Children and Rabbits

Rabbits make excellent additions to families of all sizes and shapes. However, there are several things to consider before bringing home a new rabbit to a home with children. Many people are surprised and then disappointed to learn that rabbits rarely conform to the cute-n-cuddly stereotypes in children’s stories. While rabbits enjoy being pet, most of them prefer to remain on the ground. As prey animals, rabbits instinctually feel frightened when picked up. As a result, they will often kick and struggle, which can result in hurting themselves or even the child holding them.

The natural exuberance, rambunctiousness, and decibel-level of the average toddler is stressful for most rabbits. Bunnies are naturally inclined to either run away or try to bite when approached too quickly and too loudly, and it’s common for frequently stressed-out rabbits to develop related illnesses. Children want a companion they can hold and cuddle; rabbits need someone who understands they are ground-loving creatures. For these reasons, many children, especially young children, will find it difficult to interact with a rabbit and often lose interest after a few weeks, which is why we typically recommend rabbits for older children.

If your child is generally easygoing, calm, gentle, and cooperative, you may enjoy having a rabbit as a member of the family. If your child is generally on the loud side, very active, tends to interact physically/ aggressively, or frequently seems to need reminders about rules, they may find it difficult to build a relationship with a rabbit. In those instances, you may find a rabbit is an additional stress in your home for everyone involved.

Learning about rabbits before bringing one home can be a fun family activity! Set your child and your future rabbit up for success by showing your child how to interact safely and kindly with a rabbit. See the opposite page for some great tips. Many bunnies enjoy being with people, but your family must have patience, understanding, and an acceptance of individual differences to earn their trust.

Consider that rabbits: 

  • are quiet

  • can learn near-perfect litter box habits 

  • are fun to watch and play with

  • don’t like being picked up 

  • have different personalities, just as  individual dogs and cats do 

  • need plenty of indoor, sun-lit  exercise space

  • are a 10+ year commitment

Our Recommendation

For rabbits and small children, the bigger the rabbit, the better. Big rabbits are less likely to be picked up or mishandled by little kids and generally have a more confident, easy-going temperament. If you are unsure if a rabbit is the right fit for your family or lifestyle, consider fostering for your local shelter or rescue! This will allow you to see if your family is ready while not having to make an upfront commitment

Rabbits in the classroom

It’s important to note that a classroom is not a healthy or safe setting for a rabbit. As rabbits are prey animals, they rely heavily on calm and quiet environments to feel safe and secure. Within a bustling classroom environment, most rabbits become stressed or overstimulated leading to behavioural, emotional, or health issues and a less than idea experience for the kids. However, because it is important to inspire the youth to pursue careers working in animal welfare and veterinary sciences, there should be a happy middle ground for children to experience rabbit care and wellness while keeping the rabbits' health and safety in mind. 

Instead of having a classroom rabbit, consider hosting a humane education day with your local shelter or rescue by inviting them to conduct a presentation on rabbit health, care, and the community as well as bring a few confident rabbits to engage with the children. This will allow for the children to be inspired and moved by the unique experience while ensuring that the rabbits receive the care and attention necessary to help them live long healthy lives. In our experience conducting youth outreach events, most confident rabbits become stressed or overstimulated by children by the 2-hour mark of the event. After that, the rabbits are more likely to be standoffish and set boundaries (such as grunting, lunging, and/or nipping) which will lead to a more negative experience for the children.