How Much Do Bunnies Cost at PetSmart? 2024 Price Update

Bunnies are a relatively popular pet, as far as small animals go. While these adorable creatures are a bit more difficult to take care of than most small pets, they are much cheaper than a cat or a dog. Therefore, they are often a good choice for someone who wants a pet that is more involved than a fish but not as time-consuming as a Labrador.

However, these pets are not free. Bunnies don’t cost a bit themselves, but their equipment absolutely can. It does depend on what you plan on keeping them in, though. A rabbit that lives mostly in a hutch will cost a lot more to take care of than one that is housetrained, for instance.

PetSmart is an easy place to adopt bunnies and the average cost is around $90. Let’s take a look at how much they might cost.

How Much Does a Rabbit at PetSmart Cost?

PetSmart does not regularly sell bunnies. However, many stores work with local rescues to help adopt pets that need homes. Often, this will include bunnies. Therefore, if there is a bunny in need of a home, you may find it at your local PetSmart. As you’d expect, these rabbits are often older and have previously been owned.

Usually, rabbits are turned over to rescues when owners realize how much work they are. These animals are not like most small pets. Instead, they require about as much attention as a cat or a dog. They are not like a mouse or fish in this regard.

The adoption cost can differ, as it is determined by the adoption agency. PetSmart doesn’t make any money from the adoption. All the money goes back to the agency. Usually, adoption costs are around $90. If you adopt more than one rabbit, you may get a discount. Rabbits often do great in pairs, as they are social creatures.

Additional Costs to Anticipate

Rabbits require a lot of equipment and care. You’ll have to pay a significant amount of start-up costs, which will involve purchasing a hutch and other items. Even if your rabbit doesn’t live in a hutch all the time, they will need to be kept in their hutch when you cannot watch them.

Rabbit Hutch

A hutch usually costs around $150 to $200. If you have multiple rabbits, you’ll need a bigger hutch. We recommend purchasing the nicest hutch you can afford. Rabbits often thrive in bigger spaces and with more room than typically “recommended”. Many small cages often advertised for rabbits are too small for long-term use.

Rabbit Food

After the purchase of a hutch, you can expect to spend about $50 a month on food, litter, and other consumables. Rabbits will need hay to eat and keep their teeth in check.

Veterinarian Check-ups

If the hay isn’t enough, you may have to visit your vet to have their teeth shaved regularly. This can cost around $20 to $50 per visit, depending on the vet.

Some vets don’t require an exam fee for this service, while others do. You may want to call around and ask to determine the cheapest location for this service.

Is Owning a Rabbit Expensive?

Owning a rabbit is just about as expensive as owning a cat or a dog. The rabbit itself is likely to be cheaper. However, you also have to purchase a hutch and other items that cats and dogs don’t typically need. Therefore, your start-up costs can be quite high.

Furthermore, vet bills for a rabbit are on-par with other animals. Therefore, you shouldn’t expect savings in this regard. Surgeries can actually be more expensive, as rabbits often require extra monitoring.

Monthly expenses are usually around $50, which is slightly cheaper than what you may spend on a cat or dog. Therefore, rabbits may be slightly less expensive in the long run, but they still aren’t the cheapest animal to own.

Are Bunnies Good Pets?

Rabbits can make great pets for certain pet owners. They are not for everyone, but they do fill a niche that other pets just don’t. One of the best things about a rabbit is how quiet they are. They are capable of making noise, and some of these noises are pretty loud. However, rabbits rarely make these louder noises unless they are extremely scared. Therefore, if you need a quieter pet, you can’t do much better than a rabbit.

Rabbits can be trained to use a litterbox like a cat. Many new owners don’t realize this and believe that they have to keep their rabbits in a hutch. However, if litterbox trained, many rabbits can be allowed to wander around the house with supervision. They do chew on everything, though. Therefore, you’ll need to rabbit-proof your house and provide lots of chew toys.

Bunnies do a very good job of keeping themselves clean. They don’t require much grooming, and even their feces don’t seem to smell. The only time a rabbit really needs to be groomed is if they are sick.

These animals also live a long time. The average lifespan is about 10 years, which is the same as most cats and dogs. Therefore, unlike other small pets, you can expect your rabbit to stay with you for a very long time.

Conclusion

Rabbits aren’t very expensive from PetSmart, but the price can vary. Instead of purchasing baby rabbits from a breeder, this company only works with rescues. Therefore, it largely depends on what rescues are in your area. Many areas don’t have rabbit-specific rescues, which means that the local PetSmart won’t have rabbits for sale.

Usually, these rabbits are around $90 to adopt. However, they can be much cheaper in some areas. The prices are set by the specific rescue—not the company itself. You also have to consider the price of equipment, such as a hutch. These items often cost more than the rabbit itself.

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Featured Image Credit: PetSmart (Anthony92931, Wikimedia Commons CC-BY-SA 3.0)