FAQ - Rabbit Care

While rabbits need to learn to be picked up and handled for necessary exams & grooming, in general, they will be happier left to hop about on their own. However, it is still important that you are able to and feel comfortable handling your rabbit. Begin by approaching them slowly & calmly. Grab them firmly on their shoulders (no ears!) and lift. As soon as possible, place a supporting hand under their rump. Some people simply put one hand under the rabbit’s tummy and the other on their rump. Bring the rabbit in close to your body & retain a firm grip. Rabbits will kick & struggle if they do not feel secure. They also tend to kick more when they are nearing the ground or about to be put into their cage. If you start to lose your hold on the rabbit, drop as close to the ground as possible, so the rabbit does not fall far. To help calm a struggling rabbit, cover its eyes.

Rabbit shed four times per year. Because they ingest fur during their self-grooming process and build up of fur in the digestive system can cause serious problems, it is important to brush them regularly to help remove excess fur and prevent mattes. In addition, rabbits’ nails grow continuously and need to be trimmed about once a month.

No vaccinations are required. However, rabbits’ teeth grow continuously and need to be checked at least annually by a vet. Rabbits have sensitive digestive systems. The best way to maintain it is through a proper diet. As grazing animals, rabbits need hay constantly to keep their system moving. Finally, if you notice any marked change in behavior, including lethargy, lack of appetite, severe diarrhea, sneezing, or nasal discharge, take your rabbit to a veterinarian.

Most rabbits consider anything hand-fed a treat, especially fresh veggies. It is not necessary to feed a lot of sweet treats or commercial “treats.” Rabbits should have no more than one tablespoon per day of any of the following:

• Fruits: banana, strawberry, blueberry, grapes, papaya, pineapple, apple
• Other: whole oats, whole peanuts, alfalfa cube

• Unlimited timothy, grass hay, or oat hay
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup pellets per 6 lbs. body weight (depending on metabolism and/or proportionate to veggies)
• Minimum 2 cups chopped vegetables per 6 lbs. body weight
• Fruit daily ration no more than 1 tablespoon per 6 lbs. body weight.

• Introduce timothy hay, grass hay, and oat hays, decrease alfalfa
• Decrease pellets to 1/2 cup per 6 lbs. body weight
• Introduce daily vegetables, and gradually increase quantity
• Fruit daily ration no more than 1 tablespoon per 6 lbs. body weight (because of calories)

Pellets should make up a small portion of your rabbit’s diet. Unless your rabbit is under 6 months old, they should get a set amount of pellets daily and not have constant access to pellets. Pellets should be high in fiber (>18%), and low in protein (<14%), calcium (<0.9%) and fat (<2%). Avoid pellet mixes that contain seeds, grains, dried corn, or other colorful additives, as these items can be difficult for your rabbit to digest and have little nutritional value. It is advisable not to purchase more than 6 weeks worth of feed at a time, as nutritional value degrades over time.

Rabbit enjoy many fresh greens and vegetables and can have up to 2 cups per 5 lbs of body weight daily. Most produce is safe to feed your rabbit. They are likely to particularly enjoy: Romaine lettuce, most herbs, broccoli, carrots (& tops), spinach, kale, collard greens and many others. Try to serve at least three different veggies each day, introducing one new food at a time. This will help you determine if any particular food is not well tolerated by your rabbit.

AVOID: Rhubarb leaves, peas, potatoes, beans, corn, onions and garlic.

Grass hay should be the foundation of your rabbit’s diet as it is essential to a rabbit's good health, providing roughage, which reduces the danger of hairballs and other blockages. Hay should be available at all times. Most rabbits can eat a pile the size of themselves almost every day.

A rabbit's diet should be made up of fresh grass hay (timothy, orchard or oat), fresh vegetables, water and good quality pellets. Anything beyond that is a "treat" and should be given in limited quantities (approx 1 tablespoon per day total).

Because domestic rabbits have limited defenses for the many dangers found outdoors, it is best for the rabbit to be kept indoors. However, a limited amount of time outside is usually safe if you:

• Always supervise your rabbit closely when she's outside
• Make sure that the grass has not been sprayed with pesticides or fertilizers.
• Check the yard for holes in the fence and poisonous plants.
• Only allow your pet rabbit outside during daylight hours.

First, remember that your rabbit depends on you for companionship. It is important to spend time with them, ideally on the floor where they can hop up to you when they choose.

Even when a rabbit has a lot of room to run around, he may still get bored. A bored rabbit is often a naughty rabbit. If you don't make every attempt to provide your rabbit with lots of entertainment, then he will make his own entertainment in your carpet, behind your couch or under your recliner.

Toys not only aid in keeping your rabbit out of trouble, they also provide mental stimulation and exercise for your rabbit. Some good toys to start with are:

• Hiding toys: cardboard boxes, tunnels, paper bags
• Chew toys: untreated hardwoods, untreated wicker baskets, grass mats, cardboard paper tubes
• Toss toys: baby keys, many parrot toys
• Noisemakers: cat toys with bells inside, baby rattles

Because rabbits are very curious and often chew on things, their exercise area needs to be “bunny-proofed” by moving or concealing anything you don’t want chewed, especially electrical cords. Common steps taken include moving house plants out of reach, covering electrical cords with tubing to prevent chewing, applying anti-chewing substances to woodwork & furniture, and blocking access to spaces under & around furniture, etc. After you think you are done, let your rabbit help you identify areas you have missed. Supervise closely until truly bunny-proofed.

Finally, never attempt to use training alone to keep a rabbit from something that can cause harm or death. Toxic houseplants and electrical wires should be impossible for a rabbit to reach. Counting
on training or "the way she's always behaved" with respect to such things is asking for trouble.

An untrained rabbit probably should be kept in a cage while you're not home to supervise and at night when you sleep. Rabbits are crepuscular, which means that generally they sleep during the day and during the night but are ready to play at dawn and at twilight. Be sure to let them out during the evening when you are home, and if possible, in the morning while you get ready for work. When your rabbit is better trained, and when your house (or the part that your rabbit will have access to) has been sufficiently bunny-proofed, your rabbit can be allowed free run of the home (or part of it) even when you are not home. The more room your rabbit has to run around in, the more delightful you will find her as a companion.

A cage should be seen as the rabbit's "nest." A special place where he can feel safe and secure. Make the nest enjoyable and she will enjoy being there, even when the cage door is open! Keep it stocked with toys, a synthetic sheepskin rug, a piece of wood attached to the inside (like a baseboard), and when you put him to bed at night, a nice veggie or fruit snack.

Bigger is better! A cage should be at least 4 times the size of your bunny--more if he is confined for a large amount of the day. Be sure the cage is large enough to allow space for a litterbox, food & water bowls, etc, and still allow the rabbit enough room to stretch out completely. It should also be tall enough that your rabbit can stretch up without their ears hitting the top. If the cage has a wire floor, be sure to provide something solid, like a towel, newspaper, or board, for your rabbit to lie on.

Rabbits were not designed to live on wire floors--they're hard on their feet (which have no pads on the, like cats or dogs). If you must use a cage with a wire floor, you need to provide your rabbit with a resting board or rug for her to sit on; otherwise she will spend all of her time in her litterbox. You can find cages with slatted plastic floors, which are more comfortable, or you can use a solid floor. If your rabbit has a litterbox in their chosen “bathroom” corner, there shouldn't be much of a mess to clean up.

The biggest mistakes are:

• Letting the bunny out of the cage and not watching her with undivided attention. If the bunny does not get herded into the litterbox every time she gets urinates inappropriately, it will take much longer for her to understand what is expected.
• Getting in a hurry. Don’t rush your rabbit. Each learns at their own pace. If you supervise carefully, and reinforce their behavior, they will learn to use their litterbox.

The basic approach is pretty simple. Begin by restricting your rabbit to a small space, like their cage, for the first week or so. Be sure to place at least one litterbox in a back corner of this space. During the week, your rabbit will choose a corner for their “bathroom” area. If that isn’t where you originally placed the litterbox, simply relocate the box to the rabbit’s selected area. In a few days, the rabbit will associate the litterbox with their bathroom. At this point, gradually provide more run space for your rabbit. Be sure to supervise them carefully during this time, so any accidents can be corrected immediately by putting the rabbit back in their litterbox. Start with small amounts of space & time and gradually increase both as your rabbit proves their good habits. Reinforce consistently any accidents. If your rabbit will have access to more than one room of the house, it is a good idea to add more litterboxes as their space continues to grow. Eventually, your rabbit will demonstrate how many litterboxes are needed for the size of space they have.

It depends on what's available in your area and what your rabbit's habits are.

Some possibilities include:

• Litter made from recycled paper or other natural products.
• Some people use hay exclusively since rabbits prefer at least some hay in their litterbox anyways
• Wood pellets designed for use in pellet stoves work very well & are very economical.

Avoid:

Clumping litter because it can accumulate in your rabbit’s digestive tract & cause physical problems.
Litters made of softwoods, like pine or cedar, as they are believed to cause liver damage.
Corn, oat, and alfalfa based litters, as the rabbit too commonly ingests them.

Most important factor for success is having your rabbit spayed/neutered. This will reduce or eliminate their hormonal urge to mark their territory. Also, older rabbits are easier to train than younger rabbits. Young rabbits do not have the control and ability to learn that develops from age. If you have a rabbit less than 6 months, be patient & persistent. Older rabbits will usually learn in a matter of a few weeks.

By nature, rabbits choose one or a few places (usually corners) to deposit their urine and most of their pills. Urine training involves little more than putting a litterbox where the rabbit chooses to go. Pill training requires only that you give them a place they know will not be invaded by others. Here are some suggestions to help you to train your rabbit to use the litterbox.