From Lianne McLeod, DVM,
Your Guide to Exotic Pets.
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Please note: unfortunately, rabbits are often impulsively acquired as pets at Easter time. Many of these bunnies end up neglected or given up for adoption since those cute little bunnies grow up into pets that need as much attention and care as a dog. Rabbits can be destructive if deprived of attention and appropriate toys, and should be spayed or neutered. In addition, rabbits are not ideal pets for children, partly because rabbits often do not like to be held or cuddled.

A. There are several variations of the story of the origins of the Easter Rabbit or the Easter Bunny, or perhaps more correctly, the Easter Hare. The hare was was associated with the Pagan festival celebrating the goddess Eostre (also known as Eastre or Ostara), from which the word Easter is derived. Eostre's earthly symbol was the hare or rabbit. The hare is also symbolically associated with the moon and therefore may have indirectly become associated with Easter since the date of Easter is determined by the phases of the moon (the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring Equinox, March 21). An article from the About.com's Alternative Religions site gives more details of the Pagan origins of the Easter Bunny.

The appearance of a rabbit as a creature that lays brightly colored eggs as gifts for children is documented in Germany in the 1500s, where kids eagerly awaited the arrival of the Oschter Haws. The tradition seems to have been brought to America in the 1700s by settlers, where the Easter Bunny became firmly established as a popular symbol of Easter. Germans are also credited with creating the first edible rabbits (pastry-based) in the 1800s.

Please avoid the impulse to get a bunny for Easter. Always research a potential pet thoroughly to make sure it will be a suitable companion before getting one, and if you are interested in a pet house rabbit, please see our Rabbit Care Guide or sign up for Rabbits 101 (a free email course about rabbit care).