Rabbit Care
It is important that before you purchase any pet, you know everything they require to live a happy and healthy life. This page will discuss various parts of rabbit husbandry to give anyone interested in purchasing a rabbit a basic idea of everything they need to buy and do. I will add some links at the end of the page so you can do some further research.
Getting a house for your new bunnie...
Before you purchase a rabbit, you will need to decide whether you want to keep them indoors or outdoors. The most traditional style of rabbit housing is a wooden hutch, kept outdoors. There are various shapes and sizes available, and it is important that you choose a hutch that is a suitable size for your rabbit. The minimum hutch size requirements state that the rabbit must be able to stand up on their hind legs without their ears reaching the top of the hutch. They should be able to lay down, completely stretched out, in any direction; and they should be able turn around with ease and should be able to move around freely and hop in their hutch. Hutches are available with multiple levels and some are made to house several rabbits. You should purchase a rain cover or make your own to provide your rabbit with protection from bad weather and the cold. This is especially important in winter, as it will be very cold and keeping extra warmth in the hutch is crucial.
Below is a photograph of one of my hutches (I have one 3 level hutch and three 2 level hutches):
Below is a photograph of one of my hutches (I have one 3 level hutch and three 2 level hutches):
If you are considering housing your rabbit indoors, there are also a variety of different indoor hutches, cages and enclosures commercially available. Rabbits make very good house pets, but it is important to remember to make your house rabbit-proof. This involves ensuring that you secure any possible escape routes and cover any wires to make sure that your rabbit cannot chew through them. All household plants must be safe for rabbits, so please check that they are not poisonous, and also make sure that all chemical substances are kept away from any areas that the rabbit will have access to. Rabbits can be litter trained, and you can use a standard cat litter tray or a litter box/tray manufactured specifically for rabbits. They can be lined with wood shavings, hay/straw, shredded paper or a commerical litter material. Make sure your rabbit can still exercise, whether you use a playpen, take the rabbit outside, or give them free-run of a room or the house. Below are some examples of indoor hutches/enclosures (photos found on google images):
Some owners also decide to house their rabbits in sheds, which protects them from the natural elements, pests and theft. Sheds are usually lined with multiple-levels of hutches to allow the owners to keep many rabbits, making this type of housing is popular amongst rabbit breeders and exhibitors. Below are some examples of rabbit sheds (photos found on google images):
Hutch/Enclosure Bedding
The next part of rabbit housing to be discussed is bedding material. The most popular type of bedding material used to line the floor of rabbit hutches/cages is wood shavings. It is readily available from any pet supplies store and is sold in various sized packages. You can also buy lemon or lavender scented wood shavings. Wood shavings are very absorbent and are relatively easy to clean out of hutches. Many owners choose to use a mixture of wood shavings and hay or straw. These are two other beddings that are used for rabbits, but most owners use them in the 'bed section/compartment' of the hutch. In winter, you should provide outdoor rabbits with extra bedding, such as straw, to keep them warm.
Shown below is a bag of wood shavings, straw and hay (timothy). (photos sourced from google images).
Litters trays can be lined with wood shavings and/or hay, and placed in both indoor and outdoor enclosures. The litter trays or soiled areas of your rabbits enclosure should be clean daily, or a least every other day. The whole hutch should be cleaned weekly, removing all the bedding and replacing it. Hutch and cage cleaning products are available at pet supplies stores. It is useful to have a little shovel to aid with hutch cleaning.
Shown below is a bag of wood shavings, straw and hay (timothy). (photos sourced from google images).
Litters trays can be lined with wood shavings and/or hay, and placed in both indoor and outdoor enclosures. The litter trays or soiled areas of your rabbits enclosure should be clean daily, or a least every other day. The whole hutch should be cleaned weekly, removing all the bedding and replacing it. Hutch and cage cleaning products are available at pet supplies stores. It is useful to have a little shovel to aid with hutch cleaning.
Feeding your rabbit
It is important to have a general knowledge about the unique digestive system of the rabbit in order to provide it with the correct diet. Rabbits are hind-gut fermenters, meaning that most of the food matter they ingest is broken down in the intestines, rather than in the stomach. Hind-gut fermenters have specialised large intestines, usually possessing enlarged organs, such as the enlarged caecum seen in rabbits and horses. The caecum of the rabbit is filled with fluid, which contains microorganisms and enzymes that break down plant matter and allow many herbivores to survive on a diet of grasses and plants. This is one of the reasons why rabbits must have constant access to food at all times, to keep food moving through their digestive tracts. Unlike other hind-gut fermenters, rabbits practice caecotrophy, which involves eating their own faeces, although they do not consume the hard, round pellets we can see in their hutches. They will first excrete a soft, 'mussy' material that is rich in nutrients. These is known as caecotrophs, and eating these allows the rabbits to make the most of their diet.
The majority of your rabbits diet should consist of hay, in the form of grass or meadow hays (which include timorthy, ryegrass, meadow grass, etc). They should have a constant access to hay at all times. In the wild, rabbits live on a diet made up of mostly grass, although they will consume leaves, roots, wild flowers and vegeables. Hay is a substitute for grass and gives your rabbit many of the nutrients it would recieve in the wild. Hay is also important for dental health as it keeps the teeth from overgrowing and prohibiting normal ingestion of food. If you have a garden with grass, you should allow your rabbit access to eat grass at least a couple of days per week.
There are various examples of commercial rabbit food available, although pellets are the best type as rabbits cannot be fussy and pick and choose which parts of the food they eat. These diets contain many of the vital nutrients required in order to maintain good health in your rabbit. The food used at SBF Lionheads is Supa Rabbit Excel, Junior & Dwarf Nuggets. It is also important that you supplement your rabbits diet with fresh vegetables. Some vegetables that can be given include: carrots, kale, cabbage, broccoli and swede. Some examples of fruit that can be given include : banana, apple (but never feed the seeds), pineapple, pear and berries. Pineapple is also great for preventing wool block. Do not overfeed with fruit as this is can cause upset tummies. Rabbits can also eat dandelion greens and raspberry leaves. Lastly, there are many treats available for rabbits that should only be fed occasionally; they are available in many pet supplies shops.
You must ensure that your rabbit has access to clean, fresh water daily. Water can be provided in a bowl, but the most popular way of providing water to domestic rabbits are water bottles, which can be purchased at any pet shop.
The majority of your rabbits diet should consist of hay, in the form of grass or meadow hays (which include timorthy, ryegrass, meadow grass, etc). They should have a constant access to hay at all times. In the wild, rabbits live on a diet made up of mostly grass, although they will consume leaves, roots, wild flowers and vegeables. Hay is a substitute for grass and gives your rabbit many of the nutrients it would recieve in the wild. Hay is also important for dental health as it keeps the teeth from overgrowing and prohibiting normal ingestion of food. If you have a garden with grass, you should allow your rabbit access to eat grass at least a couple of days per week.
There are various examples of commercial rabbit food available, although pellets are the best type as rabbits cannot be fussy and pick and choose which parts of the food they eat. These diets contain many of the vital nutrients required in order to maintain good health in your rabbit. The food used at SBF Lionheads is Supa Rabbit Excel, Junior & Dwarf Nuggets. It is also important that you supplement your rabbits diet with fresh vegetables. Some vegetables that can be given include: carrots, kale, cabbage, broccoli and swede. Some examples of fruit that can be given include : banana, apple (but never feed the seeds), pineapple, pear and berries. Pineapple is also great for preventing wool block. Do not overfeed with fruit as this is can cause upset tummies. Rabbits can also eat dandelion greens and raspberry leaves. Lastly, there are many treats available for rabbits that should only be fed occasionally; they are available in many pet supplies shops.
You must ensure that your rabbit has access to clean, fresh water daily. Water can be provided in a bowl, but the most popular way of providing water to domestic rabbits are water bottles, which can be purchased at any pet shop.
Exercise & Play
It is vital for your rabbits health and well-being that it is has access to an area outside of its hutch to express natural behaviours and exercise. If rabbits are left in their hutch all the time, they could eventually develop behavioural problems, such as stereotypic behaviours, or health problems. The most common area of exercise used for domestic rabbits is a rabbit run. If you have a indoor rabbit, you can let your rabbit run around in the house, or put them in a playpen. You can place your rabbit run or playpen on the grass or on pavement (helps to keep nails short). In the rabbit run, your rabbit will be able to exercise, ware its nails down and to preform behaviours such as binkying and digging.
There are many toys available for domestic rabbits, including balls with bells in, tunnels, etc. You should provide toys to entertain your rabbits and keep them stimulated. Rabbits are very inquisitive animals and love to explore. You can use many cheap, household items as toys for your rabbit, .e.g. cardboard boxes and tubes. Below is a photograph of some of SBF's baby lionheads in a rabbit run.
There are many toys available for domestic rabbits, including balls with bells in, tunnels, etc. You should provide toys to entertain your rabbits and keep them stimulated. Rabbits are very inquisitive animals and love to explore. You can use many cheap, household items as toys for your rabbit, .e.g. cardboard boxes and tubes. Below is a photograph of some of SBF's baby lionheads in a rabbit run.
Grooming your rabbit
If you are interested in owning a long haired rabbit breed, such as a Lionhead, then you need to know about grooming. All rabbits require occasional grooming, but less frequently with short-haired breeds. Grooming allows you to spend time with your rabbit as many enjoy being brushed, plus it helps keep their coats clean and shiny. Lionheads should be brushed once a week, but the more, the better. Rabbits that are exhibited at rabbit shows are often brushed daily. This will remove any debris and matts from their coat. There are different types of brushes and combs that can be used, some more suitable for different areas on the body, e.g. the mane. If you are showing your rabbit, you should also clean its feet and ensure that they are not stained. You can do this by gently washing the feet with warm water.
An important part of caring your rabbit is making sure its nails are trimmed when needed. You should check your rabbits nails when you groom them, but they will usually need trimming slightly every couple of months. If you place your rabbit run on the concrete or paving in your garden, this will help keep your rabbits nails short. When cutting each nail, you should only cut the tip, as if you cut too much of the nail, you will may cut the 'quick' and cause it to bleed. If you look at a rabbits nail, you will see a pink area inside, which is the quick. It is quite difficult to see in a rabbit with black nails, but you can shine a torch underneath the nail to make the quick visible. It is important to remember that if the nails are overgrown, the quick will also grow, so the nail can only been trimmed at the tip. Do not attempt to remove as much nail as you assume needs cutting. As you shortern the nail over time, the quick will return to its shorter, original length. You can buy animal nail clippers from pet supplies stores. Just in case you accidently cut the quick, it is useful to have some coagulating powder to put on the nail (it stops the bleeding). If you don't have any of this available, you can use flour or cornstarch.
An important part of caring your rabbit is making sure its nails are trimmed when needed. You should check your rabbits nails when you groom them, but they will usually need trimming slightly every couple of months. If you place your rabbit run on the concrete or paving in your garden, this will help keep your rabbits nails short. When cutting each nail, you should only cut the tip, as if you cut too much of the nail, you will may cut the 'quick' and cause it to bleed. If you look at a rabbits nail, you will see a pink area inside, which is the quick. It is quite difficult to see in a rabbit with black nails, but you can shine a torch underneath the nail to make the quick visible. It is important to remember that if the nails are overgrown, the quick will also grow, so the nail can only been trimmed at the tip. Do not attempt to remove as much nail as you assume needs cutting. As you shortern the nail over time, the quick will return to its shorter, original length. You can buy animal nail clippers from pet supplies stores. Just in case you accidently cut the quick, it is useful to have some coagulating powder to put on the nail (it stops the bleeding). If you don't have any of this available, you can use flour or cornstarch.
As you are grooming your rabbit you should carry out a health check, looking at all areas of your rabbits body. You are looking for any abnormalities or signs of ill health. You must research the signs of good health and ill health in rabbits before you consider purchasing one. There are plenty of books and websites available to help you.
Basically in a healthy rabbit, the eyes should be bright and shiny, with no discharge or soreness. The nose should also be free of discharge (discharge here can reveal a respiratory infection). When checking the mouth, it should be dry with no dribble (which can be a sign of dental problems), and the front teeth should be checked to ensure that they are not overgrown or showing signs of malocclusion. The mucous membranes (gums and other areas of the body) should be salmon pink colour; if they are too pale or bright red, this indicates ill health. The ears should be clear with no soreness and there should no bad odour. The body should have no sores, irritation or visible parasites, such as lice or mites. You should observe the movement of the rabbit to make sure they are not limping or having difficult moving around. You should also check the underside of the rabbit, looking at the genitals and rear end. There should no irritation, bleeding or soreness in these areas and no discharge. There should be no faeces stuck around the rear end of the rabbit as this can indicate diarrhoea and digestive upset, leading to 'flystrike'. You should also health check a rabbit before you purchase it and take it home with you.
Basically in a healthy rabbit, the eyes should be bright and shiny, with no discharge or soreness. The nose should also be free of discharge (discharge here can reveal a respiratory infection). When checking the mouth, it should be dry with no dribble (which can be a sign of dental problems), and the front teeth should be checked to ensure that they are not overgrown or showing signs of malocclusion. The mucous membranes (gums and other areas of the body) should be salmon pink colour; if they are too pale or bright red, this indicates ill health. The ears should be clear with no soreness and there should no bad odour. The body should have no sores, irritation or visible parasites, such as lice or mites. You should observe the movement of the rabbit to make sure they are not limping or having difficult moving around. You should also check the underside of the rabbit, looking at the genitals and rear end. There should no irritation, bleeding or soreness in these areas and no discharge. There should be no faeces stuck around the rear end of the rabbit as this can indicate diarrhoea and digestive upset, leading to 'flystrike'. You should also health check a rabbit before you purchase it and take it home with you.
Rabbit Checklist (I will highlight the essentials in green)
[ ] Timothy or meadow hay
[ ] Straw
[ ] Wood shavings
[ ] Rabbit food mix (if you are buying a rabbit, the breeder/previous owner should give you at least a weeks worth of changeover food)
[ ] Food bowl
[ ] Water bottle
[ ] Rabbit hutch, or indoor rabbit cage
[ ] Rabbit run or playpen
[ ] Brushes, combs, nail clippers (you can often buy packs including a brush, a comb and nail clippers all together)
[ ] Trimmex or other coagulating powder
[ ] Toys (or save some cardboard boxes and tubes)
[ ] A litter tray
[ ] Cage cleaning products
[ ] Straw
[ ] Wood shavings
[ ] Rabbit food mix (if you are buying a rabbit, the breeder/previous owner should give you at least a weeks worth of changeover food)
[ ] Food bowl
[ ] Water bottle
[ ] Rabbit hutch, or indoor rabbit cage
[ ] Rabbit run or playpen
[ ] Brushes, combs, nail clippers (you can often buy packs including a brush, a comb and nail clippers all together)
[ ] Trimmex or other coagulating powder
[ ] Toys (or save some cardboard boxes and tubes)
[ ] A litter tray
[ ] Cage cleaning products
Useful Links
http://language.rabbitspeak.com/ <--- For information on Rabbit Behaviour
http://www.welshrabbitry.com/ <--- An American Rabbitry Website with lots of helpful information, about colours, genetics, etc.
http://www.mybunny.org/info/rabbit_nutrition.htm <--- Information about Nutrition
http://www.rabbitawarenessweek.co.uk/behaviour/how-to-clicker-train-your-rabbit <--- Information about Clicker Training for Rabbits
http://www.rabbitawarenessweek.co.uk/environment/plants-that-can-be-harmful-to-rabbits <--- Plants that are harmful to Rabbits
There's loads more information in books and on the internet regarding rabbit care.
http://www.welshrabbitry.com/ <--- An American Rabbitry Website with lots of helpful information, about colours, genetics, etc.
http://www.mybunny.org/info/rabbit_nutrition.htm <--- Information about Nutrition
http://www.rabbitawarenessweek.co.uk/behaviour/how-to-clicker-train-your-rabbit <--- Information about Clicker Training for Rabbits
http://www.rabbitawarenessweek.co.uk/environment/plants-that-can-be-harmful-to-rabbits <--- Plants that are harmful to Rabbits
There's loads more information in books and on the internet regarding rabbit care.