With Easter just around the corner, I know their will be a lot of new bunny owners. I have been raising and keeping rabbits for over 20 years and have seen it time and time again. I know this post is long but I hope to give every bunny possible the best life possible. This page is filled with my personal experiences to help not only the bunnies but the bunny owners too!
Rabbits can make very rewarding pets but they are also very misunderstood. A cute baby rabbit makes for an easy impulse buy but once they reach maturity (At only 6 months of age) they can quickly loose their novelty. Please read this page in full before deciding if a rabbit is the right pet for you! They have an average life span of 8-10 years so please consider the fact you will have this pet a long time! While they don't need need vaccines , they still have special needs and unique personalities!
Rabbits can make very rewarding pets but they are also very misunderstood. A cute baby rabbit makes for an easy impulse buy but once they reach maturity (At only 6 months of age) they can quickly loose their novelty. Please read this page in full before deciding if a rabbit is the right pet for you! They have an average life span of 8-10 years so please consider the fact you will have this pet a long time! While they don't need need vaccines , they still have special needs and unique personalities!
Thing you will need for your new bunny:
(*Please note, this page contains affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase from these links, I may be rewarded with a very small commission - at no cost to you! I ONLY endorse products I have used personally or would use if needed. )
(*Please note, this page contains affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase from these links, I may be rewarded with a very small commission - at no cost to you! I ONLY endorse products I have used personally or would use if needed. )
Cage:
Your rabbit will need to be caged whenever you are not actively supervising it. This is to protect the rabbit and your house. Rabbits need room to move around, sleep, eat & potty. They do not like to potty where they sleep & eat! For a very small Dwarf rabbit most people recommend a MINIMUM cage size of 2ft X2ft. To be honest, that is really small for an adult, unless it gets MANY hours outside the cages every day. That will give them approx. a 1ft X1ft square to potty in, 1ft X 1ft square for food, hay & water and finally a 1ft X 2ft area to actually move around it. Sure sounds small doesn't it? I wouldn't want to live in such a tiny space, would you?
With rabbit cages, bigger is always better! I really prefer a cage that is at least 2ft X 3ft. Especially if your rabbit will spend long days locked up in the cage. Even this doesn't allow a ton of room for a bunny to run around so they will need a lot of time outside the cage to play. If you do not have space for a large cage you can use a smaller cage and attach a puppy play pen to let the bunny run around in during the day. Just be warned some bunnies will learn to jump out! Rabbits can easily jump 6ft straight up if they really want to! Although, not all rabbits will jump out.
If your cage has wire on the bottom is will be easier for you to keep clean BUT it will also hurt your bunnies feet. We do use wire cages here but you will need to provide your bunny with something to sit on such as a large chunk of plywood or a mat made for rabbits. The wire bottom cages will eventually make your rabbits feet develop bloody sores if they do not have a solid place to rest on.
Please don't buy a "small" cage and say you will upgrade when the bunny gets bigger! Rabbits are MATURE ADULTS at 6 months of age! By the time you get your bunny home it will already be 2-3 months old! You will be buying 2 cages in a very short amount of time.
Personally, I have started building my own hutch cages since a lot of my rabbits live outside. They last longer and I can make them to my own personal preferences. If you are crafty with wood you can usually build a hutch for the same prices as buying one, expect they will last years longer! (I have 1 home made hutch here that is over 10 years old! )
** If you want to buy one I personally have found many of them don't last. Out of several that I have tried only 1 has lasted. I've had it over 2 years and it's still holding bunnies =)
Here are some INDOOR cages that I HIGHLY RECOMMEND! I have personally USED or seen these in person and feel they are the best for your money AND for your bunny!
These cages are great for indoor rabbits. They have high bottom bases which keep shavings, poop and bedding from flying out on the floor when the rabbits run and play. They are easy to clean and allow room for your bunny to stretch out! I always recommend the largest size available. If you have 2 bunnies you will NEED the largest size when they are adults.
Your rabbit will need to be caged whenever you are not actively supervising it. This is to protect the rabbit and your house. Rabbits need room to move around, sleep, eat & potty. They do not like to potty where they sleep & eat! For a very small Dwarf rabbit most people recommend a MINIMUM cage size of 2ft X2ft. To be honest, that is really small for an adult, unless it gets MANY hours outside the cages every day. That will give them approx. a 1ft X1ft square to potty in, 1ft X 1ft square for food, hay & water and finally a 1ft X 2ft area to actually move around it. Sure sounds small doesn't it? I wouldn't want to live in such a tiny space, would you?
With rabbit cages, bigger is always better! I really prefer a cage that is at least 2ft X 3ft. Especially if your rabbit will spend long days locked up in the cage. Even this doesn't allow a ton of room for a bunny to run around so they will need a lot of time outside the cage to play. If you do not have space for a large cage you can use a smaller cage and attach a puppy play pen to let the bunny run around in during the day. Just be warned some bunnies will learn to jump out! Rabbits can easily jump 6ft straight up if they really want to! Although, not all rabbits will jump out.
If your cage has wire on the bottom is will be easier for you to keep clean BUT it will also hurt your bunnies feet. We do use wire cages here but you will need to provide your bunny with something to sit on such as a large chunk of plywood or a mat made for rabbits. The wire bottom cages will eventually make your rabbits feet develop bloody sores if they do not have a solid place to rest on.
Please don't buy a "small" cage and say you will upgrade when the bunny gets bigger! Rabbits are MATURE ADULTS at 6 months of age! By the time you get your bunny home it will already be 2-3 months old! You will be buying 2 cages in a very short amount of time.
Personally, I have started building my own hutch cages since a lot of my rabbits live outside. They last longer and I can make them to my own personal preferences. If you are crafty with wood you can usually build a hutch for the same prices as buying one, expect they will last years longer! (I have 1 home made hutch here that is over 10 years old! )
** If you want to buy one I personally have found many of them don't last. Out of several that I have tried only 1 has lasted. I've had it over 2 years and it's still holding bunnies =)
Here are some INDOOR cages that I HIGHLY RECOMMEND! I have personally USED or seen these in person and feel they are the best for your money AND for your bunny!
These cages are great for indoor rabbits. They have high bottom bases which keep shavings, poop and bedding from flying out on the floor when the rabbits run and play. They are easy to clean and allow room for your bunny to stretch out! I always recommend the largest size available. If you have 2 bunnies you will NEED the largest size when they are adults.
If you plan to keep your rabbit OUTDOORS you will likely want to consider a different style of cage, called a hutch.
KEEP IN MIND that if you BUY a hutch, they will all have some minor disadvantages. Their is no way around it. To make these hutches affordable and easy to transport they must be made from lightweight materials. Thin, light weigh wood just doesn't last forever. Their is just no comparing a 2x4 board from the hardware store vs the very thin hutch material these cages are made from. On the other side, their is no way anyone can afford to design, ship and sell a hutch made from heavy weight boards that would be affordable. Shipping is what makes this impossible. Many rabbits can live in these lighter weight hutches without any issues. However, they just are not built to last like a home made wood hutch.
Here are some OUTDOOR hutches that I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
(* It is my opinion that, PURLOVE, Aivituvin and LAZY BUDDY seem to be the better quality brands current available at this time.)
KEEP IN MIND that if you BUY a hutch, they will all have some minor disadvantages. Their is no way around it. To make these hutches affordable and easy to transport they must be made from lightweight materials. Thin, light weigh wood just doesn't last forever. Their is just no comparing a 2x4 board from the hardware store vs the very thin hutch material these cages are made from. On the other side, their is no way anyone can afford to design, ship and sell a hutch made from heavy weight boards that would be affordable. Shipping is what makes this impossible. Many rabbits can live in these lighter weight hutches without any issues. However, they just are not built to last like a home made wood hutch.
Here are some OUTDOOR hutches that I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
(* It is my opinion that, PURLOVE, Aivituvin and LAZY BUDDY seem to be the better quality brands current available at this time.)
Food:
Your rabbit will only need a plain rabbit food. I recommend avoiding the fancy foods with colorful pieces in them. These colorful foods are usually high in sugars and fruits. Rabbits LOVE these colorful sweet bits and tend to pick them out first, leaving the healthy pellets behind. This can turn into a very unhealthy habit for your rabbit.
I personally feed Manna Pro Rabbit Food. It is a high quality feed that is also very reasonably priced. I have tried so many brands of food and have always gone back to Manna Pro. It can be hard to find in some areas, especially in bags smaller then 25 or 50lbs. Here are some other similar quality foods if you are looking for a smaller amount.
Your rabbit will only need a plain rabbit food. I recommend avoiding the fancy foods with colorful pieces in them. These colorful foods are usually high in sugars and fruits. Rabbits LOVE these colorful sweet bits and tend to pick them out first, leaving the healthy pellets behind. This can turn into a very unhealthy habit for your rabbit.
I personally feed Manna Pro Rabbit Food. It is a high quality feed that is also very reasonably priced. I have tried so many brands of food and have always gone back to Manna Pro. It can be hard to find in some areas, especially in bags smaller then 25 or 50lbs. Here are some other similar quality foods if you are looking for a smaller amount.
Hay:
I highly recommend young rabbits are fed Timothy and/or Orchard Hay. This can be bought at most pet stores or feed stores in the small animal section. Do not feed rabbits high amounts of Alfalfa hay. Alfalfa hay is too high in protein for adult rabbits but it is okay in small amounts for growing babies.
I highly recommend young rabbits are fed Timothy and/or Orchard Hay. This can be bought at most pet stores or feed stores in the small animal section. Do not feed rabbits high amounts of Alfalfa hay. Alfalfa hay is too high in protein for adult rabbits but it is okay in small amounts for growing babies.
Water:
When you get a water bottle, Bigger is Better! Rabbits drink a lot of water for their small size! If your rabbit is kept inside a 32oz bottle is usually fine but if your rabbit is kept outside you may want to consider a 64oz bottle. These are the bottles I personally use here.
When you get a water bottle, Bigger is Better! Rabbits drink a lot of water for their small size! If your rabbit is kept inside a 32oz bottle is usually fine but if your rabbit is kept outside you may want to consider a 64oz bottle. These are the bottles I personally use here.
Hard Chews:
Rabbits need things to chew on all the time! A rabbits teeth grow constantly. They grind them down by chewing. Without hard woods to chew on your bunny is at risk of having teeth that grow to long. You can buy rabbit chews from most pet stores. I have found Amazon often has the best sale prices, but not always.
Rabbits need things to chew on all the time! A rabbits teeth grow constantly. They grind them down by chewing. Without hard woods to chew on your bunny is at risk of having teeth that grow to long. You can buy rabbit chews from most pet stores. I have found Amazon often has the best sale prices, but not always.
If you are crafty and want to save yourself money on chew toys and invest in a Jig Saw! You can buy an UNTREATED 8ft 1X1 pine board at the local hardware store for usually around $2-$3. Cut this board up into little blocks and give them to your rabbit to chew on! One 8ft board can make 50-100 blocks if you cut them in 1" - 2" pieces! If you want to get fancy, drill a hole in the blocks, use SISLE rope to tie them together and hang them in the cage. (25ft of sisle rope from the hardware store is usually around $8! That can tie dozens of toys!). You can even make different shapes! I've used 1X1, 2X3's, 2X4's & even 4X4's to cut up rabbit toys! Just make sure ANY WOOD you buy is UNTREATED!!! DO NOT BUY PRESSURE TREATED WOOD for them to chew on! Do NOT paint the blocks! Most paints are Toxic to rabbits! If you really want to color the blocks use food coloring. The color is more for us humans then the rabbits! They just want to chew! Here is a link on how to color them with food coloring if that's what you want to do --> Coloring wood blocks with Food Coloring
Treats:
Rabbits are VERY smart animals. Did you know you can teach them simple tricks? When you first get your bunny home it may be scared and shy. I always encourage people to ease into handing slowly as the bunny gets to know you. Every time you open the cage, hand the bunny a little treat. At first he bunny may not accept the treat but that's okay. Just set the treat in front of the bunny and wait until he eats it. Over time your bunny will learn you are bringing treats and he should start to greet you at the cage door. DO keep treats in moderation! My bunnies have always loved the yogurt treats but experiment and find what your bunny loves. (I break the big bunny treats in half so I'm not over feeding treats. Keep it to 2-4 treats a day so they stay special.)
Treats:
Rabbits are VERY smart animals. Did you know you can teach them simple tricks? When you first get your bunny home it may be scared and shy. I always encourage people to ease into handing slowly as the bunny gets to know you. Every time you open the cage, hand the bunny a little treat. At first he bunny may not accept the treat but that's okay. Just set the treat in front of the bunny and wait until he eats it. Over time your bunny will learn you are bringing treats and he should start to greet you at the cage door. DO keep treats in moderation! My bunnies have always loved the yogurt treats but experiment and find what your bunny loves. (I break the big bunny treats in half so I'm not over feeding treats. Keep it to 2-4 treats a day so they stay special.)
Check out this video on how to teach your rabbit tricks!
Time Outside the Cage:
Ideally your rabbit should have a lot of time outside the cage to run and play every day! Rabbits are a very active animals that love to run around and explore. A bored bunny is not a happy bunny! Please remember rabbits are very fast so whenever you take them outside make sure they are in an escape proof pen or on a walking harness! Keep an eye on them too! Rabbits can dig out of pens if left in them long enough to figure out how!
Ideally your rabbit should have a lot of time outside the cage to run and play every day! Rabbits are a very active animals that love to run around and explore. A bored bunny is not a happy bunny! Please remember rabbits are very fast so whenever you take them outside make sure they are in an escape proof pen or on a walking harness! Keep an eye on them too! Rabbits can dig out of pens if left in them long enough to figure out how!
My son taking our rabbit "Cookie" for a walk
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Our bunny "Harlie" enjoying a day out in the playpen
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A litter of New Zealand Whites in our bunny play yard
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Understanding Bunny Language <--- This site is NOT mine but I LOVE IT! All new bunny owners should read it to help you understand your bunny better!
Things to consider before you buy:
Size: All too often I hear a "Dwarf" rabbit got much bigger then expected. Dwarf rabbits average 3-5lbs although I've seen a few well fed dwarf rabbits push 6lbs. Think of a dwarf rabbit as the size of a cat! These are NOT hamsters or guinea pigs. Just because it is called a "Dwarf" does not mean it will be a pocket sized pet. The name implies it will stay smaller then the standard sized rabbit breeds. Standard sized rabbits average 10-15lbs while Giant breed rabbits can tip the scale at 20lbs! So when you compare a 5lb rabbit to a 15lb rabbit, it is a dwarf!
Should your bunny live inside or outside? All baby rabbits should start off inside. This will give them lots of time to bond with their new family. Rabbits kept outside are naturally more skittish. They have nature all around them and even though they are penned up they will always be on guard. They hear dogs, hawks, owls which are natural predators to rabbits. If your going to move your rabbit outside I highly advise waiting until they are at least 6 months old. When you decide to move your rabbit outside it must be done very carefully. The rabbit must have time to acclimate to the temperature change. Do NOT try to move your rabbit outside in the heat of summer or the cold of winter. They need to acclimate to these temperatures slowly over time. Spring and fall are the best time to move them outside. Once your rabbit is outside you MUST REALIZE rabbits can NOT tolerate high heat! They WILL HEAT STROKE! If it is over 90 degrees outside your rabbit will need fans, misting systems and frozen water bottles. Here we run a misting system whenever we start hitting the 90's! If we hit the 100's we bring our rabbits inside during the day. Your rabbits must be kept in a shaded area that is well ventilated. In the winter time make sure you rabbit can make a nest out of hay and hide in a shelter during the cold nights.
Spaying & Neutering your bunny: While I personally have never spayed or neutered my pet rabbits I know many people who have. If your planning to keep a bunny as a pet I would recommend having it spayed or neutered before 6 months of age. Rabbits mature VERY quickly and their hormones can cause them to do crazy things! Hormones can cause some rabbits to become aggressive, posessive and territorial. Castle West Animal Hospital here in San Antonio, Tx, is wonderful with exotic animals including rabbits. I would highly recommend them. Their phone # is: :(210) 344-8259
Rabbits & Children: I am often asked if a rabbit is a good pet for a child. The answer is : ANY pet should be bought for the adult, NOT the child. The child may enjoy seeing the animal BUT a majority of the care and financial burden will fall on the parent. You may think buying a pet for your child is a good idea, but do you really think they will still be interested in it in a year? How about 5 years? Or 10 years? How many times have you bought your child a toy and it lost it's novelty in a few days, weeks or months? I see this happen all too often! Unlike the many toys buried in the bottom of the toy box or the back of the closet your rabbit will be needing daily care for 6-10 years. Someone has to feed it and buy supplies for it! You may think it will be easy to rehome a rabbit when your kids get board but honestly many adult rabbits end up in shelters. As a breeder I can tell you adult rabbits are VERY hard to place unless they are sold off to another breeder.
Rabbits can unintentionally hurt a child. Rabbits have very sharp claws for digging. They can not retract these claws like a cats so accidental scratches are very common. You MUST keep your rabbits nails trimmed every few weeks! If a rabbit gets scared and goes to jump away the child will usually get a nasty scratch. Rabbits have 4 nails on the back claws so that is 4 deep scratches! You can not train a rabbit not to scratch because they don't do it intentionally. Rabbits have a lot of power in their back legs so when they go to move away they scratch! Rabbits communicate with each other by thumping their legs and nipping each other. Rabbits will nibble and nip to test out objects, this is one reason they need to be supervised when outside the cage. Some rabbits will nip if they want something . I've heard of rabbits that even "nip" if they want to be petted! Sometimes they nip for attention, nip for food, nip to be put on the ground and so on. When a rabbit nips another rabbit they do not usually hurt each other because the other rabbit has a thick fur. Human skin is very soft compared to rabbit fur/skin. A gentle warning nip can really hurt a child (or adult!)
Children can even hurt a rabbit. Rabbits have very fragile thin bones. If they are dropped or stepped on they can end up with broken legs. Rabbits are a prey animal, meaning they are very nervous by nature. In the animal world, if it's bigger then you, it might be out to eat you! Rabbits can have heart attacks from being chased around.
Rabbits can unintentionally hurt a child. Rabbits have very sharp claws for digging. They can not retract these claws like a cats so accidental scratches are very common. You MUST keep your rabbits nails trimmed every few weeks! If a rabbit gets scared and goes to jump away the child will usually get a nasty scratch. Rabbits have 4 nails on the back claws so that is 4 deep scratches! You can not train a rabbit not to scratch because they don't do it intentionally. Rabbits have a lot of power in their back legs so when they go to move away they scratch! Rabbits communicate with each other by thumping their legs and nipping each other. Rabbits will nibble and nip to test out objects, this is one reason they need to be supervised when outside the cage. Some rabbits will nip if they want something . I've heard of rabbits that even "nip" if they want to be petted! Sometimes they nip for attention, nip for food, nip to be put on the ground and so on. When a rabbit nips another rabbit they do not usually hurt each other because the other rabbit has a thick fur. Human skin is very soft compared to rabbit fur/skin. A gentle warning nip can really hurt a child (or adult!)
Children can even hurt a rabbit. Rabbits have very fragile thin bones. If they are dropped or stepped on they can end up with broken legs. Rabbits are a prey animal, meaning they are very nervous by nature. In the animal world, if it's bigger then you, it might be out to eat you! Rabbits can have heart attacks from being chased around.
Rabbits Chew: A rabbits teeth grow constantly for their entire life. This means they need to chew all the time to keep their teeth down. You must provide proper chew toys for the rabbit. When they are out in the house they will nibble & chew on things. This includes walls, wires, shoes or anything else they find on the floor. Rabbits MUST be supervised when allowed time outside the cage to play.
Biting: Can rabbits bite? They sure can! Just like dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, lizards and any other living creature, rabbits can bite when they are scared! The problem is most rabbits who "bite" their owners are not really "biting" to hurt anyone. It is usually a misunderstanding of the owner. If a rabbit truly "bites" you they can bite straight down to the bone. They can even take a chunk of skin off. These bites are serious and thankfully don't happen very often. This kind of bite is from a very scared, stressed & upset animal.
Now where the confusion happens is rabbits naturally nibble and taste things. Rabbits don't have hands so if they want to pick something up they use their teeth! Rabbits naturally test objects by nipping them. Rabbits are exploring... Is it food? Can I chew it? Unfortunately this little "nip" is usually misunderstood as biting. These little nips can really hurt and cause bruising! We humans have very thin skin when compared to animals who also have a thick layer of fur. Some rabbits "nibble" because they are nervous. It's a natural behavior about like humans who bite their nails when they are nervous! Rabbits like to "nest" so they will sometimes nibble on your clothes or arm trying to make a nest. Now, not ALL rabbits nip & nibble! What triggers one rabbit to nibble may not effect another rabbit. Rabbits naturally nip each other as communication. A nip may mean, "move out of the way", "that's my food", "don't sit to close to me". etc. These little nips don't hurt other rabbits the same way they hurt humans.
For Information on correcting Biting See these links:
Rabbit Network - Bunny Bites
Rabbit Haven - Biting
Biting: Can rabbits bite? They sure can! Just like dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, lizards and any other living creature, rabbits can bite when they are scared! The problem is most rabbits who "bite" their owners are not really "biting" to hurt anyone. It is usually a misunderstanding of the owner. If a rabbit truly "bites" you they can bite straight down to the bone. They can even take a chunk of skin off. These bites are serious and thankfully don't happen very often. This kind of bite is from a very scared, stressed & upset animal.
Now where the confusion happens is rabbits naturally nibble and taste things. Rabbits don't have hands so if they want to pick something up they use their teeth! Rabbits naturally test objects by nipping them. Rabbits are exploring... Is it food? Can I chew it? Unfortunately this little "nip" is usually misunderstood as biting. These little nips can really hurt and cause bruising! We humans have very thin skin when compared to animals who also have a thick layer of fur. Some rabbits "nibble" because they are nervous. It's a natural behavior about like humans who bite their nails when they are nervous! Rabbits like to "nest" so they will sometimes nibble on your clothes or arm trying to make a nest. Now, not ALL rabbits nip & nibble! What triggers one rabbit to nibble may not effect another rabbit. Rabbits naturally nip each other as communication. A nip may mean, "move out of the way", "that's my food", "don't sit to close to me". etc. These little nips don't hurt other rabbits the same way they hurt humans.
For Information on correcting Biting See these links:
Rabbit Network - Bunny Bites
Rabbit Haven - Biting
