About a year ago we got our first furry friend and named him Carrot. I discovered a wonderful breeder who raises show quality mini-Holland lop bunnies, and while we do not show our pets, they have the best temperament ever!
Legolas is crazy about BunBun (the big black and white doe) and Bean (our newest addition, in tortoiseshell). Would you believe that these puff balls do not bite or scratch as they are squeezed and laid on by an overly loving toddler?
I have heard people say that rabbits are a lot of work. My sister adopted a rabbit from the humane society and I am sure she would agree, but this is the big qualifying difference: her rabbit was an indoor pet, sort of like a "class pet" is kept in a cage. My rabbits are exclusively outdoor rabbits (I move them into the garage with a heat lamp during the coldest winter months).
Outdoor rabbits simply need to have food and water and hay, which can be stocked up in their cages for more than one day, making it a chore only every other day or so. Since they are not indoors, their cages do not need to be as meticulously cleaned, and for the most part, the "slide out" trays that come with most outdoor hutches just need to be dumped in the woods or garden once every so often. A "deep clean" of the hutch area can be done more sporadically, when you feel up to it, making sure their bedding is nice and fresh and deep.
One of the most fun things for the kids is to be sent out with leftover veggies to feed the bunnies with. Our neighborhood friends will show up with a carrot in tow to get in on the fun. Anyway, for those who have kids who would like something soft to cuddle, but who don't want dander or fur in their home, I offer you an option: outdoor, cute and cuddly, fluffy bunnies!
[disclaimer: not all bunnies have the same disposition. Make sure you find a good breed and a good breeder if possible. That said, my nieces sure tamed that humane society rabbit well! The more a rabbit is handled, the nicer it will be.]
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