No such thing as an ugly bunny!

Meet Owen.


He's your pretty standard "ugly bunny." He's not actually ugly, but he spent far too long in the shelter and foster care while all the other "cuter" bunnies around him got adopted. However, he spent this extra time meticulously perfecting his potty habits and learning that these human creatures really aren't all that bad, which has helped him to become the perfect house pet.

When I adopted Owen seven months ago, I never saw an "ugly bunny." Rather, I saw an adorable, though perhaps a bit frumpy, friendly bundle of fuzz. His good potty habits gave me confidence about bringing a rabbit into my small apartment and his friendliness suited him to fulfill my need for a true companion animal.

Being a first-time rabbit owner, there was A LOT of learning that went on for the first few months, combined with a lot of adjustment for both me and Owen. He wouldn't let me pick him up (this is natural instinct for a rabbit, but it does also make you feel like a complete failure as a bunny mom). He wouldn't eat his hay (again, making me feel like a complete failure as a bunny mom). And while he remained extremely friendly, he seemed more interested in spending his time under the couch than with me.

It took about three months for us to find a mutually agreeable groove, but when we did it was like a switch got flipped. He still dislikes it greatly, but he'll let me pick him up. He's also now a hay-eating machine and he's more than happy to spend an hour or two on the couch with me while I watch TV at night.

If you're looking for a companion pet and dogs or cats are problematic, perhaps you'll consider a rabbit. And when you look for your perfect rabbit, perhaps you'll consider an "ugly bunny." After all, it's not that they're ugly, they just haven't been given a chance to let their personalities shine.