Angela's Rabbitry

Basic Rabbit Care

  has a great care section.

 Here is a few answers to questions from their site.

How big should the pen be, and from what materials should it be made?
     Rule of thumb is that minimum pen space provided should be about 3/4 of a square foot per pound of mature weight. Therefore, a 10 pound animal would require a pen at least 30" x 36" (3/4 square ft x 10 pounds = 7.5 square ft. A pen 30" x 36" = 1080 square inches = 7.5 square ft.). Naturally a larger pen is not harmful, and how much larger is at your discretion.
     Building materials can vary from wood, to PVC plastic, to wire. The design of your pen is up to you, and how elaborate you wish to get. The basic pen is made of all wire, which is the most sanitary type of pen, as the waste from the rabbit will fall through the wire floor onto the ground or into a pan which might slide out from under the pen. This latter method is a great space saver, as pens can be stacked on top of each other, with the sliding pan stopping any waste from falling through to the pen below.

Should my rabbit be kept inside or outside?
     It is your choice whether to keep your rabbit inside or outside. Rabbits can adapt very easily to environment and conditions. However, it should be kept in mind that they need to be protected from the elements at all times. They should not be kept anyplace where they would be in a direct draft, come into contact with rain, snow, etc., nor should they be kept where they would be in the direct sunlight. Rabbits are wearing a fur coat, so they can withstand colder temperatures much better than they can withstand heat.
     If kept outside, it is good to envision how you will protect the animal from the elements before obtaining it. Building or purchasing a pen that will provide the necessary protection from the elements should be first and foremost in planning for your rabbit.

Can I keep 2 or more rabbits together?
     Rabbits are very territorial, and in most cases, if multiple rabbits are kept together they will end up fighting at some point. Normally, when reaching sexual maturity they may become aggressive and start positioning for dominance, which can lead to fighting. Rabbits are usually satisfied to be alone, and having a partner to live with is not necessary. Especially if you provide care and attention to the animal daily.
     There are, however, cases where multiple rabbits have been successfully kept together without fighting. If you wish to have more than 1 rabbit kept together, we suggest introducing them at a young age, keeping a close eye on them, and if one or more become aggressive, separate them at that time to prevent injury to any of the animals. 

Can I bathe my rabbit?
     If your rabbit has a soiled rear end, rinsing it off with clear water is clearly needed, but bathing the entire rabbit with shampoo is generally not advised. Rabbit fur will take several days to dry, resulting in a very uncomfortable rabbit when the entire rabbit is shampooed. Angora breeders will blow their show rabbits by using a hair dryer on cold or warm which blows out dirt and loose hair.

How do I worm my rabbit, and how often should this be done?
     The only worms rabbits get are pin worms which are thread sized, 1 inch long worms which can be seen protruding from the droppings. The common wormers used in dogs and cats, such as Pyrantal Pamoate (Nemex or Strongid), can be used at the dog dose, or in herd situations, Piperazine, a product sold for livestock which can be mixed in the water at livestock dosages, could be used. When pin worms are seen in one rabbit in a herd, treat the entire herd as the worm quickly spreads through the rabbitry. Worming once a week for 3 weeks is indicated to be sure all the immature forms are killed. Watch droppings closely as this proves that the worms are gone and have not come back.

What do I use for bedding?
     In solid bottomed cages, most use pine shavings. Cedar shavings have a resin which may be toxic. For wire bottomed cages, many rabbits will soil bedding, making more of a mess and creating more problems than it is worth. However where bedding is needed, straw especially in front of the feeder is best, leaving the back of the cage with bare wire flooring so urine and droppings can fall through. Plastic floor pieces ("Mighty Mat") are also useful for rabbits with feet problems.

What vaccinations does my rabbit need?
     Currently there are no approved vaccines for rabbits. There is no licensed rabies vaccine for rabbits so they should not be vaccinated for this. Even though this has been required by some fair shows, it has been associated with death of the rabbits.

Can I catch a cold from my rabbit or vice versa?
     Although viral diseases usually do not spread between species, rarely this can happen; however bacterial diseases do cross from people to rabbits and back. Strep throat is one such example. You should wash your hands after you blow your nose before touching your rabbits, other animal pets or people. Likewise, you should wash your hands after handling rabbits or other animals, or shaking the hands of other people.

Can I catch any diseases from my rabbit or vice versa?
     Rabbits are considered fairly clean, but washing your hands after handling rabbits or any other animal is a good practice. You can give your rabbit strep throat, and possible other bacterial diseases so wash your hands after blowing your nose.

How long will my rabbit live?
     The "average" life expectancy of a rabbit is between 7 - 10 years, given the proper diet and kept in good sanitary conditions. Naturally there are exceptions, and many rabbits may not live up to 7 years, however there are those that will live past 10. 
     Again, insuring your rabbit is kept in good clean sanitary conditions, with a well balanced diet and not overfed, will insure it has a long healthy life. 
     Rabbits may suffer some health problems the same as humans, such as heart attacks, strokes, etc. If your animal dies with no signs which may indicate what the cause was, do not feel that it must have died because of something you did, or did not do.

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Feeding

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

Pellets

Pellets should be fresh, and should be relatively high in fiber (18% minimum fiber).

Hay

Hay is essential to a rabbit's good health, providing roughage which reduces the danger of hairballs and other blockages. Apple tree twigs also provide good roughage.

Timothy, Orchard, Oat and Wheat hay is best. Alfalfa and Bermuda is a little lower in crude fiber. Alfalfa has a high calcium %. A 50/50 mixture of alfalfa and other will work well too. If breeding, Alfalfa is not recommended.

Fresh Vegetables

 Give vegetables sparingly, their pellets are more important for fiber in their diet.

A variety is necessary in order to obtain the necessary nutrients, that contains Vitamin A, indicated by an *. Add one vegetable to the diet at a time. Eliminate if it causes soft stools or diarrhea.

Alfalfa, radish & clover sprouts
Basil

Beet greens (tops)*
Bok choy
Broccoli (mostly leaves/stems)*
Brussels sprouts

Carrot & carrot tops*
Celery
Cilantro

Clover
Collard greens*
Dandelion greens and flowers (no pesticides)*
Endive*
Escarole
Green peppers
Kale (!)*
Mint
Mustard greens*
Parsley*
Pea pods (the flat edible kind)*
Peppermint leaves
Raddichio
Radish tops
Raspberry leaves
Romaine lettuce (no iceberg or light colored leaf)*
Spinach (!)*
Watercress*
Wheat grass

(!)=Use sparingly. High in either oxalates or goitrogens and may be toxic in accumulated quantities over a period of time

Candies/Sugars

These can include everything from yogurt drops to sweetened papaya tablets. The high sugar is the culprit here. Many rabbits have a sweet tooth, but sweetness means a high content of sugars. Excessive sugar is converted to fat, or will pass into the cecum where the bacteria will use it for energy and then rapidly overgrow, possibly leading to bacterial imbalance and gi stasis. The same can occur after feeding too much fruit. Avoid feeding your rabbit simple sugars and instead stick with nutritious treats such as vegetables and herbs

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Chewing

This is perhaps the central concern of most bunny caretakers. Rabbits need to chew, both for physical and psychological reasons. Wicker baskets, non-poisonous logs and sticks, cardboard, paper, straw, and pine cones are all good choices. If the rabbit enjoys chewing holes into the back of the couch, give her a closed cardboard box filled with paper or straw, with a small hole in it to start, and let her finish the job. Be imaginative! Provide a toy box of untreated wicker or cardboard full of different sizes and shapes and textures of wood, dried-out pine cones, cardboard tubes or other safe items.

Do not give just a chew stick! People often buy these strange orange-and-green wooden sticks from the pet-supply store for their new rabbit, and are surprised to see that Thumper barely sniffs his before starting in on the baseboards. Especially for a young rabbit, or a particularly chew-conscious rabbit, chew-toys need to be interesting (which a chew stick is not, even if it's dyed orange and shaped like a carrot) and plentiful. The more toys, and the greater variety, the better. A rabbit who has only a stick, a log, or a piece of two-by-four to chew on, is going to be a bored rabbit. And a bored rabbit is a naughty rabbit.

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Digging

Along with tunneling goes digging. Some rabbits enjoy digging at the end of a tunnel; others will dig wherever they can. World-class diggers need lots of opportunities to dig, and fortunately, these are easy to provide. A cardboard box, large litterbox or dishpan, or even a large wicker basket filled with hay, shredded newspapers, old magazines or junk mail, and any other safe shreddable, should do the trick.

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More questions, just ask.

I will add more info as it is needed.

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FREE to GOOD Home

She was found wondering around in a housing community. She is healthy and easy to handle. Looking at her she is a Mini Lop. She is housed at my rabbitry.