At Easter, as well as at other times, a lot of rabbits find new homes. So here we would like to offer you some good guidelines on rabbit care and training. Before buying one, first make sure that you have adequate space in your home to put your rabbit and its cage. Rabbits can also be put outside in a cage on the porch, in the yard, or even out in the garage. However, if you keep your rabbit outside and it is summer or winter, make sure that it does not get too hot or too cold as this can kill it. Also make sure that you will, or you have someone who will, take care of the rabbit. Once you have decided that you and your home can sustain a rabbit or two, then you are ready to go pick out your rabbit(s)!
If you and your family decide that you want to keep the bunny inside the house, it may be best to get one of the smaller breeds of rabbits. These include dwarf rabbits, Holland lops, mini-lops, mini-rex, and small dutch rabbits. The larger breeds of rabbits usually do best outside as they can get quite large and may be difficult to keep inside the house. However, smaller breeds can also be kept outside or in the garage. Whether you are getting large or small rabbits and whether you choose to keep them outside or inside the house, the cage should be big enough so that your rabbit has room to move around comfortably inside it.
For food, it is a good idea to buy a good quality rabbit food from your local pet store. Some foods may not contain the right mix of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients adequate for a rabbit. Rabbits can also occasionally enjoy some fresh fruits or vegetables for a treat. It is best to get a ceramic crock or a very thick plastic crock-type food bowl, as most rabbits like to chew. For water, you will want to get a large 16 oz. or 32 oz. water bottle, because rabbits like to drink a lot. Water bowls usually do not work out as well as rabbits may get them dirty easier.
Make sure that you have something for your rabbit to chew on, since as mentioned earlier they love to chew. They may want to chew on electric cords, chair legs, and unattended food dishes. To prevent such behavior, you should simply provide them with some wood chews, gnaw bones or other chew toys, all available at your local pet shop. You can also use pine and some other woods, as long as they are clean and have no paint or other chemicals on them. Like most other small animals, a rabbit’s teeth continue to grow over its lifetime and must be kept ground down through chewing.
Sometimes a rabbit’s teeth will overgrow and must be trimmed. Have a veterinarian do this and show you how. As their toenails grow, they should also be trimmed with pet nail trimmers. Another thing to be aware of is that rabbits’ eyes do not have tear ducts, therefore any irritation of the eye needs immediate attention. If they get red or irritated, rinse with lukewarm water. If the condition persists or gets worse, see your veterinarian. In addition, your rabbit will occasionally need some grooming. Get a good grooming brush to brush your rabbit. This will help keep its hair from getting matted. Long-haired rabbits such as angora rabbits will need quite a bit of grooming.
A rabbit can be house trained and litter box trained, and this is an especially good idea if you want to keep your rabbit indoors. These are not difficult tasks, but you will need some time. It is best and easiest to start with a rabbit when it is as young as possible, preferably right after you get a bunny at about between 6 and 13 weeks old. You will need to gather these items for house and litter box training: a cat litter box with some non-appetizing cat litter, a spray bottle filled with water, some Tabasco sauce or bitter apple solution, some paper towels, and a broom and dust pan. We also assume that at this point you already have a rabbit or two, and an rabbit wire cage complete with water bottle and food dish.
Below is a complete guideline to house training and litter box training a rabbit:
Step 1 – Place the new rabbit in the cage you have purchased or built for 24 hours. Do not disturb or handle. Observe which corner the rabbit uses to urinate in. Once a rabbit has picked out one spot to use as its toilet, it will usually always use the same spot.
Step 2 – Put your litter box over the chosen toilet corner. Once you are sure the rabbit is using the litter box, you may start handling your pet. Start by removing the bunny for 10 to 15 minutes several times a day. If treated in a kind and gentle manner, the rabbit will soon come to enjoy its trips outside its cage. Supervise small children when they play with and handle the bunny. Rabbits are best picked up with one hand by the loose skin at the back of the neck, and you can also support their legs with your other hand to prevent kicking.
Step 3 – You may now leave the rabbit out of its cage for longer periods of time, but watch carefully and return it to the cage if it shows signs of lifting its tail to urinate. If you catch it urinating outside the cage, spray it with the water bottle and return it to the cage. By the end of the third week, you should be able to leave the door of his cage open when you are home. However, you should put your rabbit back in its cage if you have to leave home for the day or for anything over an hour or so. Never leave a rabbit out of its cage unattended for too long unless you want to clean up after it.
If you do not catch your rabbit urinating inappropriately in time, clean all of the stain and the odor as completely as possible, and then spray the area with a good rabbit repellent such as bitter apple solution, and it should not return. Even after a rabbit has been litter trained pretty well, it may still leave small droppings occasionally here and there. When you find these just whisk them up with your dust pan and broom. Do not leaving droppings around, as this will only encourage the bunny to keep using the same area for a toilet.
As mentioned previously, rabbits love to chew. We suggest that you rub bitter apple solution or even Tabasco sauce on the cords and other items that your rabbit seems to want to chew. Again, if you catch your rabbit chewing in time, use your spray bottle and spray it. Never hit your rabbit, as this will make it mean and aggressive. As you have seen so far, you should spray it with water for punishment instead, as rabbits do not like being sprayed with water.
This is just some of the basic information about rabbits and their care. Getting a book on rabbits is recommended to really get familiar with them. With good care, rabbits can live for about 5 to 7 years. If you have any questions regarding rabbits and their care, feel free to ask.
Chinchillas are one of the softest creatures there are. If you are thinking about getting a chinchilla as a pet, here are some things you should know about them.
