(Said in my best Kristen Wiig/Annie Walker voice: “But dooo you?”)
They’re fluffy. They’re quiet. They can be litter-trained. Kids love them. What could possibly go wrong?
A lot, actually.
Here at Joppa Hill Educational Farm, our rabbits are among the most frequently asked-about animals. People peek into the barn and say, “Oh my gosh, I’ve always wanted a bunny!” And every time, in my head, while channeling Kristen Wiig in Bridesmaids, I’m like: But dooo you?
I get the appeal, they’re ridiculously cute. But before you hop into bunny ownership, let’s talk about what living with a rabbit really looks like. This post is based on our own trials, tunnels, and triumphs, my experience with my own former pets, Cadbury and Pawsy, along with expert info from the House Rabbit Network, House Rabbit Society, and our local friends at the Animal Rescue League of NH.
A Quick Note Before We Dig In (Pun Fully Intended)
Joppa Hill Educational Farm isn’t here to tell you what pet you should or shouldn’t have. We’re not a shelter, rescue, or adoption center. We’re a working farm committed to providing enriching educational experiences, fostering community connection, and cultivating a shared appreciation for New Hampshire’s agricultural heritage and natural environment.
While our bunnies aren’t raised for meat, we recognize that many farms do raise rabbits as a source of sustainable protein. Rabbits are efficient, reproduce like, well, rabbits, and require less land and feed than many other livestock animals.
They also produce lean, nutrient-dense meat, and have been part of food systems around the world for centuries. But we’re just here for the facts and useful tiny poop balls, not the food debates.
Other farms raise Angoras for fiber (those are the ones that look like dust bunnies on stilts), or keep rabbits for their manure, which, fun fact, is one of the only manures you can toss straight into your garden without composting first. If you’ve never seen someone get genuinely excited about rabbit poop, you haven’t met enough gardeners.
Like chickens, pigs, and goats, rabbits serve different purposes on different farms. No judgment here, just context, and a healthy respect for how much tunnel one rabbit can dig when you think you’ve bunny-proofed the enclosure.
Life With Bunnies at the Farm
Our rabbits currently live indoors in the barn. Not because it’s warmer (it’s definitely not), but because the floor is cement, topped with rubber mats. After years of AWOL escapes and enough humble pie to last a lifetime, let’s just say they finally hit a surface even they can’t dig through. Reverse Uno: played.
Cole and Latte
As many of you remember, they used to live outside for most of the year, until we realized just how committed rabbits are to escape artistry. Over the years, we’ve installed:
- Cement pavers (they dug around and under)
- Ground-level fencing (dug under)
- Taller fencing (they jumped over)
- All of the above (they laughed)
Last summer, our queen of stealth, Latté, not only escaped her enclosure more times than I have fingers, she dug a full-length tunnel under the Farm Stand. She was missing for a full week, until Farm Hands, Cole and Steven, spotted her one evening and literally took apart part of the deck to get her out.When Cole reached her, she acted like nothing had happened. Because… of course she did.
Anyhow, joke’s on Latté – the smarter thing would’ve been to dig a tunnel to the Farm Stand, not under it.
Bunny FAQs (Because We Get These All the Time)
Will they ever be outside again?
Yes! Soon, we’ll be moving them back outside during the day using a large, mobile round pen that gives them space to hop, dig, and explore safely. They’ll come back into the barn at night, where it’s secure and tunnel-proof. We’re hoping this setup gives them the enrichment they need, without the escape drama we’ve come to know so well.
Why are they more active in the early morning and evening?
Rabbits are crepuscular, which is a fancy word that means they’re most active at dawn and dusk. This is why you’ll often see them loafing like furry doorstops during the day, and then suddenly racing, binkying, and digging like it’s their shift at a bunny construction site around sunset.
Also, if you couldn’t say that word the first time through, I feel you. It’s pronounced cre-pus-cu-lar. Or, if you’re from Boston: cray-pahs-cue-lah.
Why do they dig so much?
Because for rabbits, digging isn’t just a quirky habit, it’s biology. In the wild, rabbits dig burrows to build safe, cool shelters, hide from predators, raise their young, and claim territory. Domestic rabbits don’t lose those instincts just because they live in a barn or a backyard. So while we make jokes about their escape artistry (looking at you, Latté), the digging itself is totally normal, healthy, and important for their wellbeing. It’s one of the many ways rabbits express their natural behaviors, and part of what makes them, well, rabbits.
Will you ever bring back the Bunny Tea Parties?
We get this question a lot, and we totally understand the nostalgia! Bunny Tea Parties were beloved at the farm and helped raise valuable funds to support our work.
While those events were meaningful in their time, we’ve since shifted our focus. Today, all of our animal interactions are rooted in education, not entertainment. We’re proud to have restructured our programs so that every experience reflects our mission: to connect people with agriculture, animal care, and the natural world in a way that’s enriching, respectful, and authentic.
So, no more tea parties, but definitely plenty of opportunities to learn, engage, and appreciate our animals for who they are (not just how cute they look in a tiny hat, and yes, we have pictures of them in tiny hats).
Bunny Mythbusting
“They’re great for kids!”
Sometimes. Rabbits can be sweet and affectionate, but many don’t love being picked up. They startle easily and thrive in quiet, gentle routines. That said, when respected and handled properly, they can form close, meaningful bonds with older kids and adults alike.
“They’re small, so they don’t need much space.”
Rabbits need a lot of room. According to the House Rabbit Society, they require at least 8 square feet of enclosure, plus 24+ square feet of daily exercise space.
“They’re quiet, so they must be easygoing.”
Emphasis on quiet, not necessarily easy. If they’re bored or stressed, they’ll chew, dig, and remodel your baseboards at a speed that is frankly alarming, yet impressive.
“They can live in a hutch.”
Not if you want them to be happy. Outdoor-only hutches are often too small and don’t meet a rabbit’s physical or emotional needs.
“They don’t need much vet care.”
Rabbits do need regular care, including being spayed or neutered to prevent health and behavior issues. They’re also considered exotic pets, so you’ll need a rabbit-savvy vet, and if you live in Bedford, spoiler alert: there aren’t any right in town.
Thinking About Adopting a Bunny?
If you’re considering bringing a rabbit into your home, it’s essential to be well-informed. The Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire (ARLNH), located right here in Bedford, offers compassionate guidance and a fantastic Rabbit Care 101 guide that covers everything from housing and diet to socialization and veterinary care.
Their online resources emphasize that rabbits can live 8–12 years, require far more than just a cage and a carrot, and are often misunderstood as “starter pets.” The guide encourages thoughtful preparation and long-term planning for anyone considering adoption, values that align with how we approach rabbit care here at the farm.
Bottom Line: Rabbits Are Amazing But They’re Not For Everyone.
We love our bunnies; they’re funny, expressive, and full of personality. They’re also serious work. Like all animals on the farm, they thrive when their physical and behavioral needs are met.
If you’re thinking of adopting, start with trusted resources like the ARLNH, House Rabbit Network, or House Rabbit Society. If you’re still unsure? Come visit ours. They’ll show you exactly what they’re capable of.
Especially Latté.
Written by Katie Schelzel, Operations Manager