Eco-Friendly Pet Rabbit Care

When I brought home my beautiful rex rabbit Nimbus, I was determined to make sure that I kept his ecological paw-print as minimal as possible. When compared to high-need carnivores like cats and dogs, rabbits are very eco-friendly pets. I'm proud to say that my sweetie Nimbus has a negligible impact on the environment.

Here are a few tips for eco-friendly pet rabbit care.

Sustainable Rabbit Food

A rabbit's diet is green because it's... well, green. Meat has a tremendous impact on our environment, because pigs, chickens and cattle require tons of pesticide-laden foods just to grow a few ounces of meat. As a natural herbivore, your pet rabbit has a sustainable diet because he can thrive on low-impact, plant-based foods.

The staple of a pet rabbit's diet is hay, which is actually a by-product of the grain industry. You can keep your rabbit's diet green by purchasing by-product hay from your local farm supply store-- organic is even better! Additionally, pet rabbits love grass-clippings, which are readily available around your neighborhood and have no ecological impact.

Keep your pet rabbit's diet green by using him as a living alternative to a compost bin. There's no need to buy ecologically detrimental foods to feed your fuzzy friend. Give him your lettuce hearts, strawberry tops, carrot stems and corn cobs. He'll enjoy it and you'll be helping out the planet.

Greening your Rabbit's Toys

Pet rabbits need to chew to keep their teeth worn down. If they don't, their teeth may become so overgrown that they are unable to eat. Bored rabbits may resort to cords, plastic bowls and furniture if they aren't given ample entertainment, so it's important to provide them with a healthy alternative.

You can buy your rabbit a bunch of plastic-wrapped toys if you want, but why bother? Your rabbit doesn't know the difference between a ten-dollar chew toy and a piece of trash. My bunny Nimbus loves to chow down on empty cereal boxes, cardboard tubes and old phone books. Not only does this keep his teeth worn down, but it keeps him entertained and it puts our trash to good use.

Commercial rabbit toys are often made of materials that can leach toxins like bisophenol-A (BPA) into your pet rabbit's bloodstream. Additionally, because plastic is un-digestible, bits of the material may clog his digestive tract and necessitate emergency surgery. Help out your bunny and the planet by giving him your un-wanted, non-toxic paper products.

Preventing Overpopulation

Rabbits breed like rabbits. And twenty-five rabbits have twenty-five times the ecological impact of a single rabbit. If your unplanned bunnies escaped, that could wreak ecological havoc on the environment and cause a persistent, catastrophic burst of feral bunnies in your area. Don't participate in the mayhem of pet overpopulation.

If you've got a passion for bunnies and a bunch of pedigreed purebreds in your home, you may want to consider becoming a professional breeder. However, it's unethical and downright irresponsible to breed bunnies just because you happen to have two of them.

If you have more than one rabbit and a mix of genders, it is critical that you get them spayed and neutered before they have a chance to multiply. Be sure to go to a veterinarian who has experience spaying and neutering rabbits. Not only will this help to curb the issue of pet overpopulation, but it will also offer health benefits to your pet.

Treat your bunny right, and you'll have a warm, fuzzy companion for the next decade. Treat the planet right, and you'll ensure that both of our species can thrive for generations to come.