Here is a list I have made of things to consider.
1. Cost
Do you have enough money to keep a pet rabbit happy and healthy? Most rabbits can cost hundreds of dollars a year. Think about vet bills, food, toys, cage, litter/bedding. All this will add up.
2. Research
Research is probably the most important part. If you really wanted a rabbit, you would make time to do research and find out how to keep them happy and healthy. If you don't want to put in a couple weeks of research I don't think a rabbit would be the right pet for you. Rabbits are very delicate animals. They need fresh hay and water daily. I personally clean out my bunnies cage every day, but you also got to think about keeping the cage clean on a weekly basis. All this takes a lot of time, and research.
3. Spaying and Neutering
Spaying and neutering is probably the best thing you can do for your rabbit. It calms them down a lot. It also reduces the amount of hormones that drives them to mark their territory (pee all over your house). Both of my bunnies are litter trained. I couldn't have litter trained them if I hadn't got them spayed and neutered. Again, this costs money. Depending where you live it can cost $400-80. I live in Chicago and the surgery for a female bunny is $310.
4. Vet Bills
I wanted to create a separate number for vet bills, because vet bills are really important but can also be really expensive. It really comes down to where you live. Some vets charge more than others. If you live in or by a really big city then odds are your vet will charge a lot. My two largest vet bills where getting Sophie spayed which was $310, and when Sophie got GI Stasis (which is a gas build up in the GI tract easily killing a rabbit) which was $250. This is all in one year by the way. I spent $750 in vet bills (Thats JUST vet bills) in 2013 for just Sophie. Now I have Charlie and the vet bills are doubled.
5. Food and Litter
Food and Litter don't come cheap. Most good food and litter are expensive. Some of my favorite brands of Rabbit pellets are Oxbow, Small Pet Select, and Purina. I use the Purina Rabbit Chow Fiber and my bunnies love it. It's a great quality pellet. I buy my pellets in bulk at a local tractor supply. I buy my hay in bulk from Small Pet Select. Hay can be purchased for cheap price at a local farm but I prefer the Small Pet Select. Vegetables can be bought for cheap at a local farmers market. I try to go to farmer markets when I can but when I don't I usually go to Trader Joe's. Lastly, Litter that can be used includes recycled paper litter or wood stove pellets. Clay litter is really bad for rabbits. Wood stove pellets are probably the cheapest. You can find these at a local home improvement store.
6. Age
Rabbits can live anywhere from 10-12 years. Where will you be in 10 years? Will you be able to continuously pay and love a rabbit for 10 years?
7. Allergies
If you are allergic to rabbits then a rabbit not the right pet for you. You also have to consider members of your family. Are they allergic to the rabbit? Are you or your family allergic to the hay, or bedding?
8. Kids
Rabbits and Kids, although cute together really don't mix well. Kids usually scream when they loose their temper and this can easily frighten a rabbit. Remember rabbits are a prey species. They are easily frightened by loud noises, and being picked up which kids tend to do. Usually with families what happens is the parents get the kids their own rabbit. The kids are all excited but then a couple weeks later loose interest. The
parents usually end up dropping the rabbit off at a shelter or worse, letting it go free in the backyard. If you have a family, please keep in mind the age of your kids.
9. Cage & Cage Accessories
Rabbit cages that are sold in pet stores are usually too small. The rabbit should be able to hop 3-4 times and stand up on his hind legs. It is also best if you get a cage or hutch with multiple levels. Rabbits love to jump and if you get a cage with multiple levels you are allowing them to do what they were built to do. You can make your own cage too. I build my own bunny condo and mine love it. You can customize it to how big you want it. I personally think it's better than any cage you would ever be able to buy. Next is cage accessories. Your going to want to get lots a chew toys for your bunny as well as fun toys for them to play with. Chew toys are very important because a rabbits teeth will continue to grow for the rest of their life.
10. Have FUN!!
Although taking care of a rabbit can be costly and hard sometimes, it's all worth it in the end. The joy my rabbits give me is something I wouldn't trade for the world. They are wonderful pet if your willing to make a effort. Thank you for reading, and I hope this helps you further with your pet rabbit.
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