Enjoying Rabbits as Pets...
|
My first experience of having pet bunnies was when my grandson found a tame rabbit outside, caught it and brought it home. It had been abandoned by its first family. This happens all too often, as people will buy them but not know how to care for them.
Bunnies are also often given to children as gifts because they are so extremely adorable. However, the gift-giver fails to take into consideration the long-term care that is needed by these little creatures.
Character Traits of Bunnies
Rabbits are not fond of being picked up and held the way cats and dogs enjoy being picked up. So what makes having rabbits so inviting? They are very playful and entertaining to watch. During their active time, which is usually in the early morning and early evening, they love to run and jump. Then they love to stretch out during the day and take bunny naps.
Bunnies are very social and, with gentle handling, are generally quite tame. Being social animals, they need a great deal of interaction with their owners and/or other bunnies in order to be happy. When they want to socialize with you they will get close to you, put their head on the floor, and will want you to rub their head. Instead of purring like a cat, they will chatter with their teeth just to let you know they really like you and the petting they are receiving from you.
Play and Exercise
Daily exercise and play time are also socializing times for your bunny. You will be surprised to find out how playful they really are. Toys for bunnies can be as simple as a grocery bag or toilet paper roll.
These items may not be sold as rabbit toys but here are a few things that bunnies love to play with:
- Cardboard concrete forms or plastic pipe-- make sure that it is large enough for your bunny to get through.
- An apple box with a phone book will give them something to dig in and shred up; however, make sure that they are not eating large quantities of the shredded paper.
- Cardboard boxes are fun for them. Take the box and cut several holes; one should be a little larger than the rabbit but you can cut a couple that are small and let your bunny construct a hole to their liking.
- Wicker tubes, baskets, and tents provide toys that encourage the bunny to chew on them instead of furniture.
- Dried pine cones and dry tree branches--especially apple or willow branches.
- Small whisk brooms and old straw brooms will provide hours of tossing and flipping around.
- Hard plastic baby toys such as rings, links, keys, rattles, parrot toys, large rubber balls and bells are all so much fun for the them to play with.
- Old towels or small blankets will allow the bunny to make pretend burrows that they can move around and crawl under.
- A hamster ball that you can stuff with Timothy hay will be played with, pushed and pulled on.
Toys will give your rabbit exercise but will also help prevent them from getting bored ad start looking for things to get into. Without toys, bunnies tend to turn to chewing on electrical cords, bottom of drapes, and furniture. When they lose interest in a toy, put it up for awhile and give them new ones to play with. Change for bunnies is always good; they are very curious and love to explore new toys and new hiding places. The important thing about toys is to make sure they are safe for them to play with.
Feeding Your Rabbit
Most people think that all you need to feed bunnies is pellets
Fiber is very important to the normal function of their digestive system. Fresh Timothy hay and fresh vegetables should make up most of the diet for house rabbits. While there may be some fiber in pellets, it is finely ground and does not appear to stimulate intestinal function as well as fiber found in grass hays. Roughage is also necessary for the prevention of hair balls. When pellets are added to the hay and vegetables, it will add to the overall balance of the diet.
Foods other than hay, vegetables, and pellets should be considered as treats and should be fed in moderation. The rabbit’s digestive system is very delicate and susceptible to serious upsets if the diet is not correct. When rabbits become overweight the amount of pellets should be limited, but any reduction in pellets should be made up with a variety of fresh vegetables and an unlimited access to hay.
Hay: Hay such as Oat or Timothy hay
Vegetables: Vegetables should make up a large portion of the diet. Depending on it's, 2-4 cups of fresh veggies should be given per day. A variety must be fed daily to ensure a balanced diet. If they are used to eating mainly pellets, the change must be made gradually to allow their digestive system time to adjust. So that you are able to better track of how your bunny reacts, you should only add one new vegetable at a time. This way if the bunny has diarrhea or other problems, it will be possible to tell which vegetable is causing the problem and you can reduce the amount that they are getting.
Here is a list of vegetables that are good for them: Carrots, carrot tops, broccoli, celery, dandelion greens, parsley, cilantro, endive, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, romaine lettuce, red leaf lettuce, kale and spinach. However, kale, spinach, and mustard greens are high in oxalates and should be fed no more than 3 meals per week.
Never give your bunny any beans, cauliflower, cabbage, and potatoes, potato peels, rhubarb, or chocolate. Iceberg lettuce has almost no nutritional value so should be avoided. Wash vegetables well and only feed dandelions that are known to be pesticide free. Try a health food store for organically grown dandelion greens.
Vegetables should be introduced to bunnies at around 12 weeks of age, in small quantities and one at a time. As more vegetable are added, watch for signs of diarrhea, and if this occurs, discontinue the most recently added vegetable. Over time the amount of vegetables fed is increased and the amount of pellets is decreased, so that by 1 year of age the adult feeding recommendations are followed.
Pellets: Pellets are basically designed for commercial rabbit production and are quite high in calories. As a result, house rabbits fed unlimited pellets may end up with obesity and related health problems as well as an excess of other nutrients. Pellets do have a place in their nutrition, as they are rich and balanced in nutrients. However, experts recommend restricting the amount of pellets fed and compensating with fresh vegetables.
Choose a fresh, good quality pellet. The House Rabbit Society recommends a minimum of 20-25% fiber, around 14% protein (with no animal protein), and less than 1% calcium for most house rabbits (spayed/neutered). For adults, the amount should be carefully regulated, depending on the size (weight) of the rabbit. As a rule, give about 1/4 cup for rabbits 4-6 lb, 1/2 cup for 7-9 lb. rabbits, and 3/4 cup for 10-15 lb. rabbits. Baby rabbits can be fed pellets free choice (available at all times), decreasing to 1/2 cup per 6 lb. of body weight by around six months.
Treats: The House Rabbit Society recommends 1-2 tablespoons of fresh fruits be given daily as a treat. Treats sold in pet stores marketed for rabbits are generally unnecessary and in some cases could cause digestive problems due to their high carbohydrate or sugar content. Instead of food treats, consider offering twigs from apple trees or willow trees. They also love Cheerios, raisins, oatmeal, banana chips, and dried papaya.
So....finally, once you have a bunny take the time to learn how to care for it. Provide it with a good safe home and give your bunny the proper care, diet, and exercise, and you will develop a wonderful companion and friend to watch and play with for years to come. As with any pet, please have it spayed or neutered. If, however, you should decide that caring for your new pet bunny is more work than you had expected, do not turn it loose outside; it will never survive the outdoors because of predators and not being able to find proper nutrition.
For more great articles read these pages
Cat health problems
Choosing a cat
Deals and discounts to save you money
Golden Retriever
Picking a dog for a pet
Pet tips
Do you want more pet articles? Click here for the pet index page.
For More Information Please Visit The
House Rabbit Society
We have a new section for articles and photos that that have been added by our visitors, scroll down below the submission form to preview what they have added
Rabbits are very special pets
Anyone that has rabbits for house pets will realize what wonderful pets they become. The always curious nature of rabbits will bring amusement to their owners. Whether they are racing around the room or just sitting in your lap watching TV with you, they will bring a smile to your face and give you one more story to tell to your friends and family. We would like to hear those stories and share them with all of our visitors.
What Other Bun Owners Have Said
Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
Hunny Bunny
Not rated yet
Hi my name is Hunny Bunny I'm a Harlequin Rex I love to climb and explore things. My owner caught me up on the buffett looking at the antique candle holders....
To Go To The Article Index Click Here
To go to the book store index page click here
To Go To Top of Page on Rabbits Click Here
House Tips | Auto Tips | Sports/Hobbies | Grandma's Tips |
Wisdom & Humor |
