Pet rabbits are the 'epitome of innocence.' Why that makes them so hard to care for.

Rabbits are some of the cutest creatures you could ever have as a pet. But they're also one of the most delicate, and many owners fail to anticipate rabbits' needs before an emergency arises, according to experts.

Nothing looks more precious than a rabbit bunny-hopping toward you across the floor, and petting luxuriously smooth rabbit fur is pure joy. But the animals' angelic disposition also means they're way more high-maintenance than dogs or cats, said Dana Varble, chief veterinary officer with the North American Veterinary Community. It can also be hard to learn how to care for your first rabbit, including knowing what to feed them, how to prepare their litter box and what safety precautions to have, she said.

"They're prey animals, their nature is to be worried and anxious, and when you can overcome that and a rabbit that trusts you, it feels like a huge accomplishment," Varble told USA TODAY.

Many new rabbit owners may struggle, said Jeanine Valand, executive director of Rabbit Rescue & Rehab in Westchester, New York. Each year, the nonprofit rescues about 100 rabbits across the greater New York City area after the animals are abandoned or brought to traditional shelters ill-equipped to care for them.

"So many rabbits are dumped out on the street, the streets of Brooklyn, the woods of Westchester, you name it," Valand, 53, told USA TODAY.

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Even though some pet stores may keep rabbits in cages, they should be free to roam the home like a dog or cat, Valand said.

"They're gregarious, they're outgoing, they're curious, they're active, they're smart, so they should never be kept in a cage," said Valand, who has five pet rabbits. "Would you keep your pet dog in a cage all the time? No."

However, it's more likely for rabbits to get injured in a home environment than a dog or a cat. They are delicate prey animals that need to be "protected" from the home environment, including from furniture and electrical wires, Valand said.

"They look up at you with these big trusting eyes and it pulls on your heartstrings and connects us to the part of us that is so nurturing," Varble said.

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The best way to keep your rabbit safe without completely caging them in is to get an animal pen enclosure, like the kind some people use for puppy litters, Valand said.

Unlike dogs and cats, rabbits do not have paw pads and "it's just fur down there" on their feet, Valand explained, meaning carpet is the only surface most rabbits are comfortable with. Over the years, Valand said, her rescue group has seen rabbits that suffered broken backs after sliding around on hardwood and tile floors.

"It would be like us trying to walk on ice," she said.

Lots and lots of hay

Like cows, rabbits are foragers that are hardwired to graze constantly, nibbling on fibers and hay one stalk at a time, Valand said.

In home environments, rabbits should have multiple piles of grass hay to forage through, Valand said, and an extra-large cat litter box filled with grass hay as well. Like cows, horses and other hay-eaters, rabbits defecate in the same place they eat, which is a huge contrast to dogs and cats, Valand said.

Rabbits also eat food pellets, but should not be overfed the calorie-rich products, said Varble. It's also important to provide extra fiber from dandelion greens, swiss chards and endive lettuce.

"It takes pretty frequent grocery store shopping and savvy shopping," Varble said.

Proper diet keeps most rabbits' teeth − which never stop growing − an appropriate length. Rabbits with crooked teeth that aren't able to be worn down by chewing need regular teeth filing, Varble said.

Medical care looks different

Rabbit owners must find a veterinarian with experience treating rabbits, Valand said, adding that rabbits' sensitive stomachs can quickly lead to health emergencies.

At Valand's Westchester home, her five rabbits named Lolli, Hastings, Bean, Billi and Sophie all cost the family hundreds of dollars in vet care, bloodwork, medications and treatments each month.

Like with pet hamsters and guinea pigs, rabbit owners could think their animal appears fine one evening, only to find the creature dead in its enclosure the next morning from a stomach rupture or gastrointestinal stasis, Valand said.

Closely tracking the eating and stools is the biggest way to monitor a pet rabbit's health, according to Varble.

"Say a rabbit went overnight without producing any fecal pellets, and then in the morning they didn't eat, that's an emergency and you need to call the veterinarian right away," Varble said. "That's a big different from our traditional pets."

Veterinarians urge all rabbit owners to spay and neuter the animals, especially since female rabbits can develop deadly uterus cancer at young ages. The proper veterinary care, vaccines and spay and neuter procedures lead many pet rabbits to live about as long as dogs and cats, topping out around 12 years, Varble said.

All the hard work and attention to detail is worth it for Valand, who said she's developed "extremely close bonds" with pet rabbits for almost 30 years.

"I love all animals, but rabbits are just the epitome of innocence, they just look right through your soul," Valand said. "My greatest pleasure comes giving them a safe home."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Own a pet rabbit? Tips for high-maintenance care, from rescue experts