Calling All Rabbit Nutters

[CSAchook]

Hi everyone! i was wondering if anyone could reccomend a thread/article where i could find general information about rabbit care, breeds, housing requirements, feed, all of that kind of stuff for someone interested in getting a pet rabbit. I looked on the rabbit forum, but I couldn’t find a specific thread containing an overview of all the information. Thanks, and i love all of your sweet bunnies!

Are you planning on an indoor or outdoor pet? A lot of the info one finds online is from the house rabbit society (rabbit.org) or other like-minded folk and therefore reflects a very narrow view of rabbit keeping. If you are planning on having a spoiled house bun (like mine) that site is a good place to start your research. But if you are planning on keeping outdoors, breeding, showing etc. you will need to look elsewhere for further guidance. Maybe backyard herds?

 

[EmmaRainboe]

Hi everyone! i was wondering if anyone could reccomend a thread/article where i could find general information about rabbit care, breeds, housing requirements, feed, all of that kind of stuff for someone interested in getting a pet rabbit. I looked on the rabbit forum, but I couldn’t find a specific thread containing an overview of all the information. Thanks, and i love all of your sweet bunnies!

Also, I can't fit everything into one post. But I'll give it a go.

feed

Adult rabbits should have unlimited access to timothy hay. There are also some alternatives, like orchard grass and meadow grass. These work too.
If they do not get enough hay they risk going into G.I stasis, which is a quick killer.

About 1/4 cup of pellets a day. At this age they are more too suppliment, not the base of the diet. Rabbits need a diet of around 80% fiber. Their diet should be made of primarily leafy greens.

housing requirements

It depends what you are wanting. IMO free roaming your rabbit is ideal. And that does not have to mean your whole house. Restricting them to a room is fine too, but you do have to make sure you have adequate rabbit proofing. Protecting baseboards, cords, furniture, etc...

Most people's hesitation with free roaming is the fear that it will poop and pee all over the floor. But if you provide your rabbit with an adequate litter box (not one of those triangle things. It should be able to spin 360° inside.) and get it spayed/neutered that shouldn't be much of a problem.

But I do realize free roaming is not an option for everyone. In that case giving your rabbit an x pen or a play pen can work fine. Make sure they have enough room to do zoomies and binky.

You can also keep your rbabit outside. Many do... BUT. You have to be aware there are many risks that come with that. Many stick their rabbits in wire bottom hutches. Rabbits do not have pads on their feet like dogs and cats, so wire bottom cages will hurt their paws. Prefab hutches are often way overpriced, cheaply made, too small, and just overall not suitable for rabbit use. Also, predators. Even if predators can not get in to eat your rbabit, they could just scare it and give it a heart attack that way.
Also overheating. Depending on where you live, rabbits may not do well in your tempurature. Rabbits are not great at controlling their body tempurature. They can withstand temps until about 80°, then anything above that increases their risks of heatstroke.

There really is no one-size-fits-all guide to rabbit care. It's all very dependent on your situation, you, and the individual rabbit.

 

[Kiki]

 

[CSAchook]

View attachment 2836812View attachment 2836813

Are we placing bets on how long it takes him to eat that piece of string?

 

[R2elk]

Are we placing bets on how long it takes him to eat that piece of string?

I was more wondering how long before he learns how to grab the dish, pull it tight, let go and watch it bounce around and send food everywhere.

 

[Kiki]

We already had a talk about leaving the string alone.
He's being good.

 

[CSAchook]

We already had a talk about leaving the string alone.
He's being good.View attachment 2836873View attachment 2836874

Only because you are watching

 

[R2elk]

We already had a talk about leaving the string alone.
He's being good.View attachment 2836873View attachment 2836874

I would never use string or insulated wire on anything a bunny can get at. Bare wire only.

 

[CSAchook]

Bare wire only.

That is what I use to secure Niven’s cardboard hay silo in her crate.

 

[EverythingDucks]

Hi everyone! i was wondering if anyone could reccomend a thread/article where i could find general information about rabbit care, breeds, housing requirements, feed, all of that kind of stuff for someone interested in getting a pet rabbit. I looked on the rabbit forum, but I couldn’t find a specific thread containing an overview of all the information. Thanks, and i love all of your sweet bunnies!

@EmmaRainboe gave you some great information here.
I don't think there are any single threads or articles here that have all the info you'll need, but here are some posts of mine with info on rabbit care.
I'm also in the process of writing a complete rabbit care article.

Well Happy Birthday to your sister!

Like @HappyClucker7 said, corn isn't good for rabbits.

I highly recommend you keep the bunny indoors for many reasons. For one, you'll get to bond with him a lot more, two, he'll be much safer from predators (they can die from a heart attack just from the sight of predators), three, he won't get too cold or overheated (many rabbits die from heat stroke), four, you'll be able to provide him with a lot more space than you could with a little hutch.

Here's a list of things you'll need

• A wire dog playpen. You can get these for less than half the price of any cage or hutch from Amazon or a pet store, and it will provide enough space for all his needs while still leaving room for exercise.
• A food and water dish. Don't bother with water bottles, they are hard to clean (which causes bacteria), are very unnatural, and don't provide nearly enough water (rabbits drink as much as a large dog and the little nozzles don't let enough water come through)
• Fresh Timothy hay. A rabbits diet is made up of 80% hay, so it's very important that they have access to unlimited fresh hay 24/7. For now you can pick up a large bag from a pet or farm store (I recommend Oxbow), but you can get it in much larger amounts for cheaper from a local farm. You can provide the hay in the litter box or an extra large hay rack or box (don't get the pet store ones, you can get much larger and better ones from amazon).
• Pellets. Rabbits really only need 1/4 a cup of pellets a day. I recommended Oxbow rabbit pellets which you can get at most pet stores.
• Fresh spring mix veggies. Rabbits need plenty of fresh greens in their diet. You can pickup a box of spring mix from the grocery store. About a handful for breakfast and dinner is good.
• Toys. Toys are very important to keep rabbits occupied and to keep their ever-growing teeth down. You can get these from the pet store, amazon, or you can make them yourself out of cardboard boxes, paper towel tubes, and paper bags.
• Hidey houses. Rabbits, being prey to many animals, need places to hide and feel safe. You can use cardboard boxes, bendy bridges and things from the pet store or amazon, and even covered cat beds and hideouts work well. They prefer ones with two or more entrances.
• A litter box. Rabbits can be trained to use a litter box just like a cat. All you need is a proper sized litter box (not the corner trays that pet stores sell, cat litter boxes work much better, as do under-the-bed storage tubs), paper based litter (not cat litter which has clay that can be fatal if ingested, just use the paper bedding), and plenty of hay. Rabbits often eat while pooping, so providing plenty of hay will entice your rabbit to use the litter box. Just place the box in the corner of the playpen that he goes in the most, and be sure he can turn all the way around in it.
• Grooming tools. Rabbits will groom themselves on the daily just like cats, but it's important that you help to get out extra hair, especially during molt. If you don't groom them enough they can sometimes ingest too much hair which causes GI stasis (this happens when they don't have any food in their system and can kill them within 24 hours. This is often caused by blockage, hair, in their GI tract). I recommend using a Bunny Hair Buster from amazon, though dog combs work as well. You'll also need a pair of nail clippers unless you intend on having the vet do it every few weeks.
• Bunny proofing supplies. It's very important that you allow free roaming time for at least 4 hours a day so your rabbit can explore and exercise properly. To do this, you'll need to bunny proof an area so it's safe. This means putting up wires and protecting them with cord protectors, possibly covering base boards or corners of furniture, and blocking off spaces such as areas under beds or couches. Most of these supplies you can get from home improvement stores or amazon.
• Extra stuff. You might end up needing a dog or cat carrying crate for vet appointments or travel. Some treats, which should be small. You can use bananas, carrot slices, and apple. These are just a few that most rabbits like. Don't get any from the pet store, those are all junk food. Lots of rabbits enjoy using cat scratches, tunnels, and games made for dogs and cats. You may also need a nail file if their nails get too scratchy.

Some things to avoid:

• Cages. These are often much too small, cheaply made, and overpriced.
• Hutches. Extremely over prices, much too small, unsafe, and they often have wire bottoms which is quite uncomfortable.
• Water bottles. As I said above, these don't provide enough water, are hard to clean, and unnatural to drink from.
• Corner litter trays. These are made to fit tiny cages and simply don't allow enough space for a rabbit to use. Especially once you put the proper amount of hay in it.
• Pet store treats. These often have dyes and harmful ingredients despite being sold for rabbits. Some fresh greens or fruit make much better snacks.

I hope this helps, and good luck! Feel free to ask me any questions, I would love to help!

Ok, great!

I'll start with catching them.
As I'm sure you've found out, rabbits are typically quite tricky to catch. The easiest way is to setup ome of these (which is what I'm guessing you've used)
View attachment 2798794
But you just have to be careful that while they're in here something doesnt come along and try to eat them or scare them to death. Or that they don't get overheated or dehydrated or anything. Which is whole you'll have to check the trap regularly.
Here's a good video on catching rabbits

As for keeping them, you'll need to at least know the basics for now.
Starting with diet. A rabbits diet is made up of 80%, so it is critical that they have access to unlimited fresh Timothy hay 24/7 to keep their digestive tract working well and to keep their every growing teeth down. I recommend Oxbow Timothy hay, but if you end up keeping them it will be cheaper to buy hay in bulk from a local farm, or have it delivered.

Besides hay, they'll also need ¼ a cup of pellets a day (which you can split between breakfast and dinner or feed all at once). They also need about a handful of fresh spring mix veggies for breakfast and dinner.

As for their enclosure, a lot of people keep them in a small cage indoors or in a little hutch outside. Neither of these are truly suitable for a rabbit for many reasons. I'll start with the problem sof hutches.
For one, they are quite small and do not provide a rabbit with enough space to exercise and play as they should. This often causes pent up energy which can lead them to chew on things and even become aggressive. Rabbits are very playful and smart, so they require plenty of space to run and play.
Rabbits also like companionship. They often form a very strong bond with their owners, and when they are outside in a hutch they are away from their family which can make them depressed and unhealthy.
Not to mention all the dangers of being kept outside. Rabbits are prey animals, which means there will be omebty of animals out there wanting to eat them. Anianls like raccoons are very smart and can break into a hutch and eat the rabbit, and rabbits and easily die from a heart attack just from being scared. I know of plenty of people who devied to keep their rabbits outside in a hutch. So far, every single one of them has died one way of another. Most of them from predators eating them, and some just from a dog wanting to play d the rabbits instantly dying from a heart attack. Its really sad how fragile they are and how easily they can be killed.

Hutches often have wire bottoms too, which are nor very common for a rabbits un padded feet and thing skin. It can even cut into their skin, which can then be easily infected and cause bumble foot.

Another issue is the weather. Though rabbits can tolerate the cold, they often die of heat stroke. They don't do well in hot weather, and when they're trapped in a little hutch outside all their lives they have no way of escaping it, so they often die.

Lastly, rabbits can contract parasites and disease when exposed to the outdoors. There is a deadly rabbit virus called RHDV2, which spreads rapidly and kills in a matter of days. It kills both wild and domestic rabbits and there is no known treatment so far.

Cages have many of the same issues (being small especially) and are just not suitable living spaces for a rabbit. And both cages and hutches are extremely over prices and cheaply made.

Instead of getting a hutch or cage, you fan get a wire dog playpen off of Amazon for around $30. These provide enough space for all their needs whole still leaving room for exercise and play.
Play pens are also easy to fold and and travel with, and you could move it outside to give your rabbit some sunshine time.

Now, I know a lot of people would still rather keep their rabbit outside despite all the issues with this because many people think they smell bad. And yes, rabbit pee can stink. But it is not as bad as cat pee in my opinion, and when you keep their litter box clean theres pretty much no scent. Yep, you can litter train rabbits. Its pretty easy when you have the right setup. I'll include all the things you need in the supplies list, but basically you just need a large litter box, some litter, and plenty of hay in there (rabbits naturally eat whole pooping so lots of hay will entice them to use it).

Here's all the supplies you'll need:

• Fresh Timothy hay
• Rabbit pellets (Oxbow is a good brand)
• Fresh veggies
• A water bowl (avoid bottles since they are very unnatural, don't provide enough water, and are hard to clean)
• A large cat sized litter box (under-the-bed storage tubs work well and are inexpensive)
• Paper based litter (avoid cat litter since it contains clay which can be fatal if ingested, you can use paper bedding instead)
• Hidey houses (you can even use cardboard boxes. Keep in mind rabbits like two entrances)
• Toys (you can make DIY toys out of cardboard tubes and paper bags)
• A comb (though rabbits groom themselves like a cat, during shed they need some help to be sure they don't ingest too much, which causes GI stasis, since rabbits can't throw up)
• Nail trimmers (small dog nail trimmer work. You could also have the vet do this)

I think that's about it. You can check out Lennon the Bunny and 101Rabbits on YouTube for more information, and I'd be happy to help with any questions you may have.

How did you become interested in rabbits?

(These next parts are copied from my rabbit article, which I'm still working on so there may be a few typos .)

Breeds:
There are lots of breeds to choose from, with over 50 breeds being recognized by the ARBA, and over 300 worldwide. Some rabbit breeds, such as the Netherland Dwarf (which is the smallest domestic rabbit breed), weigh as little as 1lbs – 2 ½ lbs. Others, like the Continental Giant (the largest breed of domestic rabbit), can weigh between 16lbs – 25lbs or more, with the largest on record being 53lbs. There are some breeds that have floppy ears, including the English Lop, French Lop, American Fuzzy Lop, and Holland Lop, which are commonly kept as pets. There are also many breeds with long fur or hair, like the English Angora, French Angora, Satin Angora, Lionhead, Jersey Wooly, and American Fuzzy Lop. There are also many meat breeds, such as the Florida White, New Zealand, Californian, American Chinchilla, Flemish Giant, Rex, and Silver Fox.

Remember that long haired breeds are going to need more grooming, and larger breeds are going to need more space and food. Dwarf breeds are going to be extra fragile and are often not very tolerant of children.

Some great beginner breeds include the Rex (also the Mini Rex), Mini Lop, Himalayan, Polish, and Dutch. These breeds are often very laid back and are a of a manageable size.

Mixed breed rabbits also make great pets and often result in very unique looking rabbits. Rabbit rescues often have many mixed breed rabbits to choose from.

It’s important to remember that every rabbit will be different with its own unique personality. Don’t be surprised if the rabbit you get doesn’t match the typical breed characteristics. Spend some time with the rabbits you are considering adopting or buying and ask the caretaker about the rabbits’ personalities. A good rescue or breeder will help match the right rabbit with the right person.

Age:

Baby rabbits have lots of energy, and need lots of attention and play time. Once rabbits reach sexual maturity, around 3 to 6 months depending on the breed, they become quite hormonal which often leads to aggression, territorial behavior, marking, and unwanted chewing. Litter training will become a lot harder during this time, though after 6 months of age you can get your rabbit fixed. After a few months your rabbit should return to his or her sweet self. Young or baby rabbits can be harder to find in rescues but if you are willing to wait you may be able to find one if that’s what your set on. They usually come from rabbits who gave birth at the rescue so there will often be multiple to choose from the litter.

Rabbits around 6 months to 3 years old are fairly easy to find in shelters since people often become bored of them after they’re babies, or don’t want to deal with hormonal rabbits. These rabbits are at just the right age to be fixed, and if you get them from a rescue they will most likely already be fixed unless they have a health issue that prevents them from doing this. Generally speaking though, rabbits around this age won’t have health issues besides physical injures (though rescues don’t put rabbits up for adoption until they’re healed up). 6- to 3-year-old rabbits can also be bought from breeders, though it's a lot harder to find. They will either be from a litter where they didn’t all sell (which is often for a reason), the breeder was reducing the amount of breeder they have, or they’re getting out of breeding.

Senior rabbits are quite common in shelters and rescues because most people want babies or younger rabbits. Senior rabbits can be great laid-back pets, and can be great with other pets (though each rabbits personality will be different). The biggest draw back with senior rabbits though is that they often have health issues. If the rabbit wasn’t brought to the shelter while they were younger it’s risky to get them fixed, so most senior rabbits will not be spayed or neutered. Not having your rabbit fixed can lead to more health issues, which is why senior rabbits often aren’t very healthy. This can make owning a senior rabbit more expensive, especially as they age more. But if you’re willing to put the time and money in you might be the perfect candidate for a senior rabbit. Senior rabbits can also be sold by breeders, typically as retired rabbits that can no longer breed.


Males vs females:

While choosing a gender is completely up to you and often doesn’t matter, there are some differences that you should be aware of. As I’ve mentioned before, getting your rabbit fixed is important, but the gender of your bunny may change the price of that procedure. Female rabbits (does) are often more expensive with spaying being a more invasive surgery than neutering. Male rabbits (bucks) take less time to recover from neutering than spayed does do. Though when bucks reach sexual maturity (at 3 to 6 months depending on the breed) they will often spray and smell more than a doe of the same age. Females on the other hand often become more aggressive at this age than a buck would. If you have two or more does, they will be much harder to bond, even if they came from the same litter. They can’t really be bonded until after they’ve been fixed (which goes for both bucks and does).


Rescues:

Rabbits, being the third most commonly dumped pets, are very easy to find in rescues. Many animal shelters will take in rabbits and there are also plenty of rescues just for rabbis. The House Rabbit Society is a great place to check for rabbit rescues in your area (they also have lots of information on rabbits). With over 35,000 rabbits being abandoned each year, and even more surrendered, rescues become easily overwhelmed with rabbit in their facilities. Easter is an especially busy time since not only are rabbits being dumped, but animals such as ducks and chicks end up in shelters and rescues too.

With over 6.3 million rabbits across shelters in the U.S., there are plenty to choose from with all different breeds and ages, and some in bonded pairs or more. And what’s great about rescuing is that most rescues will pay to get the rabbit fixed, sparing you the extra cost and time it takes to get your rabbit fixed. Most rabbits at rescues are over 6 months old too, so you won’t have to go through the “teenage” stage (which can be a lot to handle for someone new to rabbits).

Choosing to rescue will not only save you lots of money, but you’ll also be saving the life of a bunny who may not have gotten another chance if it weren’t for you. This all makes rescuing the perfect choice for first time bunny owners.



If you have any more questions, please do feel free to ask me, as I'd love to help you and your future bunny. And hopefully this helped to answer some of your questions about rabbits.