Pets not Props

• Spring is an amazing time of the year. Everything is in bloom, its warming up outside and, even better, all of the adorable little baby animals are being born. The first thing that comes to mind when you think about cute little baby bunnies and chicks is Easter; or, at least, it is to me. Have you even thought it would be so cute to have your kids wake up on Easter morning with you having made the cutest little basket with baby bunnies just sitting in there looking all fluffy and cute and the look on your child’s face when they see it? I know I sure have! Bunnies are some of the most adorable animals I can think of and, when they are handled and given the right attention, they can also be some of the sweetest pets out there.

• Now think about how less cute that little bunny is when it's chewing on anything it can get its little teeth on or your kids who promised to take care of it don't and its cage starts to smell (bause after a while, if their cage is not clean, it will smell to high heaven!) Also, if they are not handled at least daily they will get skittish and aggressive and their needle like nails and sharp teeth are no joke! That's when you start looking for a new home for this cute little bunny and, 9 times out of 10, it will end up at a rescue or at the SPCA. Did you know that 60% of the bunnies and chicks that are bought for Easter (even under good intentions) get re-homed or taken to the SPCA or, worse, they are just released into the wild where they are defenseless to take care of themselves. Rabbits who were raised as pets always had food handed to them, so they are unaware of how to properly hunt for food or how to protect themselves from predators. 
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• The purpose of this blog is not to scare you at all. Like I said earlier, when bunnies are cared for properly they make amazing pets and are the sweetest little things. This post is just to educate and let people know what it's really like to care for one of these cute little critters, as well as others. It's also for fellow photographers to see that they are much more than just props. If you are a photographer and really want bunnies, chicks or baby ducks for your spring or Easter pictures, try calling around to local farms and seeing if they will let you borrow what you need. I am sure some will even come out to your location and help you handle the animals. They, like me, would rather see you borrow the animals than buy them and discard them once you don't need them any more or realize they are harder to take care of than you planned for.
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• Below, along with pictures of some of oober cute animals, is information about these cute babies, how to take care of them, feed them and shelter them. Please take the time to read everything and, if at the end you are still interested in giving one of these guys the best home ever, then maybe they are the pet for you!

• Bunnies
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• As I have mentioned a few times, bunnies are some of the cutest pets I have seen out there and, if they are handled often and properly cared for, they are some of the most wonderful pets and fairly easy to care for. There are many different breeds to choose from. There are really small ones to really large ones, really furry ones to ones that have a little hair and also different temperaments for different breeds. I would defiantly look up all these things and find out which breed will fit your family best.
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• One thing to consider when getting a bunny is that they have a long life span of 5-15 years depending on how well they are taken care of, so they will be a long term pet. They also bond tightly with their families so if you are looking to got one long term get one as a baby so it can get use to you and your family. But, also, keep in mind that if you have to get rid of it and it's already bonded to you that it may be more difficult for the bunny to bond to its new owner.

• You will need to get it a cage that is big enough to stay in when you are not handling him/her and be comfortable should there be times when you cannot be around to give it attention. Sometimes life does get in the way! You will also need to find the right kind of bedding and food/water compartments. A cage that is also easy to clean would be a good idea being you will be cleaning it often! 

My daughter is 5 so you can get an idea of how big this cage is. 

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• Feeding a Rabbit can be tricky too since pellets are not the only thing they need. They also need fresh grass, hay, greens, veggies and other treats. From the food we go through with our rabbits, I can testify from first-hand experience that they eat a lot! They also need a high fiber diet. Make sure they also have plenty of fresh water and don't forget to get a bottle scrubber being their water bottles will get nasty inside if not cleaned regularly.

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• Bunnies are really great if you have the time and patience to invest into them. They are also very trainable if you will invest the time and energy into it. I have seen some people who potty train their bunnies to go into a litter box. But if you let one loose all the time you do have to be warned they are chewers and will probably chew what they are not suppose to! 

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• One thing to know: if they are not handled and become neglected they will become skittish and violent. When you go to pick them up they with thrash around and scratch you and their little nails will break skin and make you bleed. Their nailes and teeth are also harboring bacteria, so having an aggressive animal can be unsafe as well. They will also bite to get out of your hands and their teeth pinch like no one's business and will also break skin and maybe even leave a nice little hole in our finger!
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• Rabbits, like any domestic animal, need to be vetted. Make sure to keep up on their vaccinations! Should they unexpected scratch or bite you, you'll have the peace of mind in knowing that they are up-to-date on their shots.
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• Chicks 
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• Chicks,just like bunnies, are beyond adorable with their soft, white, fluffy feathers. Baby chicks take a lot of care and monitoring; so, for the next few weeks, don't plan on doing much or going anywhere! You will need to check on them more then 5 times a day to make sure they are ok. If they are really young, they will need the proper housing and warmth. A small cage with the proper bedding is best and a heating lamp on top to turn on when needed being this time of year still has chilly nights and baby chicks still need to be kept quite warm. It takes about four weeks before they will have to be moved to a bigger area and that's when you will need to have a coop ready for them! 

• Feeding the chicks is actually pretty straight forward and easy, probably the only easy thing about them. Most chick food suppliers have a chick blend already mixed together and ready. But they are very messy eaters. They scratch and will kick their food around, so be prepared for a mess during feeding time.
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• Showing the baby chick in the food bowl. 
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• A chick's home also needs to be cleaned regularly for sanitary purposes (and, trust me, your nose will thank you!). If it's left for a while it really starts to stink! I clean out our chicken coop at least twice a week and lay down fresh hay for bedding.
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• Also, be careful when letting kids handle them. They can get stressed easily and that is not healthy for them; it can even cause death. Kids think they are adorable (and they are) but they can also overwhelm the babies and cause them to become very sick.
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• Ducklings

• The third cute Easter/spring animals is ducklings and, even though they are a bird, they, like chicks, have some of the same needs as well as a whole set of new ones! They can eat the same specialty formulated chick starter that you can buy at the animal feed store but they also have other specific feeding needs. Contrary to popular belief, it is not good for ducks to be fed bread crumbs or crackers, which can actually make then really sick. They need a lot more nutrition then bread or crackers can give them and moldy bread can be fatal to them. Giving them some once in a great while is ok but it's not a complete diet. Also make sure there is clean, fresh water always available next to their food dish being they need the water to help them eat. Ducks cannot swallow properly without water.

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• Ducklings also need water for more reasons than just eating and drinking. They have to submerge their heads under water often to clear their sinuses. NEVER leave a baby duckling to swim alone! They can drown or get to cold. When they are done swimming, they need to be dried off and kept warm.