“Hoppy” Easter! An Inside Look At One Of The “Stars” Of The Upcoming Season

By: Joanique Montero; March 29, 2023 6:05 P.M

Rabbits are known for their cuddly and adorable demeanor and lively personalities but during the Early Spring Season, Rabbits get a whole new look as the spotlight is shined upon them for the upcoming holiday, “Easter.” All around the globe, Children of every age prepare their Easter baskets with hopes that the Easter bunny will come bearing gifts of chocolate, candy and toys. With the upcoming holiday on the horizon, more people are getting bunnies as a surprise gift to the children to celebrate but rabbits have come a long way from being a mere food source to being a beloved pet just as a dog or cat. Rabbits have made their mark on different rabbit parents' hearts and all due to their sweet and friendly ways. From the way they “Blinky” around the home to nudging parents for attention or wanting a treat. There is so much more to the adorable, fuzzy little critters than what meets the eye.

What is very surprising is how many different breeds of rabbit there are in the world; There are currently over forty (40) different breeds of rabbits. The most notable breed of rabbits would be the Holland Lop, whom is known for their adorable floppy ears, Lionhead, whom is known for their lion-like mane and very thick hair around their small bodies, Mini Rex, whom is known for their friendly personalities and strong structure bodies and small size, etc. Rabbits come in many different colors and shapes as well; some can be as little as a small guinea pig, while others can get as big as a small dog. The New Zealand Red or White rabbit are considered medium to large size rabbits where the buck (male) rabbits can get up to eleven (11) pounds and the Doe (female) rabbits can get up to twelve (12) pounds. While the Netherland Dwarf are considered very small in size, only weighing up to seven (7) pounds.

Rabbits are depicted as being a “fleeting” type of animal and although that is the case in certain situations, due to rabbit’s defense mechanisms, they can be very brave animals and have a very strong sense and know how to alert each other of other impending danger that is nearby. Rabbits will “thump” their hindlegs when they sense danger or if they are feeling annoyed or aggravated. Another mechanism that rabbits experience is “Blinky,” which is their way of showing excitement or total and complete joy or delight. “Blinky” is equivalent to dogs wagging their tails and showing they are very excited and ready to play. The characteristics of a rabbit “Blinky” is they may do what is called a “speed run” where they will run at full speed around the furniture or around their family member’s legs. Rabbits, contrary to being considered a quiet animal, have very lively and spunky personalities; rabbits will let it be known when they need affection by nudging your hand to give them head scratches or “oink” or make little sounds when they are being petted or fed their favorite treats and even do cute little tricks like stand on their hind legs and give sweet little kisses to show they love you and care.

Rabbits play a fundamental role in the Easter holiday as a major holiday character for the season is The Easter Bunny, who is shown to spread out treats and goodies for children to go scavenging for from chocolate bunnies, jelly beans, coloring books, painted eggs, etc. With the popularity of the Easter bunny, children seemed to gravitate to the idea of having a bunny around Easter but many different rabbit organizations stress the importance of not just having rabbits as “decorations” and then letting the rabbit out to the wild after the holiday is over. This not only hurts the rabbits but also puts them in a dangerous situation since rabbits are “prey” animals and are very skittish and timid in nature. Rabbits, as well as chicks, are huge symbols of Easter (other than the religious aspect of “Easter” through the resurrection of Jesus Christ) and pastel colored eggs and baskets with plastic colorful “grass” as decorations for the baskets.

Easter is one of the most celebrated celebrations around the world and no matter how you celebrate or why you celebrate, you can guarantee that a rabbit will be incorporated somehow. From rabbit shaped decorations to rabbit shaped candies to even the commercials like Cadbury Eggs and stories like Peter Cottontail; rabbits play a pivotal role in Easter celebrations especially for the children. With that being said, there is so much more to rabbits than just their cuteness and cuddly exterior; there are different breeds of rabbits and each have their own individual personalities but all show love the same way. They are so much more than decoration or a holiday and deserve to be loved all year round.