Rabbits make great first pets for children, especially as rabbits don't need bags of attention. But they do need daily checking, which teaches a child about pet care. Most of the smaller breeds are best to keep in an apartment and also more suitable for young children to care for. Although you think rabbits spend most of the day munching through cabbage leaves, their green food should be in small quantities with rationed commercial pellets.

Taking Care of Your Rabbit. Rabbits are vegetarians and yours will need two to four cups of fresh veggies every day, such as spinach, broccoli and kangkong. You may also try root vegetables such as carrots and celery. Add a little bit of fruit such as apple or tomato. Just make sure everything is chopped up nice and small.

His cage. Wire-bottom cages are common but they sometimes can really hurt a bunny's feet. If you already have a hutch with a wire bottom, cover the bottom with a piece of wood or thick cardboard. Put down plenty of straw and wood shavings so your pet can make a nest.

Your rabbit loves to eat! He may spend a lot of the day munching away on food but be sure to feed him thrice a day. He'll also need to drink a lot of water so make sure his water bottle is always full.

Fun games with your pet rabbit. Your new rabbit might be a bit timid at first. Talk to him so he'll get to know your voice. After a couple of days, hand feed him some pellets. Make sure he's not disturbed by loud noises.

To pick up your rabbit, place one hand on his neck then scoop up his bottom. Hold him securely near your chest. He'll probably start to love this special time with you but if he squirms, put him down.

Everyday is a play day for your rabbit! Let yours out to explore and get himself used to your world. You'll have to supervise of course and please be sure to bunny-proof the room first, that means putting any loose electrical wires or anything else he could chew out of sight. You may let your rabbit play in the backyard if the weather is nice but only if you supervise and if you have a fence. Make sure that neighborhood animals can't get near your bunny.

Your bunny will enjoy a good brushing especially if he's really hairy. Brush from the back of the head down to his tail. Use slow strokes.

* Reminder: If you plan to breed rabbits, keep the female in a separate hutch on the early signs of pregnancy. Otherwise, the male rabbit will continue mating with the female, which can cause miscarriages.