Rabbits Are Great Companion Pets For Children

A Pet Rabbit Can Be a triumphant addition to a family with young children. 

Ideally, the parents want a pet rabbit to love and care for and share rabbit ownership with their young children. 

Rabbits Have A Delicate Skeletal Structure That requires safe handling to avoid injury. Hence, Parental Supervision Is Essential when young children handle a bunny to ensure the bunny is dealt with safely. 

Children can become very excited and carried away in a moment, forget the correct handling technique, and may impulsively pick up the Rabbit incorrectly or try to walk around with it. 

Rabbits are by nature ground floor dwellers and feel safest when on stable ground. It is best not to walk around with a rabbit at a height for any length of time; they are afraid of heights. 

When a rabbit is handled correctly and feels safe, and you make it a positive experience by hand-feeding small portions of healthy treats and providing lovely brushes and massages, The rabbit will look forward to these special moments with you and your children.

STARTER BUNNY SAFETY RULES

• Rule 1. When you want to hold your bunny, ask for mummy or daddy's help. 
•  Rule 2. Do not take the bunny out of its cage either; wait for it to hop out or ask mummy or daddy to get it out for you. 
• Rule 3. Ask mum or dad before you feed the bunny any food. 

Let your child know that one day, after lots of help and practice with mummy and daddy, they can pick up and hold the bunny alone when ready. 

Ensure that when a child interacts with the bunny, they are seated on the ground and use a basket or mat under the rabbit when on a child's lap.

Use pillows for sitting so you and your children are comfortable. Use a flat pillow under the holding mat on your child's "little" lap so the rabbit feels stable on flat ground.

Avoid walking around holding the bunny at a height for any length of time; they are afraid of heights, which stresses them out. 

Getting down on the floor at their level is the best way to become best friends and connect with a bunny. 

Although rabbits are incredibly adorable and huggable creatures, It is essential to understand that they only enjoy being held safely and patted for about ten minutes at a time. The rest of the time, they love to lounge around, lay by your side and hop about entertaining you as they play.

RABBITS ARE SERIOUSLY MOTIVATED BY FOOD!

Young Children love to Hand-Feed their Bunnies, And Bunnies Love To be hand-fed! Hand Feeding A Rabbit is a loving experience for a Child and the Rabbit.

A young child might feed a bunny too much fruit, carrot, or the wrong type of food, making the bunny sick. 

• Make a feeding schedule chart for am and pm to avoid this, and remind your child that they can only feed the bunny when they ask for mum or Dad's permission.

• Show your children the correct portion sizes of fresh greens to feed and get them to help prepare them by washing and drying them.
•  You can prepare up to three days of fresh greens and store them with paper towels in a container in the fridge.  
• Tip: Fresh Greens are best served at room temperature, not straight from the fridge. 
• Important To Note: Rabbits are often "over-feed" Fresh Greens. 
• 1/2 a cup a day per kg of Rabbit is enough!  
• Divide the daily portion of greens into (two feeds) for AM & PM.   
• Hand Feed For Extra Love. 
• Overconsumption of greens, fruits or vegetables can upset the digestive balance in a Domestic Rabbit. Always stick to the daily portion allowance. You can also feed a few sprigs of herbs and dried rabbit-safe leaves. 

• If your child is old enough to be interested, Go through the Rabbit Safe And Unsafe Foods List so they know the consequences of feeding the wrong foods and that too much fruit and carrot can make a bunny sick.
• The total daily portion of fresh fruit or carrot is no more than a tablespoon of fruit or carrot per kg of Rabbit - not both!  
• Herbs are handy for young children to feed a rabbit a few sprigs at a time.  

• RULES ALONE WITHOUT REWARDS CAN BE PRETTY BORING! 
• Do not forget to constantly praise your child and give them occasional small rewards for following the bunny house rules and their progress in becoming good bunny carers. 

• A BEAUTIFUL MORNING AND EVENING RITUAL TO SHARE WITH YOUR CHILD: A Little Dustpan And Broom Cleaning, Feeding, Bruising And Bunny Cuddles And Play.  
• BUNNIES LOVE TO LOVE AND BE LOVED.
• MAKING TOYS FOR YOUR BUNNY IS LOTS OF FUN, TOO.