Dr. Emily Becker 
**First Major Misconception: Raising a bunny is cheap, just throw it some veggie leaves. But actually, raising a rabbit is super expensive!**
**First ☝️ Cage and Living Area**
A rabbit's feet can't step on hard surfaces, especially cages with wide gaps. Their feet will hurt and could develop skin diseases over time. So, you either buy a professional rabbit cage (which can cost several hundred, better ones are three or four hundred and up), or buy a cat/dog cage and lay down a soft carpet. Avoid long-pile carpets, cleaning will drive you nuts.
Using a large iron cage, like those cheap wire ones for birds or chickens, is practically abusing them.
The enclosed area also needs to be large because rabbits grow quickly. If you have a meat rabbit, they can grow up to eight or nine pounds, so you need enough space to set up a large cozy area for them.
**Second! Companionship.**
Rabbits can't stay in a cage all the time. You need to let them out to play daily. If they are confined all the time, they'll get depressed. Don't think you can just keep a rabbit caged because they're not as smart and won't require any effort. Rabbits are actually very smart and have lots of emotions. So, if you're very busy and tired, with no time to care for or play with your bunny, really don't raise one.
**Third! Veterinary Care.**
Rabbits get sick too. Unlike cats and dogs, not all pet hospitals can treat rabbits. They are considered exotic pets and are relatively rare. Some small cities don't even have vets for rabbits. If there's no hospital or doctor nearby that can treat rabbits, don't raise one.
Moreover, bunny medical care is expensive. My female rabbit's spaying cost me 700, and when she had a cold, I didn't dare to give her random meds, it cost 300-400 at the hospital. Let's not even talk about other minor illnesses. In summer, you need to run the air conditioner daily to prevent heatstroke, and the electricity bill can be several hundred a month. If you have no savings, spare cash, or are a student unable to afford bunny expenses, don't raise one.
**Fourth, rabbits eat hay and rabbit food; they can’t drink tap water!**
Rabbits don’t eat veggie leaves. Meat rabbits might survive on veggie leaves daily but will have shorter lifespans and get sick easily! This is like a child eating junk food and gutter oil takeout every day—they wouldn't die right away but would have a shortened lifespan! Some say rabbits don’t drink water, but think with your brain, can any carbon-based life form survive without water? Some rabbits seem to survive without water because the veggies you feed them contain moisture. They're surviving on that tiny bit of water—what is this but abuse? Ridiculous!
#BeginnerBunnyCare #DailyRabbitCare #RabbitLife #ThinkTwiceBeforeRaisingRabbits #BeResponsibleForLives
