your bullshit.  This is the worst bite to be on the receiving end of.  This is when a rabbit clamps down and pulls - they may even try to twist so that they can scratch you with their hind claws (which no amount of trimming or filing will ever really dull).

I've been on the receiving end of #4 when I tried to give Sid some treats out of my hand - but I had just been playing with Jacky, both Sid and Jack were unaltered at the time and Sid's territorial instinct kicked in.  Yeah, that was one of the worst bites I've ever gotten.  My finger had been ripped open by his teeth, he then pulled my hand back and got his hind legs up and tore up my arm.

And this is a picture of what happens when you try to take a food bowl away from an aggressive female rabbit (remember to spay and neuter, friends).

Mom's thumb got ripped open.

When it comes to scratching, it's not really the front claws you have to worry about.  I have scars on my stomach and arms from just trying to put a rabbit down/back in their cage and their back feet kick out.

It's so important to remember just how powerful those hind legs are.  A rabbit's kick is so powerful that they can actually snap their own spines.  This is why you have to support their bums when you pick them/set them down and avoid "scruffing" (picking a rabbit up by their scruff).

Now, you may be wondering to yourself: Kirsten, why put up with all of this?  I'll tell you...

Coming Up

My Best Success Story and the Whole Point of Doing a Rabbit Primer

1. Cadbury, the Church Rabbit
2. What has been done: the "Make Mine Chocolate" campaign and the house rabbit memes
3. What needs to be done:  education, education, education