LOOKING AFTER YOUR PET RABBIT
Rabbits are an easy to keep pet as long as you care for them properly. They live on average 6 - 10 years. You should consider all financial obligations such as vet care, feeding and bedding. Rabbits live fine either on their own or as part of a group (As long as they are introduced early enough). If you intend to keep more than one rabbit litter mates or bunnies of a similar age are good together. Bunnies sometimes settle better into their new homes when they go in pairs. It is a stressful time for a new baby bunny when it has to leave is siblings and start out on its own.
Housing your Rabbit.
A outdoor hutch for your rabbit or rabbits should consist of a properly constructed hutch of average size together with an excercise run. This is important as hutch life alone without the opportunity to excercise is no life for your pet. Your hutch should have two compartments. A living room and nest box or sleeping area, both compartments should permit the rabbit to lie down fully stretched in any
direction and to stand on hind legs without touching the roof. Your hutch should be waterproof and have legs to raise it off the ground. It shoud have a secure mesh door on the living area and a draft proof solid door on the sleeping area. Remember to allow enough room for your rabbit(s) to grow.
Cover the hutch floor with a good 2" of shavings in both compartments. Provide Hay and Straw in the
sleeping compartment, plus extra hay in the living area to nibble on. Add a drinking bottle of fresh water. In adverse weather conditions such as driving rain and excess cold, provide a ventilated cover to the mesh door of your hutch. The ideal hutch location is not directly facing the sun or wind. Place your hutch in the shade and against a protective wall or fence is best. Make sure that your hutch is secure and protected from predators.
When you take your new rabbit home it is wise to have your hutch ready for him. It is best to place your bunny in his new home and then leave him to settle in for the first day. He will probably be frightened and this is quite a stressful fime for him.
Furnishing Your Hutch - You will need the following:
Water Bottle - (Remember the excersise run will need a water bottle also)
Hay Rack (If desired)
Earthenware or Stainless Dish
A gnawing block - Sometimes rabbits like to chew at their hutch in order to wear down their
teeth. You can avoid this by providing a suitable gnawing block.
Shavings
Hay
Straw
The hutch will need cleaning out 2 - 3 times per week. It should be scrubbed and disinfected once a week with a rabbit friendly disinfectant. Make sure the hutch is completely dry before you put your rabbit back.
Handling your Rabbit
Never pick up a rabbit by its ears. Place your hand under the chest holding each foreleg seperately between the thumb and two fingers. As you lift, take the weight of the rabbit with your other hand under the rump. When carrying a rabbit, keep it close to your chest.
Children should not be allowed to pick up a rabbit unless properly supervised by an adult. If a rabbit is lifted incorrectly it can panic and scratch and injure a young child.
You should check teeth and nails each week. Overgrown teeth should be dealt with by your vet. Rabbits nails can be trimmed off with suitable animal nail clippers. This can be done by your vet or the rabbit breeder where you purchased your rabbit from will be able to show you how.
Rabbits also enjoy grooming, depending on the breed of rabbit you have, regular grooming (twice a week) with a medium stiff brush is recommended. Some breeds of rabbit like the angora need brushing and combing every day. This is a good time to give your rabbit a good check over for any skin or fur abnormalities.
FEEDING
Ask what food the rabbit is on and either stick to the same or change to a rabbit food of your choice. This has to be done gradually by mixing a small amount of the new food with the current food and gradually increase he amount of new food each day until after about a week your have completely
changed over to your new food. Failure to do this can kill your rabbit. Most breeders will give you a supply of food so that you may do this. Choose a quality mix. You can also feed a small amount of vegetables when your rabbit is old enough - usually around 4 - 5 months old. Be careful when introducing your rabbit to new greens as this can cause your bunny to have diarrhoea and a tummy upset. Your rabbit should be given unlimited access to a good quality hay to nibble on.
NEVER FEED YOUR RABBIT LETTUCE - THIS CAN CAUSE DIARRHOEA AND KILL.
Health
If you plan on letting your bunny run around your garden, first make sure it is safe from predators and there are no poisenous plants that your bunny can get access to. Your rabbit run should be moved daily so that the rabbit has fresh grass no nibble on. Make sure that your rabbit has access to fresh water.
Unless you are intending to breed from your rabbit I strongly sdvise and having him/her neutered/spayed. This can be done by your vet at 4-5 months of age, the sooner the better. This is essential if you are intending to keep more than one rabbit, and you may be able to avoid having to temporarily split them up at puberty. Neutering prevents certain cancers in the doe and usually stops unwanted behaviours such as spraying from boys and hormonal moodiness in girls, especially if performed early.
I also recommend a regular wormer at least twice a year. Panacur Rabbit is a good choice. This can be bought from your vet or on the internet.
Vaccinations against Mixi and VHD are also benificial for your rabbit. I can make arrangements for Vaccinations and Spaying & neutering if you wish.
My vet has verycompetative rates. Please ask if you require more onfo.
Be vigilent with any changes in bunny. If he stops eating/drinking for longer than a day - There's a problem. Seek advice from your vet or give me a ring. I am always happy to help.
IF YOU NEED ANY HELP OR ADVICE WITH ANY MATTER CONCERNING YOUR BUNNY THEN PLEASE GIVE ME A CALL
WE ARE ALWAYS HERE TO HELP.
FRESH GREENS
Good choices of fresh greens for rabbits include the following:
Beet Greens
Brussels Sprouts
Broccoli (Mainly Stems and leaves)
Carrotts and carrott Tops
Celery
Chicory
Kale
Parsley
Parsnips
Spinach
Note: Feed kale and spinach sparingly and avoid beens,potato
sprouts, maize , rhubarb and lettuce
Oakley Rabbit Stud
16 Oakley Estate
Off Chapel Street
Shepshed
LE12 9AR
t: 01509 569960
m: 0778 6118316
e: jane@oakleyrabbitstud.com
Bonding rabbits is not a easy task, people just think it is just a case of bringing a new rabbit home to the existing rabbit and everything will be fine. More often than not these hasty introductions do not work and result in the rabbits causing harm to each other or chasing each other around.
Rabbits are very territorial so when bonding rabbits, it is better to use a neutral space for the introduction. Neutral spaces might be a room that the bunnies have not been in before or a garage or a friends home.
Work with the rabbits for at least twenty minuets a day to start with and do not leave the rabbits unattended, you need to stay with them in case of fighting. If through the bonding process the rabbits fight, they do need to be separated when you are not working with them.
It is best to start the rabbits off in a different situations such as a car ride or a neutral space and gradually move the situations to a more normal surrounding such as a garden or a run.
POSSIBLE SITUATIONS AFTER INTRODUCTIONS: If love at first sight occurs, then try them in the space they are going to be living in, if is is still ok, then they are fine and you have nothing else to do.
If the rabbits seem a bit hesitant towards each other, just keep an eye on them when they are together and separate them when you are not arround. This will avoid any fighting and eventually they will hopefully bond.
Another scenario is, if the male mounts the female and the female does not resist, this is a positive sign meaning the relationship will go well. If the female does put up a fight and becomes aggresive towards him, then you must prepare yourself for a lengthier introduction period.
If one rabbit is chasing and the other is running, make sure the running rabbit doesn't fight back and neither of them get hurt. If neither of these things occur, then just sit and watch and wait. If one does show signs of aggression, then separate them and once again prepair yourself for a lengthier introduction period.
When two rabbits fight then you must prepare for a full introduction period and the possibility that they may not bond at all !!
POSSIBLE TYPES OF INTRODUCTION
BOY/GIRL - Probably one of the easiest introduction and quite often the most successful.
GIRL/GIRL - Quite easy but sometimes there will be fighting
BOY/BOY - Sometimes ther will be fighting but it is not impossible to bond boys, having both buck neutered will hopefully make the process easier.
TWO BABIES - Very easy to bond
THREE OR MORE RABBITS - This will depend on age, sex, personalities and whether two of the rabbits are already bonded.
BABY/ADULT - Sometimes difficult but will go well if the adult is tolerant
If you are bringing home a rabbit to a rabbit which already lives with you, it is almost always easier to bring home a girl to a boy rather than the other way around. It is always easier to bring the rabbits home at the same time, usually the strange enviroment is enought to bond them.
