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| Where Do I Get A Bunny? |
| The best place to aquire a rabbit is from a breeder. This gives you two BIG advantages over a pet store. You get to see the conditions that the bun was born and raised in and you will have a resource for your questions. A good breeder will be available to you for answering questions and will be happy to show you their rabbitry and thus, the condition of their animals. Why is that important? A healthy bunny can only come from healthy conditions. If a rabbitry is unclean and the cages are filled with feces, hair and urine there will be bacterial diseases and worms that can play a huge factor in your rabbits general health. Unfortunately I can not recommend the purchase of a bunny from a pet store. The health and background are unknown and you will not have someone to help you if you need it. Also pet stores have a bad reputation for selling bunnies that are two young to be weaned. So beware of that cute little "dwarf" bunny...it could very well be a large rabbit that is a month too young to leave it's mama! Another terrific resource for finding a pet bun is the rescue shelters. These are the ones that need you the most. |
| What's For Dinner? |
| Generally most pet bunnies will do fine on a diet of manufactured pellets that can be purchased at any feed or pet store. Follow the directions on the bag as the suggested feeding amounts. The biggest hazard a pet bunny faces is getting too fat. Make sure your bun gets plenty of exercise and this usually will not be a problem. Over feeding a rabbit is an easy thing to do so try to avoid it. Treats can be feed but should be done so on a minimal basis. Try to keep the treats healthy such as small pieces of fresh veggies and fruit. Do not feed a rabbit lettuce. It has a very high water content and can cause diareaha which can be fatal for a rabbit. The best treat you can feed your bun is hay. |
| Toys? |
| Rabbits are extremely curious and playful creatures. They will appreciate something to entertain them while they are in their cage. Be inventive and use common sense. Do not give a bunny something that will cause harm if it is ingested such as soft plastic or fabric toys. Some common suggestions are canning jar lids and card board boxes. Rabbits also love to dig and push things around. A box with newspaper in it will give a rabbit hours of pleasure and a great big mess! But they will truly love you for it. |
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| Litter Boxes? |
| Rabbits are very clean creatures. They will spend hours grooming themselves. This tidiness crosses over into their "toilet" habbits as well. A bunny will chose one corner of their cage to use as the latrine. When it has picked its spot simply place a litter box in that corner. You can put a few of their "business items" and/or a piece of cardboard or paper towel soaked in their urine in the box to give them the idea to use it. Soon bunny will be using the box and you can begin the process out of the cage. Make sure that your rabbit has access to a litter box in other areas of the house and you will be surprised how well they will use it! |
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| Does Bunny Need Shots? |
| There are no vaccinations for rabbits like there are for dogs and cats. Some breeders choose to worm their animals and sometimes routine antibacterial treatments are given to breeding herds. If you are curious, ask your breeder if the bunny has been wormed and if they recommend doing so. They can also recommend a medicine for worms if they think it might be necessary. |
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| Baths and Fleas? |
| Just like any mammal, a rabbit can get fleas if it is exposed to them. Baths are not recommended as a bunny's hair is very difficult to get dry and they will tend to lick themselves excessively when wet and this can cause hairballs (just like a cat gets). Any flea reamedy (such as a powder or spray) that is safe for kittens should be safe for an adult rabbit. The best method of flea reamedy is prevention...Most rabbits are not going to come to you from a breeder with fleas. They can and will pick them up from your dog or cat so keep Fluffy and Rover free of fleas and you should not have to treat Thumper. |
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