Rabbit Care Guide

Whether you are thinking about getting a bunny, rabbit or bunny-rabbit, you will be investing in a long term companion. These fuzzy friends can get as big as a house cat and can be just as satisfying a house pet. There are a few things to know before choosing a rabbit:

Bringing Bunny Home

• Get all the supplies you need before bringing your rabbit home.
• Set up your bunny's cage in a quiet, friendly and inviting corner (not next to the dog cage).
• Be sure to have some food and water set out beforehand.
• When bunny does come home, let him or her relax in the new surroundings:
• Leave her alone for a few hours.
• Be calm when around her.
• Talk in low reassuring tones. Rabbits like to listen to people's voices.
• When your bunny is ready (calm and relaxed with the surroundings) start sitting with her without touching her. Let her get used to you. Let her know it's ok to come near you without feeling threatened.

Your bunny may be scared by her new surroundings at first. Slow and steady wins the race--let her get to know you on her own time.

Creating a Home

Bringing bunny home may be stressful for both you and your new companion, but the more you prepare ahead of time, the better. Rabbits, like all small pets, want to be loved and give love, but at first they are going to be scared of their new surroundings. Here are a few tips on how to make the transition period a little bit better. Set up their new home before bringing bunny home! It is that simple, and here is what you need for a perfect bunny house.

• Pick a room (laundry room, bathroom or hallway blocked by baby gates).
• The room should be big enough for you and bunny to easily fit.
• It should be in an area that has consistent traffic but no loud scary noises.
• Provide one or two litter boxes with a fresh layer of hay on top.
• Keep a dish of food available to bunny. Try to keep the same food he was eating before coming home.
• This will prevent stomach problems.
• If it was bunny junk food (with corn, seeds and other unhealthy additions), change it.
• Provide a bowl or bottle or both of water at all times.
• A cardboard box with bunny sized holes will provide shelter. Cover one hole with a towel and he can sleep in privacy.
• Remove plants, wires, books, cleaning products and other unhealthy products from the reach of bunny.
• You can leave chew toys, untreated straw, hay or sea-grass mats and baskets with which bunny can play.

Bunny Products

Rabbit Pen When buy your rabbit's Cage , remember to get one roughly four times the size of your rabbit. A cage with metal grating  is ok as long as you provide a mat  for him to stand on. Grass mats  and blankets  will also help to make him new home warm and homey. Cages with plastic bottoms  are ideal. You can also provide a towel  for comfort.	Rabbit Food Water dishes  and bottles are important to provide for baby bunny. Without water, bunny cannot survive on her own. Make sure to change the water often. A food bowl  can be any small plastic or ceramic bowl in which to keep food. Rabbit pellets  and hay may be foreign subjects to a new bunny owner, but they are certainly important. Rabbits deserve yummy munchies just like we do, and hay is a healthy choice for them. There are a few choices, including: timothy hay ,grass hay  and alfalfa hay .	Rabbit Toys Keeping bunnies happy can seem tedious, but it doesn't take much to make them happy. All they need are a few toys like plastic keys  or a rattle . Make sure you give them plenty of things to chew on. The more things they have to chew (rabbit-intended toys ,cardboard boxes  and tubes ), the less likely bunny will chew on your couch or rug. A wooden and unpainted  rabbit hutch is ideal to give your bunny some space of his or her own.	Rabbit Training If you want to make your life easier, litter train your rabbit. Be sure to put a litter box  in with your rabbit as soon as she comes home. Litter  is an important supply to keep in the house. Some are non-toxic and pre-made  other kinds are unscented wood chips --it is all personal preference. If you don't want to buy products for the litter box, use newspaper. Newspaper is absorbent and easy to clean.	Rabbit Hygiene Keeping bunny nice and clean is essential to his health. Brushing your bunny's hair  should become part of your daily routine. You may also want to invest in a nice pair of nail clippers  so that your bunny doesn't start scratching things he is not supposed to. Small scissor clippers  Larger clippers

Related Guides

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International Resources

For this resource in your home country, please see:
NL: Konijnenbenodigdheden Shopgids