Having a pet can be both be a rewarding and challenging experience. Now imagine owning six pets. This is the life of Charmaine Weidemann and her partner, James Battersby, who are proud owners of six adorable rabbits.
Named Millie, Saige, Caramel, Minnie, Benji and Tallula, each of the six rabbits has a distinct personality, ranging from strong-willed and temperamental to shy and chilled — and everything in between.
Originally an owner of guinea pigs, Miss Weidemann got her first rabbit in 2016 when she was 15.
“Rabbits are very loving creatures and there is never a dull moment with them,” she said.
Asked what a routine day looked like for the rabbits, Miss Weidemann said they were most active around dawn and dusk.
“My partner would let them out at dawn, and they would run around the garden,” she said.
“During the day they would just doze or eat grass and in the evening, they would rush in for dinner.”
The rabbit pen is moved twice a week to prevent killing the grass it sits on, and is cleaned out once a week.
Rabbits are incredibly social creatures and can live with other pets in harmony. Miss Weidemann’s six rabbits live with a dog.
However, owning a rabbit is not necessarily easy and Miss Weidemann warns against buying them as a first-time pet or as a spur-of-the-moment Christmas gift.
“Rabbits are technically a complicated pet … they need as much exercise as a dog,” she said.
That exercise can extend to at least four hours each day, and they need the space to do it.
Complications extend to their diet. A rabbit’s diet is 85 per cent hay and grass and 15 per cent greens and pellets. Lettuce (iceberg lettuce being an important exception) and cabbage are a good choice, but rabbits can’t eat corn or tomatoes.
Nor are rabbits cheap when it comes to their health. Rabbits are generally desexed, and in the case of females this is essential to prolong their life as otherwise they have a far greater risk of cancer.
They also need to be vaccinated against diseases such as the highly contagious and deadly calicivirus.
On the plus side, rabbits are known for creating strong bonds with their human companions. They also have long memories, can learn tricks and have a life span of over 10 years.