Raising and caring for rabbits can be a fun and rewarding experience. Anyone who has seen an adorable bunny and thought they would make a fun pet is right ¨C they can be interesting pets and great companions. But you should know that these adorable little creatures need a lot of special care should you decide to befriend one and take him into your home.
Rabbits live about 10 years, so you¡¯ll need to make a long term commitment should you be interested in raising a baby rabbit into adulthood. One of the first questions you have is probably whether or not the rabbit should live inside or out. The answer is inside. Domestic rabbits, unlike their wild relatives, cannot take the heat and weather of the outdoors, even when kept in an enclosure. The stresses of outdoor environments such as dogs and other loud noises are also very unhealthy for rabbits.
Whether you keep your rabbit in a cage some of the time or let them go free, be sure to bunny-safe your house. This means keeping electrical cords that they may chew out of reach, covering electrical outlets, and keeping stuff which can poison them if chewed out of the way. This includes chemicals such as household cleaners, as well as certain plants.
If they will spend most of their time in a rabbit cage, make it comfortable and roomy. Make their home at least five times larger than the rabbit is, and tall enough so he can stand up on his hind legs without hitting his head. Your rabbit should also be able to stretch out completely when laying down. Your bunny should also be given a comfortable surface on the bottom of the cage, whether it¡¯s cardboard, a blanket, or an old towel. Don¡¯t use wood shavings, as these can cause organ damage or trigger allergic reactions.
Wire enclosures should have wood or cardboard covering the bottom to protect your rabbit¡¯s delicate feet. Cover the rabbit's cage during his resting times or provide him with a shelter inside the cage to lay in when he rests. Limit their cage time and give them some exercise every day. Have fun spending time with your rabbit during this activity time.
For pottying, rabbits can use a litter box like a cat with the right training. Unlike pet cats, pet rabbits may also lounge in their litter box, and may require multiple boxes throughout the house if they have a big space in which they are allowed to roam. Use an organic kitty litter rather than a clumping one, which might harm some rabbits, and include a bit of grassy hay in the box for your pet rabbit to nibble on.
When feeding your rabbit (in addition to the litter box hay) take care to make sure that he is given the correct diet. Vegetables such as leafy dark greens -- like lettuce -- are a good source of food for rabbits. Feed a wide variety of veggies to keep the rabbit's diet balanced and keep him from getting bored. For a treat you can also allow your rabbit fruits such as apples, berries, plums, pears, melons, bananas, grapes or raisins. Rabbit pellets can be used to add to their diet too, given in small quantities. Rabbits need a lot of water as well. Avoid feeding your rabbit people foods and sweets such as chocolate. Provide them with a wood block, cardboard toilet paper roll, or other pet store approved item to chew on to keep them from chewing your furniture or other things in your home.
Be gentle with your rabbit, especially if you have children. Teach them to hold the rabbit carefully and not to squeeze them or play roughly with them. Rabbits like to be touched and stroked, so it¡¯s okay to rub their heads and bodies in a calm fashion. Most importantly, take your rabbit to the veterinarian and have them receive the proper medical treatment just like you would with any other pet. Get a few books or search the web for other proper rabbit care, rabbit breeding, or rabbit rearing tips.
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