Meet the couple who devote their lives to raising six rabbits

SINGAPORE – They are used to strangers gawking at them or peeking into their strollers, only to be surprised that inside the prams are not babies, but bunnies.

Mr Cornelius Lee, 45, and Ms Polly Lim, 44, are proud parents of six rabbits. Aged between one and seven years old, they include a mini lop, a French lop, two Holland lops, a Netherland dwarf and a Flemish giant.

The couple, who have been married for 10 years and have no children, say their lifestyle has not changed since they added six fur kids to their lives.

The family of eight enjoy hanging out by the pool of their condominium in Serangoon, walking down Orchard Road, going to the beach or catching live performances around the Civic District.

“More places are pet-friendly now, so it’s easier to take them out,” says Mr Lee, who works in finance. 

“We usually go out during weekends. Funan is a place we often go to, so some shop staff are used to seeing our rabbits,” adds Ms Lim, who is in the healthcare industry. 

As the couple take their rabbits out frequently, the bunnies are accustomed to new places and loud noises. They are also used to being the centre of attraction, with people wanting to pet them or take photographs with them. 

The only downside for the couple is that not all six of the rabbits can go out at the same time now.

“Bleu has grown bigger, so he takes up one pram. The smaller ones can fit into the second pram,” says Mr Lee, adding that either he or his wife carries another rabbit in a harness. 

Bleu, a male Flemish giant who will turn one on March 16, currently weighs 5.6kg and is almost the length of the couple’s torsos.

“He will only get bigger as he grows older,” says Ms Lim. Flemish giants are the largest breed of domestic rabbits and the adult sizes can reach 15kg. 

Similarly, Ciaran, a male French lop who is one, weighs 4.4kg and can grow to an average of 5kg to 6kg.

The Lees do draw the line at strangers carrying their bunnies. “People may not know how to carry rabbits properly and we don’t want to risk any injuries,” Ms Lim says. 

Taking rabbits out to public places may sound like a novel and fun idea, but vets caution against it, especially under non-supervised circumstances.

“Rabbits are prey animals. For them, unfamiliar environments with noise, movement and other animals are highly stressful,” says Dr Rina Maguire, a veterinary specialist in exotic companion mammals and exotic pet medicine.

Dr Maguire, who co-founded Beecroft Animal Specialist & Emergency Hospital, says: “Stress may result in the rabbit bolting or suffering injuries due to fear responses or improper handling from strangers.”

Besides external stress, domesticated rabbits may be exposed to the rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) or external parasites such as fleas, or suffer from temperature extremities, she cautions. 

RHDV can be spread directly by contact with an infected rabbit or contaminated surfaces – for example, shoes, clothing, equipment or food – or via contact with insects such as flies.

While their rabbits are not vaccinated, as Ms Lim says they do not mix with other bunnies, the Lees prioritise hygiene and use disinfectant sprays on clothes and wipe down the harness and prams after every outing. 

“They love the attention, especially Quinlan, who knows he has the looks,” says Mr Lee, adding that the handsome one-year-old Holland lop likes to stick his head out of the harness. 

Apart from being cute and affectionate, the couple are impressed by the rabbits’ intelligence, especially that of mini lop Hazel, who is seven.

Ms Lim says: “Hazel knows how to find misplaced items in the house. And being the eldest, she also ‘leads’ the younger ones to where the potty is.”

Mr Lee adds: “She’s the jie jie (Chinese for big sister) and is the bossy one. She is also very disciplined when it comes to bedtime. She will come to us and stomp her feet to tell us it’s time for their snack, before they go to their room to sleep.”

The rabbits share a room in the couple’s three-room condominium apartment.

During the day when the Lees are at work, the rabbits stay in the room, which has an air-cooler. They roam freely around the house when the Lees are at home. 

There are no worries about them breeding like proverbial rabbits, as Hazel, the only female, is sterilised – as are two of the male rabbits.

“Friends joke that our house is burglar-proof as we have set up barricades to protect our electrical appliances,” says Mr Lee, adding that several of their mobile phone charging cables were damaged when they first had Hazel, their first rabbit, seven years ago.

According to Dr Maguire, rabbits are often mistakenly viewed as low-maintenance pets and that they can be kept in small cages with minimal attention.

“Rabbits need daily social interaction, regular exercise outside their enclosure and consistent monitoring,” she says, adding that rabbits have specific environmental needs – such as a temperature-controlled habitat, as they are sensitive to heat – and dedicated and safe spaces for exercise. 

She also advises owners to ensure their homes are rabbit-proof, to prevent the creatures from chewing on electrical cords or ingesting toxic plants. 

Prospective rabbit owners must also ensure that the hutches or cages are large enough for their rabbits to stretch and stand upright. The minimum enclosure size, says Dr Maguire, should be about four to six times the rabbit’s fully extended size.

“We see a lot of fractures occurring in the cage due to grating/mesh or gaps in the cage or litter box,” she adds. “If a leg gets trapped, the rabbit will usually twist it to try to escape, and that will inevitably cause a fracture due to their strong hindquarters.”

Contrary to popular belief, rabbits should not be fed a diet of carrots, as carrots are high in sugar, and overfeeding of carrots can lead to health issues, says Ms Betty Tan, president of non-profit rabbit welfare organisation House Rabbit Society Singapore.

“A good diet for rabbits should consist of 70 per cent fresh hay, 20 per cent fresh green leafy vegetables and 10 per cent pellets,” she says.

Dr Maguire adds: “Timothy, orchard grass or meadow hay are best for adult rabbits. I do not recommend alfalfa hay for any life stage as it is unnecessary. It increases the risk of the rabbit not eating proper grass hay in the future, which will increase the risk of urinary tract diseases such as bladder infection and urinary stones, as well as abnormal dental spur growth and dental abscesses.”

Fresh water must always be available and changed daily. Avoid giving rabbits sugary treats, yogurt drops, seeds, nuts, grains, bread, chocolate and most human foods, the vet adds. 

Before owning a rabbit, it is good to learn about breed-related traits. 

For instance, dwarf breeds are more prone to dental issues. Lop-eared varieties have a higher incidence of ear infections due to their narrow ear canals, while giant breeds have higher rates of arthritis and cardiac disease due to cardiomyopathy, a disease that weakens the heart muscle.

While some people may think rabbits are great starter pets for children, Ms Tan warns that rabbits are fragile animals and can be easily injured if mishandled by a young child. Adult supervision is needed when young children are with the bunnies.

Owning a rabbit is a lifetime commitment, as rabbits can live up to an average of 10 years.

“You must be able to devote time and dedicated care,” says Ms Lim. “And shower them with a lot of love.”