How to Care for a Rabbit

Rabbits are friendly and sociable animals, but taking care of them may not be that easy. Rabbits make wonderful companions and can also be house trained like dogs and cats. In fact, they can make as good pets as dogs or cats and are known for the companionship that they exert. There are many pet rabbit breeds and before bringing home a rabbit as your pet, it is very important to learn and research about the specific needs, their behavior and traits and the appropriate way to look after them. Most importantly, you should be prepared to devote and commit yourself towards the house rabbit care throughout its lifespan. So, to know how to care for a rabbit, follow the guideline mentioned below.

How to Care for a Rabbit

Shelter

Rabbits should always be kept indoors as they would not be able to bear the extreme changes in the weather if they are kept outdoors. Their wild counterparts are proficient at surviving any kind of climate change, but domesticated rabbits are very sensitive and need to be protected. They tend to feel insecure even in enclosed environments, so much so, that even the mere sound of a predator can scare them to death, literally! This is also considered as an unusual rabbit fact. It is up to you to decide whether you want them to be left free or whether they should be caged. If you leave them free you should make sure that all electrical wiring and cords are off their reach, as they have the tendency to chew onto things. Also keep away all cleaning supplies, insecticides and certain plants that are poisonous if consumed by rabbits.

If they are to be caged, make sure they have a lot of room to move around freely. The cage should be at least four to five times the size of the rabbit and should be easy to clean. You can either buy one from the pet store or even build one for your pet rabbit. Rabbits enjoy staying in condos and you will also need to provide a small box, in case the rabbit feels like hiding for sometime.

Food and Diet

Rabbits are known to have a very complex digestive system and they instantly fall ill if they eat anything, that is even slightly incompatible with their digestive system. So, in order to take proper care of your beloved pet, you need to know what do rabbits eat? Eventually, you will understand, that they need to be provided with a balanced diet that consists of pellets, fresh hay like timothy hay, apple tree twigs, straw and oat hay, fresh fruits and vegetables like lettuce, parsley, carrots, melons, peaches, strawberries and pears. They need to be fed adequately and need a supply of fresh and clean water all throughout the day. Baby rabbits or bunnies need to be gradually introduced to this diet after they are about 4 weeks old. You should feed them the pellets as treats, that is, in very small quantities. Also make sure that you provide them with adequate exercise and play, so that their health is maintained well.

Reproductive Health

Spaying rabbits is important for their overall health. Apart from relieving you of the unwanted mess of mating rabbits, neutering also helps prevent testicular cancer and regulates their behavior.

Handling and Training

Rabbits are very gentle and fragile and so they would need to be handled carefully with a lot of love and affection. They are highly sociable and adjust easily to a family atmosphere. Also, having two rabbits, rather than a lonely one is better, as they do well when in company, than when alone.

As far as their grooming is concerned, you will need to brush their fur and clean their ears regularly. Brushing their fur is essential so that they do not swallow fur balls and fall ill. A visit to the vet, once in a while, is a good idea to ensure that everything is fine with the rabbits. Training rabbits will be really easy if it is started at an early age and will require a lot of patience and time. Do not rush through the training process.

Rabbits should not be brought as pets for children as they are very fragile and may not be handled well by kids. Also gather as much as rabbit information as possible before getting one home. If you are bringing home a bunny rabbit, then learn well about baby rabbit care to make your experience with rabbits, an enjoyable one.