I decided one day that I wanted a pet, either a cat or a rabbit, to parallel my sister's pet chickens. My Mom mentioned that rabbits tend to be more affectionate than cats, which solidified my decision to get a rabbit. I diligently saved my Christmas and Birthday money and worked for family members until I had sufficient funds. My Mom also instructed me to conduct thorough research, including pricing, to save enough money and learn proper care techniques. One piece of information I found online was that rabbits must be kept in pairs to prevent loneliness since they live together in the wild, which turned out to be incorrect.

After approximately two months of saving and work, I had the necessary funds. Believing the misinformation about needing two rabbits, we began searching for a pair to adopt. We knew someone who bred Silver Champagne D'Argents, a meat rabbit breed. These rabbits can weigh between nine and twelve pounds, but in my eagerness to adopt, the size didn't matter to me. I adopted two eight-week-old rabbits from her; at that age, it was difficult to determine their gender, but they both turned out to be males (bucks).

I kept them in the same hutch, unaware that this was a terrible idea. As they matured, they would likely have fought to the death. However, they were not friendly; they kicked and nipped when handled. After a week or two, they began biting me even when I was just sitting in a pen with them. Friends who came over and sat with them were also nipped. I decided I no longer wanted to deal with a ten-pound rabbit that bit people. My Mom and I returned the rabbits to the breeder.

Subsequently, our neighbor informed us about someone who had a litter of bunnies they were trying to give away, and we quickly seized that opportunity.

I first met the baby bunnies on August 5th, 2024, and it was love at first sight. Three weeks later, on August 26th, I adopted one when he was only a month old. I thought "he" was a girl and named "her" Willow. Every book says you should let your rabbit stay in its hutch for a few days after bringing it home, but I was so excited. The first thing I did was set up an indoor pen and snuggle "her."

About a month or two later, while snuggling him, I flipped "her" over for some reason and noticed two little things near his private parts. I showed my Mom, and after some thinking, we realized Willow was a boy! Me, my Mom, and my sister were baffled.

To make a long story short: I joined a local 4-H and went to a rabbit & cavy workshop. I met a woman there who bred and sold therapy rabbits. After holding one of her rabbits, I knew that's what I wanted to do, too. I've been working on that goal ever since, and here I am now.

-Rachel Young