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Information for
Rabbit Volunteers
in
Animal Shelters
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Housing
All rabbits should be sheltered indoors, and to reduce stress levels for the sheltered rabbits,
should be housed away from dogs; either in a rabbit-only room, a small animal room, or in the
cat room. Housing rabbits outdoors will lead to not only rabbits being ignored by potential
adopters but also to the perception that rabbits are “livestock.” In addition, they will be
susceptible to a variety of parasites such as flies, fleas, mosquitoes and ticks, some of which can
carry disease.
All rabbit cages should be 36 X 36 X 18 inches or larger and should be made with solid bottoms
(no wire flooring, as this causes “sore hocks”). Litter boxes and rugs or towels to rest on should
be provided. (Rabbits are easily litter box trained and will be much more adoptable when they
are so trained.) Litter should be a rabbit-safe or organic litter (avoid softwood litters), and can be
topped off with fresh hay for easier training. Every cage should be disinfected prior to a new
rabbit inhabiting it. Various toys (for chewing, tossing and rolling; can be rabbit toys as well as
bird and cat toys) should be provided as well, and if space permits, a cardboard box with a hole
cut out can be used for privacy. The room in which the rabbits live should be temperature
controlled just like the rest of the building.
Cages and litter boxes should be cleaned every morning and as needed should the cage become
soiled from soft stool or diarrhea, excessive urine, or from water spilled from crocks or water
bottles. Basic household vinegar, while not a disinfectant, is a terrific cleaner for used on rabbit
cages & boxes when there is no need for disinfecting (ie when the same rabbit occupies the
cage.) Routine disinfectant should be used when new rabbits arrive.
Intact male and female rabbits 3 months of age and older should not be housed in mixed sex
cages or playgroups. Intact females are not to be housed with their intact male babies once the
babies reach 2-3 months of age.
Levels of Housing for Rabbits
Level 1: Quarantine room. Incoming rabbits should be placed in separate quarters than the
general population upon entry to shelter within their hold period prior to entering general
population. An adequate hold time to screen out disease is three weeks. Individual rabbits may
be placed in the quarantine/recovery room at discretion of health staff.
Level 2: General Population in the rabbit room.
Feeding and Dietary Guidelines
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1. Rabbits in the shelter should get unlimited grass, timothy hay, and or oat hay.
2. Feed fresh vegetables once a day: a pile the size of the bunny’s head (i.e., carrot tops,
Italian Parsley, dandelion greens all fresh, cold, wet).
3. When hay and vegetables are available all day, each rabbit should get 1/4 cup alfalfa
or alfalfa/timothy pellets twice a day.
4. Babies up to 7 months need unlimited pellets
5. When hay and vegetables aren’t always available, each rabbit should get unlimited
pellets.
6. Fruit and carrots are treats! Serve only one 1” treat per day.
7. Avoid all seeds, corn, onion, nuts, crackers, cereals, and processed sugars.
8. Fresh water should be replenished as needed but no less than once daily, and can be
offered in either hanging water bottles or heavy crocks.
9. Every attempt should be made to keep water free of flying insects, as well as any type
of build up of food, hair, feces, fur, etc.
10. Food and water bowls should be replaced with clean and sanitized bowls each day.
Grooming
1. Rabbits should be groomed as needed by volunteers or staff. Severe mats should be
treated carefully with a mat splitter or rake.
2. Bathing should not be used unless the rabbit is extremely dirty, as it can be traumatic or
even fatal.
3. Toenail trimming should be performed at time of intake examination if indicated. Rabbit
volunteers and staff who are experienced in the proper techniques of restraint and nail
trimming are encouraged to perform nail trims as needed.
4. Rabbits with fleas can be treated with Advantage or Revolution; mites can be treated with
Ivermectin.
5. Rabbits with malocclusion may need to have their teeth trimmed by someone with
experience.
Handling
To immobilize a rabbit, press him or her gently to floor or table surface with a towel. To pick up,
think of a rabbit as you would a cat. The most common ways to hold a rabbit include:
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carry like a football, nose tucked into the crook of your arm, or
wrap in a towel like a bunny burrito, or
support front half with one hand and use the other hand to cup the hindquarters into a C
shape, facing away from you.
Put rabbits down rump first (back them into cage) to avoid them leaping from your arms
Exercise
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Every effort should be made to exercise the rabbits each day. Rabbits should be allowed to play
outside of the cage in a defined or designated area within the confines of a constructed pen (xpen). This is a great opportunity for volunteers to not only allow rabbits to exercise, but to
socialize with them as well.
For rabbits in isolation, the floor surface must be covered by a sheet or towel of adequate size to
prevent contact with the floor and reduce possible cross contamination between rabbits. This
cover is to be removed and placed in the dirty laundry immediately after the rabbit is placed back
into its kennel.
Any rabbits determined to be a risk for infection to the general rabbit population must not share
any sheet, bowl, litter pan or toy with any other rabbit at the time of exercise. Toys that cannot
be sanitized must remain with the individual rabbit or disposed of immediately and may not be
transferred to another rabbit.
Behavior Assessment
Shelter staff and volunteers can help rabbits get adopted into the right homes by doing a basic
form of behavioral assessment on their rabbits. But you must remember that rabbits will often
behave very differently in a shelter environment than they would in a home. Keeping that basic
fact in mind will help you to avoid the mistake of labeling some rabbits as “biters” when they are
simply cage protective.
Shelter employees should also note that rabbits are not like cats and dogs, and should not be
temperament tested the way that cats and dogs are. We have heard, for example, of shelters using
the artificial hand they use for dog temperament testing, and sticking it in the rabbit cage over
and over. If the bunny attacks it they will euthanize him for aggression. Unfortunately, most
rabbits would attack an artificial hand in this way.
One way to avoid problems like this would be to have the person evaluating the rabbit spend
time with the rabbit outside of a cage. Placing the rabbit in an exercise pen for a couple of hours
is one way to see them outside of a cage, but spending quality time with the rabbit, maybe at
one’s desk, or even at home for a couple of days over the weekend, would give the observer a
better chance of seeing the true behavior of the rabbit. But even then, because rabbits are prey
animals, many will not fully come out of their shells until they are living permanently in the
home environment. So please remember that what you see in the rabbits at your shelter may or
may not give you a good sense of what they will be like once adopted. It is really not possible to
assess the behavior or personality of a rabbit with a single test. Observing the rabbit over time,
and working with the rabbit to make him or her more comfortable, is really your goal.
Many rabbits, in a shelter environment, will be either shy or aggressive, and it’s your job as the
staff person or volunteer to help that rabbit to live up to his or her potential, and to find that
perfect home.
Shy Rabbits
One of the most common misconceptions people have about rabbits is that they like to be held
and cuddled. This is probably because they look like plush toys. Unfortunately, many people
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bring home rabbits without realizing the true nature of rabbits, and that's one of the main reason
these lovely, intelligent creatures end up at the shelter after they reach sexual maturity and begin
to assert their strong personalities.
Educating the public and managing their expectations about rabbits is one way to handle this
issue. Reminding potential adopters that rabbits are ground-dwelling creatures for whom being
held up in the air is uncomfortable is an important point, and should be part of the pre-adoption
counseling. And certainly the fact that many rabbits will scratch, struggle, or even bite while
being held is not a sign of a problematic temperament; it is a sign that rabbits, for the most part,
don’t like to be held.
On top of the problem with holding rabbits, many rabbits are naturally shy. Having quiet rooms
where potential adopters can sit with rabbits, on the floor, perhaps with some toys, is a way to
allow the adopter and the rabbit to start to get to know each other. Letting the adopter give the
rabbit a small treat helps to form a little bit of trust as well. And remind adopters that the more
quiet time that the person spends with the rabbit at home, without danger and demands, the more
the rabbit will come to trust the person and a bond will form.
“Aggressive” Rabbits
While many rabbits are calm, shy, or docile, many other rabbits express their personalities in
ways that may be more challenging to people. Biting or growling at a person, especially in a
shelter environment, is one way that rabbits can lose their lives. This is especially concerning in
the shelter environment where often an animal who bites - for whatever reason - is labeled
“dangerous” and unfortunately euthanized. But there are a number of reasons why a rabbit may
bite or growl, and learning what those reasons are can help you to better understand the rabbits
under your care, and give you the tools to deal with them.
1. Many unneutered or unspayed rabbits will growl, bite, circle, and mount thanks to sexual
frustration. Neutering males and spaying females can dramatically reduce these kinds of
behaviors.
2. Rabbits have poor near-distance vision, and have a blind spot right in front of their nose.
For that reason, many rabbits will lunge at or bite a hand that approaches their nose,
because it startles them. Try to approach the rabbits by petting the side of their body, the
top of the head, or other areas that don’t involve you putting your hand right in front of
their face. In the shelter environment, just as you post signs in the dog kennels to ask the
public to “DO NOT PUT FINGERS THROUGH BARS” you need to do the same for
rabbits.
3. Some rabbits, if they come from an abusive situation, may react to their fear and
confusion by biting. These rabbits need time to learn to trust humans again.
4. Many rabbits are cage-protective, because of their natural territorial nature. That means
that shelter staff must be careful when cleaning the cage or removing the cage for a health
exam or to meet a potential adopter. For rabbits who lunge, keep your hand above his
head and then calmly and quickly bring it down to the top of his head. If he lets you touch
his head, very softly stroke it. Eventually he should associate your hand in the cage with a
nice nose rub, not being grabbed.
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5. Rabbits will bite when they are frightened, such as when they are being held and have a
fear of falling, or when they are defending themselves against what they perceive to be a
predator (even if that predator is you).
6. Rabbits cannot speak, so one of the ways in which they communicate important
information is nipping. If a person is doing something the rabbit doesn’t like, they may
react with a small (but sharp) bite. This is the bunny’s way of telling you that you’ve
irritated them. But it doesn’t mean that the rabbit is ‘aggressive.’
NEVER HIT A RABBIT! The minute you hit a rabbit, no matter how lightly you do it, you have
become a “predator attacking that rabbit.” Nature tells that rabbit to fight back in order to save its
own life. And, in the process, you will likely get bit. Rabbits are not like any other animal that
will tolerate and learn from being reprimanded. It “never” ends well when you hit a rabbit.
Some rabbits may seem more aggressive than the above scenarios would indicate. If you have a
rabbit at your shelter who seems extra aggressive, then you may want to reach out to a volunteer
from House Rabbit Society or another rescue group. They may be able to foster the rabbit for
you and work with him.
Handling Rabbits to Reduce Stress
Handling rabbits in the shelter environment poses its own set of concerns. The shelter is a
difficult environment for rabbits, a typically quiet prey species, who don’t do well in the noisy,
barking-dog, hustle-bustle of the daily shelter routine. Because of this, rabbits can react in ways
that appear to be aggressive to the shelter employee or volunteer, who may not have had much
exposure to these intelligent, often misunderstood creatures.
These guidelines are meant to assist shelter staff and volunteers in learning ways to better
interact with rabbits in the shelter, and to carefully and safely handle them. Both for the sake of
the rabbit, and for the individual involved.
Scruffing
House Rabbit Society advises against scruffing a rabbit for the following reasons:
1) It stretches the connective tissue and can cause it to tear, causing injury to the rabbit
2) This manner of handling a rabbit imitates being “caught by a predator” and is frightening for
them.
3) Holding a rabbit loosely in this manner can contribute to a broken back, if the rabbit kicks out
hard and hits something or overextends its spine.
There are much better alternatives to handling a rabbit than scruffing. Constant scruffing keeps
the rabbit in a fearful situation and lessens his adoptability because he becomes frightened of
people and unwilling to be held.
Understanding Body Language
Understanding how rabbits communicate is important if either shelter staff or potential adopters
are going to understand even a little bit about what rabbits feel. Following are some common
forms of communication, and some of their meanings:
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Chinning — Rabbits chins contain scent glands, so they rub their chin on items to indicate
that they belong to them.
Binky — (Dancing and hopping madly): A sign of pure joy & happiness!
Standing on Hind Legs — May be checking something out. Also used for begging.
Flat on the ground, legs spread out to the side or behind — Relaxation, bliss
Upside down, legs in the air — Rabbits will typically do this when in total bliss, and often
after a big bout of binkying.
Territorial droppings — Droppings that are not in a pile, but are scattered, are signs that this
territory belongs to the rabbit. This will often occur upon entering a new environment.
Playing — Rabbits like to push or toss objects around. They may also race madly around
the house, jump on and off of the couch and act like a kid that's had too much sugar.
Thumping — Rabbits often are displeased when you rearrange their stuff. They are
creatures of habit and when they get things just right, they like them to remain that way, and
may thump in anger.
Thumping — He's frightened, mad or trying to tell you that there's danger (in his opinion).
Tooth Grinding — Indicates contentment, like a cats purr. Loud grinding can indicate pain.
Tooth Chattering — Loud grinding or chattering can indicate pain.
Sniffing — May be annoyed or just talking to you. Some unspayed females sniff loudly
when being handled.
Grunts — Usually angry, watch out or you could get bit!
Honking — Sign of horniness, usually in an unneutered male.
Shrill scream — Extreme pain or fear.
Feet circling — Usually indicates sexual behavior. He/She's in love.
Spraying — Males that are not neutered will mark female rabbits in this manner as well as
their territory. Females will also spray.
Pulling out hair; collecting hay — This could be a pregnancy or a false pregnancy. Usually
just unspayed females may build a nest & pull hair from their chest and stomach to line the
nest.
Owner Surrender Forms
Behavioral questionnaires for people relinquishing their rabbits can provide potentially valuable
information. If the rabbit was a house rabbit, and the owner spent any real time with the rabbit,
they may be able to give you some information about what the rabbit was like that can help you
to understand him, and to place him in a good home. Of course, many people surrendering their
animals did not take the time to get to know these animals at all, so it may not be that useful. But
having owners fill out surrender forms (see the questions at the end of this document which can
serve as a starting point for your form) is still a useful exercise. You may find out that the rabbit
was confined to a backyard cage where dogs barked at him all day. You may find that he lived in
a house where a small child chased him around. Or you may find that he lived in a hutch and got
no attention at all. All of these things can be useful to you in understanding the rabbit now in
your care.
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Using Cage Cards
Once you’ve spent some time with the new bunny at your shelter, you may have some sense of
what he or she is like, keeping in mind the central caveat that the rabbit will not behave in a
shelter environment like he will at home. At the end of this document you will find a cage card
that your staff or volunteers can fill out with basic information about the bunny’s personality. As
staff and volunteers spend more time with the rabbit, they may find out more about the bunny’s
personality and they can print out and fill out a new form with the updated information. This card
should be hung on the bunny’s cage so that potential adopters can read about the rabbit’s
personality and needs.
Intake and Examination
All rabbits should receive an examination by a clinic technician within 24 hours of arrival at the
facility. An examination by the veterinarian should follow at the next available scheduled date
of the veterinarian in the facility.
As for all species in the shelter, priority is given to those animals with apparent or possible
medical conditions. The veterinary staff will prioritize need after an examination and/or report
from staff or volunteers regarding behavior, discharge, appetite, etc. that suggest a medical need.
The following should be attended to: Body weight, body temperature (normal temp for a rabbit
is 102), teeth (drooling may indicate a tooth problem; malocclusion of the incisors or molars is a
treatable condition), eyes (discharge is possible sign of infection, cloudy eyes is possible sign of
disease and closed eyes may be sign of pain), ears (crusty debris could indicate mites; odorous
white discharge could mean infection), skin (bite wounds need medical attention; flea dirt can be
treated with Advantage or carbarmate flea powder; NEVER use Frontline; white flaking can be a
sign of fur mites, which can be treated with flea powder or Ivermectin), feet (check for sores), fur
(hair plucking from the chest is an indication that a rabbit may be pregnant or nursing),
droppings and urine (normal urine can be white and creamy, yellow, or bright orange; stools
should be plentiful (at least 50 per day), round and firm), and rear end (a messy rear can indicate
infection or poor diet, and can be spot cleaned with Zap cleanser or a gentle soap and water).
Finally, a toenail trimming should be performed in the intake examination unless the rabbit is
unduly stressed.
All rabbits, unless a pre-existing medical condition prohibits it, should be scheduled for their
spay or neuter surgery at the initial examination. Spay/neuter surgery obviously prevents
accidental litters, but it also cuts down on negative behaviors such as spraying and some
aggressive behavior, and for females, spaying prevents uterine, mammary and ovarian cancers.
Intake Questions for Owners Relinquishing a Rabbit
1. How old is the rabbit?
2. What sex is the rabbit? How do you know?
3. Spayed/neutered? (ask for vet's name/number)
4. Has the rabbit ever had a litter?
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5. Has the rabbit ever had contact with any other rabbit(s)? When was the last time?
6. Where did you buy the rabbit or how did you acquire the rabbit?
7. How long have you had the rabbit?
8. Has the rabbit been housed indoors or out? Type of cage?
9. What other kinds of animals has the rabbit been exposed to?
10. What bedding materials were used for the rabbit? Pine/cedar chips?
11. Has the rabbit ever been to a vet? Name/phone number of vet?
12. Who was in charge of rabbit care in your household?
13. How often/hard does the rabbit usually bite or scratch?
14. How many kids usually interact with the rabbit; how many adults?
15. Has the rabbit ever been out of his cage? How often?
16. What health problems has the rabbit had? (fleas, ticks, fur mites, ear mites, dental
problems, skin problems, runny eyes, runny nose, sneezing, anorexia, digestive problems)
17. What kind of (commercial) food has the rabbit been eating? Has the rabbit ever had
vegetables? Hay?
18. How does the rabbit drink water - bowl or bottle?
19. Rabbit's temperament/personality? (friendly, shy, aggressive, fearful, etc.)
Facilitating Adoptions
Rabbits will be more easily adopted if they are “displayed” in such a way as to make them seem
like the fun, interesting, companions that they are. Cages should be outfitted with toys and litter
boxes, to demonstrate that they are litter box trained and interactive; the cage should have a cage
card filled out by an attentive staff member or volunteer with detailed information on the
personality of the rabbit; and the shelter should have posters and flyers in different parts of the
building extolling the virtues of adopting a rabbit. (House Rabbit Society and the ASPCA both
offer such posters.) A rabbit can also be displayed in an x-pen in the front of the building to show
off to the public. In addition, if the shelter has a store, merchandise should be sold which can
demonstrate what wonderful companions rabbits are, such as a great variety of toys sold by
rabbit-friendly companies (ask HRS for a list of vendors).
Rabbit adopters should receive rabbit-specific adoption counseling (ask HRS for a list of
questions and answers for the pre-adoption interview) and a comprehensive adoption packet
addressing general rabbit care issues, including education on rabbit handling and a strong
recommendation to house rabbits indoors. House Rabbit Society has dozens of handouts
available for animal shelters to use for this purpose. Families with children should be
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interviewed to ensure that the adults want the rabbit as much as the children do, and families
with dogs need specific counseling on living with a dog and a rabbit. An additional item that
shelters can provide to adopters would be a copy of the House Rabbit Handbook. Potential
rabbit adopters can also be asked to watch a video on living with a house rabbit before adoption.
Finally, the pre-adoption interview should include making sure that the adopter knows what is
needed to have a rabbit, and what items will need to be purchased (housing, litter box, toys,
bowls, food, litter, etc.) as well as what needs to happen in the home before the rabbit can arrive
(bunny proofing, etc.).
All rabbit adoptions should occur with a signed adoption contract and an adoption fee that is over
$20. Under-age rabbits who are not yet neutered or spayed should be adopted with a spay/neuter
deposit taken. The shelter should encourage adopters who live with a spayed or neutered rabbit
to bring that rabbit in to meet a companion; volunteers and staffed should be trained to facilitate
such bondings.
Matching the right rabbit to the right adopter is a crucial aspect of successful rehoming. Adopters
must be fully aware of the needs of rabbits in general, and of this rabbit in particular. Using
House Rabbit Society’s adoption questionnaires can help you to find out if the adopter is the
right person for the rabbit, and using the information you and your staff have developed about
the rabbit can help you to find out if the rabbit is the right pet for the person.
Adoption Interview
Following are some questions that you can ask to start the ball rolling.
1. Are you looking for a rabbit for yourself?
Good answer: For myself and my spouse. We’ve talked it over, and this is the pet we really
want.
Gray answer: (need to know more): For my boyfriend.
Bad answer: It’s for my little boy, who’s been bugging me for a pet. (Unspoken thought: Who
will care for the rabbit and notice when she is sick? You are seeking a primary caretaker who
is both emotionally involved and financially responsible.)
If the rabbit is to be a gift for an adult, explain that you need to speak with (interview) the
person receiving the rabbit. (Unspoken thought: unwanted gift animals are the first to be
discarded.) The only time I consider letting a rabbit be a gift for a child is when the gift-giver
is also the primary caretaker, and qualifies in all other ways.
Any time small children will be in the rabbit’s home, I must be satisfied that the adults will
supervise the children’s time with the rabbit. Frequently, I describe a rabbit as an unsuitable
pet for a small child. Even the friendliest bunny may squirm, kick, nip, run away, or hide
when confronted with an overzealous toddler.
2. Who is in your family (who lives with you?) Do you have any pets?
3. What kind of rabbit are you looking for?
Questions 2 & 3 go together, because if the caller lives with roommates, children, dogs, or
other pets, the rabbit must be compatible with the entire household. The caller may answer,
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“A baby Netherland Dwarf,” but if she has a puppy or a baby in the family this could be the
wrong choice.
There are two reasons to ask these questions early on: if the person wants a kind of rabbit you
don’t have, then the interview can be concluded early. Also, the easiest way to conclude the
interview at any point is to state that you don’t have a suitable rabbit.
Example: you are uncomfortable that the caller has a Chow Chow puppy in the
household. You don’t want the caller to feel that he has been disqualified. Say “The
rabbits I have are scared of dogs. Why don’t I call you if I hear of a rabbit who is used to
dogs?”
4. Have you had a rabbit before?
A. The caller has had a rabbit. You need to discover how the rabbit was cared for, where
he/she was kept, and how the caller felt about the rabbit—using a series of conversational
questions.
Good: has, or used to have, a house rabbit.
Gray: has kept a rabbit in a hutch. (Is the caller receptive to the idea of an indoor rabbit?)
Bad: sees rabbits as livestock, children’s pets, or as needing a “natural”
(outdoor)
lifestyle. Wants to use rabbit for magician’s act, or
classroom pet. (Rabbits kept in classrooms or on school grounds are vulnerable to harm
from vandals. They are lonely at night, and rarely
receive veterinary attention.)
B. The caller has never had a rabbit. You need to establish the caller’s pet keeping
history/philosophy. Has the person had dogs or cats? What kinds of animals does he/she have
sympathy for?
Good: the caller has or had a dog or cat that lived with her and was
allowed to sleep on
the bed and share human space.
Gray: no pet keeping history. It’s a lot of work to educate a person.
Bad: An animal keeping style that distances the animal: a dog kept in the garage; an outdoor
cat. (Unspoken thought: for the rabbit’s mental and physical health, the guardian must share
space/be close to the animal.)
5. What happened to your previous pets? (Unspoken thought: this will also be the fate of the
adopted rabbit.) If a rabbit or other pet has died, be sympathetic but find out the cause.
Good: the previous pet died while under veterinary treatment.
Gray: A rabbit or pet that died from an error in judgment, without veterinary treatment or
guardian doesn't know. You need to hear that the caller plans
to prevent this from
happening again.
Bad: Gave away a pet because of moving—or for any reason.
(Unspoken thought:
people capable of making a commitment to a pet, don’t “get rid of” the pet.)
6. Where will the rabbit live?
Good: In the house with me
Gray: We don’t know. Is it true they can be litter box trained?
Bad: Oh, we have a hutch built and waiting.
At this point in the interview, the person may be trying to “guess” at the right answer. A
prospective first-time bunny guardian may be looking for guidance. Since I want my rabbit to
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be member of a household, I rule out permanent outdoor accommodations. A “natural”
lifestyle is nice for the rabbit until she meets a predator or needs veterinary attention.
Apartment dwellers sometimes keep rabbits openly, sometimes secretly. I ask “Are pets
allowed?” but I base my judgment on the overall interview rather than the answer. Apartment
dwellers can be pressured into giving away animals—but they can also be very loyal. An
apartment rabbit rarely ends up in a garage or hutch—although some people confine them to
the balcony (lonely for the rabbit and dangerous if there is no shade).
7. What do you expect from a pet rabbit?
This is a good time to ask a prospective first-time rabbit guardian, “Would you like me to
describe life with a house rabbit?” I go on to say: “Most house rabbit guardians start the
rabbit in a cage, giving the rabbit more freedom as time goes by. Supervised periods of time
from the cage give your rabbit time to adjust to your environment, and you time to discover
what your rabbit will do. Living with a house rabbit is rewarding but challenging, and
requires some modifications in the environment. First priority is bunny-proofing your electric
cords—running them up the wall, behind the furniture or through tubing—whatever it takes so
the bunny can’t get to them.”
“Rabbits are naturally litterbox trained, but most rabbits aren’t perfect. Expect urine control,
but a few droppings scattered here and there. Sometimes the placement of the litterbox must
be negotiated with the rabbit.”
A good first-time bunny guardian will have many questions. They don’t all need to be answered
during the first conversation—reassure the caller you will supply her with written materials.
Hint: if the person asks a series of questions such as, “Do rabbits chew? Do rabbits get fleas?
Do rabbits need grooming? you may get a picture of someone trying to evade the work of
owning a pet. A rabbit is more, not less, work than a dog or a cat.
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