Bunny Trail  Farm
Rabbit care basics for new bunny owners.

For information on rabbit homes see the page on housing for ideas on a home
for your bunny.  Even a free-running house rabbit needs a place where it can be
secure.  If you are traveling and are going away for the weekend don't forget to
provide your bunny with enough food and water.  Be sure your bunny is in a
secure cage when you are not at home to supervise.  A rabbit can do just fine for
a weekend away but if you can have someone check on your bunny that would
be all the better.  A pet sitter is a great idea if you plan on being away for a
longer period of time.  I (Becky) am currently a pet sitter and have been for 9
years!  You can also have a friend, neighbor, or relative come in to take care of
your bunny but be sure they have the time to follow through and provide good
care.  Your rabbit care provider can let your rabbit out and supervise out of cage
play time to give your bunny some exercise.

Feeding:

Ideally, a rabbit’s diet should consist of 4 things. Pellets, fruits/vegetables, hay
and fresh water. For a list of safe fresh foods to offer your bunny, see the safe
foods web page. Of course, what you feed your rabbit will depend on how many
rabbits you have, and whether you are interested in breeding rabbits, or simply
owning one or two as pets.  Baby rabbits under 6 months of age should have a
full bowl of pellets and be allowed to free-feed as much as he/she wants.  Some
rabbits eat a bowl of food a day and some less.  You can simply fill the bowl and
refill as needed.  Do not allow a rabbit to become overweight.  Cut down on feed
if your rabbit becomes obese.  Don't worry if you rabbit does not eat pellets as
long as he/she is eating hay.  Some rabbits don't eat much in pellet food but will
eat their hay.  Rabbits may dig in their food bowl dumping out most of the feed.  
You can purchase a wire feed hanger that holds a larger amount of feed and
should discourage digging.  Babies may lay in a metal feed hopper or food bowl if
they can fit. Do not buy rabbit food sold in stores that has the colored bits in it.  
The rabbit will pick out the bits, dig in the food, and waste the feed.  Buy pellets
that are 16 % protein or less.  Whether you feed in the morning or evening is
based on your own preference.  Any change in diet should be done very slowly.
Never feed moldy feed as it will kill a rabbit.  Keep the bag of pellets dry and
clean.  Do not let rodents get into feed.  Keep your feed in a covered container to
prevent rodents from getting into feed bag when stored outdoors.

Hay is VERY important in a rabbit's diet, and you can never feed too much of it.
Do NOT use alfalfa which is too rich for rabbits.  Use an orchard grass mix or
Timothy hay.  It is cheaper to buy a bale of hay than it is to buy those little bags
they sell in the pet store. Store bales of hay off the floor and keep them from
getting wet. The best hay to purchase by the bale is 2nd cutting.  Rabbits, like
horses, can colic. This is when a human would vomit, but rabbits are physically
incapable of this, so instead their stomachs get bloated with blockages in the
digestion tract and they will usually die. But hay prevents digestive problems.
Especially while your rabbit is in a molt. Hay also occupies your rabbit. Bored
rabbits can start pulling on wire and damaging their teeth, or chewing their fur if
they do not have hay to munch on. Hay gives them something to do, without the
risk of them becoming over weight. Also, the more hay you feed, the fewer pellets
the rabbit will need to maintain a healthy weight.

Clipping Your Rabbits Nails:

Cutting your rabbit's toenails will help prevent you being scratched. Care must be
taken not too clip too short or you may cut the blood vessel which is at the base
of the nail. This can be easily seen in white rabbits but it is more difficult to see in
colored rabbits. Long sharp toenails are not only dangerous to you, but they are
dangerous to your rabbit as well. Untrimmed toenails can get caught in the cage
and break, grow improperly and sometimes get infected. This is why it's a must to
keep them trimmed. Rabbits CANNOT be de-clawed.

What you will need:

  • Cat nail clippers.  You can use human kind, but we use cat nail clippers.

  • A long sleeved shirt o prevent scratches

  • -An assistant- if necessary


The first few times you clip the nails, you will probably want to have help
available, since the rabbit will probably not be too happy about the clipping.
Remember, rabbits are easily frightened if you have caused pain in past nail
clipping.  If you have patience they learn when you put them in a position to easily
hold and clip, to sit still.  

The most important thing to remember is that there is a vein that runs up the
rabbit's nails. You will want to cut BELOW this vein for two reasons. First, the nail
below the end of the vein has no nerve endings in it, and the rabbit will not feel
you clip the nails. Secondly, if you cut into the vein, the rabbit's nail will bleed, but
don't worry, your rabbit will be okay.

You will need to turn your rabbit onto it's back to do this properly. First of all,
have your rabbit on a table facing away from you. Hold the rabbit securely around
the waist.  You can have your rabbit sitting on a towel.  Set the rabbit on a high
table, your lap, or a washing machine so that it is held up against your chest. This
position is the opposite of the relaxing position with the rabbit sitting on it's rump
on the table, your lap, or a washing machine.  This will give you the right height
you need to hold the rabbit.  No matter how careful you are, you will likely
accidentally hit a nail quick and cause some bleeding at some point. Don't panic.
Here are some things that will stop the bleeding:

  • a commercial product such as Kwik-Stop (a powder) or any styptic powder

  • •cornstarch or flour can also be used in a similar manner

  • •for minor problems, simply applying pressure to the tip of the nail may be
    effective


Grooming Your Rabbit:

Rabbits are typically very clean animals and spend a good deal of time grooming
themselves. While this means they usually do not need baths, regular brushing
helps keep their coat in good condition and help prevents hairballs. A Holland
Lop is a short haired rabbit,.  Brushing during molting season in Spring and Fall
brush your rabbit with a soft brush.  It is a good idea to brushhim/her daily during
a molt.  If your rabbit is molting, give him/her a pea sized amount of Petra Malt fur
ball medicine for cats or some vaseline on the tip of his/her water bottle. The
rabbit will lick it off the water bottle.  Rabbits do not need baths and generally find
them very stressful. If absolutely necessary it is better to just do a "spot cleaning"
of the area that is dirty rather than subjecting a rabbit to the stress of bathing. If it
is absolutely necessary to bathe your rabbit, keep in mind that it takes rabbit fur a
long time to dry and it is a good idea to use a blow dryer (on a warm, never hot,
setting) to speed the process. Rabbits are prone to overheating, so be cautious.
It is best to avoid baths if possible.  A kitten (NOT DOG) waterless shampoo is a
wonderful alternative to a water bath.  Many pet owners will ask the question, how
do I give my rabbit a bath? The question ought to be, should I give my rabbit a
bath? It may be necessary to give a partial bath to a rabbit. Sometimes the
rabbits droppings will get soft and begin to stick to the areas around their bottom.
Failure to clean this area can cause a problem for the rabbit in going to the
bathroom. When this happens we hold the rabbit in our hands, with its belly
upward, and run water on the area as we use towels, and sometimes scissors to
remove the messy area. Use great caution if you are clipping the soiled area. We
do not place the entire rabbit in a tub of water.  Fur mites, urine spraying, and
other issues can present problems in keeping rabbits looking the way they
should. With each we have given partial baths. But the general rule of thumb is
that rabbits do not need a bath.  Fur mites, fleas and other parasites generally do
not affect rabbits if they are kept mainly off the ground.


Don't Forget The Toys:

Do be sure to provide your rabbit wood based toys for him/her to chew on so that
the rabbit's teeth which grow continually will be worn down.  This is essential !!! A
branch from an apple tree that has not been sprayed, a wooden bird toy, or
bunny wood chews you find in a pet shop will do the job.  Other toys such as
things your bunny can toss around like whiffle balls, cat toy balls with bells, or a
paper bag with some hay stuffed in it are great toys for buns.  You can also use
large plastic plumbing pipes that a bun can run through but be sure to keep the
pvc pipe clean. Golf balls are another toy idea.  A hide box is a great retreat for a
bun that is tired and wants to rest in private.  A safe, untreated wicker basket is
also a great hiding place and can be chewed on or climbed on. Just be sure that
a toy is either wood, metal or HARD plastic and cannot be chewed and
swallowed.  

Playing With Your Bunny:

Some bunnies will play fetch with a ball and roll it back to you when you roll it to
them.  Rabbits often put their ball in their food bowl if it fits.  It is best to have toys
that they can grip with their teeth or push with their nose. Ring toys that can be
pulled on are fun for rabbits to play with.  Rabbits will pick up their toys in their
mouths and throw them with a flick of the head, or carry it back to you. Some
bunnies enjoy playing  chase with you. Your bunny may nudge you with it's nose
until you chase them and then turn and chase you. Bunnies will sometimes take
something you are holding and run away with it so that you will chase them.
Rabbits can be lots of fun to play with.  Be sure children are gentle when playing
with their bunny.  There are many benefits to playing with your rabbit. For you it
may offer relaxation or amusement. For your rabbit it offers a chance to bond with
you and foster a relationship. Playing provides your bunny with mental stimulation
and physical exercise, both of which are essential to bunny's health.

When you are away from home your bunny still needs to play, so it is a good idea
to have a selection of toys for him/her. A bunnies favorite toy is usually a
cardboard house. (See below for information on building a cardboard house for
your bunny.) Rabbits love to dash in and out or laze about away from the bustle
of the household in a cardboard house. They also love to chew on the walls and
scratch at the floor of the box. Rabbits also like homemade toys such as boxes
full of paper shreds which are good for digging. Cardboard tunnels and boxes
with holes are great for bunnies to climb on or through or jump onto. Wicker
baskets are great for chewing and climbing into as long as they are natural and
not coated with chemicals. Store bought toys that are made or bunnies are good
too.


Here's A Handy List of Toys:

  • •cardboard tubes from toilet paper and paper towel rolls

  • •paper bags

  • untreated wood products

  • •hard plastic cat balls with a bell inside

  • •hard plastic baby toys such as rings, links, keys, rattles, etc.

  • •kitty condos (the shorter ones), tunnels, platforms

  • •towels

  • •small straw whisk broom

  • •straw balls ( you can get the ones meant as hamster houses; (fill with
    timothy hay if you can fit it into the straw ball).

  • •dried pine cones

  • •large rubber ball

  • hard plastic baby toys

  • oatmeal boxes (The round containers with the bottom cut out to make a
    tunnel.


Building A Cardboard House For Your Bunny:

Building a cardboard house for your pet bunny is an inexpensive way to keep
him/her busy. Bunnies love to dig, chew, shred and arrange. These are all needs
that a cardboard playhouse can address. A cardboard house will also provide a
hiding spot for your bunny.  Simply cut holes into a cardboard box being sure to
remove any tape left on the box.  Any size box will work but obviously you don't
need a big box for a dwarf Holland Lop rabbit.  The rabbit can come in and out
through the holes of the cardboard box.  They can peak out of a top hole if the
box is big enough to stand up in.

Rabbit Proofing Your Home:

Oftentimes new bunny owners surrender their pet rabbit to a shelter because
their bunny is destructive. Yet, digging, burrowing, and chewing are natural
activities for your rabbit. Be sure to provide acceptable toys to chew and dig.  Be
sure to give your rabbit has a continuous supply of timothy/orchard grass mix hay
to eat, some toys to play with and wood chews to satisfy your rabbits natural
behavior to dig and chew.  Your rabbit needs to chew and dig on a continual
basis. This wears down her teeth and claws, which are always growing. Providing
safe items to chew will ensure good dental health for your rabbit.

Taking Your Rabbit Outdoors:

Although they may not attack your rabbit, he/she may die from the stress of being
frightened by a potential predator.  We have heard a story from one of customers
of a hawk swooping down and grabbing their rabbit so you must provide a safe
enclosure or supervise your rabbit while outdoors.  Some plants may be
poisonous to your rabbit.  Check the area where you let your rabbit out to play.  
Letting your rabbit eat some clover, dandelion, or grass that is not chemically
treated is fine.  Mosquitoes and flies may bite your rabbit and can potentially
transmit diseases. Check your bun for ticks and other bugs after being outside if
it spends a lot of time on the ground. It is not likely that any of these pests will be
a problem for your rabbit, but it is possible.  If you use a puppy exercise pen and
set it up outside, you will need to take extra care to supervise your bunny in an
exercise pen to ensure your rabbit does not dig a hole below the panels or jump
over the panels. Remember that  predators may harm or frighten your bunny.
You can also purchase a harness and a leash to "walk" your bunny. Walking a
rabbit means you follow your bun where ever he/she hops. Don't tug or drag your
bunny.  Your rabbit may not like wearing the harness, however, and may try very
hard to remove it.  Your bunny may be frightened by the fact that you are
constantly walking or running behind it. It may take some time for your bun to get
accustomed to the idea.
Rabbit Care
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Example of a wooden
rabbit run. Using this type
of run will let your rabbit
enjoy the outdoors under
the protection of the run.  
No fertilizers or chemicals
where the cage is located.  
Do not use chicken wire or
treated wood to build the
run.  You can also buy an
outdoor run.
that are great for play,
stimulation, and chewing.