What you need to know before bringing a bunny home
The decision to own a pet should be made with consideration and dedicated commitment to care for that pet for its entire life. For those who have made the choice to bring a bunny into their lives, we have listed our top bunny-care tips below to help ensure your bunny becomes a loved family member for life. Our wonderful reception team will ask for a picture of your bunny set up when you book your appointment to meet our rabbits available for adoption.
Why own a rabbit?
With their soft and adorable faces, their quiet nature and conveniently small stature, rabbits are a popular choice for a first family pet. While these captivating critters can certainly make affectionate and entertaining fur friends, there is much to consider before bringing a bunny into your home.
The well-loved domestic rabbit can live for 10 to 12 years, so preparing for a long term commitment of care is important. Protecting your rabbit’s welfare over the years means understanding their unique dietary requirements and learning to read bunny body language! An ability to recognise fearful and abnormal behaviours in your bunny pal will help you to identify potential health concerns and will ensure you always know how to keep your rabbit comfortable and content.
Housing
It is ideal if the enclosure is inside where the rabbit can spend time with the family. Most importantly away from the weather elements and mosquitoes (to prevent catching the harmful diseases mozzies carry). The rabbit must be able to do 3 full hops down and back, as well as stand up on their back legs and not touch the roof. X-pens and puppy pens are great to isolate areas off for the rabbits if they are inside/free roam, but some may be able to hop over these so supervision is a must or housing in a rabbit proof room with the door closed away from wires or harmful plants to chew.
At night time or unsupervised, especially with other pets in the home, the rabbits should be in a large enclosed area not free roam. Free range time and grass/outside time is important for the rabbit but should always be supervised to prevent them chewing on furniture or wires and getting under places they shouldn’t. If outside/in the backyard the area should still be enclosed ie a puppy pen, even if you think your fencing is suitable (due to digging, predators or other ways of escaping). The flooring of your enclosure should not be entirely wired or concrete but have access to soft bedding or other substrates to prevent sore feet. Please see the picture below for an idea on how to set up your rabbit enclosure.
Handling
As cute and cuddly as the rabbit is portrayed in fairy tales, our bunny friends are naturally very fearful when their feet leave solid ground.
After all, the rabbit is a prey species that seek underground shelter to hide from predators! While they may fit snuggly in the arms of a child, bunnies often do not appreciate being picked up and held off the floor, and they may struggle to get out of your grasp. A rabbit’s quick movements and strong hind legs can inflict accidental injury on the person doing the holding and bunnies can sometimes even injure themselves in their panic to be released. So it is important to consider both natural and observed behaviours when interacting with rabbits. Learning to “speak rabbit” will help build a firm bond of trust between you and your big-eared friend, and not much compares to witnessing the joyous zooms and binkies of a healthy, happy bunny!
Feeding
Rabbits should have constant access to hay (not chaff or cubes) and picked grass; alternate (depending on age and if they are fussy eaters) pellets and fruits/veggies daily. Rabbits 6 months and under as well as pregnant or lactating mothers should have constant access to pellets and hay for growth and development. Common hays fed to rabbits are oaten, timothy and meadow staying clear of lucerne hay as it’s too sugary and rich. Sugary fruits/veggies such as strawberries, oranges, bananas and carrots should be given in small amounts and in moderation, eg 1-2 times a week. Leafy greens are a great source of nutrients excluding iceburg lettuce that creates a gas build up in their gut. Spinach can be very fibrous, so should also be given in moderation, but kale, cos lettuce, cilantro, carrot tops and dandelions are all a great food source. There are an array of pellets for rabbits but the best and most nutritious pellet brands we have used are Vetafarm Origins and Oxbow pellets. It is a good idea to have ‘critical care’ available as a treat in case this needs to be given in an emergency. Monitor feces and ensure they are in small pellets, any differences could mean too much of a certain food or other underlying health concerns. Water should be accessible through both a water bowl and bottle in case the animal has a preference.
Gut Stasis
Rabbits are hindgut fermenters which increases difficulty in breaking down nutrients from food. Therefore, they must have 24/7 access to food in order to regularly produce energy for their body. If a rabbit stops eating or toileting immediately contact a veterinarian to prevent severe gut stasis.
Enrichment
To keep teeth filed down and to prevent over growing and tooth twisting rabbits should have access to lots of items to chew on. Petshops and online websites have a plethora of toys and items for rabbits to chew on and some include wood blocks, twine toys, dense block treats and banana leaf toys. Cardboard boxes, toilet paper rolls and apple tree sticks are also easily accessible and great things to chew on. Additional treats and feeding can also be given in puzzle items such as maze bowls, toilet paper rolls, small cardboard boxes and nets.