RABBIT CARE
** Did you know that many rabbits have been surrendered to
shelters because of destructive behavior? In most cases, their owners failed to
provide them with appropriate toys to fulfill their natural urges to dig and
chew.
** Bunny-proof your home, the same
as you would do for a small child so that they do not hurt themselves if you
decide to let it play indoors. Hide cables or anything dangerous they can chew.
Lifespan: 7 – 10 years
HOUSING: Should be large enough for the rabbit to run
around in. Indoors is a better
choice, outside keeps them in isolation. Furthermore, rabbits can die of heart
attacks from the very approach of a predator. And weather conditions can make
the animal ill. If an outdoor hutch is made, make sure it is built to keep your
rabbit warm during the cold or cool during the summer and make him feel safe.
DIET: Grass hay,
good-quality rabbit pellets, Dark greens (Kale, Chard, Bok Choy), cabbage
(cabbage flowers too), turnip greens and carrot tops. Broccoli is very good too! Carrots should NOT
be a rabbit’s main diet, they may be given in small pieces like apples, pears,
and strawberries. DO NOT FEED YOUR
RABBIT ANY TYPE OF LIGHT LETTUCE LEAF (ICEBURG) OR SPINACH, THEY ARE VERY BAD
FOR YOUR RABBIT AND CAN MAKE THEM VERY ILL.
WATER: Clean
fresh water daily, the glass bottles are the best to buy because they are large
and durable!
TOILET: Rabbits
are very tidy by nature, and will do their best to keep their living quarters
clean. Most rabbits will choose one corner of the cage as a bathroom. Rabbits are also litter-trainable!
HANDLING: Pick up
your rabbit by supporting his forequarters with one hand and his hindquarters
with the other—failure to do so can result in spinal injuries to the rabbit.
Never pick up a rabbit by his ears or punish your rabbit by grabbing his scruff
(back of the neck) this can cause very serious injury.
CLEANLINESS: Make
sure to trim their nails. Rabbits are self-cleaning animals and should be left
to clean themselves the majority of the time!
Rabbits can be washed but you should do so sparingly; special Rabbit or
Kitten Bath Wipes you can find at local pet shops will do the job better than
soap!
** When they sense danger or don’t feel secure, rabbits
thump their back legs on the ground.
** Rabbits should be spayed or neutered by a veterinarian. Spaying
or neutering prevents unwanted litters, spraying in males and uterine cancer in
females.
Never keep a rabbit in a small enclosure. This can cause
stress. Ideal housing would be a homemade hutch for the rabbit to be able to
run around in with a litter box. See image below.
LINKS to Homemade Housing Tutorial!
GET CREATIVE, MAKE IT SAFE AND FUN!
LINKS to Homemade TOYS Tutorials!
