Outdoor hutches with wooden floors tend to trap in ammonia and may be unhealthy for your rabbit. A wire floor (preferably pvc coated,14-gauge double-galvanized wire with 1/2" x 1" holes, although 16-gauge galvanized wire with 1/2" x 1") can be acceptable with resting mats, though larger and rex furred breeds may have more trouble with sore hocks than others. Get an exercise pen to provide extra space for the rabbit to move around. Big bunnies will need larger accommodations. The rabbit needs to be able to move around and lay down freely. Make sure to have a large enough cage so that your rabbit can play! Some owners like to do what is called “Free Range Rabbit Housing. " This is where you give your rabbit free rein of parts of or the whole house, just as you would with a dog or cat. However, keep in mind that rabbits are heavy chewers and shouldn’t be left unsupervised. The area to free roam must be “bunny-proof” and lack wires, baseboards, and carpets for your rabbit to chew on.
Choose a cage with a solid bottom or a wire floor with rest mats(14-gauge double-galvanized wire with 1/2” x 1" holes, although 16-gauge galvanized wire with 1/2" x 1" only). The bad reputation wire floors have gotten are from wire misuse and neglect, mainly from using the wrong type of wire floor and/or from not using rest surfaces. Do not be deceived, solid floors come with the risk of urine scald and matting in unshorn wool breeds and also can be abused. Each cage type come with its own pros and cons. Pay attention to your beloved pet, clip nails regularly, and keep the area clean. Rabbits are territorial animals and pairing should be done cautiously. While there are rabbits who benefit from the company of another (always spay and neuter before bonding to minimize hormonal aggression!), some may never bond with another rabbit, even when fixed. The most successful pairs are fixed male/female pairs. Unfixed rabbits will often breed, or fight (sometimes gruesomely). Bonding should never be doe with an unfixed rabbit.
Hay, in addition to being great bedding, is the most important part of a rabbits diet, so make sure you choose the right hay for your rabbit. Timothy or grass hays are appropriate for rabbits. avoid alfalfa hay(only if your rabbit is over six months old) as it is too high in calories, protein and calcium for long term feeding for all adult rabbits. [3] X Research source
Rabbits like to chew cords but you can buy cord protectors from hardware stores to stop your rabbit from chewing them. Use a baby gate or exercise pen for dogs to prevent full access to the house to avoid damage to the furnishings and the bunny.
Consider putting a second litter box in the rabbit’s play area.
Make sure your rabbit always has something safe to chew on. This will wear down its teeth and prevent injury.
For young growing rabbits (up to 4 months) feed alfalfa hay and pellets to provide extra calories needed for these life stages. [3] X Research source Dried ready grass hay is available from pet shops and feed stores or you can grow a tray of grass specially for the rabbit.
Rabbits are herbivores and even vegetables can make them gain weight(avoid feeding vegetables too frequently or if rabbit is young as they have sensitive guts) . Pellets are more concentrated energy than hay and should be fed sparingly. Remember that your rabbit can’t live on pellets alone. It is very important for the rabbit’s digestive tract to have long stem indigestible fiber in the form of Timothy or grass hay to prevent hairballs (trichobezoars) and to keep its digestive system happy and healthy. Chewing on long stem fiber also helps to wear down the rabbit’s continuously growing (hypsodont) teeth and prevent dental problems. Baby rabbits can have as many alfalfa pellets as they want until they are 6-7 months of age.
Provide leafy greens like spinach as well as collards and turnip greens. In addition, mustard greens, cilantro/parsley, watercress, celery, and dandelion leaves are good vegetables for your rabbit. Introduce greens a little at a time to avoid digestive upset. Younger rabbits, 12 weeks an older, you can add in one veggie a week, about a half an ounce at a time to avoid disrupting the cecum. [3] X Research source Fruit is high in sugar, and should be fed sparingly.
Human foods such as bread, chocolate, candy, dairy, and anything cooked should not be given to rabbits. [5] X Research source Do not give your bunny light lettuce (such as iceberg). It may kill them by causing diarrhea and digestive upset of the good bacteria in the gut. Romaine is best, but make sure it’s organic if possible, and wash it before offering it to your rabbit. You can allow a rabbit to eat grass that has not been sprayed with herbicides or pesticides and let the bunny choose what to eat on the lawn. However, avoid cut grass that has been heated and crushed by the mower. The process of cutting it will hasten the fermentation process and can lead to bunny digestive problems. [6] X Research source
Make sure, if using a water bottle, that it is working properly and is not stuck open or closed.
Approach a new rabbit slowly and calmly so the rabbit doesn’t get scared. Rabbits get scared very easily and can’t see very well, so you should speak before approaching. Try not to approach the rabbit if it looks like it’s busy or laying down and being calm. This can startle the rabbit.
Make sure your rabbit is either fenced in a pen that is at least 1 foot (0. 3 m) in the ground and 3 feet (0. 9 m) out of the ground, or on a rabbit harness and leash. [4] X Research source If you’d like to play with the bunny outside, make sure you’re in a fenced-in area, and never leave it unattended. Keep cats, dogs, and predatory birds away from the bunny at all times.
You can use some toys around the house, like loo roll tubes, old towels (that can be nibbled at or scratched).
Most rabbits enjoy being petted. [7] X Research source Sharon L. Crowell-Davis, Behavior Problems in Pet Rabbits, Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine, Volume 16, Issue 1, January 2007, Pages 38-44, ISSN 1557-5063 Don’t handle the rabbit roughly or pet it when it is clearly not enjoying it. Rabbits get stressed out easily when they aren’t comfortable. [7] X Research source Sharon L. Crowell-Davis, Behavior Problems in Pet Rabbits, Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine, Volume 16, Issue 1, January 2007, Pages 38-44, ISSN 1557-5063
Don’t be disheartened if at the beginning they bite and scratch furiously every time you try. It is like this for virtually every new rabbit owner. Remember to be gentle and calm, and don’t get angry at yourself or the rabbit. Keep working at it, when you do it successfully, give them a small treat such as apple to let them know they have done a good job. When you have bonded with your rabbits, interact with them as much as possible. This helps to build a happy and great relationship which is very rewarding as rabbits are curious and playful animals, and will give out as much love as they get back.
Make sure the bunnies are spayed or neutered, especially if you’re housing them in the same cage. Rabbits breed very quickly, and have several babies at a time. fixing may reduce hormonal aggression. Introduce your rabbits slowly and supervise them together to ensure they don’t injure each other. Not all rabbits can be housed with other rabbits, though many can enjoy the company of others. Be sure to get one that is a good fit with the rabbit you already have. [5] X Research source If you think you want more than one rabbit, get litter-mates at the same time so they are the same age and similar size. Have the bunnies spayed or neutered right away so you don’t have unwanted litters and you prevent some hormonally driven behavior issues.
Have the rabbits in cages far apart on neutral ground for a few days and watch what they do. If they are thumping and agitated, place the rabbits further apart or in separate rooms for a few more days and then bring them back in eyesight. This would be a good time, when introducing them, to have yummy veggies to distract the rabbits but also increase the positive association of the presence of the other rabbit. Gradually decrease the distance between the cages until they are next to each other, but still safe from “attack. ” As long as they are peacefully co-existing in cages next to each other, continue this arrangement for at least a week. Then, you can place them in exercise pens with a barrier between them and, if all is okay, allow the rabbits to meet without a barrier, under supervision for a short period of time. Place yummy greens in there, two to three piles, to reinforce all is good. [8] X Research source When rabbits are laying down together or grooming each other, bunny life is good.
The litter box needs to be changed out every day and thoroughly disinfected every week or so with a 10% white vinegar solution. Rinse well and allow to dry. If the litter box is plastic or metal, you can also place it in the dishwasher. Have more than one litter box so that you can switch a clean one while the other box is dirty or in the process of being cleaned. Rabbit urine is very alkaline and crystals can build up on the surface of the litter box and require the use of a descaling solution.
The rabbit’s ears are really the main temperature control part of their bodies. Panting with bright red ears may be a sign of over-heating. If they were in the wild, the rabbit would go underground where it is cool to get out of the heat.
Bathing should never be done, but you can use a soft-bristled brush to groom. If you have two rabbits, you may notice them grooming each other. Rabbits do not need to be bathed unless they get very dirty and are not able to groom themselves properly. Only if needed, bathe the dirty bottom of the rabbit only. Never bathe whole rabbit as the sudden change in temperature from wet fur can bring rabbits into shock.
Depending on where you live, your veterinarian may recommend vaccination for certain diseases like Myxomatosis if you live in the United Kingdom. In the United States, Myxomatosis vaccination is not currently recommended. [3] X Research source Your veterinarian will do an examination and discuss their findings and make recommendations based on your rabbit’s current condition. Managing healthy dentition in rabbits may require anesthesia to fully examine the teeth and address any sharp points discovered on the back teeth (premolars and molars). [5] X Research source
If a rabbit’s ears are flat on its back, its eyes are bulging and its body is tense and hunched up, it is scared. If a rabbit is really terrified, it may be trembling and breathing heavily. If a rabbit is very relaxed chilled out, it will be laying stretched out with its front paws in front of it, or it may have all its paws tucked beneath its body. It may also be laying on its side. Its ears may be flat on its back. Sometimes, when a rabbit is extremely happy and excited, it will jump into the air and flick its body. This is called a binky. Many rabbits will run around very quickly before binkying. Sometimes, if a rabbit is feeling lazy, it won’t do a proper binky but will remain on the ground and do a sort of shuddery-flick.
