* To be moved to scraps after easter *
Not very artistic, but Easter's coming up... so here's a picture of my bunny! Not to mention I love showing off my baby. :heart:

This is Kaesee, my mini-rex domestic rabbit. He lives in my room with me... or maybe I just live with him. xD He's got a litterbox in the corner of my room, and there's a baby gate across my door, so he has free run of the place.

Right now he's sitting on my feet, licking my toes. x3 I love my evil yet adorable bunny.
__

There IS one thing I want to say with this piece, though, especially since easter is coming up -- DO NOT BUY A BUNNY SPECIFICALLY FOR EASTER.
I work at a pet store, and I've seen people come in asking to see our rabbits so they could pick the cutest baby to give to their 5-year-olds as a present for the holiday.
The older rabbits are always left because they aren't cute enough, but I still feel sorry for the babies -- people who buy them as Easter presents almost always made the decision to buy these animals spur-of-the-moment.

The decision to bring an animal into your family is one that cannot be made spontaneously, in almost every occasion. Now, I know there are some circumstances where going to the store looking for dog food and coming home with a rabbit may not be as bad as it sounds, and there are times when people HAVE thought out the decision to buy an Easter bunny/chick/baby animal. It's just that it's not usually the case.

Many times, the people who go to buy Easter animals have no idea the work that goes into taking care of a rabbit, nor how long they'll be around. Rabbits can live over 10 years if well-cared for. I bought mine when he was at least 4 years old, because no one else wanted him (they wanted his little 8-week-old friends instead). I've had him for 5 years now.

They literally become part of the family, like a dog or cat, and taking care of them is a commitment. You have to clean their cages weekly, give them hay, pellet food, water, fresh, leafy food, things to chew on, vitamins or treats, and plenty of attention. And, like a person, bunnies may occasionally get sick, although it's relatively rare. A 5-year-old is NOT usually suited to take good care of one. Now, a child CAN and will enjoy playing with them and helping to take care of a bunny, but it is the adult's responsibility to make sure nothing goes wrong. A 5-year-old isn't going to be able to drive the bunny to the vet if it's choking on a hairball or has diarrhea.

These parents that get bunnies just because it's Easter or because they're just cute little babies they can't resist have no idea what they're getting into, usually, and that's what bothers me.

And for GOODNESS'S SAKE -- FIX YOUR BUNNIES!
Now I'm sure you all are getting tired of being preached at, and you've heard this one a billion times, but it's important! Not only does fixing a rabbit extend it's life by removing various health issues, but it prevents them from multiplying as they're known to do.

My first rabbit that I got as an Easter present as a 5 year old (I do know all this from experience) was not fixed, because we didn't think it was necessary since we didn't have multiple bunnies. He was territorial, aggressive towards our bunny-friendly dogs, and tried to...well... :hump: our dog. That was his last action before our perfectly behaved dogs got tired of him and nipped him, leading to an infection and his eventual death.

We waited another 7 years before I got Kaesee, when I was 12 years old, and I'd just lost a guinea pig from old age. We'd researched what animals to get next, and met Kaesee, the only fully-grown, grisly adult bunny in one of the pet stores my mom used to do business with in her fish breeding business. The clerks said he'd been there for a few months, and they were beginning to wonder if anyone would want to buy him, since he was not fixed, didn't like being picked up, and was stored with a dozen baby bunnies that could fit in the palm of my hand.

I made the decision to take him home, and used my experience with Spotnose (my original bunny) and a TON of research to take care of him.

Two days after I got him home, we fixed him, and his temperament improved dramatically. He no longer tried nipping, nor did he mark his scent anywhere.

While not EVERY rabbit's poor temperament can be solved by fixing, it is still something incredibly important for their health and well-being. Not to mention, it prevents abandoned baby bunnies.

The pet store I work at gets all our baby bunnies from our customers. We take in any unwanted babies, or unwanted adults, and sell them -- there's no rabbit breeder involved, to my knowledge. It's so sad to see people come in with their little unwanted babies, and put even more into the world. Its even sadder when, after bringing one of those ADORABLE little bun-buns home, they try to bring them back a month later when they realize they don't know how to take care of them, or when they aren't as tiny and cute. There's tons at our shop, and that doesn't even come CLOSE to the number there are in animal shelters. THERE ARE ENOUGH BABY BUNNIES IN THE WORLD. By not fixing your rabbit, you are not helping them in any way, nor are you saving money -- a $50 or less trip to the vet to get it fixed is a lot less than what it could cost for you to bring a bunny suffering from an issue related to them NOT being fixed.

So in summary, while rabbits are AWESOME pets (as are many animals) and I'd HIGHLY suggest purchasing one if you can take care of them, they DO require work. They may be "low-maintenance" compared to ferrets, dogs, and cats, but there is NO animal that is truly low-maintenance. Do your research before you bring one into your family, and don't punish the animal by getting them spur-of-the-moment for Easter. And as with almost any other pet -- fix them!

Now pardon me while I go cuddle with my little Kaesee-kun.