Published: April 08, 2007 10:37 pm      

PET CARE: Live Easter bunnies need more care than many realize

Easter has come and gone, and for many children, all that remains is some marshmallow Peeps and half-eaten chocolate bunnies.

But some children’s baskets come with the live versions of these candy treats. Live chicks, ducklings and bunnies have become traditional Easter gifts for some families despite widespread condemnation of the practice by animal experts.

Albert J. Chille, Executive Director of the Niagara County SPCA, said the biggest problem with giving pets for Easter is that families aren’t willing to care for them for the long term.

“Usually a few days after Easter, people would get their fill,” Chille said. “The biggest problem you find is that little children, unless properly supervised, do not know how to care for animals.”

Chille said the Rainbow Animal Shelter used to get a bunch of chicks, ducklings and bunnies after the holiday, but now receive almost none of the traditional Easter pets. He credits the change to a section of the state’s Agricultural and Markets Law, which a Niagara County Assemblyman proposed at the urging of the county’s SPCA.

The law states that no one can sell or give away baby chicks, ducklings or rabbits under two months old unless they are bought in groups of six. The creatures also can’t be sold or given away if they are dyed another color.

Bunnies to rabbits

Despite the law, it is still possible that a child might find a new pet in their home around Easter. Unfortunately, those pets don’t always come with directions.

Sandy Pfohl, director of the Lakeview Animal Sanctuary in Pendleton, wishes that rabbits weren’t pets.

“Pet stores should not be allowed to sell rabbits any time of the year,” Pfohl said. “You can buy a rabbit for $15 and not get instructions on how to care for it.”

Perhaps that is what happened with the owner of Puppy, a giant albino angora rabbit who lives at the sanctuary. Pfohl said the rabbit was dropped off at Nickel City Reptile with the instructions to either feed him to the reptiles or take him elsewhere.

“He was completely matted,” Pfohl said. “It took a couple of months to get him brushed out, but now he’s really cool.”

Rabbits like Puppy can be taught to use a litterbox, but according to the non-profit House Rabbit Society, older rabbits and those who are spayed or neutered are much easier to litterbox train. Rabbits instinctively use one or more places to do most of their business, most often preferring corners.

Although rabbits love lettuce, Pfohl said there is one common kind they can’t have.

“You can’t give them iceberg lettuce,” Pfohl said. “They will get diarrhea. If they have a leaf of it, they won’t be hurt, but it’s bad because it has no nutritional value.”

According to the House Rabbit Society, indoor rabbits should have a steady diet of nutritional pellets, fresh hay, vegetables and water. Treats should be given sparingly.

Indoor rabbits that aren’t ready to hop free shouldn’t be kept in cages with wire floors unless they are covered with a rug or a board. The organization recommends a cage at least four times the size of the rabbit with a food area, litterbox, a soft space and toys like cardboard tubes and tossable cat toys.

Rabbits can live past 10 years, but some don’t reach old age when they’ve been given away for Easter, said Mary Cotter, spokeswoman for the House Rabbit Society.

“A rabbit’s skeleton comprises only around 8 percent of its body weight, just about half that of a cat’s,” Cotter said in a release. “Rabbits are not built to withstand the exuberant playfulness of young children, and they often end up with broken legs or backs.”

Fowl care

Fluffy chicks and ducklings grow up into more complicated creatures, too. The average lifespan of a chicken is seven years, while ducks live 10 to 15 years.

According to the Cackle Hatchery in Missouri, baby poultry should have constant access to feed and water. A draft shield and a few inches of bedding should be present in the chick’s cage. Although they are both birds, ducklings and chicks shouldn’t be raised together.

The state’s Health Department and the Ag and Markets recommends regular hand-washing around small poultry because of a risk of salmonella.

“Salmonella bacteria can be carried in the intestinal tracts of baby poultry without causing them to be ill,” both departments said in a release. “However, the bacteria are passed in the feces causing environmental contamination. People may be infected by handling the baby poultry or contaminated surfaces, including feathers and beak. People may experience diarrhea, fever and stomach pains one to three days after becoming infected.”

Infants and young children, the elderly and people with poor immune systems are most likely to be hospitalized if they come in contact with the bacteria.

Pfohl said anyone with questions about Easter pet care should call her at 625-8855.

Contact reporter Tasha Kates at 439-9222, ext. 6241.