I love Bao, I might just be slightly obsessed with him.
He brings me so much happiness and is truly an overload of cuteness,
but the reality is, he can be a big pain...
I often receive messages from my readers who tell me they are thinking about adding a bunny to their family, or who have added a bunny to their family after seeing how adorable Bao is.
Because of that, I feel somewhat responsible to let you know what a BIG commitment a pet rabbit is.
Often times, just one look at a bunny can convince someone to bring them home. I don't want to discourage you from adding a bunny to your family, I just want to stress the reality of it so that he may not be given up when he ends up not being all you dreamt he would be.
Here is a quick list of things I have experienced with Bao and have learned since owning him.
-Massive amounts of shedding= vacuuming twice a day, just to keep up.
-Bao is pee trained, but leaves bunny "beans" here and there... sometimes it seems he leaves more outside his potty box than in, so I am constantly sweeping up after him.
- Keeping a variety of fresh vegetables that suit his palate can become expensive.
-Cleaning his potty tray everyday can become expensive and annoying. I line his potty box with Carefresh and Alfalfa hay on top.
-He is very moody, pretty anti social and growls.
-He will occasionally let me pet him but never wants to be held.
-He can be skittish.
-I live in Los Angles and it can get HOT. I have the thermostat set not only for me, but for Bao as well. Bunnies can overheat and die easily. When I leave my place, I cannot turn the air off as those without pets can. I have to leave the air on for him which can be expensive.
-Bunnies chew! Though I've been very lucky that Bao isn't a big chewer.
-Remember, bunnies are a 10 year commitment.
-Bao is not caged. Bunnies should not be caged. I think its sad, and they can become depressed. If you plan on caging your pet bunny, perhaps think about a hamster instead, they are an equally cute pet.
For me, none of the above warnings make a difference.
Just seeing Bao makes me happy, his little "blinking" nose makes my heart melt. Getting to know him is fun and rewarding for me. When he gives me the occasional bunny nose bump, or follows me into the kitchen for a treat, for some strange reason the fact that he may have costed me an extra hour of clean up and growled and ran from me that day doesn't matter anymore.
xx
For more info on Bao, watch
THIS video I made when I first adopted him.
