You have a kid, or kids. Maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed already, but are aware that the anticipated, unrelenting pet requests will be getting serious, soon. You aren’t home all day or, if you are, you aren’t keen on walking a dog and devoting a huge chunk of your life tending it its every physical need. Maybe cats annoy you: they aren’t devoted, loving, or innocent enough (people have told me this). Fish obviously aren’t cuddly, and the gerbil/hamster/mouse option is too rodent-reminder-y, especially in this town where the connotation cuts all too close to the bone. No way are lizards or snakes an option- we aren’t in the suburbs here where those things usually inhabit dark basement dens in giant glass tanks. And anyway, feeding frozen mice to a snake is about the last thing I would ever want to do on a regular basis in the name of having a pet.
I was recently introduced to “Hop,” a white angora rabbit that my friend and her 11-year old daughter are watching for a few weeks in Fort Greene. First of all, I could not believe the cuteness of this creature. She is so sweet-natured, chill, and open to affection.
Pet rabbits are soft, friendly with children, their cages don’t smell the way all of the above animals’ do, they are easy to care for, fun to feed (carrots and lettuce- how cute and not messy or smelly is it that bunnies are vegetarians?) and they are really fun to play with. They are somewhat fragile and shouldn’t be picked up without a gentle touch and care, and they are friendly with other animals if you happen to already have a pet. They also eat rabbit food in a bowl, and need a water dispenser. They should be kept indoors, as domestic rabbits do not tolerate extreme temperatures in either direction well, unlike their wild relatives. They like to chew, so rabbit-proof your apartment or the area where the bunny will be roaming (chords, furniture, etc.). Their cage should be on average five times their size, at least. Rabbits use litter boxes like cats do, and you can have litter boxes anywhere in your apartment that you think would be best. They need to eat hay (Timothy grass hay), vegetables (leaf lettuces, parsley, cilantro, collard greens, arugula, escarole, endive, dandelion greens, and others), fruits (apples without stems or seeds, blueberries, papaya, strawberries, pears, peaches, plums, or melon), and pellets. Feeding and caring for a rabbit is a great way for kids to learn upkeep and responsibility, cleanliness and the importance of home. It is also a great way to bond with each other, and other members of the household.
Rebecca Conroy is an artist, stylist, and Former Editor of A Child Grows in Brooklyn. She is from New York City, and has an MFA from Columbia University in screenwriting. Rebecca often finds herself on film and photography sets making things run or look better, and is the mom of two outrageously wonderful kids.