As cute as it would be to have a real-life Easter bunny in a basket on Sunday, one expert rescuer says to skip it and opt for a candy rabbit or plush toy.

Kyle Golden, a board member of Pflugerville's House Rabbit Resource Network, says that the rescue always receives an influx of rescue requests during Easter-time.

It's usually either people surrendering rabbits they got for the holiday, or else finding a rabbit set loose in their neighborhood by unwitting owners trying to "return it to nature."

But domesticated rabbits are different from wild rabbits, and do not survive in the Texas heat or around predators.

"We recommend that people not get the rabbits during the Easter time holiday, or basically for any gift, during any holiday season," says Golden. "They should learn more about what it takes to have a rabbit as a pet and part of the family."

Pancake the rabbit.House Rabbit Resource Network

One of the most common reasons for surrenders, Golden says, is allergies, whether to the rabbit itself or the hay required to create a rabbit home.

It's easy to forget that rabbits are wildlife, not domesticated pets, and can take a long time to get comfortable with human socialization.

"Rabbits are prey animals as opposed to predator animals like a dog or cat," Golden says. "Many times, people don't understand the psychology behind how a rabbit is going to interact with them. More than likely a rabbit is going to take a much longer period of time to warm up and to gain that trust [with] their human, so they know they're not going to be eaten, or abused, or whatever other danger might come their way."

Other issues include introducing the rabbit to other pets, as well as rabbits' inclination to chew furniture, cables, or anything else close to the ground.

Rabbits are also more costly: What may cost $100 for a dog or cat could cost $800 for a rabbit, Golden says, because they are considered an "exotic" pet, which requires specific training many vets do not have.

Dallasites who want to meet rabbits or other unusual critters can volunteer at wildlife centers such as North Texas Wildlife Center, in Plano that rescues and rehabilitates injured or orphaned wildlife, or North Texas Rabbit Sanctuary, which rescues rabbits and helps find new homes. Most are staffed almost entirely by volunteers. Jobs include grooming, socializing, cleaning cages, and giving food and water.

Rabbits are intelligent, living beings, Golden says. "Each rabbit has a completely different temperament and personality," he says.