THE ANNUAL EASTER RIP OFF.

"Buyer beware" is certainly applicable when it comes to the sale of baby bunnies during the Easter season. Far too many people still cave into the whining of their kids and buy a bunny or chick. A few months later, these animals grow to maturity and become a chore for the parents. Kids lose interest quickly and the poor rabbit or chick ends up neglected or dead.

Because I know a fair amount about rabbit care, people tend to dump their unwanted Easter props on me. Since I'm on a pension and I can't drive, obtaining vet care is a difficult task for me. Though I love rabbits passionately, I decided a few years ago that I would refuse any more cast-off pets.

There aren't any excuses these days for buying animals on a whim. Various agencies have spoken through media outlets about the long-term commitment that any pet requires. Google and other search engines make it easy for anybody to find out what sort of care the creature of their choice requires. For those unable to use a computer, the local library is still a good source of information.

One fact that should be made clear to potential rabbit owners is that some breeders take the kits away from their mothers too soon. People like cute little bunnies but they forget that they grow to be their regular size in just a few months. Some people even sell under-age kits as dwarf rabbits. Their unsuspecting customers soon end up with unexpectedly large bunnies.

Then there's the care and feeding issue. Since folks figure that they know how to take care of a bunny, they feed the poor creature all sorts of junk food and then wonder why it died. Even carrots can kill a rabbit if too much is given to him or her. This is why people shouldn't assume that they know how to take care of a bunny.

Rabbits are poor pet choices for children as well. Because they have delicate bones, young children could hurt them without realizing it. Rabbits have actually broken their backs because toddlers picked them up incorrectly. Bunnies instinctively fear being lifted because it resembles being caught by predators.

Almost everybody I've met figured that rabbits only live for a few years. With proper vet care and nutrition, as well as being spayed or neutered, bunnies can live past ten years. They need plenty of grass hay, not alfalfa, and leafy greens.

For a wide range of rabbit care resources, visit The House Rabbit Society. I also wrote about my experiences of living with house bunnies in a memoir titled When a Man Loves a Rabbit. Check out the left side bar of this page for details. As for my recently-publishedHow I Was Razed: A Journey from Cultism to Christianity memoir, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Virtual Bookworm distribute it in e-book as well as paperback form.