Learn how to take care of a pet rabbit, and how to provide him with the correct shelter, food and much more.
Rabbits make wonderful, quiet, and loving pets, and will be a great investment for any family to make. They need affection and can be housetrained like cats. When choosing a rabbit make sure he looks plump, inquisitive, intelligent, and has a shiny full fur.
The rabbit needs to be kept in large indoor cage with walls and a ceiling that is breathable such as a chicken wire mesh or a screen with mosquito netting. The cage should have a solid floor, and you should have at least one square foot of space for a one pound rabbit. The cage should be in a cool spot, not in the full sunlight as rabbits are very sensitive to heat. There should always be shade available and cool water in case the rabbits get too hot and want to cool down.
The bedding can consist of straw, shredded paper, saw dust or sand, and you need to clean out the major faeces at least once a day. The entire cage needs a good cleaning and disinfecting once every two weeks to keep the rabbits happy and clean and free from diseases.
Fresh water should be supplied to the rabbits at least twice a day in either a bowl or a bottle that attaches to the cage. If you use a bowl, clean it each time you fill it back up with water. The bowl is less suited for rabbits because they will often poop in the water and you will need to clean it out very often, so a good water bottle is a good investment.
Each rabbit should be fed at least once a day with about four to six ounces of rabbit food, and keep a salt spool in the cage for the rabbit to able to replenish his mineral storage. Rabbits love fresh fruits and vegetables, and if you have a lawn bring him some grass once in a while. Rabbits like chopped vegetables. Make sure you vary the diet often so the rabbit will not get bored with his diet. Rabbits also love to chew on hay. To make your own hay, collect the grass after mowing a lawn and spread it in the sunlight. You can the stuff it into cloth bags and store them in a cool, dry dark place. The cloth bags will ensure that the hay will not rot. Make sure that the grass is completely dried out before you store it for the best results. Do not overfeed the rabbits since they will have health problems if they are too large.
Toys are also a great way to keep your rabbit happy and occupied. They like to chew on things to keep the teeth worn down as they keep growing. In its natural habitat the rabbit keeps wearing his teeth down.
If the rabbits are kept in the same cage, make sure you have them neutered or they will reproduce very quickly. If you want to have rabbit babies, make sure that you keep only one male and female together so that aggressive behaviour will not arise between two competitive males. If you do not want to neuter the rabbits keep the males and females in separate cages except for breeding purposes. Make sure that they can't escape the cage and "visit" each other because many rabbit handlers have experienced a surprise pregnancy of rabbits!
Housetraining your rabbit should not be too hard, just make sure that the rabbit uses a cat litter box inside the cage before you bring him out into the house. Once the rabbit exclusively uses the cat litter box to relieve himself you can start leaving the door open and let him explore. Make sure that the rabbit can't escape outside, since once he is lost, you will probably not find him again. Rabbits that have been raised indoors can usually not survive in the wild either since they don't know how to find their own food. Make sure your house is safe for the rabbit to roam in. Remember that they love to chew anything, so keep them away from electrical wires and appliances. Do not let them near plants either since there are many plants that are toxic to rabbits.
The rabbit's nails will need to be trimmed regularly just like you would trim a cat's nails. Remember that trimming the nails frequently by small amounts is better for the rabbit then trimming them once every three months. Make sure you watch your veterinarian trim the nails once before you attempt to do so yourself. Grooming the rabbit once in a while will help the rabbit to keep clean as well. Remember rabbits don't like water that much, so be very careful when bathing him, use warm water and pat him dry carefully with an absorbent towel.
To pet our rabbit, make sure you pick him up correctly. Cup your hands entirely around him, as it will damage him if he is picked up in a wrong way. The rabbit can be picked up by grabbing him by the scruff of the neck. Just watch a mother rabbit carry her babies and imitate the behaviour. Rabbits love to be petted, so be gentle and start off slowly. Make sure you don't hold the rabbit high above the ground in case he tries to twist free and falls to the ground.
