Portrait of a Bunny

I talk a lot about Miss Zoe on our blog.

For that matter, Zoe talks about herself a lot on our blog.

"She only talks about Herself to help people."

It stands to reason, then, that I should get a number of questions in comments, through emails, and on Facebook about what it's really like to live with a bunny and what they are like to take care of.

Don't fool yourself. Rabbits are a bit like Nobility. As you can see from the caption above, they often refer to themselves in the third person. A sure sign. Also, they expect things. Service. And, they expect it to be good service, expedient service.

Miss Zoe awaits service of some kind.
This is a common pose for her.

I have been a waitress at various times in my life. Having a Rabbit (especially, perhaps, one like Miss Zoe) is a lot like trying to get good tips. Your customers want just enough attention, but not too much. They want to be noticed and complimented, but not so much so that it seems insincere. They want you to notice the hay box needs to be freshened before they have to give you that... look.

Maybe that last one only pertains to rabbits.

The bird's eye view.

Even so, two questions I've been asked recently are as follows:

1. Would you recommend a bunny for kids?
2. Do rabbits use a litter box?

First, I would not necessarily recommend a rabbit for children. But I will say this: it depends on the child. I think I would have been great with a rabbit when I was little, but that's me. I couldn't even eat a chocolate Easter bunny without a complete emotional meltdown.

Not that emotional meltdowns are a requirement. Actually, that may indicate a need for therapy.

What I mean is, rabbits are very strong and get wigged out kind of easily. Therefore, they are easy to drop, and it's easy to get a pretty big scratch without realizing it's coming. You need a child with some sensitivity to the rabbit's needs.

If you're calm, the rabbit is calm.

Most kids I've met...mmmm...not that calm. Especially around a bunny!

(An aside: any other rabbit people out there can confirm or dispel these stories I'm telling. I'm basing these things on Zoe pretty much exclusively. Feel free to cut in and smack me down if you think I'm spreading Rabbit lies!!!)

Next: the question of the box du littre. (There's really no disguising it, is there? I figured Frenching it would make it sound more sophisticated, but maybe not.)

Miss Zoe LOVES her litter box. It's like you with a piece of furniture. (Well, if you peed on your furniture, which hopefully you don't.)

She sits in her box, sleeps in her box, and listens to her iPod from her box. She actually has a few boxes, and they are filled with hay. The hay goes in, and then the hay comes out. All in one convenient location!

At first, we worried she would be, well, like a Pez dispenser. We thought she would just roam around her room, letting loose wherever she felt like it.

Not so.

Miss Zoe cleaning her foot for the 47th time this morning.

Bunnies are fastidious creatures. They like cleanliness. They are as natural with a litter box as any cat I've ever known.

Miss Zoe did not wish to be photographed in her litter box. She felt that violated some sort of boundary.

Do you want to be photographed in your box?

She didn't think so.

For more information about the Wonderful World of Rabbits, check out the

House Rabbit Society website.

And, if you have more questions for Miss Zoe, please feel free to ask.

She's always willing to hold audience.