|
At Easter, or in springtime, every kid wants one, and parents, eager to please, bring these cute cuddly creatures into their family's lives. What seemed like a good idea at the pet shop or breeder’s looses its appeal when the reality hits of not knowing how to care for an animal. Every year numerous rabbits come into homes that are not quite ready for these cotton tailed residents, but to take some of the mystery out of caring for your new pet, just follow these simple guidelines.
You will ultimately need to decide whether bunny will be an outdoor or indoor pet. Yes, believe it or not, many wouldn't think of having it any other way, House rabbits can be litter box trained and make pleasurable company in the home.
Whether you decide on an indoor or outdoor rabbit, the first issue to be addressed is housing. Rabbits need a cage or pen that is at least 4 times their size. A common style is a wire cage with a drop pan underneath to catch droppings and urine. If this is the type you select, be sure to provide your rabbit with something to rest his paws on such as an old piece of carpeting or a board. This will help protect the paws from tiring on the wire bottom.
Whether indoors or out, your rabbit's home should have all the comforts. They, too, need entertainment and this can be provided in many forms, from toys, such as baby toys, chew toys, cat or bird toys; small empty boxes, magazines or cardboard tubes. Chew toys are especially important in the health of a rabbit's teeth. The gnawing helps prevent the teeth from growing too long.
If you are keeping your rabbits outdoors, they should have a large pen that ideally should sit 3 to 4 feet off the ground. They also need to be positioned so they are protected from harsh weather such as cold wind, rain or snow and extreme heat.
If the pen will be inside your home, you can start the litter box training with a small box in a corner of the pen. Suggestions for litter include shredded paper pulp, recycled paper product or compressed sawdust pellets. If you place the box in one corner of the pen, and find your rabbit relieving himself in another corner, move the box to the corner he frequents. He will eventually get the message. Once your bunny is trained and he begins to roam around your house, you'll need to add another litter box in a corner of his roaming area.
Rabbits also need room to run around, whether indoors or out. If you keep your bunny outdoors you should fence in a running area for them to have some daily exercise. The best times of day for rabbits to be active are mornings and evenings. If you have a house rabbit you'll first need to bunny proof your home. You can start with one room at a time, then increase the roaming area if you desire. Be sure to cover electrical wires with conduit (plastic or metal casing). As mentioned before, chewing is necessary for good health for a rabbit's teeth, but even though it is a natural instinct for them, they will also do it when they are bored, so it is important to provide them with other things to chew. Some good ideas beside the chew toys already mentioned are compressed cubes of alfalfa, wicker baskets, or willow or pine branches.
All pens need feed bowls and water bottles. The styles that attach to the hutches are ideal, although bowls will work if necessary. This leads us to an important aspect of rabbit care: feeding.
Rabbits need continual access to food and fresh water, so it is important to check their supplies more than once a day. Their diet should consist of fresh hay, water, pellets and fresh vegetables. Vegetables should be introduced slowly as rabbits have delicate systems. Some vegetables loved by rabbits are beet tops, broccoli stems (great for chewing), brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, carrot tops, green peppers, and radish tops. Hay and straw should be fresh and fed in unlimited quantities. Some fruits are also favored. They are apples, whole oranges, peaches, pears, raspberries, strawberries and blueberries. If you provide your bunny with fresh fruits and vegetables, and they are not eaten right away, be sure to remove them as they can grow bacteria.
Pet rabbits also should be neutered for a variety of reasons. The first is to prevent extra unwanted rabbits. Without neutering, your rabbit will not be able to have the pleasure of another rabbit's company. Two unneutered rabbits of the same sex will attack and continually fight each other as a means of claiming territory. Two unneutered rabbits of opposite sex will obviously spend their time doing other things, which will result in more rabbits than you would probably want.
Another positive aspect of neutering is it makes rabbits less aggressive where their chewing and digging is concerned. Less aggressive rabbits are friendlier and more loving, as well as easier to train to use the litter box as they do not find it necessary to spray and mark their territory. A very important reason to neuter your pet is it helps them have longer, healthier lives by reducing the risks of certain cancers and diseases.
When you bring a new pet bunny home, it is important to spend quality time with it and get to know it. Get down on the floor or ground and spend time at his level. Never chase it to catch it or hold it against its will. Hold it and rub its ears or chin, and feed it treats and it will soon be a close companion.
A rabbit can be a wonderful addition to any family. It can bring years of enjoyment and companionship if you know the proper basics to caring for one.
|
| |
