Today, we’re going to talk about how much it actually costs to keep a pet rabbit because they’re not as cheap as many people think. welcome! And we give tips and tricks to ensure you have a happy and healthy bunny in your home. If that’s the kind of thing you’re interested in, go ahead and hit the subscription button so you never miss any of our upcoming articles.
My goal here is to encourage informed pet care, so when you get a rabbit, you know what to expect. It’s not to scare you away from getting a rabbit at all. Compared to most dogs, rabbits are typically on average relatively cheap. It obviously will depend on your rabbit and whether or not they have any medical issues, but I will be talking about that a little bit later. First, I’ll go over the initial costs you can expect when you get a rabbit, then I’ll go over the monthly ongoing costs, and other costs you want to think about so you can be prepared when they come up. It is really important to make sure you budget for your pet and keep them in mind, ensuring you consider them in your monthly budgeting. If you do that and make sure you have an emergency fund ready for your pet if something happens, you’re good to go.
Initial Costs of Owning a Rabbit
First, let’s go over the initial cost of a rabbit. This includes the cost of the rabbit, the cost of getting an enclosure, and the cost of supplies they need. Let’s talk about the cost of the rabbit first. This can vary dramatically depending on where you get your rabbit and which breed you wanna take. If you get your rabbit at an animal shelter, you can usually get a rabbit anywhere from $35 to $50. It will depend on your shelter, but a typical range is anywhere from $35 to $50. However, if you get your rabbit from a breeder, it can end up costing quite a bit of money. Again, this will depend on the breeder, but I would expect to spend at least $200 if you’re getting your rabbit directly from a breeder. The cost here can vary. But personally I would encourage you to adopt rather than buy a rabbit.
When you first get your rabbit, you also need to make sure you have some basic supplies set up for them. This includes,
- enclosure,
- food
- and water bowls,
- a litter box,
- nail clippers,
- a brush for grooming,
- a hiding house (because rabbits usually feel better if they have a place to hide when they get scared),
- a hay bin,
- and supplies for rabbit-proofing.
Rabbits tend to dig and chew on things they shouldn’t, like wooden furniture, baseboards, or carpet, so you want to be prepared for that. You’ll also need a carrier for your rabbit. All in all, the cost for all the supplies in this category should be about $300 to $500, in addition to the cost of the rabbit.
Monthly Costs of Owning a Rabbit
Now, let’s go over the ongoing monthly costs you should expect. Monthly, you’ll need to get litter, hay, pellets, and fresh leafy greens for your rabbit. Remember, you can buy most of these, except for the fresh greens, in bulk so it doesn’t have to be a monthly cost. These amounts might also be adjusted depending on how big your rabbit is. Smaller rabbits will be cheaper to feed monthly, while larger rabbits will need more. Your total monthly cost will probably be about $150, but this is an approximate figure. It might be less or more depending on where you get your supplies. If you can get a big bale of hay for cheap from a local farmer or grow your own leafy greens, that will significantly reduce the cost. Be prepared for the monthly upkeep cost of having a pet rabbit.
Other Costs to Consider
There are other costs I want to address, such as
spay and neuter surgery:
If you adopt your rabbit, most shelters will spay or neuter them before you adopt them, but it is necessary to get your rabbit spayed or neutered, especially female rabbits. Female rabbits have about an 80% chance of getting some kind of uterine cancer by the time they are six years old, so it’s vitally important to get them spayed. Neutering also can eliminate the chance of males getting reproductive cancer and can fix some behavioral issues such as spraying and aggression. However, this is not a cheap procedure, so you need to budget for this when you get your rabbit. Generally, you can expect to spend anywhere from $300 to $600. Make sure you go to a veterinarian with experience with rabbits because their anatomy is different from cats and dogs. You can check the House Rabbit Society vet listing or ask a nearby veterinary office for a recommendation for a rabbit vet.
Annual Vet Exams:
Another cost to keep in mind is the annual vet exam for your rabbit. This is just an annual wellness exam, similar to a physical for humans. Your vet will ensure your rabbit is healthy, their teeth are good, they are a healthy weight, and on a good diet, and can help you prevent health problems before they become serious. For vet offices I’ve been to, it was about $75 at one and about $115 at another. Generally, for this annual wellness exam, you can expect it to be around $75 to $200, depending on your specific vet office.
Emergency Vet Costs:
You also need to be prepared for other emergency medical problems because things can happen. Maybe your rabbit’s teeth are overgrowing, or they have GI stasis, a common yet serious condition in rabbits. Have an emergency fund set aside for your rabbit just in case. For me, a minor medical issue with GI stasis cost about $300, and that’s probably about the bottom of what you would expect. My roommate once had her rabbit with a liver torsion, which required hospitalization for a couple of days and cost upwards of $2,000. Be prepared for a large cost if possible, even though we hope it never happens. Ensure money doesn’t prevent you from getting your pet the help they need.
Pet Sitting and Boarding:
Another thing to consider is the possibility of pet sitters or boarding your rabbit if you go on vacation. If you have a family member willing to take your rabbit, that’s obviously the easiest way to go. If not, pet sitters can cost $50+ a day to care for your rabbit. Plan ahead for when you go on vacation so you know who will take care of your rabbit.
I hope this is useful for you, especially if you’re thinking about getting a rabbit soon or have just gotten one and want to understand what to expect. Rabbits are typically not as expensive as dogs or cats depending on the health of your pet. I just tried to give an idea of how much it might cost you if you keep rabbits. Hope you stay with us to get all the information about rabbits.
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