A VET has warned parents not buy a beloved animal as pets for their kids – revealing that it's a huge mistake.
Tim Montgomery, from Sydney in Australia, said that rabbits are unexpectedly high-maintenance pets requiring constant attention.
Bunnies dislike being handled or confined to their hutch – and can even get sick of carrots.
He told the Mail: "I will often have clients come in having recently a purchased rabbit for their children assuming that they will be simple pets that are easy to care for which is not always the case.
"A lot of people don't realise how similar rabbits are to horses. I tend to call them little furry horses without hooves."
The vet added: "Unfortunately I have seen countless cases of rabbits that have been accidentally suffocated by children who just loved their rabbit too much which can be understandably devastating for everyone involved."
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Unlike dogs or cats, bunnies are prey, not predators – so they will often freeze with fear if they are held on their back or bite kids hard if rubbed up the wrong way.
They also need regular dentistry under anaesthetic and annual vaccinations.
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A good owner should only pick up their bunny when conducting health checks – but much pleasure is to be had observing your flop-eared friend going freely about their business.
No rabbit should be confined to a hutch, as they like to gambol around – and wherever you house them, they need fresh hay and bedding every day.
To see how cruel it is to keep a bunny alone, you need only watch the easy intimacy of two bonded rabbits.
Vet Tim added that for their own good bunnies should not be permitted to gorge on carrots.
He said: "Because of the Bugs Bunny cliché, they're often fed large amounts of carrots which is basically KFC for bunnies – they're high in calories and not very good for them in high quantities."
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