5 minute read
Caring for Your Rabbits
By Sherry Lim
Rabbits are becoming popular pets and are great additions to your livestock and homestead life. They make good companions, are low maintenance and quiet, and can be potty-trained. Rabbit droppings can be used as natural fertilizer and hold four times more nutrients than cow manure. Whether you get a rabbit as a pet or for a homestead, there are a great many reasons to own a rabbit. Here is what you need to know.
Choosing Your Rabbit
From California Pen rabbits to Holland lops to Flemish Giant rabbits, all rabbits have their own unique personalities and qualities. Ranked from low to high temperament, these are common rabbits seen in Texas: American Fuzzy lops, Holland lops, mini lops, Dutch, lionheads, Harlequins, mini Rexes, Dutch lops, Netherland dwarfs, and Flemish Giants. I highly recommend meeting your pet rabbit beforehand to gauge its personality. I have met California Pen rabbits that are highly temperamental, but I have also met California Pen bunnies with sweeter personalities than Holland lops. When selecting your rabbit, keep in mind that the bigger the rabbit the more waste it will produce and the more food and space it will need. Check to see if the rabbit is sickly looking with any crusting or residue around the eyes, ears, and nose as this is an indicator of other problems. Keep in mind that rabbits can live anywhere from 5 to 12 years and can be a long-term commitment. Habitat
The cage size for your rabbit is very important as you do not want your rabbit to be sitting in its waste. For a smaller rabbit, a cage that is at least 24 by 36 inches is recommended. Having a grate underneath your rabbit’s feet will allow feces to fall right through, which can later be used in compost or as fertilizer. Unlike cow or horse manure, rabbit manure is a cold manure. This means that it does not need to be cooked in compost and can be used straight away on plants. Pet rabbits should not stay in their cages for long periods of time. Letting the rabbit roam free outside or inside to get daily exercise will ensure your rabbit stays healthy and happy. Rabbits are temperature sensitive and are usually comfortable from 55F to 85F. Litter Box
If your rabbit is free-roaming and indoors, set up a litter box. This can be filled with hay, newspapers, pee pads, or anything that can absorb the rabbit’s urine. I use a rabbit toilet
with Timothy hay placed on top of the grate. Anything that falls through I use in compost. Rabbits instinctively keep their waste in one area and usually in corners. Adding a few of the rabbit’s droppings into the litter box will encourage the rabbit to use the litter box. Don’t be alarmed if you see droppings that look like soft blackberries. Rabbits have two types of droppings: pellets and cecotropes. Pellets are usually dry and round. Cecotropes are blackberry shaped and soft. These are meant to be eaten by the rabbit. This process is called coprocaphy and ensures the rabbit absorbs needed nutrients from its food.
Bunny-proofing
Some rabbits like to chew on wires and wood especially baseboard, molding, and carpets. Using baseboard guards and blocking off certain areas will help limit your rabbit from chewing on furniture. Not all rabbits chew on household items, just be sure to keep wires and tasty wood away from your bunny. Food and Water
To keep your rabbit healthy and disease-free, provide fresh, clean water every day. Although rabbits have strong immune systems due to their advanced intestinal tract, contaminated water that has been sitting out can weaken their immune systems. Rabbits don’t need much when it comes to their basic foods since they are vegetarian. Pellets versus hay versus something else? 100% Timothy hay pellets are perfect along with dry Timothy hay or other hays and fresh greens to help keep their teeth the perfect size. A rabbit’s incisors constantly grow just like a human’s finger nails. These four front teeth can grow 5 to 6 inches in just one year so it is important that your rabbit has something to keep them the right size such as pieces of untreated wood, dried hay, or even clean cardboard. Keep the rabbit’s pellets fresh and out of the open or it can get stale, wet, or exposed to rodents. I purchase Timothy hay pellets at my local feed store in the 50-pound bags and keep them in a large airtight container. Rabbit food that is mixed with dried fruits and nuts is unnecessary and can cause your rabbit’s teeth to get cavities and to rot faster, especially its molars, shortening the rabbit’s lifespan.
Grooming
Rabbits are naturally very clean. They clean themselves just like cats. On rare occasions, rabbits may need a little bath because of accidents, but generally bathing a rabbit is unnecessary. Clipping rabbit toenails is a must since their toenails grow just like their teeth, and trimming is recommended every two to three weeks with a pair of human or dog nail clippers.
The Vet
Rabbits will show signs that they are sick and in need of a veterinarian who specializes in rabbits. Symptoms of a sick rabbit are lethargy, change in appetite, teeth grinding, head tilt, or difficulty breathing. A very common bacterial sickness called snuffles causes rabbit’s eyes and nose to become runny. Snuffles usually last a couple of weeks and the rabbit is back to normal. In more severe and rare cases, infection can set in and can kill your rabbit if not treated. Rabbits can be neutered or spayed to help control their temperament and to help keep them in good health. Without spaying or neutering, rabbits may spray when they want to mark territory. This leaves an unpleasant smell and is sometimes difficult to clean up. Spaying and neutering is usually recommended at four months. There are currently no required vaccines for rabbits; however, vaccinations are available, particularly for myxomatosis and viral hemorrhagic disease.
Overall rabbits are very intelligent animals that can form bonds with their owners. Whether you want to leash train your rabbit or keep them for your homestead, rabbits are a gentle and fun addition to any family.
