Bringing a new bunny home is fun and exciting, but it's important to realize that this time can be quite intimidating for a rabbit. In order to keep stress to a minimum, prepare by gathering necessary items, arranging a living space and rabbit-proofing the house. Here are a few key steps to help you prepare for your new friend:

1. Gather the necessities
Before bringing a rabbit home, purchase all necessary items and have everything set up in time for your rabbit's arrival. The first shopping trip is not inexpensive, but once you have the basics, only items such as litter, hay and food need to be purchased regularly.

The New-Bunny Shopping List:

• Puppy exercise pen or dog crate (If you do purchase a rabbit cage, make sure it is roomy and has a flat bottom.)
• A cat litter box or large plastic bin
• Sturdy ceramic bowls for food and water
• Toys, which can be as simple as a cardboard roll or phone book or as complex as a bird toy or cat tunnel
• Rabbit-safe litter (Go for a recycled-paper product such as Yesterday's News or Carefresh.)
• Rabbit pellets (Look for a Timothy hay-based pellet for adult rabbits.)
• Cat nail clippers
• Green, leafy vegetables
• Timothy or other quality grass hays

Of the above items, Timothy hay is the most important. A rabbit's diet should be composed of approximately 70% grass hays to ensure sufficient fiber intake. Hay is important not just for proper digestion, but for dental health too, as chewing on the stalks wears down their continuously growing teeth and even has social and psychological benefits. Because hay is so essential for rabbit health, make extra efforts to ensure the hay you purchase is fresh, dust-free and high quality.

Mary Lempert is the founder of The Rabbit Advocate, where this post originally appeared. She has served as a rabbit behavior and rehabilitation consultant for the House Rabbit Society, House Rabbit Network and the MSPCA in Massachusetts and, most recently, for the Almost Home Humane Society in Lafayette, IN. She lives in West Lafayette, IN, with her rabbits Graysie and Willoughby and any number of foster bunnies.

Rabbits are remarkably affectionate, interactive, and intelligent (check out 10 Reasons Rescue Rabbits Rule). But they are by no means low-maintenance pets. Rabbits can live 12 years or more, so they are long-term, though thoroughly rewarding, commitments. Before you adopt a rabbit for Adopt-A-Rescued Rabbit Month, here are a few things to consider:

Do you have the indoor space for a dog crate or exercise pen? Are you rabbit-proofed? You'll need to hide or cover electrical wires, telephone cords and poisonous plants in at least one room of the house.

Do you have enough time for a rabbit? Rabbits don't require long walks, but they should be let out of their cage for at least an hour a day. Playtime doesn't have to mean dedicated rabbit-watching; it can be incorporated with your everyday activities: Bunnies love lounging on the couch while you read and are happy zooming around your feet as you cook dinner.