WHAT DO RABBITS NEED TO EAT?
Rabbits have VERY sensitive digestive systems! The only foods your rabbit needs to stay healthy is timothy hay, rabbit pellets, & fresh clean water. The most important thing your rabbit needs to stay healthy is HAY! However, not just any hay will do, timothy hay is the very best hay for your rabbit to eat. Timothy hay can be ordered from www.smallpetselect.com. The timothy hay can be ordered in many different boxed sizes, & is delivered right to your door. AVOID alfalfa hay, as it is too rich, & can actually cause diarrhea. A salt/mineral wheel should be available at all times in your rabbit's cage, or hutch. Timothy hay should be available to your rabbit daily. A hay rack can be hung on the outside of your cage, or a veggie ball hung from the top of the cage, can also be useful for putting hay into. Hay helps the rabbit's digestive system, so as to help prevent diarrhea, helps keep teeth trimmed down, & helps prevent hairballs. Rabbits can't vomit like a cat to rid itself of a hairball. Therefore, hay, & regularly brushing is very important. Hair can cause blockage in the rabbit's digestive track. Quality rabbit pellets should be offered to your rabbit daily, but limited when they reach 6 months of age. Until then, they should have free feed. Allowing your rabbit to have an abundance amount of rabbit pellets a day, once 6 months old, can lead to obesity, kidney, heart, & liver disease. Timothy hay should make up the bulk of your rabbit's diet. Clean water is a must for your rabbit. Not only will your rabbit become dehydrated without water, but they will stop eating. If you notice your rabbit has slowed down, or stopped eating, check to make sure your rabbit has water, or make sure your water bottle is working properly. Fresh water should be given every day, rabbits will not drink warm water. Also, extreme heat, or extreme cold can throw your rabbit off of it's feed, & can cause diarrhea, or soft stools. If your rabbit has soft stools, feed only timothy hay, & water for 2-3 days. Then, gradually over the next 2-3 days, add their rabbit pellets back into their diet, while still feeding the timothy hay. If diarrhea is severe, you may want to contact your local exotic vet, as rabbits dehydrate very fast, & diarrhea can turn fatal in a rabbit. You may also use Duramycin 10 in their drinking water. Use one teaspoon of the yellow powder, in a one gallon jug of water, & shake. Duramycin can also be used when bringing a new rabbit home, or taking to a show, to help with the stress levels, to help prevent diarrhea, & sickness. Duramycin can be found at Tractor Supply Stores. If diarrhea, take immediately to rabbit savvy vet, so the rabbit doesn't dehydrate. Keeping your rabbit at a constant controlled temperature is best. Rabbits may be offered treats of vegetables, & fruit, but we recommend waiting until 6 months old to do this. However, please do your research, as not all fruits, & vegetables are safe for rabbits. Once your rabbit is 6 months of age it may have a SMALL baby carrot, green bean, apple, (without the seed), banana, pineapple chunk, barley~ as a treat for good flesh condition, & they also LOVE Quaker Old Fashioned Oats sprinkled on top of their feed for a treat! Please remember though, that too much of a good thing can cause diarrhea, & stomach upset. DO NOT FEED any food that would cause bloating, or gas. Rabbits can't pass gas, so if fed food that causes gas, it could cause severe bloating, & even death.
FOODS TO AVOID:
* Iceberg lettuce
* Broccoli
* Tomatoes
* Cabbage
* Corn
* Onions
* Rhubarb
* Bamboo
* Seeds
* Cauliflower
* Alfalfa Hay; too rich, & can cause gut upset
SHOULD I KEEP MY BUNNY INSIDE, OR OUTSIDE?
If adopting a bunny from us, it will be use to being housed indoors. Extreme temperature changes can cause the bunny to go off of it's feed, & cause diarrhea, not to mention other health problems. Please keep this in mind, when deciding where to house your bunny from us. Another thing to consider when deciding how to house your bunny~rabbits do not tolerate heat. Rabbits can't sweat, so if it gets over-heated, it could have a heat stroke, & die. So, if you decide to keep your bunny outside, it needs to be in the shade. If your bunny that is kept outside should become too hot, you can spritz their ears with cool water to help them cool down. As rabbits cool off through their ears. You can also put a gatorade bottle filled with frozen water in their cage for them to lay by. Some people freeze ceramic tile squares, & lay them in the cage for them to lay on. All of these things can help them to stay cool. However, if it becomes too hot, you may need to bring your rabbit inside. If outside in the winter the bunny will need a nestbox filled with timothy hay, & the water bottle, or crocks will freeze. Water will need to be replaced at least two times daily. If your bunny does not get enough water it will dehydrate, & die. A caged rabbit whether outdoors, or in, should have adequate space to stretch out, & not bump it's head while standing on it's hind legs. Wherever you place your cage, it is important to keep your rabbit away from drafts, & direct sunlight. Remove solid waste, & bedding daily. Never use pine, and cedar shavings as litter for your house rabbit. The problem is with it's aromatic smell. The odor is from chemicals in the wood shavings called phenols. The phenols in pine, & cedar shavings causes changes in the liver's enzymes. Safer litters such as recycled paper, carefresh, & aspen shavings are safer alternatives. Allowing your bunny to run around indoors is great exercise. Remember though to NEVER leave them unattended while out of their cage. Bunnies love to chew! Not only will they chew your wooden base boards, or a favorite piece of furniture, but they will chew electrical cords, & poisonous plants. So the safest place for your bunny while you are gone is in it's cage.
GROOMING
Rabbits in general groom themselves very well, but do regularly need to be brushed, especially during the shedding seasons. Occasionally your bunny might have fecal matter stuck in it's fur around the genital area. You can dip their bottom in a small amount of lukewarm water, giving a bum bath, dry thoroughly with a towel when finished. NEVER use soap on a rabbit, or immerse in water. Rabbits need to have their nails trimmed. This prevents them from tearing. Rabbits have a, "pink flesh color", that is called the "quick", which should NOT be cut. Good lighting is important when trimming the nails, so as not to cut the "quick". If the "quick" is accidentally cut the bleeding will need to be stopped. Cornstarch can be used to help stop bleeding, or apply pressure with paper towel, until the bleeding has stopped. Never leave a bleeding rabbit alone in it's cage. If you don't feel comfortable doing this your vet will be able to do it for you, or show you how to do it. Also, rabbits teeth never stop growing! Rabbits need wood, free of chemicals, available to chew on at all times to keep their teeth at the proper length.
Your rabbit will come with a small zip-lock transition bag of the rabbit feed it is use to. If you decide to use a different brand of rabbit feed, you will need to gradually switch it over. If you wish to purchase the kind of rabbit feed we use, please ask what kind we use. However, if you do decide to switch to a different brand, it will need to be done gradually. First day @ new home 90% our food, & 10% the food you plan on feeding them. Keep gradually increasing your food that you plan on feeding them, & decreasing the amount of ours. It is important to do this because rabbit's digestive systems are very delicate. If upset it can cause diarrhea, which can cause death VERY quickly, in a matter of hours. If your rabbit should develop diarrhea you need to take it to the vet immediately! Find a rabbit savvy vet in your area in case an emergency situation arises. Not all vets will see a rabbit. Rabbits do not need to be vaccinated. Rabbits only need to see the vet if they become ill. Some sicknesses that rabbits can come down with include: Snuffles~ symptoms include weepy eyes, excessive sneezing, runny nose, & stiff fur on front paws from wiping nose. This is a deadly sickness, & HIGHLY contagious among other rabbits. Weepy eye~ terramycin ointment for animal eyes treats this, & can be found at some feed stores, or your rabbit savvy vet will prescribe eye drops. However, terramycin can be hard to find on store shelves anymore. If you can't find terramycin, look for Vetericyn Ophthalmic Gel for the eyes, it also comes in a spray. Vetericyn can be found at Tractor Supply Stores. However, the terramycin ointment works the best. Wry neck~ rabbit's head will start to tilt to one side, will keep getting worse, take to the vet immediately to save rabbit. Usually the vet will prescribe ear drops, & baytril given orally. The baytril is usually given for 10 days. Fur mites~1 shot of ivermectin given every two weeks, for a total of 3 shots, takes care of this problem, & cleaning of their cages between shots with clorox. Diligent cleaning of their environment is important. You can also give a small pea size amount orally of ivermectin, for horses, found at Tractor Supply Stores. You can also find a mite/lice spray for small animals ,(rabbits, & birds), at PetSmart. Ear mites, ear infections, & ringworm~ this is not actually a "worm", but is bald patches of skin, having a worm-like design. One cause of ringworm is high humidity, & it is very contagious to humans as well. A trip to the vet is required for some topical cream to put on the effected area. Please note that housed rabbits live happier, & healthier lives. Stress can also cause diarrhea in rabbits. It is important to reduce stress as much as possible when bringing your rabbit to it's new home. As it will need time to adjust to it's new surroundings, & people. I usually recommend that you do not remove your rabbit from it's cage for the first 48 hours after you bring it home. No loud noises, or sudden movement around cage. This will help it not to become stressed~ by allowing it time to slowly get use to you, & everything around it. Also, please do not use a vacuum cleaner around your rabbit, as doing so can scare it so bad that it could have a heart attack. Your rabbit will not be use to a vacuum cleaner. Therefore, remove your rabbit from the area you wish to vacuum, & put it back when you are finished.
Some Commonly Asked Questions:
Question: Why does my bunny have red urine.... is it blood?
Answer: Rabbit's urine can vary in color from yellow, brown, rusty orange, to red. Please see below for information found in the 4-H Rabbit Resource Handbook, page 62:
Red Urine: Rabbit urine commonly has a reddish pigment, and unless blood is seen, is not cause for alarm. Rabbit urine frequently contains large amounts of calcium oxalate or calcium carbonate, which is seen as deposits on cage walls or floors, and in the bottom of litter boxes. This red coloration is especially noticeable when the urine is alkaline, usually due to the type of feed eaten.
Question: My bunny is eating it's poo....is this normal?
Answer: Yes! This is perfectly normal! "Coprophagy" is defined as "the eating of dung". It is the soft feces that looks like a blackberry, or small cluster of grapes. This kind of bunny poo still has nutrients in it. The hard feces is their normal poo, which is in the shape of small little balls.
Question: What kind of hay should I feed my bunny?
Answer: Timothy hay is the best hay to feed your bunny. Alfalfa hay is too rich in calcium, & protein. It can actually cause diarrhea!!!!
We order our timothy hay from www.smallpetselect.com.
Question: Can my bunny be litterbox trained?
Answer: Yes! We have had bunnies "naturally" just take to a corner litterbox in their cage. Just keep it in the corner they prefer to go potty in. Use carefresh in litterbox, or recycled paper, with some hay on top, or keep hay rack near litterbox, as rabbits like to relieve themselves while they eat.
Question: Do you recommend putting anything in their water as a preventative...to keep them healthy?
Answer: We sometimes use Duramycin, a yellow powdered probiotic. It can be found at Tractor Supply Stores. It can be used to help bunnies who go to shows deal with stress, and to help prevent a sickness they could come into contact with on the show table. We use 1 teaspoon per gallon of water, once mixed, the solution is only good for 24 hrs. We also like to put Puritan's Pride Pure Vitamin C Crystals in their water occasionally, to help boost their immune system. Or, we sometimes put apple cider vinegar in their drinking water. One tablespoon of apple cider vinegar per gallon of water. Not only does this help keep them healthy, but if given for a whole month, encourages breeding.
Question: Can I keep my bunnies in the same cage together?
Answer: Only if they are does, (females), from the same litter do we recommend trying this. Even then, sometimes it works, & sometimes not. If the sister pair begin to show aggression, then we recommend moving them to separate cages. Usually, if this will happen, they usually show signs of aggression by 6 months old. Males may not be kept together, unless neutered, as they will fight when they get older.
Question: Should I neuter, or spay my rabbit?
Answer: If you do decide to neuter, or spay your rabbit you need to find a vet who is qualified to perform this surgery on a rabbit. Preferably a rabbit savvy vet, or exotic vet. A person may choose to spay a female rabbit to help in the prevention of her getting cancer. However, if bred at least one time before the female doe reaches 2 years of age, that will also reduce her risk. Another reason to spay/neuter would be to help improve behavior of an aggressive rabbit. Or, if you did want to house the male/female rabbits together, then that also would be another reason. Sometimes male rabbits will spray,(urine), for bad sprayers that is another reason yet to consider neutering, but despite the stereotype, not all male rabbits spray!
Question: Does male, or female rabbits make a better pet?
Answer: Oh, if that answer were that simple! The word on the street is that males tend to make the better pet. However, despite that stereotype, that is not always true! I have some VERY sweet, & affectionate female rabbits! I have also had some male rabbits who became VERY aggressive when they became of breeding age. So bad in fact.... that it seemed their purpose in life was to bite the very hand that feeds it! However, in the Holland Lop breed, it has been our experience, that both male, & females make great pets.
Question: What type of cage do you recommend?
Answer: Whatever cage you choose for your rabbit, make sure it has a wire bottom, or plastic mesh flooring. I do not like the solid bottom cages, because the rabbit is sitting in it's pee, & poo. Solid bottom cages also need to be changed every other day. If you get a wire bottom cage, like the one pictured below, you only have to change the pan once a week.
Question: What kind of litter do you recommend for my rabbit cage?
Answer: If you have a wire bottom cage, & the rabbit is not sitting in it's litter, I recommend equine pellets for your litter pan. They can be found at Tractor Supply Stores, & they are used for horses, & come in a 40 pound bag. Equine pellets soak up urine WAY better than wood shavings, or carefresh! They also absorb the urine odor! Plus, not only do the equine pellets work better, but are more affordable, since you get more for your money! If you have a solid bottom cage, plan on changing it more often, & I recommend for this type of cage carefresh pet bedding.
Question: What should I bring to transport my bunny home in?
Answer: A small pet carrier would work fine, but not too small, if buying a baby bunny, (kit), it will get bigger....you will want to be able to use the carrier more than once. You can also buy rabbit carrier from some rabbit website, such as: www.bassequipment.com, or www.bunnyrabbit.com.
Question: What type of rabbit food should I feed my bunny?
Answer: Pure rabbit pellets, without any colorful things mixed in, & a rabbit pellet that has required protein amount in it.
Question: Do I need to de-worm my bunny?
Answer: You might want to de-worm your bunny after coming home from a rabbit show. As sometimes they can pick up pin worms on the show table. We use Safeguard, a horse de-wormer, it has a apple- cinnamon flavor. Some bunnies will take it by itself, with others you may need to inject it into their mouth for them. It is a white paste, only give a small pea size amount.
Rabbits have VERY sensitive digestive systems! The only foods your rabbit needs to stay healthy is timothy hay, rabbit pellets, & fresh clean water. The most important thing your rabbit needs to stay healthy is HAY! However, not just any hay will do, timothy hay is the very best hay for your rabbit to eat. Timothy hay can be ordered from www.smallpetselect.com. The timothy hay can be ordered in many different boxed sizes, & is delivered right to your door. AVOID alfalfa hay, as it is too rich, & can actually cause diarrhea. A salt/mineral wheel should be available at all times in your rabbit's cage, or hutch. Timothy hay should be available to your rabbit daily. A hay rack can be hung on the outside of your cage, or a veggie ball hung from the top of the cage, can also be useful for putting hay into. Hay helps the rabbit's digestive system, so as to help prevent diarrhea, helps keep teeth trimmed down, & helps prevent hairballs. Rabbits can't vomit like a cat to rid itself of a hairball. Therefore, hay, & regularly brushing is very important. Hair can cause blockage in the rabbit's digestive track. Quality rabbit pellets should be offered to your rabbit daily, but limited when they reach 6 months of age. Until then, they should have free feed. Allowing your rabbit to have an abundance amount of rabbit pellets a day, once 6 months old, can lead to obesity, kidney, heart, & liver disease. Timothy hay should make up the bulk of your rabbit's diet. Clean water is a must for your rabbit. Not only will your rabbit become dehydrated without water, but they will stop eating. If you notice your rabbit has slowed down, or stopped eating, check to make sure your rabbit has water, or make sure your water bottle is working properly. Fresh water should be given every day, rabbits will not drink warm water. Also, extreme heat, or extreme cold can throw your rabbit off of it's feed, & can cause diarrhea, or soft stools. If your rabbit has soft stools, feed only timothy hay, & water for 2-3 days. Then, gradually over the next 2-3 days, add their rabbit pellets back into their diet, while still feeding the timothy hay. If diarrhea is severe, you may want to contact your local exotic vet, as rabbits dehydrate very fast, & diarrhea can turn fatal in a rabbit. You may also use Duramycin 10 in their drinking water. Use one teaspoon of the yellow powder, in a one gallon jug of water, & shake. Duramycin can also be used when bringing a new rabbit home, or taking to a show, to help with the stress levels, to help prevent diarrhea, & sickness. Duramycin can be found at Tractor Supply Stores. If diarrhea, take immediately to rabbit savvy vet, so the rabbit doesn't dehydrate. Keeping your rabbit at a constant controlled temperature is best. Rabbits may be offered treats of vegetables, & fruit, but we recommend waiting until 6 months old to do this. However, please do your research, as not all fruits, & vegetables are safe for rabbits. Once your rabbit is 6 months of age it may have a SMALL baby carrot, green bean, apple, (without the seed), banana, pineapple chunk, barley~ as a treat for good flesh condition, & they also LOVE Quaker Old Fashioned Oats sprinkled on top of their feed for a treat! Please remember though, that too much of a good thing can cause diarrhea, & stomach upset. DO NOT FEED any food that would cause bloating, or gas. Rabbits can't pass gas, so if fed food that causes gas, it could cause severe bloating, & even death.
FOODS TO AVOID:
* Iceberg lettuce
* Broccoli
* Tomatoes
* Cabbage
* Corn
* Onions
* Rhubarb
* Bamboo
* Seeds
* Cauliflower
* Alfalfa Hay; too rich, & can cause gut upset
SHOULD I KEEP MY BUNNY INSIDE, OR OUTSIDE?
If adopting a bunny from us, it will be use to being housed indoors. Extreme temperature changes can cause the bunny to go off of it's feed, & cause diarrhea, not to mention other health problems. Please keep this in mind, when deciding where to house your bunny from us. Another thing to consider when deciding how to house your bunny~rabbits do not tolerate heat. Rabbits can't sweat, so if it gets over-heated, it could have a heat stroke, & die. So, if you decide to keep your bunny outside, it needs to be in the shade. If your bunny that is kept outside should become too hot, you can spritz their ears with cool water to help them cool down. As rabbits cool off through their ears. You can also put a gatorade bottle filled with frozen water in their cage for them to lay by. Some people freeze ceramic tile squares, & lay them in the cage for them to lay on. All of these things can help them to stay cool. However, if it becomes too hot, you may need to bring your rabbit inside. If outside in the winter the bunny will need a nestbox filled with timothy hay, & the water bottle, or crocks will freeze. Water will need to be replaced at least two times daily. If your bunny does not get enough water it will dehydrate, & die. A caged rabbit whether outdoors, or in, should have adequate space to stretch out, & not bump it's head while standing on it's hind legs. Wherever you place your cage, it is important to keep your rabbit away from drafts, & direct sunlight. Remove solid waste, & bedding daily. Never use pine, and cedar shavings as litter for your house rabbit. The problem is with it's aromatic smell. The odor is from chemicals in the wood shavings called phenols. The phenols in pine, & cedar shavings causes changes in the liver's enzymes. Safer litters such as recycled paper, carefresh, & aspen shavings are safer alternatives. Allowing your bunny to run around indoors is great exercise. Remember though to NEVER leave them unattended while out of their cage. Bunnies love to chew! Not only will they chew your wooden base boards, or a favorite piece of furniture, but they will chew electrical cords, & poisonous plants. So the safest place for your bunny while you are gone is in it's cage.
GROOMING
Rabbits in general groom themselves very well, but do regularly need to be brushed, especially during the shedding seasons. Occasionally your bunny might have fecal matter stuck in it's fur around the genital area. You can dip their bottom in a small amount of lukewarm water, giving a bum bath, dry thoroughly with a towel when finished. NEVER use soap on a rabbit, or immerse in water. Rabbits need to have their nails trimmed. This prevents them from tearing. Rabbits have a, "pink flesh color", that is called the "quick", which should NOT be cut. Good lighting is important when trimming the nails, so as not to cut the "quick". If the "quick" is accidentally cut the bleeding will need to be stopped. Cornstarch can be used to help stop bleeding, or apply pressure with paper towel, until the bleeding has stopped. Never leave a bleeding rabbit alone in it's cage. If you don't feel comfortable doing this your vet will be able to do it for you, or show you how to do it. Also, rabbits teeth never stop growing! Rabbits need wood, free of chemicals, available to chew on at all times to keep their teeth at the proper length.
Your rabbit will come with a small zip-lock transition bag of the rabbit feed it is use to. If you decide to use a different brand of rabbit feed, you will need to gradually switch it over. If you wish to purchase the kind of rabbit feed we use, please ask what kind we use. However, if you do decide to switch to a different brand, it will need to be done gradually. First day @ new home 90% our food, & 10% the food you plan on feeding them. Keep gradually increasing your food that you plan on feeding them, & decreasing the amount of ours. It is important to do this because rabbit's digestive systems are very delicate. If upset it can cause diarrhea, which can cause death VERY quickly, in a matter of hours. If your rabbit should develop diarrhea you need to take it to the vet immediately! Find a rabbit savvy vet in your area in case an emergency situation arises. Not all vets will see a rabbit. Rabbits do not need to be vaccinated. Rabbits only need to see the vet if they become ill. Some sicknesses that rabbits can come down with include: Snuffles~ symptoms include weepy eyes, excessive sneezing, runny nose, & stiff fur on front paws from wiping nose. This is a deadly sickness, & HIGHLY contagious among other rabbits. Weepy eye~ terramycin ointment for animal eyes treats this, & can be found at some feed stores, or your rabbit savvy vet will prescribe eye drops. However, terramycin can be hard to find on store shelves anymore. If you can't find terramycin, look for Vetericyn Ophthalmic Gel for the eyes, it also comes in a spray. Vetericyn can be found at Tractor Supply Stores. However, the terramycin ointment works the best. Wry neck~ rabbit's head will start to tilt to one side, will keep getting worse, take to the vet immediately to save rabbit. Usually the vet will prescribe ear drops, & baytril given orally. The baytril is usually given for 10 days. Fur mites~1 shot of ivermectin given every two weeks, for a total of 3 shots, takes care of this problem, & cleaning of their cages between shots with clorox. Diligent cleaning of their environment is important. You can also give a small pea size amount orally of ivermectin, for horses, found at Tractor Supply Stores. You can also find a mite/lice spray for small animals ,(rabbits, & birds), at PetSmart. Ear mites, ear infections, & ringworm~ this is not actually a "worm", but is bald patches of skin, having a worm-like design. One cause of ringworm is high humidity, & it is very contagious to humans as well. A trip to the vet is required for some topical cream to put on the effected area. Please note that housed rabbits live happier, & healthier lives. Stress can also cause diarrhea in rabbits. It is important to reduce stress as much as possible when bringing your rabbit to it's new home. As it will need time to adjust to it's new surroundings, & people. I usually recommend that you do not remove your rabbit from it's cage for the first 48 hours after you bring it home. No loud noises, or sudden movement around cage. This will help it not to become stressed~ by allowing it time to slowly get use to you, & everything around it. Also, please do not use a vacuum cleaner around your rabbit, as doing so can scare it so bad that it could have a heart attack. Your rabbit will not be use to a vacuum cleaner. Therefore, remove your rabbit from the area you wish to vacuum, & put it back when you are finished.
Some Commonly Asked Questions:
Question: Why does my bunny have red urine.... is it blood?
Answer: Rabbit's urine can vary in color from yellow, brown, rusty orange, to red. Please see below for information found in the 4-H Rabbit Resource Handbook, page 62:
Red Urine: Rabbit urine commonly has a reddish pigment, and unless blood is seen, is not cause for alarm. Rabbit urine frequently contains large amounts of calcium oxalate or calcium carbonate, which is seen as deposits on cage walls or floors, and in the bottom of litter boxes. This red coloration is especially noticeable when the urine is alkaline, usually due to the type of feed eaten.
Question: My bunny is eating it's poo....is this normal?
Answer: Yes! This is perfectly normal! "Coprophagy" is defined as "the eating of dung". It is the soft feces that looks like a blackberry, or small cluster of grapes. This kind of bunny poo still has nutrients in it. The hard feces is their normal poo, which is in the shape of small little balls.
Question: What kind of hay should I feed my bunny?
Answer: Timothy hay is the best hay to feed your bunny. Alfalfa hay is too rich in calcium, & protein. It can actually cause diarrhea!!!!
We order our timothy hay from www.smallpetselect.com.
Question: Can my bunny be litterbox trained?
Answer: Yes! We have had bunnies "naturally" just take to a corner litterbox in their cage. Just keep it in the corner they prefer to go potty in. Use carefresh in litterbox, or recycled paper, with some hay on top, or keep hay rack near litterbox, as rabbits like to relieve themselves while they eat.
Question: Do you recommend putting anything in their water as a preventative...to keep them healthy?
Answer: We sometimes use Duramycin, a yellow powdered probiotic. It can be found at Tractor Supply Stores. It can be used to help bunnies who go to shows deal with stress, and to help prevent a sickness they could come into contact with on the show table. We use 1 teaspoon per gallon of water, once mixed, the solution is only good for 24 hrs. We also like to put Puritan's Pride Pure Vitamin C Crystals in their water occasionally, to help boost their immune system. Or, we sometimes put apple cider vinegar in their drinking water. One tablespoon of apple cider vinegar per gallon of water. Not only does this help keep them healthy, but if given for a whole month, encourages breeding.
Question: Can I keep my bunnies in the same cage together?
Answer: Only if they are does, (females), from the same litter do we recommend trying this. Even then, sometimes it works, & sometimes not. If the sister pair begin to show aggression, then we recommend moving them to separate cages. Usually, if this will happen, they usually show signs of aggression by 6 months old. Males may not be kept together, unless neutered, as they will fight when they get older.
Question: Should I neuter, or spay my rabbit?
Answer: If you do decide to neuter, or spay your rabbit you need to find a vet who is qualified to perform this surgery on a rabbit. Preferably a rabbit savvy vet, or exotic vet. A person may choose to spay a female rabbit to help in the prevention of her getting cancer. However, if bred at least one time before the female doe reaches 2 years of age, that will also reduce her risk. Another reason to spay/neuter would be to help improve behavior of an aggressive rabbit. Or, if you did want to house the male/female rabbits together, then that also would be another reason. Sometimes male rabbits will spray,(urine), for bad sprayers that is another reason yet to consider neutering, but despite the stereotype, not all male rabbits spray!
Question: Does male, or female rabbits make a better pet?
Answer: Oh, if that answer were that simple! The word on the street is that males tend to make the better pet. However, despite that stereotype, that is not always true! I have some VERY sweet, & affectionate female rabbits! I have also had some male rabbits who became VERY aggressive when they became of breeding age. So bad in fact.... that it seemed their purpose in life was to bite the very hand that feeds it! However, in the Holland Lop breed, it has been our experience, that both male, & females make great pets.
Question: What type of cage do you recommend?
Answer: Whatever cage you choose for your rabbit, make sure it has a wire bottom, or plastic mesh flooring. I do not like the solid bottom cages, because the rabbit is sitting in it's pee, & poo. Solid bottom cages also need to be changed every other day. If you get a wire bottom cage, like the one pictured below, you only have to change the pan once a week.
Question: What kind of litter do you recommend for my rabbit cage?
Answer: If you have a wire bottom cage, & the rabbit is not sitting in it's litter, I recommend equine pellets for your litter pan. They can be found at Tractor Supply Stores, & they are used for horses, & come in a 40 pound bag. Equine pellets soak up urine WAY better than wood shavings, or carefresh! They also absorb the urine odor! Plus, not only do the equine pellets work better, but are more affordable, since you get more for your money! If you have a solid bottom cage, plan on changing it more often, & I recommend for this type of cage carefresh pet bedding.
Question: What should I bring to transport my bunny home in?
Answer: A small pet carrier would work fine, but not too small, if buying a baby bunny, (kit), it will get bigger....you will want to be able to use the carrier more than once. You can also buy rabbit carrier from some rabbit website, such as: www.bassequipment.com, or www.bunnyrabbit.com.
Question: What type of rabbit food should I feed my bunny?
Answer: Pure rabbit pellets, without any colorful things mixed in, & a rabbit pellet that has required protein amount in it.
Question: Do I need to de-worm my bunny?
Answer: You might want to de-worm your bunny after coming home from a rabbit show. As sometimes they can pick up pin worms on the show table. We use Safeguard, a horse de-wormer, it has a apple- cinnamon flavor. Some bunnies will take it by itself, with others you may need to inject it into their mouth for them. It is a white paste, only give a small pea size amount.
