House Rabbit Handbook: How to Live With an Urban Rabbit (Paperback)

by Marinell Harriman (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Packed with the collected wisdom of bunny-lovers and charming, candid photos of their pets, this manual tells readers how to successfully integrate a rabbit into one's life. Harriman includes the latest in veterinary information and helpful how-to sections on care and feeding. 100 photos. Charts.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Drollery Press; 3rd edition (November 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0940920123
• ISBN-13: 978-0940920125
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 8 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (68 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #321,841 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #44 in	Books > Home & Garden > Animal Care & Pets > Mice, Hamsters & Guinea Pigs
  #52 in	Books > Home & Garden > Animal Care & Pets > Rabbits

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

63 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding and intelligent resource for rabbit owners!, November 14, 1999

By	Janet Tolle (United States, Illinois) - See all my reviews

This is by far the most intelligent and informative resource for those who love rabbits and want the best for them! This book gives rabbit owners practical guidelines into thinking "rabbit" and understanding how to make the best possible environments for rabbits in our human homes. Besides the comedic stories of indoor rabbits and their antics, it also gives concrete advise to solve any rabbit situation that may arise and medical information which can not be found anywhere else. Harriman has the mastered the system for everything "rabbit" and I highly recommend this book. In fact, without this book thousands of shelter rabbits, abandoned and rejected rabbits would never have found the gentle, wonderful second chances they have. My gratitude goes out to this house rabbit effort not only for my own shelter-saved house rabbit, Checkers, but for the others I have had the opportunity to help via Harriman's book and resource. I serve as a humane educator at our local shelter and this book is the core of everything we teach on rabbit ownership. Believe it!

53 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book that's transforming the human-rabbit relationship, April 18, 2000

By	Ruth Henriquez Lyon (Duluth, Minnesota USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bought the first edition of this book years ago when I brought my first two bunnies home without knowing anything about how to keep them in the house. It told me everything I needed to know to start out, and how to get into the proper frame of mind to let the bunnies teach me everything else. The book goes beyond care instructions and maintaining health--it teaches you about interspecies relationships: human-rabbit, dog-rabbit, cat-rabbit, guinea pig-rabbit. I now work as the rabbit adoption coordinator for our local Humane Society and we always give this book out for free when someone adopts a bunny--it outlines our standard for humane bunny care. Every shelter director and worker should have a look at this book....it will transform the lives of rabbits in shelters who are often very misunderstood by their caretakers. The authors clearly understand and respect animals as valuable beings, not just as "playthings" for humans. Thus the book is a big step forward in the movement toward kindness and respect for all non-human beings with whom we share this earth.

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Practical Information about House Rabbits, September 26, 2003

By	Timothy Kearney (Hull, MA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

THE HOUSE RABBIT HANDBOOK is an essential guide for anyone who has a rabbit as a house pet. The book contains information regarding rabbit behavior in a home that is very accurate; at least it seems accurate when I look at the behavior of my two rabbits. The author believes that rabbits can have just as much personality as a dog or a cat and assumes that people who keep rabbits as pets wish to interact with them. So if your goal is to keep a rabbit in a cage in the backyard, this book will not be all that helpful. If on the other hand you want a unique pet that is curious, capable of being entertaining, a bit on the mischievous side, and yes, even loving, this book will he of great help.

The book contains all the basic information about rabbit care in a home setting. Care, feeding, grooming, attending to health needs, and the like are covered. There are also suggestions about rabbit-proofing a home and the pros and cons of allowing rabbits to roam freely around the house.

For me, the most helpful section of the book dealt with introducing a new rabbit my first rabbit. I assumed that since he was so friendly, a new friend would be perfect. I was wrong. He was a terror and wanted nothing to do with his new playmate. Now one is lost without the other. The suggestions of this book really worked.

While the information in the book is based on sound veterinary advice, the reader quickly realizes that the author relies heavily on personal experience as well. The techniques she espouses flow from her experience. Ideally, people will want to read this book prior to getting a rabbit, especially since it contains valuable information about preparing for the rabbit to come home. However, if you, like me find yourself in a crisis situation with a rabbit and need to find a book with answers, this book will be a godsend.

Just one piece of advice. Don't leave the book on the floor by mistake. I am noticing a few little nibbles on the binding. Though I am a voracious reader, I do not think that the nibbles are the way I devour my books.