I get asked all the time by people passing by, friends, and even relatives, "What do you do in your past time?" or "What do you do for fun?"
Whenever anyone finds out I raise rabbits, I normally get this reaction. "Oh! Huh...okay, that's - interesting."
Then they immediantly move onto either a completely different subject or they try and awkwardly come up with some rabbit trivia they once heard of.
And while I completely understand that raising rabbits is not the average person's hobby/job, it is mine. And because it's mine, I don't find it to be unusual. To me, it's part of my life. My everyday, life.
Sometimes, by their reactions I feel as though raising rabbits is not an accomplishment. As though what I do is a time wasting or even stupid.
But that's when I need to go back and look at what I have done, completely by myself. I've pursued raising rabbits. I pursued buying them suitable cages/hutches. I pursued expanding to increase the amount of bunnies and bunny breeds. I've kept close records of all my rabbits, male and female involving their health, personality, breed, age, and breeding history.
I've taken the time to nurse sick rabbits back to health. I've done everything in my power to make sure every single rabbit under my care is doing the best physically that it possibly can. People see my rabbits in their cages and say, "Do they get enough exercise?" or "I have rabbits, and mine get lots of time to run around the house or outside. What about yours?"
And honestly, these questions I find annoying. Because it is insinuating that I do not allow my rabbits to get the proper exercise necessary or am just treating them horribly. I spend hours on end, Every. Single. Day. with these rabbits. When there is something wrong with ANY of my bunnies, I do everything possible to help them. And exercise is something I take into consideration. Which is why when I bought them cages and hutches, I make sure they're LARGE. Large enough to allow even my BIGGEST rabbit to have plenty of space to run around, stand up, stretch out, and even raise a litter in there. They get plenty of exercise in there. Not to mention I have runs that I put them out into to eat down grass and dig in the dirt.
So, when someone who knows nothing about rabbits (or very little on them), I don't need them telling me I'm doing it wrong or that I don't care about them enough or that I don't let them have enough exercise, etc. I know my rabbits like the back of my hand and I have a passion for them.
Yes, I said it. I have a PASSION for RABBITS. Is that stupid? Is that even a thing? Well, to answer those questions, no, it's not stupid. And I guess it is a thing, because I have it. My love overflows when it comes to animals. My rabbits therefore, get LOTS of love. I feel horrible if I think a bunny has been out of water for an hour or if I don't feed them dinner until late. I love my rabbits. Yes, I do. I'm not afraid to say it.
Anyone who thinks it's stupid, or a waste of time only says that because they don't have rabbits and do not understand the joy you can have when you watch a female give birth. Or when you watch a mother lovingly nurse her litter. Or even just in every day life, seeing them get excited when you're near and them lay down, closing their eyes in delight as you pet them. It's a calming and almost therapeutic experience to just be outside with them.
Call me crazy, call me whatever you wish. But I know that my rabbits are beyond healthy. I buy them expensive, organic, essential oils to ad to their water to keep them healthy. I feed them TONS of herbs and fresh greens. They get lots of hay and are kept clean. Their cleanliness is something I personally make sure of. I do not tolerate dirty rabbits or dirty cages/hutches. The rabbits health comes first and so, I am constantly cleaning cages/hutches.
Rabbits, currently, are a massive part of my life. I am a teenager and have my whole life ahead of me. But for right now, I raise rabbits. And yes, I love it and I love them and I wouldn't trade it for a thing in the world. God created animals for human enjoyment and I DO enjoy every minute with my bunnies, even if I'm only out there scooping poop. I don't mind and I do it happily and joyfully because they're mine, and I love caring for them.
In conclusion...should you raise rabbits? YES! Yes a thousand times over! Are they hard work? Definitely. Do they get sick? Yes, all creatures, especially when you get into more and more rabbits, can get sick. It's part of life and you're bound to have a few issues arise. However, if you love animals and the joy they bring into your life, then you should do it. It doesn't matter how many people talk down to you or think you're weird, because if you love it, it doesn't matter what they think. You're caring for God's creation and there's nothing more fulfilling then that! So yes, to anyone thinking about getting into raising rabbits or have a rabbit and want another, I think you should go for it! And you will never regret it :)
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