In the world of adorable pet stories, we tend to focus on the animals who are smaller than they should be because that’s the sort of wholesome content you can always count on making people d’awww .
But what about the ones who are significantly larger than what we’re used to seeing? What about those pets?
Well, prepare yourself because you’re about to lay eyes on one absolute unit of a bunny rabbit. But don’t be alarmed, because this floof is a friendly giant.
Meet Cocoa Puff, the 18.5lb pet rabbit who’s taking the internet by storm and winning over the hearts of people everywhere.
This long-eared and even longer-bodied cutie is actually a continental giant rabbit, which explains why he’s just so darn huge .
According to Rabbitpedia , this particular breed can weigh between 16 and 25 pounds and can grow up to 3 feet long, with some growing even bigger! Although most popularly known for their gigantic size, conti’s are also regarded as being the sweethearts of the rabbit world. So obviously their hearts are just as big as their bodies!
Cocoa Puff is the beloved pet of the Smith family in Washington where he has been living for the last two years or so.
Rather than spend his days locked up inside what I can only imagine would be a pretty big one, Cocoa is free to hop around the house to his little heart’s desire, and enjoys playing with his human siblings, 6-year-old Hunter and especially 3-year-old Macy.
“We could not believe from day one how tolerant and how calm he was with my kids,” mom Lindsay Smith told Inside Edition .
Apparently Cocoa and Macy have a particularly close bond, despite the fact that the bunny nearly dwarfs the toddler in size.
But believe it or not, his size has actually helped these two become even closer. As Lindsay explained, the fact that Cocoa is so big makes him “more of a playmate than a pet.”
And because continental rabbits are so gentle, she said Cocoa’s actually taught Macy how to be more gentle and loving, too.
Suffice it to say, people online are obsessed with this massive bunny.
His Instagram page has nearly 300,000 followers who love to watch Cocoa play with his family, perform tricks for treats, and, of course, cuddle up with his BFF, Macy.
Yes, I did in fact say “tricks”. Cocoa is no ordinary bunny. In fact, it’s not just his size that makes him incredibly dog-like.
As Lindsay explained, Cocoa can do tricks and he’s even house trained.
“I would say the house training took between six and seven months,” she told The Morning Show . “But rabbits are actually very smart — I don’t think they get enough credit. It doesn’t take him long to learn a trick.”
And just like you would with a pet dog, the Smith family regularly takes Cocoa out for walks, too.
Unsurprisingly, taking care of a larger-than-life bunny rabbit can be pretty costly, something which Lindsay said can be a huge misconception for prospective bunny owners.
“I think a lot of people think of rabbits like hamsters: you take them out for 30 minutes a day and you feed them and that’s it, but that is the exact opposite,” she told Inside Edition . “Rabbits take more care than a dog or cat and they require so much attention.”
Not only does the Smith family spend around $200 a month on Cocoa’s food, they also have to splash out some serious bucks on repairs, since this cutie loves to chew up furniture and carpet.
Although he’s a pretty costly pet, and he requires more TLC than you’d think, Lindsay says she can’t imagine life without Cocoa.
“The love and interaction I see between Cocoa Puff and my kids is just priceless and you can’t take that away,” she explained. “He’s a part of our family.”
If you want to keep up with Cocoa Puff and his adorable adventures, check out his Instagram @big_cocoa_puff .
h/t: Inside Edition , The Morning Show
