This book comes with 85 stickers and a fold-out play scene so little ones can spend their own “bunny money”! Both fun and timely, this sticker storybook is a perfect introduction for little ones who are learning about money and its values. SA TV personality Nicolette Mashile has been “sprinkling glitter around finance” as the Financial Bunny for 4 years. But even this property investor and financial educator had to start somewhere. Here, she shares what she wishes she had known sooner. Nicolette Mashile is co-host of the SABC1 talk show Daily Thetha, an actress on Generations and the founder of Financial Bunny, a platform she uses to teach financial literacy within the South African context.

1. Origami Bunny Money
2. Easter Bunny With Money

Every new family member, be it furry or not, will increase the monthly expenses of the household. Before getting any pet it is a good idea to do the math and figure out if you can afford to support it. Here’s what our 2 bunnies cost, so you get an idea what to expect if you are thinking of adopting a rabbit or can compare your own expenses if you already have one (or more).

Fresh basil at $2.99 each lasts for about 4-5 days.

Recurring Expenses

Food
Bunny and Bailey eat approximately 2-3 cups of fresh vegetables every day. To make sure they get the best out there, we try to buy organic vegetables for them, but it’s not always possible. Either way, this adds up to about $15-20 per week. If fennel is out of season, it might even be $25. They also receive unlimited amounts of hay (2 different kinds), which costs us about $40 every 2-3 months. I’d also add another $10 per month for healthy treats, such as tree sticks, flower petals, dried food mixes, and more. Interestingly, adding Bailey to the family did not double the rabbit food costs.
Total Food: $90-110 per month.

Bedding
We go through 1 (large) package of Critter Care/Carefresh every 4-6 weeks. This isn’t the cheapest, but also not the most expensive option. Prices will vary based on the kind of litter/bedding you use.
Total Bedding: $15 per month

Vet
Rabbits, just like humans, are supposed to go to regular check-ups. If the bunnies are healthy, the yearly exam costs us $45 each in North Carolina. There is always at least one additional occasion that requires a visit to the vet, which adds another $85 each. We also get flea medication (just in case, since we take them outside regularly). Rabbits can get sick very suddenly, though, and it’s a good idea to have a few hundred dollars saved in case of an emergency.
Total Vet: $160+ per year per rabbit

Toys
Even though there are some toys that can be used over and over again, it is important to keep our rabbits entertained, challenged, and too busy to attack furniture. Therefore, I will add another $15 a month for entertainment.
Entertainment: $15 per month

Total Average Monthly Expense: approximately $135+

One-Time Expenses

Health/Cleanliness
Rabbits need nail clippers, a brush/comb, and a litter box. Prices for the litter box range from $5 for a simple plastic one to $50 for a nice wooden one. Both male and female rabbits should get fixed for health and wellness reasons, which can range anywhere from $35 to $300, depending on your location. We paid about $120 for Bunny and Bailey was already spayed when we got her.

Bunny’s current castle made out of wood and felt (to prevent slipping).

Living
If you want your rabbit to be confined, a cage will probably be the biggest one-time expense. Most cages found in pet stores are way too small and should only be used in combination with extensive free-time or an enclosed space surrounding it. Large cages/Playpens start at $80 and come as expensive as you like. Since everyone needs things to call their own, you may want to get rabbit-friendly furniture, such as wooden houses, ramps, and tunnels. These can be made out of cardboard, too, so the expense is really based on what you choose. We built a “castle” out of wood, which cost about $50 and a lot of frustration, but was worth it. We still have it 2 years later. Rabbits also need a bowl for water and food. Add a nice cotton towel to your stash to make your bun extra happy.

Make sure you bunny-proof your house, which includes hiding all cables, because otherwise you will need to add a nice chunk of money to the budget for replacement of cables. And they always go for the expensive ones.

Optional
If you have a backyard that is not fenced in then you may want to consider a playpen, fence, or other means to let your bun roam outside.

Before publishing this article, we asked around on facebook and it seems that costs vary greatly based on location, diet, and other variables. However, the overall recurring costs seem to be around $110 a month for 1-2 rabbits assuming there are no major health issues.

Pet Bunny Price – How Much Money are They?

Rabbits are small, beautiful creatures that are lovely to have around at home as pets. Unlike dogs, cats, and some other kind of pets, rabbits are quite mild-tempered and nonaggressive. They’re safe to have around homes with kids. They don’t typically pose any serious health risk to your household. And most of all, they can bring some aura of joy and happiness as they become a member of your family.

Unfortunately, many people planning to adopt a rabbit don’t know how much it would cost. This raises the question: How Much Does A Rabbit Cost?

Cost of Adopting A Rabbit

While we’d love to provide you with a definitive cost, there’s no fixed price for rabbits. It all depends on your location, the rabbit breed, size, and who you’re buying or adopting from. For starters, if you’re buying a new rabbit, it will set you back by around $5 to $20+. Yes, it could get as cheap as that. If you’re adopting from an animal rescue or any organization that offers rabbits for adoption, that price could go higher.

Adopting from a humane society or a shelter could cost around $25+. Adopting from a private rescue could cost as much as $50+. While buying might seem like the most cost-effective option, there some lovely benefits that come with adoption. Adopting could provide benefits like free veterinary services for some time, free microchipping, and free spay or neuter. Apart from those, your bunny will also likely have a clean bill of health. If you’re buying a new rabbit, you’ll eventually have to pay for neutering.

Is that all there’s to buying or adopting a rabbit?

Unfortunately, No! Some important things must be kept in place even before you bring your rabbit home. One of such things is your rabbit shelter. Depending on the type of rabbit shelter you want to use, you’ll spend between $30 to as much as $250+. You can choose to build a NIC cube cage, buy a pre-made cage, use exercise pens, or have a free-range. Free-ranging is usually the least expensive option, while pre-made cages and hutches could get quite expensive. On average, an:

• Exercise pen could cost around $30+
• NIC cube cage could cost around $40+
• Commercial cage could cost around 100+ USD
• Hutch could cost around 200+ USD

The average cost could go up or down significantly depending on the size and design of the rabbit enclosure you opt for. Your location could also play a part in determining just how much you spend on an enclosure. You’ll likely find cheap deals for rabbit enclosures on Craigslist or any similar online shopping platform. You’ll also find several varieties of rabbit enclosures on Amazon with varying prices. Apart from enclosures, you’ll need to put several rabbit care accessories in place as well.

Cost of Rabbit Care Accessories

Origami Bunny Money

There are several accessories that you’ll need to get for your rabbit as you bring it home. Some of the essential ones include:

• Water bowl or bottle: this should cost around $6. That could go up depending on the design.
• Litter Box: a medium-sized litter box should cost around $4. However, more beautiful looking options would cost more. The quoted price is for a not-too-good looking and average-sized litter box. You’re sure to find a variety of litter boxes on Amazon.
• Ceramic bowls: you’ll need some durable, heavy-duty ceramic bowls for serving your rabbit with food. This should cost around $6.
• Beddings: If you want to treat your rabbit right, then you’ll need to provide it with a soft surface to lie on. This includes a towel, blanket, or carpet scrap. Those items should typically cost around $4 each.
• Grooming Tools: Yes, your bunny will need some grooming from time to time. You may not need grooming tools immediately, but they’ll surely come in handy. Some grooming tools you’ll need include:

1. Hairbrush – around $4
2. Hair comb – around $4
3. Nail clippers – around $4

Easter Bunny With Money

Cost of Spaying and Neutering

If you bought a new rabbit that hasn’t been neutered, then you’ll have to bear the cost of neutering. Neutering will set you back by as much as $50 to $200 . To avoid the cost of neutering, you can simply adopt from an animal rescue that offers free neutering.

Ongoing Cost

Even after your bunny has settled in at home nicely. There are still a lot of things that need to be taken care of throughout its entire lifetime. Taking care of your bunny is what constitutes an ongoing cost. This includes the cost of everything you’ll need to ensure the rabbit is fed and well taken care of. One of the primary contributors to your rabbit’s ongoing cost is the cost of food. Your rabbit’s food will include vegetables, hay, and pellets. Usually, buying in bulk will shave off some extra money from your ongoing cost. Buying your rabbit’s food from pet stores could be quite expensive when compared to other sources.

However, if you’re buying in small quantities (which you likely will), then pet stores are the way to go. If you have enough room to store a large amount of hay at once, then you can buy it directly from a feed store. It helps if you have many rabbits to feed. Depending on your location, you can get Timothy hay for around $7 to $50 per bale. In comparison, you’ll probably have to pay around $8 for a small 64oz bag of hay when buying from a pet store.

Of course, hay isn’t the only thing you’ll feed your rabbit; you’ll also need to provide pellets and vegetables. The cost of vegetables and pellets vary depending on the season and the type. And then you’ll need to provide them with toys and some special treats at your discretion. Another major ongoing cost is the cost of veterinary services. Typically, a round of checkup by a veterinary could set you back by around $40 to $100 or more, depending on the location and the veterinarian you’re hiring.