Rabbits
Rabbits are gentle quiet creatures, and they make wonderful pets. They range in size and breed from the 15 pound Flemish Giant to the 2 pound Netherlands Dwarf. Rabbits become more tame and personable with each handling, becoming bonded with their humans. Rabbits require some basic care: they are not just a pet you can throw in a hutch outside and forget. The more attention you pay to them the greater the rewards. Rabbits can be kept indoors and they are easily litter box trained. There are also rabbit societies for rabbit lovers (contact your vet for phone numbers and addresses). Rabbit shows are a popular event - contact your local 4-H or FFA club for more information.
General information
Rabbits become sexually mature at the average age of 4 months (earlier for dwarf breeds). The average life span for a rabbit is 5 years, but keeping your pet indoors and spayed or neutered will lengthen your pet's life. Though rabbits become very tame and need to be handled regularly, they should never be handled by unsupervised children. A rabbit that is not handled regularly can inflict painful scratches with their hind feet if scared. Your pet will need regular health visits with a veterinarian, yearly and after purchase. Yearly fecal exams are also recommended to look for parasites or bacteria. Rabbits should be spayed and neutered before they reach puberty at 4-6 months. Consult your veterinarian to properly determine the sex of your rabbit.
Feeding your rabbit
Fresh drinking water should always be available by water bottle. Water offered by bowl is not recommended, especially for does (female rabbits). Does have a flap of skin under the chin called a dewlap, and if the dewlap is chronically wet from drinking this can cause health problems. Feeding tables are as follows;
commercial rabbit pellets
- under 6 months of age: unlimited access
- adult: 2-3 tablespoons per 5 pounds
hay (timothy or grass hay) feed alfalfa hay only to lactating does
- under 6 months of age: unlimited access
- adult:unlimited access
green leafy vegetables (no iceberg lettuce)
- under 6 months: 4 tablespoons per 5 pounds
- adult:4 tablespoons per 5 pounds
Occasional snacks of fruit, whole grain cereals, wheat bread, or other veggies are appreciated in small quantities. Hair balls are a common problem for domestic rabbits. Daily papaya tablets can help with this. Consult your vet for a dosage.
Housing
Unsupervised bunnies should be in a hutch, cage or bunny proof room. If your rabbit is kept in a cage with wire flooring it is very important to provide a piece of wood or some sort of relief from the wire flooring for the rabbit to sit on. Clean your pets' cage frequently and please do not use cedar shavings as they cause health problems for rabbits.
Housing should include:
- Hiding box or cage for free roaming rabbits
- An ambient temperature of 55-90 degree. Rabbits can only sweat through their ears, so try to reduce temperature during the summer months as much as possible. Provide them a frozen 2 liter bottle to lean against in times of high heat.
- Good ventilation
- Objects for chewing like cardboard or untreated wood.
Prevent access to these items for safety
- electrical cords
- blankets or carpet that could be ingested.
- paint or varnish
- unsupervised children or pets
- toxic houseplants
- pesticides or lawn chemicals
- cedar shavings
- tobacco or cigarette smoke
- gourmet pellets that include peanuts or additives.
Prevention is the key to health, so follow these tips
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