Dear Supporters,
We hope you are all well and we're sorry you haven't heard from Cottontails for a while. Our property was repeatedly vandalised which has caused a lot of worry and anxiety.
We are pleased to post our new campaign Treat Rabbits with Kindness. Please help the bunnies by sharing it on social media and asking your friends and followers to sign our petition as we need more signatures!
Thank you so much for your kindness and support which is greatly appreciated and keeps us hopeful for the future. Thank you also to Harry Styles for his kindness and inspiration.
With love and best wishes from everyone at Cottontails.
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TREAT RABBITS WITH KINDNESS
Rabbits are wonderful creatures: they are bright, affectionate, playful and they enjoy interacting with their human families. But their needs are often misunderstood, so it is important to educate yourself before acquiring a bunny. Rabbits are a big commitment as they can live 10 years or longer. They require more care and are more expensive than a cat, but they repay you tenfold when treated with kindness.
One or Two?
Rabbits are social animals so unless you are at home with your bunny all day it is kinder to adopt two. Your local shelter will have neutered bonded pairs of all breeds and sizes and can also introduce a friend to your existing rabbit. Adult rabbits make the best companions because they are more mellow and easier to manage.
Rabbits & Families
Contrary to stereotype rabbits may not be a good choice for families with small children. As shy, ground-loving creatures they do not like to be held and prefer to sit next to you to be petted. If you have children it is kinder to adopt large adult rabbits so they can cuddle them without lifting them up. Caring for a rabbit is an adult’s responsibility. When the grown-ups in the family treat the rabbits with love and respect, the children will learn these qualities too.
Rabbit Habitats
The kindest way to keep rabbits is to give them free run of at least one room or part of a room in your home (min 2m X 3m). Make sure they cannot escape and predators cannot get in, for example through an open window. Ideally house rabbits should also have access to a safe outdoor space, for example a pen or escape-proof garden in the daytime with supervision. Cottontails does not support the use of rabbit hutches and cages, but you should provide a shelter/hiding places your rabbits can retreat to if they perceive danger or don’t want to be disturbed, for example a pop-up tunnel or cardboard boxes with 2 “doors” for hopping in and out.
Rabbits can be house-trained at any age. Simply line a litter tray/plastic dog bed with newspapers and fill with hay and straw. Placing your rabbits’ food bowl at one end will encourage them to use it. Bunny-proofing is essential as rabbits love to chew and dig. Protect your cables with cable covers and offer toys to keep them entertained, e.g. natural seagrass mats and organic apple, pear, hazel and willow twigs.
If you cannot keep your rabbits indoors, you could house them in a secure outbuilding, for example a garden room or sturdy shed. Furnish it with fleece mats, litter tray(s), boxes and toys to make your bunnies feel at home. The rabbits should also have access to a secure run/garden for daytime exercise with supervision. Provide a shelter and toys, e.g. clay pipes, pop-up tent/tunnels and a heap of sand or compost for digging.
Need more info?
Please visit Cottontails’ website at bunny.org.uk for lots of advice on rabbit care and behaviour. And click on The Bunny Hopline to find a shelter near you with adorable rescue bunnies ready for adoption.