Rabbits are intelligent animals which are curious by nature. They are social animals and need a lot of interaction with their owner. Rabbits make great pets but do require a commitment on the part of their owner.
What Supplies are Needed to Care for Pet Rabbits?
These are the supplies you will need to keep your pet rabbit safe and healthy:
- a cage
- a litter box
- grass hay or pelleted litter
- more grass hay (for eating)
- pelleted food
- vegetables and fruits
- a hay rack
- a food dish
- a water container you can attach to the side of the cage
- toys
- a soft brush
- a carrier for transporting your rabbit
Proper Housing for Your Pet Rabbit
Pet rabbits need lots of room to move around. The cage should be large enough to allow your pet rabbit free movement. It also needs to be large enough to house the litter box and food and water bowls without cramping your rabbit.
The bottom of the cage should be solid to protect your pet rabbit's feet. Preferably, you will choose a cage with a solid bottom to start. However, if you have a cage with a wire bottom, you should cover the bottom of the cage with a solid surface such as a piece of linoleum.
The cage should be cleaned once to twice weekly by sweeping all of the bedding outside of the cage and thoroughly cleaning and rinsing the entire cage with mild soap and water.
Litter Training Your Pet Rabbit
Pet rabbits are clean by nature and will usually use a litter box if one is provided. Most pet rabbits choose a corner of the litter box to designate as their "potty" area. Place the litter box in that corner of the cage.
Litter should be hay (not alfalfa) or pelleted newspaper litter. Avoid cedar and pine as well as clay cat litters as these all can be dangerous to your rabbit's health.
Properly caring for your pet rabbit will require you to clean the litter box daily.
Proper Diet for Your Pet Rabbit
A proper diet is an essential part of good pet rabbit care. A well-balanced diet is necessary to ensure that your pet rabbit remains healthy.
Your pet rabbit should have grass hay available at all times. Pelleted commercial rabbit food can be offered in limited quantities. Vegetables and smaller quantities of fruits should also provided for your rabbit.
Exercising Your Pet Rabbit
Pet rabbits have powerful hind legs and need to exercise them regularly. Your pet rabbit will need a large area where he can run, jump and play. This area can be indoors or outdoors.
- If the exercise area is outdoors, it should be fenced and your pet rabbit should not be left outside unsupervised.
- If the exercise area is indoors, you will need to remove anything which your pet rabbit is likely to chew. You should also cover any electrical wiring.
Your pet rabbit should be allowed to exercise for several hours each day. This is important to maintain his muscle tone, and is also important in keeping him from becoming bored in his cage.
Providing Toys for Your Pet Rabbit
Pet rabbits like to chew and dig. Suitable toys are cardboard boxes, old phone-books and commercial chew toys for rabbits.
You can also provide your pet rabbit with a box in which he can dig. Simply fill a cardboard box with dirt or hay for your pet rabbit.
Suitable toys give your rabbit an outlet for his tendencies to chew and dig and providing them makes it less likely that your rabbit will engage in destructive behaviors within your house.
Proper Handling and Grooming of Your Pet Rabbit
Pet rabbits have powerful back legs and they can cause serious injury to their back if not handled properly. When holding your pet rabbit, always support your rabbit's hindquarters with one hand and use the other hand to support his forequarters.
Your pet rabbit can be brushed gently to remove loose hair and help maintain his haircoat.
Spaying or Neutering Your Pet Rabbit
All pet rabbits should be spayed or neutered. Spaying or neutering prevents unwanted litters, helps to prevent spraying in male rabbits and helps to prevent uterine cancer in female rabbits. You will want to find a veterinarian who is experienced in working with rabbits to do the surgery for you.
Rabbits which have not been spayed and/or neutered should not be housed together. Intact rabbits can become quite aggressive toward one another.
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