Hmmpff! I thought people here were all Chuck Jones fans. Of course you realize, this means war!
Agree 100%. Well done.
If your rabbit whizzes in the same place he doots (a safe bet), you need to wait until the ammonia* outgasses from the fecal matter so your plants aren’t harmed.
*I might have the wrong substance, but the warning holds.
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>‘x’<
You can use them as unwitting pawns in your “Get someone else to pay for my new air conditioner” scheme.
As it turns out, we lost AC for most of July due to a clogged coil. SO is on several medications, some of which lose effectiveness as temperature increases, and would likely have been hospitalized had that gone on much longer.
And that is absolutely the last thing I’m saying on the subject.
I’m also here to praise this post. Of course a social animal is going to be neurotic and not-fun if it’s kept outside all day. It drives me nuts when I see people in my neighborhood who keep their dogs outside in the yard all night. No wonder those dogs bark like freaks at everything that passes by. They’ve been cast out of the den.
I have a dog and a cat, and they’re my “social” pets, the ones that I play with every day. But I also have a lizard. The lizard is beautiful and majestic and poses great in photos. But the lizard really doesn’t care much if I don’t play with her every day. As long as her space, UV light, heating, food and water requirements are met, she’s happy. She’s fun to watch when she’s active, but she truly doesn’t give a shit if she’s socialized regularly. That’s the sort of pet you’d be good with if you’re not into the whole attention/socialization thing.
You’ll also need access to an exotics vet/rabbit specialist. Rabbits don’t react to medications in the same way that dogs and cats do: for example, long-acting corticosteroids will cause liver inflammation and osteoporosis in rabbits.
You’ll need to spay or neuter your rabbit when it hits puberty. Females get grumpy and aggressive, and are very prone to getting uterine cancer. Males like to hump everything that moves and will express their regard for you with golden showers.
Uh … ok. 
People ask me the same about my hamster!
I think with any pet, there’s a lot of satisfaction to be had from doing your best to make your furry (or scaly/feathered/etc) addition to the family feel secure, relaxed, stimulated and loved. Just really to take on responsibility for giving something a good life and being a loyal companion. Even if it’s the type of pet that instinctively tries to get away, or maybe can’t visibly appreciate and reciprocate your care as well as other animals.
As I thought I mentioned, the bunny is (was) spending most of the daylight hours inside the house with free run, with evenings in the hutch (undercover, on a raised deck). It also has a cage run to get some ‘grass’ activity on the lawn. But thinking more about the advice given , have decided to bring the hutch INSIDE, so the bunny can retreat to the hutch when it feels so inclined.
For those concerned, our kitty is a much loved and cossetted cat…who like many cats, chooses if and when she would like a cuddle. Insinuations that she has been poorly socialised are way off-kilter.
This is out of line, muldoonthief. Don’t bring up personal, past topics against other posters again unless you’re in the BBQ Pit.
If your bunny isn’t as interactive as you like, you can train it. Find out what food it loves best in the world (carrot pieces are cliched but effective, apple, raisins - but just a few, v high cal, Cheerios or cornflakes) and keep the treats nearby. Every time you or the kids or anyone is going to be in the vicinity of Bunny, put a treat in front of it. At first, just drop it nearby, then feed from your fingers. It’s the same principles as desensitizing any animal. Pretty soon, he’ll make the connection, and seek out human contact.
When I worked in zoo ed, my rabbits were trained to do lots of things: go into and come out of the crate when cued; lie still for handling and vet exams; touch a target stick; jump up on a box; stand on their hind legs; jump through a hoop; spin a circle; lie down… They’re SUPER trainable, which is great fun.
And, sadly, rabbits and little kids are often just not a great match. They’re often too anxious around the noisy unpredictable little buggers! (I mean the kids, obvs 
Would have been funnier if there was a poster that said “Elmer Season.”
Some things:
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Rabbits are not appropriate pets for children, they are very delicate and can be injured by improper handling. They are not “starter” pets or disposable pets. They need as much attention and care as a dog or cat and can live as long too. I currently have a rabbit that is 10 years old and in excellent health. They need a proper diet that involves more than dry pellets, real exercise and mental stimulation.
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Domesticated rabbits belong indoors, as they are house pets. They cannot tolerate extreme temperatures or exposure to the elements, and they are universal prey animals. Literally every predator will eat them, and being trapped inside a cage with a racoon or bird outside is terrifying for them.
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Rabbits are social creatures and need interaction or they will become withdrawn and/or mean. That being said, the majority of them don’t enjoy being handled. They are ground-loving creatures and do not want to be picked up.
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Rabbits are very intelligent and can be litter box trained, taught to fetch, do tricks, and a variety of other behaviors. Yours isn’t mentally defective, you are just treating it poorly. I’m not sure what you were thinking would happen here; even the smartest dogs have to be specifically taught not to crap in the floor. Your expectations of this poor rabbit are wrong and I’d suggest correcting the situation or finding it another home.
Please visit the HRSto learn more about properly taking care of a pet rabbit.
No, hassenpfeffer!
I know rabbits and hares aren’t the same things, but I have a big book of north american mammals (minus humans) and the entry for snowshoe hares just casually states that wild hares make decent pets. Like is that responsible for them to print that? Seems like a recipe for tragedy to me.
Yeah, I would find that anyone who states that hares make good pets is irresponsible or just doesn’t know any better. According to this site, the best thing to do if you see an apparently abandoned baby hare is to leave it alone. Hares raise their babies above ground and the baby hares are capable of being left alone while the mother goes off to forage. Adolescent hares can become quite aggressive and do not make suitable pets at all.
There is a popular breed of rabbit called the Belgian hare which has hare-like features, but it is a true domestic rabbit, selectively bred from other varieties of rabbits.
How about cottontail bunnies the cat brings into the house? Every so often she catches a bunny unharmed, and leaves it someplace awkward, like the kitchen, or inside the car where I carelessly left a window open.