who has rabbits? i need advice.

[AshleyRae]

Today we were at the creek, and on our way out my son said, "look, a cat!" I looked, and it was a black and white spotted rabbit instead. His dad got out and caught it. It's clearly not wild, he's very tame. We asked all the houses nearby if he belonged to them, and they said no, so we want to keep him. I don't know much about keeping rabbits and any advice would be helpful. I have it in a small kennel with some water and celery. What do I need to do for him?

 

[SIMZ]

What a fun find!

The bunny will need some rabbit pellets that you can get at any farm or feed store. They also enjoy hay to munch on - also available at feed stores. Actually, a trip to a pet or feed store will help you find all you need for your bunny. They make great pets!

If you'll be keeping him outside, you'll want to get a hutch that is predator safe and provides shelter from the sun and rain.

Enjoy your new pet!

 

[AshleyRae]

I think I heard somewhere that rabbits can be litter trained, and if that's so, I'd like to let it have run of the house. Provided that my cat will get along with him. They are pretty close in size. I'll give him some of the alfalfa we get for the goat for now, and get some pellets when I can get to the feed store.

 

[AshleyRae]

I wonder what kind of kitchen scraps rabbits like. I put the alfalfa in with him and he is chowing down, but he didn't touch the celery last night.

 

[poodlechicks]

I think first and foremost you should take this rabbit to the vet to get checked if you haven't done so yet.
Your rabbit will need timothy hay. Hay is a very important part of a rabbit's diet because it helps its digestive tract as well as its teeth from overgrowing.
Rabbit pellets are good too, but in a lesser amount than the hay.
You might see yogurt treats for rabbits at the pet store. They aren't good for their digestive tracts. I have no idea why they keep selling that stuff.
You can feed your rabbit chopped veggies as treats. They enjoy it.


You can toilet train your rabbit. Just provide him/her with an enclosure around the place he/she sleeps. Choose a place for that enclosure that you'll feel comfortable to have rabbit urine and feces before you are able to get to clean it up. The rabbit will choose a corner in that enclosure to "do its business". After some days, you can try removing the enclosure to see if your rabbit will use the place it had chosen. Keep an eye on your rabbit and keep it confined to an area of your house. Increase the area of range gradually, until your rabbit has the run of the house (or parts of the house you feel comfortable with). Don't forget to rabbit proof the areas your rabbit will be b/c they like to chew on things (cables, etc.)
If you are going to raise your rabbit as a pet, don't confine it to a small space. They need to move around and are curious creatures who enjoy interaction.

Rabbits can get lonely. They enjoy the company of other rabbits. A guinea pig will be an excellent companion, too.


Let me know if you need more info. I'll be glad to help.

 

[SIMZ]

I'd like to second the advice about them chewing. My rabbit has the run of my garage and his ability to cause destruction never ceases to amaze me.

At the same time, there's nothing as cute as having a bunny zigzag across the floor at top speed to be picked up. So, definitely let him run around, but also closely watch him and give him lots of things to chew on.....or he'll find his own. lol

 

[Dutchgirl]

Instead of celery, try (in small amounts, especially at first): dark romaine lettuce leaves, cilantro, apple cores, banana slices, carrot tops and peelings, basil, parsley, pineapple, strawberry scraps (all well washed, esp. if they are store-bought).

I know there aren't any pesticides on our lawn, so I pick lots of dandelion, plantain, and sometimes clover for my few rabbits. It weeds the lawn at the same time.

Those are treats, though. A rabbit should always have water and grass hay like Timothy (alfalfa is okay for babies, but adults shouldn't have it all the time). I feed about 2-3 oz of pellets per 5 lbs of body weight. It sounds like your rabbit is fairly large.

 

[islandgirl82]

They also love oranges/clementines. Rabbits have a major sweet tooth so be conservative about the amount of sweet treats you give them and fresh fruits and veg are FAR better for them than any commercial treats you find at pet stores.

One of the easiest ways to get a rabbit to use a litter box is either get a small hay rack to mount above their litter pan or just fill the litter pan with timothy hay. They love to much hay and poo at the same time. I have one pan for pee that just has shavings and the other that has hay in it that he can munch and poo simultaneously. You'll also notice your new bun will eat it's own poo from time to time. They don't absorb all the nutrients the first time through so they'll eat it again. Gross but true.

You will want to be careful just giving free run of your house...cables/cords look like roots to a burrowing animal and they will chew them "to clear their tunnels".

Here's a great list of what's safe for your bun and it's a great site in general with loads of information that can help you.
http://rabbit.org/suggested-vegetables-and-fruits-for-a-rabbit-diet/

Also getting your bun spayed/neutered can prolong their life and will help prevent males from spraying...which they will do just like a cat if they're not and the cost is usually the same as a cat.

Good luck and have fun with your bun!

 

[islandgirl82]

Here's another great reference site and Mairwen is great about getting back to you with any help you may need.
http://cottontails-rescue.org.uk/

 

[Dutchgirl]

You will want to be careful just giving free run of your house...cables/cords look like roots to a burrowing animal and they will chew them "to clear their tunnels". 

Also getting your bun spayed/neutered can prolong their life and will help prevent males from spraying...which they will do just like a cat if they're not and the cost is usually the same as a cat. 

^^^Very true. I have a relative whose rabbit was killed when it chewed on a sewing machine cord. Rabbits are very curious and will chew wires, furniture, etc. I know people have success with litter training, but as I understand it, bunnies are usually supervised during playtime.

Some bucks do spray. And some bucks still spray after neutering, but that's unlikely. And some bucks don't spray at all, or only at certain times. I had a buck in the house for a year and he didn't spray. Now that he's living outside around another buck, he has started to spray. I think it's more likely to happen when there's another rabbit living nearby.
In any case, it's no fun to be sprayed. Or to have your couch/carpet/wall sprayed.