Are rabbits good pets?

[hoodat]

I think most of the fun of having a house rabbit comes from watching their antics. Few rabbits are really affectionate but few animals seem to enjoy life as much as rabbits do. Just watching one go through a binky session is enough to lift your spirits on even the darkest day. I used to have one that delighted in provoking the dog into chasing it. Both the rabbit and the dog seemed to love to play that game. Watching them try to make a fast turn on a slippery floor would make a pig laugh. If you want to get more involved there are the rabbit jumping and obstacle course competitions. The rabbits enjoy them as much as the owwners do.
I love this YouTube clip
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HiO9rzU_aw[/youtube]

 

[Peach]

I think they make awesome pets! It's just they are rather stinky....atleast the bucks anyways. I think I really enjoy does more than bucks with my breed, as long as they are homebred. My homebreds are generally sweet and easy going.Bucks have that bucky smell lol I have had a few different rabbits in the house, but my pet jersey wooly just got moved to the rabbitry because his pee, even with cleaning every other day, just was too much to stay in my room. His wool is also EVERYWHERE. I literally spent a good portion of my day the other day just cleaning wool off he fan, the bookshelf, the walls, etc. I still need to clean my comforter because it's just covered in wool. In coat, he's great, but molting :___; I also have family visiting next month for the holidays and they are allergic to basically everything.

My pet lop,Jack, was certainly more manageable hair and pee wise. (probably because he had no wool,but I had to take him outside for regular groomings when he was in a bad molt) I taught him tricks and he would chase me from room to room and climb all over me. I used to be able to leave him out all night (litter box trained) and he would come tickle my cheeks with his whiskers and give me a few licks because it was breakfast time. I absolutely loved that rabbit. I think the worst thing I did to him was have him neutered. He just wasn't 100% the same after that.

I love watching rabbits at play, but you never know what you are going to get sometimes. Personalities seem to get more complex over time and develop with the more enrichment they have. I prefer to sit back and watch the silly things they do and binky across the room.

Then there are some that just can't be house pets (herd bucks)....they will spray and start pooping EVERYWHERE to make it their territory.

 

[skysthelimit]

Yes, I do think that out of the cage, their personalities become more complex. I used to take the Holland and Netherland out to the park on harnesses. The Netherland sat on my shoulder like a parrot, and the holland carried things around in her mouth like a dog.They roamed the house. The one drawback was the chewing (they always went back to their litter boxes to urinate), I had to be totally focused on where they were to avoid some type of damage, and that kind of dedicated time isn't always possible for me now.
The growout pen allows more space, and they seem to develop nice personalities in there too.
The caged ones I have now, aren't nearly as personable, they don't get out like the others did. Rex and Angoras are sociable, be it good or bad, while the others just stare at me, except Tucker (SF). I can imagine what they would be like if there were provided the freedom to act themselves.