Tips For Keeping a Healthy Rabbit

There are those who consider rabbits a functional animal capable of producing meat or wool (depending on breed) and those who consider them pets (that’s more my line). As one might expect with division there is also disagreement among the proper care of these animals.

This sweet little girl has been waiting two years for someone to come and take her home. She can be adopted from San Diego House Rabbit Society as of this writing and would love to get to know you.

Feeding:

On one side is the camp that advocates plenty of vegetables and no pellets. On the other side are the owners that advocate pellets as a base, some hay and occasional treats of vegetables. There are indications, however, that a vegetable only diet can lead to digestive upset, which can even be fatal; this is very rare with a pellet-based diet.

As with most things a moderate approach is important. Here are some guidelines for your bunny:

-Feed a few ounces of pellets per day.

-Supplement the diet with hay and greens but NEVER feed greens from the nightshade family, including potato and tomato greens.

-Flopsy will very likely enjoy treats of dandelion greens, an occasion plantain leaf or handful of grass. Make sure when giving these treats they have not been sprayed with any kind of fertilizer or weed-killer. Rabbits also love trimmings from rose or berry bushes and eagerly eat the pruning pieces when offered.

-Alfalfa hay is not usually needed unless the animal is breeding or growing. Ordinary grass hay can be a benefit to the rabbit’s health by providing roughage.

Teeth and Nails:

Pay particular attention to the teeth – they should meet evenly or top over bottom. If they don’t then the teeth won’t wear properly, leading to discomfort and the need for regular trimming of teeth.

Flopsy will also need her nails trimmed regularly. You can do this easily as you would a dog’s nails, using caution to trim short without getting into the ‘quick’ or sensitive inner nail. In light colored toenails this is easy to see.

Grooming:

All bunnies will benefit from brushing and it’s a great way to bond with your pet. Among the rabbit breeds for which daily grooming is essential is the angora. Its long soft hair can quickly become tangled and matted. Keeping the hair at one inch or less in length will help prevent problems but, if matts occur, use ball-tip grooming scissors to cut them out, snipping carefully down to the base of the matt, then tease the last of the matt out with a medium bristle brush. Don’t try cutting down to the skin; you’re likely to injure your pet.

Rabbits can make wonderful pets

…and can even be house-trained, though as prey animals they can be quite timid. They also have a tendency to scratch and bite but when they feel safe they can really come into their own and be affectionate and entertaining.

“Once I showed up at my sister’s with a baby rabbit I had bought from some children because its ears were cold. I put the rabbit on a hot water bottle and massaged its ears for quite a while. After all, I knew that all healthy animals had warm ears.” ~ Juliette G Low

Find lots more adoptable bunny rabbits at House Rabbit Society.

What You Should Know About Adopting a Rabbit

Guest article by Ashley.

Rabbits make wonderful pets. They’re soft, cuddly, and absolutely adorable. Around Easter time each year, you’ll notice a huge jump in rabbit sales. Bunnies are a symbol of the holiday, and breeders use this to their advantage, marketing rabbits toward parents of small children. Unfortunately, many of these rabbits end up in shelters or rescue centers because the owners didn’t know how to handle them, or the novelty wore off for their children.

Before you’re drawn in by those big beautiful eyes and large floppy ears, make sure that you are prepared. Pets are for life, not something to be picked up on impulse and later tossed away. Caring for rabbits, especially those that have been neglected or abused, is more difficult than you may think.

First of all, even if you’ve been told that the rabbit that you adopt has been allowed to have free roam of its home and is litter box trained, this does not mean that your new bunny buddy will use a litter box immediately upon arriving in your home. Rabbits can be litter trained, certainly, but it’s a fairly involved process that centers around careful placement of the litter box. You will likely have to start the training process again from square one.

A lot of people consider rabbits to be good first pets for children. They seem tame and calm, incapable of causing harm. It’s important to note, however, that rabbits can display aggressive territorial behaviors when not properly trained. When frightened, rabbits will also kick out with their powerful hind legs, and the scratches resulting from those kicks can be very painful.

Aggressive shows of behavior don’t mean that your bunny is “bad” or “mean”. It’s likely that your new friend has not been properly trained, and hasn’t been shown affection and love. Be patient. You’ll have to prove to your new friend that you can be trusted.

Even if you plan on allowing your rabbit to roam free in your house, it’s important that you begin with a cage. Keep your bunny in its cage until it is comfortable with its new surroundings, and with each member of your family. This helps prevent aggression related to territorial issues.

It’s also essential to “rabbit-proof” your home. Bunnies are natural chewers, and will chew on most anything, including furniture, curtains, clothing, and carpeting. Keep your rabbit distracted with toys that it can chew on and give it lots of love and attention. Rabbits will also chew on exposed wires. This is very dangerous, both for your bunny and your house, as it poses a fire hazard. Wrapping loose cords in a cord saver or electrical tape will help keep everyone safe.

If you catch your bunny chewing, never hit or yell at him. The only thing this teaches your rabbit is to fear you. Instead, offer alternatives to the bad behavior, and use positive reinforcement in the form of treats or praise.

If you’re looking for a cuddly, loving, and cute new pet, rabbits are just the ticket. If you care for your rabbit properly, have realistic expectations, are are patient and kind, your new bunny buddy will bring joy into your life for many years.

“A great many people now reading and writing would be better employed in keeping rabbits”. ~ Dame Edith Sitwell

Forget Rabbits For Sale, Rescue a Rabbit Instead

“Attack Rabbit: Do Not Touch.”

A simple sign was plastered across the tiny wire cage, discouraging any visitors to the animal shelter to move on to the next rabbit. Inside the tiny cage staring wistfully outside the plastic window was a small Silver Marten who would grunt and lunge at anyone brave enough to reach inside her cage. Rotten food sat in her dish and there was nothing to keep her busy during the long, solitary days.

Her adopted name was Stormie.

Vet visits revealed her reason for lunging and grunting, aside from the fact that she was confined to a tiny space 24/7,  needed to be spayed and had severe arthritis. Little did anyone realize Stormie was an old girl who was in a lot of pain, pain that could be helped with medication and extra love.

Licorice, and her brother, Bruiser, are silver martens who are currently available for adoption along with lots of other rabbits at petfinder.com.

There are thousands of house rabbits just like Stormie, forgotten by those who bought them on a whim, living in outdoor hutches or cages that are too small, suffering until, if they are lucky, someone comes along and rescues them. Those who are not that lucky die never having known the love of a real family.

Adopting and caring for an abused bunny can be extremely rewarding, but it also requires love, plenty of patience, and in some cases expensive veterinary care. There are some things you can do to make the experience better for both you and for your new family member.

Before you adopt a rabbit, abused or otherwise, be absolutely certain you are ready for the responsibility. Rabbits can live as many as 12 years or more and required specialized veterinarian care that is often more costly than vet care for a dog or a cat. Rabbits are also very sociable animals who need attention and interaction.

Once you’ve decided to adopt an abused rabbit, find out anything you can about her past, which can help you identify what triggers her behavior. For example, perhaps she lived in a home with a young child and was hit on the nose. That could be the reason she grunts and doesn’t like to be touched. Chances are, though, that you won’t know your rabbit’s past, making patience and understanding even more important.

While many people allow their rabbits to have free run of the house, once it’s been bunny-proofed, you don’t want to give your rabbit that much freedom at first. Start small, giving her access to a small area of a room and slowly allow her more freedom. Whether she will have free run or live in a pen or cage, make sure you give her a box or something she can hide in when she needs time to be alone or when she becomes frightened. (Rabbits who live in a cage or a pen should have at least four hours of play time out every day.)

Unlike their cartoon portrayal, rabbits are generally not cuddly animals and rabbits who have been abused or neglected may be even more wary of human attention, especially if they’re only used to negative attention. Don’t force yourself on your bunny; rather, allow her to come to you in her own time. A good tactic is to sit on the floor and do something, like clipping coupons or reading a book, and allow your bunny to come over and explore you when she’s comfortable. Just be sure you ignore her while she’s checking you out.

If your new house rabbit hasn’t been spayed or neutered prior to adoption, be sure that you schedule the surgery. Female rabbits are prone to ovarian cancer, and hormones can make both male and female rabbits grouchy. Altering can help calm your rabbit down and help with the bonding process between you and her.

In addition to being altered, your rabbit should get a thorough check-up by an experienced rabbit veterinarian after you bring her home to check for such problems as arthritis, malocclusion, and other common health problems in rabbits. Prey animals, rabbits hide their illnesses, in many cases until it is too late, so you must keep a careful eye on your rabbit for any sign that something may be wrong.

If you’re not sure how to care for your rabbit or how to make her more comfortable, talk with your vet or contact your local chapter of the House Rabbit Society. There are plenty of experienced bunny owners who are willing to offer advice and support, or take a look at the Humane Society’s website, which has lots of good information on caring for your rabbit.

“Say; thems fightin’ woids.” ~ Bugs Bunny