Why Rabbits are the Best Pet for an Engineer + A Guide to get Started
As an engineer or someone who works in tech, it can be pretty overwhelming to take care of a pet when your stressed or have upcoming deadlines. I find dogs to be too much of a commitment because of the multiple daily walks. If the weather is nice, it’s not so bad, but if it is freezing cold, a walk seems like torture. Cats, on the other hand, are independent and usually keep to themselves.
Why Rabbits are the Best Pet for Engineers
- Rabbits don’t make noise: There is no barking or meowing disturbing your work from home meetings.
- Rabbits don’t need to be walked: You can take your bunny outside, if you want to give them fresh air, but it’s not required. You can take them out when you want, on your schedule.
- Rabbits are fairly cheap: Once you get your bunny to be spayed or neutered (for health/behavioral reasons), you don’t have large medical costs. Rabbits are up to $100 to buy them and hay is relatively cheaper than dog/cat food.
- Rabbits love companionship: Rabbits love spending time with you, but they are also pretty good at entertaining themselves. My favorite part is that my bunny loves to run to me when I open the fridge and if I sit next to her during my coffee breaks, she loves to climb on me to be petted. If you have two rabbits, then they can also keep each other busy.
How to Correctly Set Up Your Rabbit’s Space
1. Litter Box: The litter box should be big enough that your rabbit can fit inside comfortably and be able to turn around. I find that the litter boxes marketed towards cats are usually large and most spacious.
2. Pee Pads: The litter box is lined with a pee pad to catch everything and make it easier to pick up the pee pad to throw away.
3. Litter: You should only use paper litter, in case your rabbit accidentally eats the litter. I put the litter on top of the pee pad and this will absorb all the urine.
4. Hay: A rabbit’s diet contains 95% hay and they should have access to hay 24/7. Your rabbit will go through the hay pretty fast, so I buy a 20 lb bag at a time. I add the hay into the litter box, so it’s easily accessible and they can eat to their heart’s desire. This is why it’s key your have a litter box that is large.
5. Pellets: Pellets are the dried food you can feed your rabbit. I make sure that the pellets are primarily hay (listed as the first ingredient) and do not contain any dyes or fruits. Oxbow and Small Pet Select has the best options.
6. Food and Water Bowls: Rabbits are super strong and they can easily kick a bowl across the room (I know, terrifying). I’m speaking from experience, so listen when I say that the key is to have food and water bowls that include a stand to keep them in place. I place it right next to the wall and in front of their litter box for easy access.
7. Flooring: Rabbits have super sensitive feet and it’s important that the area they roam around the most have some kind of padding. I recommend a puzzle mat that covers the entire area. You can add towels, mats, or even a rug on top to make the area more aesthetically pleasing. I use pee pads for the areas with the litter box and food/water bowls for easy clean up.
8. Hideaway: When rabbits get scared, they want to be tucked away where they can’t be seen. A hideaway house allows them to have a safe space and my rabbit usually takes naps inside of them. You can DIY a house with a cardboard box (boxes from Costco work great), boxes from your Amazon packages, or even a pet house.
9. Toys: Rabbits can be up to no good when they are bored, so make sure they have variety of toys to play with. I go for ones that are all natural and do not include any kind of paint on them.
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