It has been a special privilege to witness a pet rabbit giving emotional support and love to our son, Darrell, who is enduring difficult challenges. As a parent, I often feel helpless as I watch my son endure isolation and loneliness. I am coming to understand when someone is struggling emotionally and mentally, there are difficult obstacles to overcome that hinder healthy communication flow. We have accidentally discovered a special pet can break through barriers people, even professionals, are not successful in breaking through. Meet Pepper, Darrell’s pet rabbit.
Pet Rabbit Emotional Support for Severe Depression
Our son Darrell has severe depression with some psychosis that causes suicidal ideations. Pepper, his pet rabbit, brings comfort and love to Darrell lessening the effects of living with a mental disorder.
Rabbit Offer
Our 8-year-old granddaughter, Hallie, begged her dad to get a couple of bunnies. Finally, her dad consented as long as both rabbits were females. She was delighted as her dad helped her find a bunny house, food, and a water dispenser. Hallie stared at her young bunnies, thinking about what to name each bunny. Selecting fun, fitting names to match their coloring and temperament, she named the bunnies Flash and Honey.
Several months passed, and one day Hallie discovered five baby rabbits laying next to Flash. Hmmm, surprise, Honey Bunny wasn’t a girl, she was a “HE”. After some research, my son discovered when rabbits are young, it is easy to overlook their tiny male anatomy parts until they become more developed.
Hallie’s dad called to see if Uncle Darrell would like a pet rabbit. After some thought, Darrell decided to accept the offer. A man at the pet store advised us if we want an indoor pet rabbit, we only get females because males spray urine on walls, and their urine is very potent. So we took extra precautions to make sure the chosen rabbit was female.
Immediate Connection with Darrell
Darrell immediately felt a connection to his new rabbit, Pepper. He spent hours with her. He studied what foods to feed her and all the do’s and don’t’s of caring for a pet rabbit. We pleasingly discovered pet rabbits are low-maintenance pets and great emotional support animals.
Seven Reasons a rabbit is a great pet choice
- No potty training – Make bedding out of environmentally safe materials. We use kiln-dried Rosebud horse bedding. Rabbits will instinctively go potty in the bedding without any training.
- Very quiet – They don’t bark, whine, or make loud noises
- Walks unnecessary -No need to take them for walks because there are too many predators (dogs and cats) that would love to have rabbits for dinner.
- Inexpensive – They only require 1/4 cup pellet feed each day, along with some Timothy hay and leaves or whatever rabbit-friendly, non-toxic greens are available in your area.
- No Shots – Shots are not required.
- No Baths – Rabbits are instinctively very good at keeping themselves clean. Pepper licks and cleans herself frequently, thus, she doesn’t require baths.
- Loving
Rabbits are easy to care for and make a great pet. We have discovered they enjoy chewing on things so taking precautions to protect shoes, clothing, curtains, etc., is necessary.
Pet Rabbit Emotional Support – Pepper saves Darrell’s life
A short time after Pepper came into Darrell’s life, he brought me a container of crushed-up pills he was collecting until he accumulated enough to kill himself. He led me to the bathroom, where he flushed the lethal powder down the toilet. I clearly understood Pepper’s love had saved our son’s life. I am certain without his pet rabbit giving emotional support and love, Darrell would not be alive today. Thank you, God, for our miracle bunny!
Helpful
If you choose to get a pet rabbit or any small pet, here are a couple of products I recommend.
You will want to get a cage big enough for your rabbit to grow to maturity. They grow really fast, so there is no need to buy two different sizes of cages. It is also handy if your cage is foldable and portable, especially when vacationing and traveling. We really like a cage with a handy door on top as well as a side door. It is much easier to change bedding and to give them food from the top of a cage than it is from a side door. Since rabbits love to chew both material and plastic items, it is important to get a droppings tray that has its own incased area so your rabbit can’t chew it up.
The Midwest Wabbitat Folding Rabbit Cage cage fits all the needed criteria.
- Big enough for an adult rabbit or a small adult pet
- 37″L x 19″W x 20″H
- Foldable and portable
- Two doors- One on top and on the side
- Incased area for droppings tray
I recommend the BPA-free RentACoop No Drip Small Animal Water Bottle for small pets. I like…
- 32-ounce water bottles, so you don’t have to refill them as often
- Easy to refill because you don’t need to disconnect it from the cage when refilling it with water (BIG TIME SAVER)
The biggest bonus about this #1 seller is that it doesn’t drip (all other water bottles we have tried leaked).
Other Pets Changing Lives
A pet rabbit’s emotional support has and is changing our son’s life, while this dog is changing this boy’s life. I am grateful for pets and the important role they play in spreading unconditional love and support, especially during difficult, dark times.
Video: Boy With Autism Gets Dog Who Changes His Life by The Dodo
