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Thank you for opening up your life and your heart to the unique love of a rabbit. You will be rewarded with the companionship of a playful, curious, delightful animal who will offer fun and friendship. Your rabbits can learn their names and be trained to come, use a litter box, stand up, etc. They have their own language of nudging, teeth grinding, chinning and licking (bunny kisses). This handout includes information gathered by rabbit lovers and rabbit doctors to help your rabbits have a happy, healthy, long life.
Animal shelters euthanize thousands of adorable sweet bunnies every year because there aren't enough good homes. Rabbits in shelters are healthier, already spayed/neutered, accustomed to being handled, and often litter box trained. As cute as those little fluffy baby bunnies are in the pet store, they are at a high risk for getting sick. Bunnies in pet stores are exposed to a lot of germs at an age when they are most susceptible to illness. If you obtain a baby bunny from a breeder, there may be less exposure to germs, but the young bunny will still be at an age when it has a higher risk of getting sick due to stress. Most rabbits in shelters are 5 months to 11/2 years old. These older bunnies are healthier because at this age they have a better immune system. Baby bunnies are cute, but your adult rabbits are still extremely adorable, they will easily bond with you and will run and play for many more years to come.
Many people sell rabbits for very little, and the humane society charges an adoption fee that may seem expensive. This fee covers the cost of the spay/neuter surgery and a free vet visit, services that would cost you up to $130 for that $5 rabbit, plus the possible cost of treating a sick bunny. Spaying and neutering rabbits is not optional; it is necessary for your rabbit's health and emotional well-being (see Spay & Neuter section below).
Many rabbits are shy at first. Have the rabbit's cage ready in advance - provide hay, water and a couple of handfuls of pellets - so that you can bring the rabbit home, place him/her in the cage, and let him/her get used to his/her new home for about a day. Changing homes will cause the bunny a great deal of stress, so allow the bunny to get used to his/her new surroundings with as little intrusion as possible. With the cage on the floor, open the door and let the bunny walk out to explore. Sit down, relax, and watch your bunny check out the room and you. This allows the rabbit to feel secure in his/her own home, because he/she knows where to run to be safe and can approach you and meet you as it would a friend in the wild. Allow the bunny increasing amounts of time out of his/her cage, under supervision. This method also encourages using the cage as a place to pee and poop. It may take a few weeks for your new bunny to settle down and open up to bond with you; a calm environment and consistent behavior on your part will help your bunny adjust quickly.
There are many rabbit breeds, producing rabbits of different sizes, coat textures and markings, temperaments and needs. For instance, Angora rabbits have long, soft coats that require regular brushing. Dwarf rabbits tend to be a bit hyperactive. Lops like to play with toys; they also require more attention to their ears since they droop over. Your rabbits will have individual personalities, but some generalizations can be made regarding their traits and needs from the breed. As with dogs and cats, bunny "mutts" (mixed-breed rabbits) make wonderful companions.
Making your bunny a house rabbit will help to crate that special attachment between human and bunny. It is ideal to start out with a cage that the bunny learns is his/her safe place, and the place to pee and poop. Many cages have wire bottoms; this is uncomfortable for rabbit feet, so if you have that kind of cage, give the bunny something to stand on like a piece of wood or carpet, towel or synthetic fleece. If your rabbit chews excessively on the towel or carpet, remove it to avoid an obstruction in the digestive tract. Large wire dog cages and exercise pens work well as bunny homes; plastic dog crates have less airflow and are not as ideal. The cage should be as big as possible. If you have a large play area that your bunny spends most of his/her time in, you can get a smaller cage, but the cage should be at least big enough to allow the bunny to stretch out and stand up on his/her hind legs, with room for food, water and litter box. The cage should be kept on the floor; your bunny will be nervous if it has to be lifted in and out, and will prefer to walk out of his/her cage to explore and run back in for safety.
Bunny-proof your house. All important papers and books should be kept out of reach. Make wires inaccessible (place wire behind furniture, attach wires to the wall out of bunny reach, or cover wires with plastic tubing from the hardware store). Some rabbits will chew on wood furniture or wall edges. Cover the nibble area and place old magazines, phonebooks, cardboard box, and/or litter box with hay nearby for a more interesting chewing option. Make sure there are no rodent poison or other toxic chemicals accessible. On rabbit I know of nearly died from eating rat poison that the owner had placed under the couch, supposedly out of reach.
Since bunnies are so social, keep them in an area in which you spend most of your time. Be aware that an extremely busy and noisy area may be too stressful for many rabbits. If your bunny will spend a lot of time out of his/her cage, then cage size doesn't matter as much. But if your bunny will be cooped up for half the day or longer, it should have a large area to live in. You can create a larger area using dog exercise pens. Make sure the openings in the wire are small enough to prevent your bunny from getting out or becoming caught in the fencing.
It is recommended that rabbits NOT be kept outdoors in hutches. These rabbits rarely receive enough attention. One rabbit living alone in an outdoor hutch will feel like he is in solitary confinement in jail. In addition to the mental and emotional hardships, outdoor rabbits are exposed to extremes of heat and cold, which may kill them. Dogs, cats or wildlife may get into your yard and harass and/or kill your rabbit. Also, it is more difficult to monitor your rabbit's health if s/he doesn't live with you, and they are more susceptible to diarrhea, maggots or hock sores, expensive problems that could easily have been avoided.
If your rabbit must live outdoors, give her/him a bunny companion (see Bonding section) and provide them with shade, fresh food, a sturdy hide box filled with hay for protection from the elements, ice-free water in the winter, and a large frozen bottle of water to help them stay cool in the summer.
Rabbits are quiet and peaceful animals that respond beautifully to attention and affection when treated with gentleness and love. Rabbits are intelligent animals that form adoring lifelong relationships. They love to be petted, like snuggling, enjoy jumping and leaping playfully for fun, love to chew, and will bring joy to your life. If you've never experienced bunny love, open your heart and mind, and lay down on the floor with your bunny roaming free. Watch your bunny and you'll learn to recognize his/her body language: nervous, frisky, curious, loving, etc. See the world through their eyes - how would it feel to be a bunny?
Bunnies like to be comfortable and happy, and as mentioned previously, don't deal well with stress. Gently and patiently work with your bunny to get it used to a carrying case, traveling, nail trimming, brushing, and being lifted. This training will decrease your bunny's stress during these procedures.
Many bunnies go through an adolescent phase somewhere around 3 months to 1 year old. They have a lot of energy and curiosity, and are constantly exploring, often getting into trouble. Like a two-year-old child, this phase is best dealt with by redirecting their energies. Instead of reprimanding, just remove the valuable/important item the bunny has discovered, and give him a box of tissues to shred, or a box filled with magazines to tear apart. Spaying or neutering helps to calm adolescents to some degree, but be assured, they will grow out of their naughtiness. Bunnies adopted from shelters are often at the age where they are mellowing out of their adolescent stage.
Most bunnies pick this up very quickly, though there are occasional bunnies that never get it, or not quite 100%. Place a litter box in the corner of the bunny's cage that s/he pees in. Place litter boxes in corners of the room(s) the bunny is allowed out in. You can put urine-soaked litter and droppings in the litter boxes, but the best thing to entice bunnies to hang out in their litter boxes is to place hay in the litter box. Try lining the litter box with a piece of newspaper, and place about an inch of litter in the box. Dump the contents when soiled, daily or every other day. Changing litter often and providing a clean living area encourages bunnies to use their litter boxes.
DO NOT USE CLUMPING LITTER OR LITTER WITH ADDITIVES (like "lemon scented")! These are dangerous to your bunny's health. Eating clumping litter can cause a blockage, and the scented litters cause respiratory and liver problems. Regular cheap cat litter may or may not be safe, but why take chances? Use natural paper products with no additives. Corncob litter can also cause blockages when eaten.
| Romaine | Collard greens | Wheat grass | Mustard greens |
| Pea Pods | Swiss chard | Watercress | Green/Red lettuce |
| Escarole | Cilantro | Broccoli | Carrots & tops |
| Endive | String beans | Kale | Brussels sprouts |
| Parsley | Spinach | Green peppers | Dandelion greens |
| Apple | Watermelon | Raspberries | Honeydew Melon |
| Pear | Strawberries | Cantaloupe | Blueberries |
| Peach | Papaya | Mango | Plum |
| Banana | Grapes | Pumpkin |
Notes:
The two easy things you can do to keep your rabbit healthy:
Rabbits rely on the good bacteria in their digestive tract for nutrients (see Digestion section). If the environment changes in the digestive tract (for example, more acidic), the good bacteria die and bad bacteria proliferate and cause illness and death. It is very easy to kill off the good bacteria: sudden change in diet or improper diets (like eating large amounts of carbohydrates); stress from being at the shelter or pet store, changing homes, having surgery, rough handling, or being harassed by other animals (dogs, cats, etc.); and taking certain antibiotics. Stress is additive, so if your bunny has a low-stress home life and a good diet, it will be better able to deal with stressful situations like a visit to the vet for a check-up.
Hay is important because the good bacteria like to ferment grass hay, the long stems keep the digestive tract moving so things don't get stagnant, and the rabbit's teeth get worn down. Pellets are a low-fiber, concentrated form of nutrition, containing much more protein and calcium than a rabbit requires. If a rabbits eats only pellets, s/he will be pone to overgrowth of bad bacteria, slow digestion, obesity and overgrown teeth. Low fiber diets, slow digestion and decreased fluid intake predispose rabbits to hairball obstruction in their stomach. Basically, if you keep the digestive tract healthy, you keep your bunny healthy.
If you have a rabbit that is not yet spayed or neutered, their health and emotional well-being will benefit greatly by having it done. Neutered male rabbits stop spraying, humping everything that moves, being aggressive, and will become more cuddly and mellow. Spayed females will be less frustrated and less aggressive, and will become more calm and loving. Spaying females is extremely important because they can have an 80% chance of getting uterine cancer, which can lead to death. If you've just adopted a rabbit from a shelter, s/he has most likely been spayed or neutered a few days before the adoption. It may take a few weeks to a few months after the surgery for the hormones to clear form her/his system and your bunny to mellow out.
Rabbits can start breeding as early as 3 to 5 months of age; therefore, males and females need to be kept separate until they are spayed or neutered. Male rabbits (bucks) can be neutered as soon as their testicles descend, around 3 to 4 months old. Female rabbits (does) can also be spayed at 3 to 4 months of age.
Now that your bunny is spayed/neutered, s/he is now able to enjoy a loving relationship with another bunny. Bunnies form tight loving bonds with other bunnies and with people. Whereas your bunny will bond with you and be very loving, unless you can stay home and spend all day paying attention to her/him, you should get your rabbit a bunny friend to talk "bunny talk" with, cuddle up to and groom. Your bunnies will still love you and beg to be petted, but will have a richer, fuller life. In addition, you get to watch them play, cuddle, share food, groom lots of other cute things. Plus, pair-bonded rabbits are healthier and better able to deal with stress, so they'll live longer. If you are planning to adopt your first bunny, consider getting two at the same time - same amount of work and twice the love. Often shelters have pair-bonded bunnies available, or a rabbit expert can help pair two bunnies of your choice. If you have a bunny already, and you're looking for a second bunny, introductions can be tricky so be careful. Call the House Rabbit Society for advice on the proper way to introduce and evaluate bunny pairs. Due to raging hormones, bonding rabbits can be difficult unless both rabbits are spayed and neutered.
Being picked up is very scary and unnatural for rabbits; they feel like a predator has grabbed them for dinner. That's why many rabbits struggle when lifted, and when they kick out with the hind legs, they can fracture their spine. So it is very important to handle them properly - see the House Rabbit Society pamphlet "An Uplifting Experience" at www.rabbit.org/journal/3-11/lift.html). Remember to always support their rear ends and hold them securely without squeezing. Never pick rabbits up the their ears, legs or scruff.
Since rabbit handling requires a certain amount of manual dexterity, children under 8 years old are often unable to safely lift rabbits by themselves. Young children should always be monitored when handling and spending time with rabbits.
If you are nervous picking up your bunny, s/he will get nervous as well, so try to be calm and confident. A safe and easy method to lift your bunny is:
You have just made a "bunny burrito"
Don't keep the bunny wrapped in a towel for very long as s/he can get overheated. When you're done, carefully place all four bunny feet on the ground and lift the towel off, letting him/her walk away. Many shelter bunnies are already experienced at being handled. You may be pleasantly surprised to find a bunny that likes to cuddle in your lap, but most rabbits prefer to lie next to you to be petted.
Many perfectly wonderful vets are willing to see rabbits, but few are experienced with the rabbit's unique requirements. Something as simple as giving the wrong antibiotics can kill a rabbit (Amoxicillin, Ampicillin, Clindamycin and Lincomycin are the most dangerous, but others can cause problems as well); therefore, rabbits should always be treated by experienced rabbit veterinarians. Contact the House Rabbit Society for recommendations on rabbit veterinarians in your area.
Bunnies should have constant supervision when outdoors; a dog or cat or other predator can get into any yard and kill a rabbit within seconds. A determined predator can rip open any enclosure, no matter how well built. Since it would be difficult to bunny-proof an entire yard, closing up all the tiny fence openings, it is better to create a smaller, more secure play area. Build a strong wood and wire enclosure with a roof to discourage predators from just jumping in. Provide shade, water, food and a hide box. An alternative is to train your rabbit to wear a harness, and then you can hang out in the yard with your bunny on a leash. Some bunnies will even go for walks!
Don't let you bunny eat grass that has pesticides or has been fertilized. And don't leave your bunny out for long during hot weather.
Rabbit seem to prefer cheap toys like cardboard boxes, magazines, newspaper, phone books, junk mail, important paper documents, paper bags, towels, wicker baskets and toilet paper rolls (with and without toilet paper) Note the recurring theme - items that can be ripped up. A cardboard box can be turned upside down with a hole in one side, can be placed on its side, or placed with the top open for bunnies to jump into. Some rabbits like bird toys with bells and wood chunks. Slinkies also make a fun toy. Cardboard tunnels can be purchased at hardware stores and lumber yards; ask for "concrete forms." Rabbits respond best when their toys are rotated instead of staying with the same toy(s) for weeks.
Rabbits have a large cecum in their gastrointestinal tract that house good bacteria. These bacteria ferment fiber to nutrients; some of the nutrients are absorbed in the cecum, and some are passed out of the anus as cecotrophs. Rabbits eat these cecotrophs directly from the anus, thus regaining the protein and vitamins contained within. You may occasionally see cecotrophs - they are soft and moist and look like a cluster of grapes. Cecotrophs are erroneously called "night feces," but rabbits may produce them anytime during the day or night, 4 to 8 hours after eating.
Whenever you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact a House Rabbit Society representative. The Northern Colorado Chapter representatives are:
Christine . . . . . 970-493-6965Or you can contact us via e-mail by visiting our website at www.fortnet.org/NCHRS/index.html. Many commonly asked questions are answered on the House Rabbit website at www.rabbit.org.
Gail . . . . . . . 970-224-4465
There are some fine books to help you care for your bunny. We
recommend:
The House Rabbit Handbook by Marinell Harriman
The Really Useful Bunny Guide by Carolina James
Return to Northern Colorado House Rabbit Society home page
Last updated: Monday, 07-Oct-2002 10:53:04 MDT