Mike the rabbit has entered my life as a present from my husband. Mike was supposed to be a dog substitute for the busy urban household. Soon enough we realized we were naive to think we've adopted a pet. He is actually a zen master with a specialization in love and relationships.

Here is what I have learned from loving a rabbit.

1| Respect

If you thought rabbits are weaklings, you have another thing coming. I have never encountered such a strong willed beast, animal nor man. In this sense, rabbits are frustrating creatures. Especially if you are used to owning a pet like a dog. Dogs, wonderful and endearing on their own, will love you immediately. A puppy will be dazzled by your every move about 7 seconds into your relationship. A rabbit, on the other hand, will be utterly unimpressed for weeks, if not months. They simply don’t offer immediate gratification. You need to earn their respect, and you do that by, well, respecting them first. That is why they are so frustrating. And oh so wonderful.

Their space is their own. Their body is their own. Their affection is their own to give. You cannot force your love onto them. With every loving bone in my body, I can say that rabbits are not pets. They are companions. You don’t own them. You merely bask in their glory. And that — is something one needs to get used to and learn to respect.

Love, too, requires respect. That is the fire engine behind a good, healthy, and happy relationship. Buns just know it and aren't afraid to show it.

2| Patience

Buns won’t love you immediately. They won’t blindly trust you. And they certainly won’t let you in their lives just like that. You’ll have to work for it. And work hard. That’s why rabbits are actually zen masters in fluffy coating, that teach you patience like no other.

Because they are prey animals, their natural disposition is suspicion. Their mentality is of an animal always fending for itself in a hostile environment. And you, human, are just another nature element that is there to hurt them. Why should they trust you? Would you trust you?

Loving a rabbit means that you have to practice patience every day. That you have to look at the baby steps your relationship is taking, no matter how frustrating and tiny they are, as huge leaps of faith for your little fuzz-fuzz.

At first, they won’t come to you, they wont eat from your hand, and they will fight for their lives to prevent becoming vulnerable. When picked up, rabbits can kick so hard that they can damage their legs, and even break their spine.

Just like in the start of relationships with other people. We all fear vulnerability. We all desire safety. Buns want to feel safe, and you need to wait until they feel that about you. If you want a happy rabbit, you need to bite your lip, and just wait. Wait for them to fear you less, and trust you just a tiny bit more every day. Weeks and weeks on end.

But when it happens — there is nothing more rewarding than a happy, hopy, and binky bunny, coming towards you with joy. Also, treats will help plea your case (Apples do wonders, I tell ya).

3| Perseverance

Its nice to have patience. But can you not only talk the talk, but walk the walk? Can you prove you’re there, day in and day out? Just as in love, can you prove you’ll stay when the going gets tough? You better.

The bonding process between man and bun takes a while. Getting him used to your presence, voice, and smell is a slow process. Getting him used to the house routines, feeding him, cleaning his cage and brushing him is, too, slow and seemingly unfruitful.

Sometimes it seemed that it will just never happen — we would be stuck with a creature that doesn't want to be around us. Trapped and unhappy with two big weird looking bunnies. I would get angry and frustrated when getting the cold shoulder from my bun for weeks and weeks. And then, I took a breath, and looked forward for a new day. Because things change.

This is when I learned that perseverance does wonders. Every day brought us closer. Not giving up on the bonding has proven itself. And it paid off. Little by little, every hang-out as I drank my morning coffee, every evening’s play time, he revealed his character more and more. I got to see what he likes, and how to handle him with care. He got used to being put in the cage without fussing when we went to bed. It happened, finally. After about 4 months, he started trusting me, playing with me, asking for head rubs, and giving the saddest little looks when I had to leave the house. Perseverance pays off.

4| There is no I in bunny

A rabbit is a high maintenance animal. They need constant care. Just like a good piece of love in your life: rabbits need a lot of attention, work and effort. DAILY.

It means daily fresh water in his bowl and bottle. It means never forget to feed him. It means fresh hay, the good quality kind. It means a clean litter box. It means a clean cage. It means a lot of attention, care and play time. It means time, money, and effort. It means expensive vet bills. And it means that no matter how tired I am, and how rainy or unpleasant it is outside, if my bun needs some veggies or hay — I will be on that bus on the way to the city to get it. I will be cleaning stinky litter boxes like no tomorrow. My husband will drive to the good pet store to get the exactly right kind of corals for the litter box in the weekend when he just wants to rest. Loving a rabbit is like loving anything else with all your heart — it requires the sacrifice of your lazy comfort, just to see the creature you love happy.

If you own a rabbit, you might have read this article with a nod and smile. If you don’t have one — run to the nearest shelter and get one. These poof-balls make life better every day. I sound like a crazy bunny lady, but all people that live with rabbits become instant fans. They teach you so much about yourself.