FAQS You should know about bunnies:
There are a number of ways to keep bunnies occupied without spending a lot of money or any money at all. You can take toilet paper rolls and stuff them with hay. You can take shoe or other small boxes and cut holes in them so they have a tunnel and somewhere to hide (they also like to chew on the cardboard). You can take some shredded paper and put it in a box that they can dig in. You can get the hanging bird toys with the bells at the end so they can chew on the wood for their teeth and play with the bell. You can get the plastic cat toy balls with the bells inside. They will, also, play with rattles and balled up printer paper.
Treats for your bunny are okay for your bunny as long as you don't overdue it. A treat once or twice a week is sufficient. You especially need to watch and monitor them at a young age because sometimes they can not handle it. If the bunny develops diarrhea, stop giving it treats, as it can make them sick.
NEVER feed your bunny lettuce, cabbage, parsnips, potato tops, no flowers or clovers if they run outside (grass is okay), and very little or no alfalfa hay.
Treats which are okay are timothy hay (which should be given to them regularly), bananas, apples, strawberries, broccoli, carrots, parsley and cilantro. Remember to give these treats in small amounts.
Bedding you can use for indoor cages include pine shavings/chips, carefresh, aspen, shredded paper is okay but does not absorb odor so well. NEVER use cedar.
General Care for your Bunny:
1) Keep your new bunny out of drafts, which are very cold or hot.
2) Keep it out of prolonged direct sunlight where it cannot find shade or it will overheat.
3) Keep you bunny dry.
4) Don't expose your bunny to ground where dogs or cats have been that may have been infested with worms or fleas, or ticks. You bunny can pick up parasites from other animals.
5) Don't allow your new rabbit to be harassed by other pets, children or people, etc.
6) TREAT your new bunny with gentle respect and kindness and it will reward you with love, companionship and harlirous antics and happiness.
7) Never give your bunny unsafe bunny treats, as this may cause tummy upsets, and sickness.
8) Never pick your bunny up by it's leg or ears this can seriously hurt your new pet.
9) Always pick your bunny up with one hand supporting it's chest and the other hand supporting it's butt / rump (behind it's back legs).
10) Never chase your bunny or it will become afraid of you.
11) If your bunnies ears feel very hot it will probably need to be put down if you are holding it and allowed to "cool" off by stretching out in a flat lying position. Rabbits only a few tiny sweat glands below they chin so they basically cannot "sweat" to lose excess body heat and help with cooling. They lose heat through their ears. Rabbits cannot "pant" like a dog to loose heat either. They may seems to "pant" but this is when they are extremely HOT and seriously need to be left quietly alone in a cool place with cool water SO they can effectively cool down.
12) Always provide clean fresh water at all times for your bunny (it is best to provide a water bottle and also a heavy glass/ceremic water bowl (for a small bun can use a bowl about 3 inches deep and 4 across the top.)
13) Always provide dry, clean, fresh rabbit pellets. A cup a day. Provide Fresh Veggies and "greens" for your bunny after it's 4 months old. Good greens include romaine lettuce, parsley and mustard greens. Good fruits are apple bits and possibly banana bits (but introduce new treats and foods slowly over a two or 3 week period and in SMALL amounts to begin with). Provide your rabbit/s with fresh clean timothy hay at least 4 times a week, if not daily.
14) Store you rabbit pellet feed in a cool dry location away from moisture such as in a pastic bucket with a lid or a galvanised garbage can with a lid.
15) Don't allow other pets into your rabbits pellet ration feed or they can contaminate it.
16) Don't feed moldy, bad smelling or wet rabbit pellet ration.
17) Only feed "safe" bunny treats AFTER your bunny is 4 months of age: Bunny safe treats include: Fresh small bites of Pineapple, orange, apple, banana, a half of a shelled walnut or pecan, muxcilex cereal, Total Brand wheat or raisin brand cereal, cheerios cereal, carrots, or a small bits of whole wheat bread crust.
18) Remember rabbits maintain body temperature by losing excess heat through their ears. Feel your rabbits ears ! If they are very hot...it's hot. If they are warm it's hot or comfortable... dependingon how it looks.... A rabbit that is stretched out with VERY hot ears and breathing hard is TOO hot... and may have a heat stroke. If your rabbits ears are warm to hot but it looks comfortable it probably is. If it's ears are warm to cool.....it's probably very comfortable. If it's ears are cold but it's not huddled up then it's comfortable also. If it's ears are cold and it's huddled and "looks" cold it may be too cold especially if it’s a very young bunny by itself.
19) YOUR RABBIT has fur and this is like YOU always wearing a FUR COAT no matter if it's cold or hot wheather... Remember this always... a rabbit can overheat quickly and easily in hot /warm wheather... so if you are a little too "cool" your rabbit is probably comfortable. Go outside with a heavy coat on, on a hot summer day and you will UNDERSTAND how your bunny feels in the heat.
20) Monitor your pet rabbit as you would a toddler human child. NEVER leave your pet in an unattended car ~~ it can over heat quickly even in cool wheather !!
21) Make your home "pet rabbit safe"... teach it "no no" and not to chew bad things..such as electrical cords,etc. Give your bunny it's OWN chew toys..... replace "NO NO" things it cannot chew with it's chew safe toys, such as untreated wooden chew sticks, empty toilet tissure rolls, a balled up piece of white cotton bond paper, or a piece of carrot.
22) Your rabbit is a very sociable animal and will rely on you for daily interaction and love... never leave it without yourself for long periods, or days, as YOU are it's "family" and it has bonded to you... it LOVEs you !
23) Don't allow your bunny to get under refrigirators, washers, dryers, or things with electric motors where it can be hurt.
24) Don't allow it to get beneath reclining chairs are it can be crushed with the rocking or reclining motion of the chair.
25) BE CAREFUL where you walk..... your bunny will want to follow your feet ! DON"T step on it!
26) Never hit your bunny..... discipline it with a loud clap of your hands and a firm "no no"...
27) YOUR bunny will learn whatever YOU have patience to teach it ! It 's personality is a reflection of YOU!
28) You bunny has had a great beginning and been loved and treated kindly from birth ! Continue it's good care and teaching and you will have a wonderful pet !
29) It's been scientifically proven that rabbit DNA is most closely related to primates... than other animals. This could possibly account for their high intelligence which is as high, or higher, than any dog or cat.
30) Your rabbit will "learn" payways by running the same route around the room ! It makes a mental picture of the route it takes and runs it over and over until it remembers it ! Kinda like YOU learning in school !
31) NEVER leave your bunny unattended in a room or with other pets.....as it may get hurt.
32) When you put your bunny back into it's cage give it a treat to make going to "it's room" a good thing !
33) Teach your rabbit "to come" to you and other verbal commands such as "stand up" which means to beg for a treat standing on it's hind/back legs !
34) Pick out a good name for your bunny and repeat it's name gently when you speak to your rabbit.
35) A rabbit will usually learn it's name in a day or two.
36) Try not to yell or raise your voice at your bunny, but when telling it “no no” use a firm tone of voice.
37) Let your bunny know you are going to pick it up without jerking it up so you do not scare it.
38) Show your bunny lots of love. They will be affectionate in return.
There are a number of ways to keep bunnies occupied without spending a lot of money or any money at all. You can take toilet paper rolls and stuff them with hay. You can take shoe or other small boxes and cut holes in them so they have a tunnel and somewhere to hide (they also like to chew on the cardboard). You can take some shredded paper and put it in a box that they can dig in. You can get the hanging bird toys with the bells at the end so they can chew on the wood for their teeth and play with the bell. You can get the plastic cat toy balls with the bells inside. They will, also, play with rattles and balled up printer paper.
Treats for your bunny are okay for your bunny as long as you don't overdue it. A treat once or twice a week is sufficient. You especially need to watch and monitor them at a young age because sometimes they can not handle it. If the bunny develops diarrhea, stop giving it treats, as it can make them sick.
NEVER feed your bunny lettuce, cabbage, parsnips, potato tops, no flowers or clovers if they run outside (grass is okay), and very little or no alfalfa hay.
Treats which are okay are timothy hay (which should be given to them regularly), bananas, apples, strawberries, broccoli, carrots, parsley and cilantro. Remember to give these treats in small amounts.
Bedding you can use for indoor cages include pine shavings/chips, carefresh, aspen, shredded paper is okay but does not absorb odor so well. NEVER use cedar.
General Care for your Bunny:
1) Keep your new bunny out of drafts, which are very cold or hot.
2) Keep it out of prolonged direct sunlight where it cannot find shade or it will overheat.
3) Keep you bunny dry.
4) Don't expose your bunny to ground where dogs or cats have been that may have been infested with worms or fleas, or ticks. You bunny can pick up parasites from other animals.
5) Don't allow your new rabbit to be harassed by other pets, children or people, etc.
6) TREAT your new bunny with gentle respect and kindness and it will reward you with love, companionship and harlirous antics and happiness.
7) Never give your bunny unsafe bunny treats, as this may cause tummy upsets, and sickness.
8) Never pick your bunny up by it's leg or ears this can seriously hurt your new pet.
9) Always pick your bunny up with one hand supporting it's chest and the other hand supporting it's butt / rump (behind it's back legs).
10) Never chase your bunny or it will become afraid of you.
11) If your bunnies ears feel very hot it will probably need to be put down if you are holding it and allowed to "cool" off by stretching out in a flat lying position. Rabbits only a few tiny sweat glands below they chin so they basically cannot "sweat" to lose excess body heat and help with cooling. They lose heat through their ears. Rabbits cannot "pant" like a dog to loose heat either. They may seems to "pant" but this is when they are extremely HOT and seriously need to be left quietly alone in a cool place with cool water SO they can effectively cool down.
12) Always provide clean fresh water at all times for your bunny (it is best to provide a water bottle and also a heavy glass/ceremic water bowl (for a small bun can use a bowl about 3 inches deep and 4 across the top.)
13) Always provide dry, clean, fresh rabbit pellets. A cup a day. Provide Fresh Veggies and "greens" for your bunny after it's 4 months old. Good greens include romaine lettuce, parsley and mustard greens. Good fruits are apple bits and possibly banana bits (but introduce new treats and foods slowly over a two or 3 week period and in SMALL amounts to begin with). Provide your rabbit/s with fresh clean timothy hay at least 4 times a week, if not daily.
14) Store you rabbit pellet feed in a cool dry location away from moisture such as in a pastic bucket with a lid or a galvanised garbage can with a lid.
15) Don't allow other pets into your rabbits pellet ration feed or they can contaminate it.
16) Don't feed moldy, bad smelling or wet rabbit pellet ration.
17) Only feed "safe" bunny treats AFTER your bunny is 4 months of age: Bunny safe treats include: Fresh small bites of Pineapple, orange, apple, banana, a half of a shelled walnut or pecan, muxcilex cereal, Total Brand wheat or raisin brand cereal, cheerios cereal, carrots, or a small bits of whole wheat bread crust.
18) Remember rabbits maintain body temperature by losing excess heat through their ears. Feel your rabbits ears ! If they are very hot...it's hot. If they are warm it's hot or comfortable... dependingon how it looks.... A rabbit that is stretched out with VERY hot ears and breathing hard is TOO hot... and may have a heat stroke. If your rabbits ears are warm to hot but it looks comfortable it probably is. If it's ears are warm to cool.....it's probably very comfortable. If it's ears are cold but it's not huddled up then it's comfortable also. If it's ears are cold and it's huddled and "looks" cold it may be too cold especially if it’s a very young bunny by itself.
19) YOUR RABBIT has fur and this is like YOU always wearing a FUR COAT no matter if it's cold or hot wheather... Remember this always... a rabbit can overheat quickly and easily in hot /warm wheather... so if you are a little too "cool" your rabbit is probably comfortable. Go outside with a heavy coat on, on a hot summer day and you will UNDERSTAND how your bunny feels in the heat.
20) Monitor your pet rabbit as you would a toddler human child. NEVER leave your pet in an unattended car ~~ it can over heat quickly even in cool wheather !!
21) Make your home "pet rabbit safe"... teach it "no no" and not to chew bad things..such as electrical cords,etc. Give your bunny it's OWN chew toys..... replace "NO NO" things it cannot chew with it's chew safe toys, such as untreated wooden chew sticks, empty toilet tissure rolls, a balled up piece of white cotton bond paper, or a piece of carrot.
22) Your rabbit is a very sociable animal and will rely on you for daily interaction and love... never leave it without yourself for long periods, or days, as YOU are it's "family" and it has bonded to you... it LOVEs you !
23) Don't allow your bunny to get under refrigirators, washers, dryers, or things with electric motors where it can be hurt.
24) Don't allow it to get beneath reclining chairs are it can be crushed with the rocking or reclining motion of the chair.
25) BE CAREFUL where you walk..... your bunny will want to follow your feet ! DON"T step on it!
26) Never hit your bunny..... discipline it with a loud clap of your hands and a firm "no no"...
27) YOUR bunny will learn whatever YOU have patience to teach it ! It 's personality is a reflection of YOU!
28) You bunny has had a great beginning and been loved and treated kindly from birth ! Continue it's good care and teaching and you will have a wonderful pet !
29) It's been scientifically proven that rabbit DNA is most closely related to primates... than other animals. This could possibly account for their high intelligence which is as high, or higher, than any dog or cat.
30) Your rabbit will "learn" payways by running the same route around the room ! It makes a mental picture of the route it takes and runs it over and over until it remembers it ! Kinda like YOU learning in school !
31) NEVER leave your bunny unattended in a room or with other pets.....as it may get hurt.
32) When you put your bunny back into it's cage give it a treat to make going to "it's room" a good thing !
33) Teach your rabbit "to come" to you and other verbal commands such as "stand up" which means to beg for a treat standing on it's hind/back legs !
34) Pick out a good name for your bunny and repeat it's name gently when you speak to your rabbit.
35) A rabbit will usually learn it's name in a day or two.
36) Try not to yell or raise your voice at your bunny, but when telling it “no no” use a firm tone of voice.
37) Let your bunny know you are going to pick it up without jerking it up so you do not scare it.
38) Show your bunny lots of love. They will be affectionate in return.