Rabbits

About Rabbits

A hunny bunny can be a wonderful addition to your household if properly cared for. They are very mild-mannered and enjoy being handled, but please, don’t buy one as an Easter gift.

Countless rabbits become homeless during the months following Easter because people got them as gifts and didn’t want the responsibility after the thrill of a new pet was over.

Nutrition for your rabbit

Commercial rabbit food pellets are available in most pet stores. Contrary to popular belief, they cannot survive on a diet of lettuce and carrots, however, cabbage and carrots can be offered as healthy tasty treats and make your rabbit a happy pet. You can also treat your rabbit to sunflower seeds (it’s fun to watch them spit the shells out) nuts and fruits, but don’t overdo it. They might come to prefer these items and refuse their regular diet. You may be shocked, one day, to find your rabbit eating its own feces. This practice is called coprophagy. While disgusting to humans, coprophagy is a perfectly normal practice for rabbits that helps aid in digestion and increases nutrient absorption within the body. hay is very important it helps in digestion and keeping the front and back teeth trim, As with any pet, freshwater should be readily available at all times.

Housing

Rabbits can be allowed free run of the house if they are litter trained, but if your rabbit is to be kept in a cage, it should be housed individually in an enclosure no smaller than 5 square feet, 16 inches high and have smooth flooring. Wire mesh can be hard on the feet. If your rabbit does have free run of the house, be sure that all electrical wires are protected. They love to chew them, and could damage your appliances or worse, electrocute themselves.

Restraint

A rabbit should NEVER be picked up by the ears. When handling a rabbit, grasp the loose skin over the shoulder with one hand and support the hind legs with the other. Rabbits that are restrained with their hind legs unsupported tend to kick and struggle and they can injure, or even break their backs with such attempts.