and the floor itself will be solid. While some treats are safe, and ok to give in moderation, ideally, rabbits receive all of the protein, fiber, calcium, and other nutrients needed in quality, fresh pellets. Pet Rabbit Care Guide. The nervous new owners guide to angora rabbits: suzie sugrue. We can provide vet referrals, but we are not able to give medical advice. Rabbit behaviour, health and care. Ideally, you want to keep your rabbits in a totally enclosed, secure and safe area.eval(ez_write_tag([[336,280],'cottontailclub_com-box-4','ezslot_9',106,'0','0'])); During winter, you may want to invest in a heat mat which you can microwave prior to putting them away and insert into the corner of their cage. Rabbit pellets: provide additional nutrients to a rabbit but should only be fed as an additional supplement to its diet. Safe greens are carrot tops, parsley, small carrots, cilantro, etc. Untreated wood twigs also provide roughage (see bunny proofing below). When Is The Best Time To Start A Business? Rabbits have certain needs that you need to fulfill so that they can live a happy, long, and healthy life. Working privately and with local shelters, we foster rabbits that would otherwise be euthanized due to the lack of homes. Rabbit GREENS Fresh greens are an important part of your pet’s daily diet. You might also like: List of 25+ common Rabbit Health problems! If you can definitely try mixing the types of hay available to create a hybrid of the following: This mixture will provide your rabbit with a lot of varying nutrients and will keep your rabbit healthy. In most cases, your rabbit won’t want to be handled. Instead, we offer our rabbit the sofa, carpet, under the radiator etc. Symptoms of poor health include scaly patches inside the ears, a discharge from the eyes or nose, swellings or diarrhoea. Whilst I don’t agree they’re good for first-time pet owners and children, I do believe they’re great companions for anyone who doesn’t have room for a dog. Without water, rabbits will not eat, which naturally could turn into disaster. Thinking about getting a rabbit? Furthermore, they require an unlimited amount of fresh hay, and clean drinking water. And that's the minimum. Therefore, it is important to follow the rabbit care guide for new owners. If possible, have rabbits spayed/neutered before adoption. Vet's Corner. – Litter training your rabbit can take anywhere from 1 week to a few months, so expect some accidents when doing so. With your new rabbit now safely in your hands, you may find yourself with a lot of questions. Once you have their cage ready, indoor or outdoors you’ll need to purchase a variety of products to make sure their needs are met. Dental … You should always test each hay individually first so that you can determine which brands and types of hay your rabbit doesn’t like. When you are able to hold your rabbit, the top priority is the safety of your rabbit. Check your rabbit every day without fail and look out for any changes in appearance or behaviour. Book: The House Rabbit Handbook. 10 easy Steps! But we love them. Feed plain rabbit pellets, not those with seeds or nuts. You can safely feed them basil, carrot, broccoli, celery, mint, parsley, dandelion, cabbage (occasionally) and spinach (in small quantities). These are by no means a comprehensive guide, but they do give a brief overview of a bunny's needs. Besides preventing accidental litters, spaying prevents uterine cancer (which can reach 50-80% as rabbits age), and neutering reduces spraying and other hormonedriven behaviors. Vegetables are a great source of nutrients and add variety to your rabbit’s diet. This is where they can sleep and eat when they are left alone in the home. / Privacy Policy. Learn about The Spruce Pets' Editorial Process. Feeding Your Rabbit . Caring for a pet rabbit requires discipline and knowledge. Bunnies love interaction with their keepers! These are the essentials for any rabbit owner: ©2021 Cotton Tail Club Not all vegetables are suitable for your bunny. Fresh hay should be provided to rabbits at all times. Top 10 Tips … This isn’t viable for everyone, but that’s okay, if you can’t give your rabbit a whole room for warmth, we do suggest using bedding. As an Angora rabbit breeder myself, I can attest to the wonderful education a Nervous New Owner of an Angora or any other new rabbit breed would have in his or her hands! Get the hay fresh from a feed store for horses, or from www.oxbowhay.com. This care guide from Oxbow Animal Health will teach you everything you need to know about keeping your pet rabbit healthy and happy. As well as providing clear, accurate, up-to-date advice, we hope it will help to dispel some of the myths and misconceptions that have led to so much neglect and suffering in pet rabbits. Baby rabbits should be given alfalfa, and adult rabbits should be fed timothy hay, grass hay, or oat hay. Updated 08/11/19. This site is owned and operated by Bradly Spicer.Cottontailclub utilises and participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. You’ll want to make sure you’re fully prepared so that you and your new bunny can get off to a great start. The rabbit cage itself should meet these minimum requirements with ideally 2 floors to allow them room to roam: We do ideally suggest getting bigger if possible. It is possible that your rabbit is fine with other pets but this really depends on their temperment. Your rabbit’s teeth should be checked regularly by your vet. Converted dog runs make great rabbit exercise areas. This booklet covers the basics in detail, but there’s In fact, the job is very time consuming and is harder to do that what it may seem... Often times, rabbit ownership can be a rather time-consuming process. new food, be sure to introduce new greens and vegetables slowly to avoid upsetting your pet’s ... Oxbow has provided this basic care guide to help you keep your pet rabbit healthy and happy. This provides them with enough space as well as a flexible shape.eval(ez_write_tag([[336,280],'cottontailclub_com-banner-1','ezslot_2',107,'0','0'])); We suggest getting the rabbit runs that can be modified and extended easily, this allows for vertical and horizontal expansion. Rabbit Care Guide: Basic Bunny Facts For New Owners If you're considering getting a pet rabbit, then you'll need these basic bunny facts up front. If you keep your rabbit outside, you will need to make sure they have lots of room to exercise as well as a climate which keeps them the right temperature (warm/cold).eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'cottontailclub_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_0',105,'0','0'])); You will also need to keep their cage very secure, if the cage is on the floor it’s okay to have a wire bottom as this will help keep predators out. How long does a Netherland Dwarf Rabbit live for? From choosing the right breed of rabbit, setting up the bunny’s house, and daily care and nutritional facts, Rabbits have so much personality underneath their cute exterior, they’re mischevious, naughty, funny, cute, curious and downright selfish. Provide fresh water at all times. You can read about which vegetables to give your rabbit. Rabbits are an extremely popular small pet, but they are often given away or abandoned due to misunderstanding of their needs, this is our “Rabbit OHRR recommends using a 4×4 exercise pen, which can be purchased at the Hop Shop. As a rabbit owner, you may be worried if you see your bunny pulling out her own fur. Do NOT pick up your rabbit by their ears or the scruff of their neck. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Young Pet Owner's Guides: Taking Care of Your Rabbit by Helen Piers (1992, Trade Paperback) at the best online prices at … This is especially the case if you’ve not had them for a long time and the trust still isn’t built. You can occasionally replace a small part of the pellet portion with some healthy treatsor fruit. Start your search for a rabbit today. The simple truth is that you, as the owner, are the only one who can determine how much attention your rabbit is given and regardless of if your bunny lives indoors or outdoors, he needs quality attention – every single day. Rabbits have extremely fragile spines and as such if they struggle (Which they often do), they may hurt themselves. Greens contribute to hydration and provide important vitamins and minerals, as well as enrichment. Baby gates can keep your bunny out of areas you want him to avoid, as well as … Rate this article: Share via Email Share via Email Share on LinkedIn Share via whatsapp Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share this article: Our infographic is full of fun stats, fact and top tips about the wellbeing of our furry friends. 5 tips for new rabbit owners youtube. Make sure your house is … Hand-feeding a baby rabbit is not for the faint of heart. Many rabbit owners choose to let their rabbits have free range of their house (after rabbit-proofing them, of course) just like a dog or cat would. However, fur pulling or plucking is usually a normal behaviour, predominantly seen in female rabbits. Rabbit factfile. If possible, put a bite proof mat down and use a set of rabbit run cage walling to create your own cage. Rabbit care. But it is also an excellent book for anyone looking for good, complete and accessible information for raising any type of rabbit. In fact, the only key element to out-door vs. in-door life is to be prepared and know what and how to set up and maintain a roomy, sanitary, perfectly safe housing environment. … They also can be trained to do some tricks. A healthy rabbit is alert and lively. You can replace the common bedding with cardboard, paper, hay or straw. You can use rubber tubing or cable protectors for electrical cords and baby-safe inserts for outlets. Truth-be-told, rabbits that do not regularly receive these needs often become un-sociable as well as un-healthy. Pet rabbits are related to the wild European rabbit, the biology and behaviour of pet rabbits is very similar to that of their wild cousins. If you have a bunny as pet, you need to learn how to take care of him. For rabbits under 8 months of age, you can add some alfalfa hay. If your cage utilises a wire mesh bottom but isn’t on the ground level, you should look to replace it or add a solid ground. Most rabbit owners will start with the rabbit cage. Read more. List of 25+ common Rabbit Health problems. How to care for your rabbit’s teeth. Veterinarians may examine rabbits using techniques similar to those used for dogs and cats. Rabbits are very sociable animals; not only are they dependent on their human counterparts to feed, water, and clean up after them, but they also need to have a basic exam every day. 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