Rabbits: right age to introduce a child

Among the many questions we get about rabbits, one of the common ones is: “At what age should I get a rabbit for my child?”

There is no one single answer to this question but there are several things you need to consider before answering this question.

• How old is the child? My son, at 2 years old had VERY gentle hands - there are many younger kids who I would trust to be gentler with a bunny than some 10 year olds. It depends on the child. There are some children, even at a young age that are very gentle and loving. I do not ever suggest leaving ANY young child and ANY animal unsupervised.
• Does your child have an interest in animals? Even at a young age you will know if your child has a love for animals. Take your child to visit a shelter, or a breeder. A child will not learn how to handle an animal if they are not around them.
• Before buying, spend time with the bunny. Take them out of their cage and see how the bunny and child react to each other.
Other notes:
• Start out by the adult holding the rabbit and letting the child pet their back.
• Wash the child’s hands – rabbits can bite and having clean hands can help eliminate the smell that might encourage biting.
• If taking them out of their cage, always talk to a bunny to let them know who you are and where you are before you pick them up or reach into their cage, to avoid startling them.
• If you are buying any pet for a child you need to be ready to take on the responsibility yourself. It can not be left up to the child to take care of any animal solely on their own. But the adult guidance they child can learn a great life skill, even at a young age.