About Rabbits

Why rabbits?

Why do we love rabbits? I love rabbits for so many reasons, but the tip of the iceberg is they are loving, friendly and outgoing. Rabbits make great pets for kids, teens and adults. Rabbits can easily be litter trained and taught tricks. They also take up very little space and don’t have to be walked like dogs. So let’s talk about rabbits. According to ARBA.net there are 51 recognized breeds in the United States. All rabbits originated from European rabbits. Breeds range from marked breeds such as the Dutch with straight ears to Holland Lops with their lop ears. Some breeds make better pets than others. For example the Lionhead rabbits tend to be more skittish and aggressive compared to breeds such as Holland Lops which are friendly and outgoing. For this reason Holland Lops are great for everyone where Lionheads are best for adults.

Care

Let’s start off talking about rabbits under 6 months. Rabbits under 6 month in the rabbit community is what most what call a “baby rabbit.” Rabbits this young require extra protein and fat in their diet where adult rabbits require less. Rabbits under 6 months we are going to call Juniors. Junior rabbits should be provided with unlimited pellets, hay and water. Some good pellet brands are Mannapro Pro formula, (this is what I use) and Oxbow, which in my opinion is better for pet rabbits due to the price. Oxbow Young Rabbit food is suitable for rabbits up to 6 months. Some rabbits will prefer bowls while others bottles. It’s also best for rabbits to have 2 sources of water as sometimes one may leak. Make sure when you bring home your new friend you have a few options unless you know what they where raised on. Make sure not to feed your new friend/s any fruits or veggies yet! This can cause diarrhea and possibly death. On to the adults, or rabbits over the age of 6 months they should be provided with unlimited hay for optimal health. Fresh, clean water always is a must. Pellets is all that really changes most bags of feed will have feeding instructions on the back of the bag. If your using Oxbow make sure to switch to the Adult Rabbit food. At this age it’s safe for rabbits to get fruits and veggies. Fruits just a few times a week but veggies every other day or so is great! Daily care should consist of spot cleaning solid floor cages while nothing should be done for a wire cage rabbit. Weekly, cages should be completely changed of bedding, potty pads or fleece.

Habitat

Cages for rabbits are important even if your free roaming. They act as a home base to give your rabbit security. There are 4 possible types of setups for rabbits. Free roaming, wire cages, solid floor cages and outdoor runs. Free roaming is when a rabbit gets to freely run around a specific room or area, sometimes this could be a whole house, I don’t personally recommend this as it presents lots of risks. Such as cords, garbage and doors. If your going with this option make sure your rabbit is litter trained and preferably spayed and neutered. Another option is a outdoor run, this is where the bottom is often grass with a little bit of wood flooring for a hiding spot. This is okay but presents maybe risks such as disease, predators and temperature. Rabbit are very sensitive to the temperature. There also prone to heart attacks if they get scared. Solid floor cages are another option, they should ideally consist of a hiding spot, and somewhere to climb. There are many options available. Lastly my favorite, wire cages, these are easy to clean and take up little space. This is what most rabbits are used to and will feel the safest in. These types of cages only need to be cleaned once a week. You might ask yourself if rabbits feet can get hurt from the wire. The simple answer is yes, but there’s much you can do to prevent that such as adding resting mats, tiles or wood boards. If your getting a used cage make sure to properly disinfect with vinegar! Never use bleach it can kill your rabbits! For wire cages torching is also recommended. Cages should always consist of a hiding spot and toys ideally a climbing spot is great for rabbits!

Tricks

Rabbits can be taught tricks just like dogs or cats! They can learn everything from jumping obstacle courses like horses all the way to spin, and walk on your back legs. Tricks can also include litter training. Rabbits are not as easy to train as dogs but with a little patience and determination you can train you your fluffy friend! Treats! Treats are your friend in this, trust me, especially if you have a food driven rabbit. Step 1 of training your rabbit is by getting them used to treats. Treats can be all sorts of things such as banana, kale, pellets etc. For some reason my rabbits love pear! Basically anything safe for rabbits that they enjoy. You can then starting training specific behaviors by using a clicker and then rewarding with a treat.