Are you considering adopting a bunny for your family? Or maybe you have just brought one home?

Here are seven helpful tips for caring for a rabbit, courtesy of Stephanie St. Martin, formerly of Care.com and our current Pet Chatter blogger.

This gallery first ran courtesy of Care.com on Boston.com in April, 2012.

Rabbits’ cages can stink—and no bunny wants to live in a smelly place. Keep your bunny neat and mess free by cleaning out his cage one to two times per week.

Find a good quality brush and keep a rabbit’s fuzz in control. Brushing a rabbit regularly helps to remove soft and excess hair.

Rabbits are naturally prey animals, so they tend to be easily frightened. They need peace and quiet, and don’t do well in noisy environments.

Rabbits need to chew to keep their teeth at a length they are comfortable with. Remove anything your rabbit might chew, especially dangerous electric wires. Go to your local hardware store to purchase electric-cord covers and PVC piping to keep the wires safe.

Although some rabbits are OK being picked up, most rabbits don’t enjoy it. If you do want to handle your rabbit, ask your veterinarian to show you — and the kids — the proper way to hold and pick them up. A rabbit will let you know if they are uncomfortable, so it’s important to watch for cues. Moreover, rabbits have very light, fragile bones. They have to be handled in a special way, and can actually break their own bones if they squirm too much!

Because rabbits are fragile, you should create house rules about their handling. A good rule to start: Only family members can take a rabbit out of his cage. Another: the kids cannot take the bunny out of his cage when the babysitter is at the home. Not everyone can love a rabbit, though. Be sure to check if your children’s friends have allergies to bunnies before they come over to play.

Rabbits need the same love the dogs and cats do. If your family is planning a vacation and leaving bunny behind, be sure to find a Boston rabbit pet sitter to care for your rabbit. Some local farms and veterinarians will even watch bunnies during family trips so ask members of your community.