Email

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^



 

Bunny Basics

Many people are surprised and disappointed to find that rabbits rarely conform to the cute 'n cuddly stereotype in children's stories.  Baby bunnies (and many young adult rabbits) are too busy dashing madly about, squeezing behind furniture, and chewing baseboards and rugs to be held.  Rabbits are built to react to sudden changes, which means they may either run away or try to bite when approached too quickly and too loudly.  This is because, rabbits are prey animals.  Outdoor rabbits face many dangers from predators.  Cats (both domestic and wild), dogs, coyotes and birds of prey such as hawks and falcons could attack them.  Even raccoons attack rabbits.  Rabbits are low on the food chain in the wild.  They also can die simply from the stress of smelling or hearing a predator nearby - even if they aren't attacked.  This means that rabbits have different needs and behaviors from a pet cat or dog!
  Rabbits are physically delicate animals, which means children picking them up can hurt them.  Because rabbits feel frightened when people pick them up, they kick and struggle which means children can also get hurt.  This is because, rabbits prefer to stay on the ground where they have control.  (Again, remembering they are PREY animals.)  Being picked up can be scary for a rabbit.  In nature, being picked up is a similar event to being carried off by a hawk.  To gain your rabbit's trust, start by sitting on the floor.  She will eventually come over and investigate you.  Be sure not to force and action that the rabbit doesn't want, such as making her sit on your lap.  Later she may or may not be willing to do these things, but this should be on her terms.
 
So why do they make good pets? 
Rabbits are quiet & can learn near perfect litter box habits.  Rabbits are fun to watch. (I once had a house rabbit that loved to play with balloons... yes... balloons!  He would push the balloon around with his nose and carry it by the knot at the end!)  Rabbits have different personalities like cats and dogs do.  Rabbits don't need a yard if given plenty of indoor, sun lit exercise space or a big outdoor cage (protected from all elements).  Rabbits are happy to have their "alone" time, so can be kept in a cage while their owners are away.  Rabbits are social animals meaning they need the companionship of humans or other animals, although may vary among individual rabbits.  They play, can get along with most cats and some dogs when properly introduced, and many enjoy being with people.  However, your family must have patience, understanding and an acceptance of individual differences to earn their trust.  Rabbits are active at dawn and dusk to evade daytime and nocturnal predators.  This is good for people with 8 to 5 schedules since this is the time you are usually at home.  Rabbits typically rest during midday; however, will adjust to whatever schedule you keep.
 
  Rabbits are creatures of habit.  They learn and get used to a routine, and stick to it, whether it is a feeding and exercise schedule or a place to eliminate.  This aides litter box training tremendously.  Rabbits choose to eliminate in corners where they have gone before.  So, if you keep a litter box in that corner, they will train themselves.  Put a box where they prefer rather than making them go where you choose.  Rabbits will venture into their new territory and drop pills to act as a bookmark or trail of crumbs to find their way back to their nest.  The way rabbits evade predators is to know every turn and hiding place in their range.  The favorite path is not necessarily the most direct!
  Rabbits don't want or need their diets changed frequently.  Their digestive system is easily upset.  Be sure to keep hay (timothy or oat - alfalfa is too rich) available every day.  Feed them a consistent brand of high fiber rabbit pellets (at least 15%).  If you need to change their feed, mix an increasing percentage of the new feed with the current feed to slowly transition them to their new diet.  Do not start feeding veggies to bunnies under 3 months old, then give them very little amounts very gradually at the beginning to avoid upsetting your bunny's stomach.  Feed them bunny "safe" veggies such as carrots or spinach, and fruits such as bananas, pears and grapes.  (Fruit should always be given in moderation as the high sugar content may cause diarrhea.)  Rabbits love dandelions!  Every inch of them! :D
  Rabbits are sensitive to heat and can't do much about it.  Domestic rabbits were originally bred from European wild rabbits.  With their thick fur and tiny tongues, rabbits can't pant like dogs to keep cool.  A rabbit's main cooling system is its ears which act as radiators.  Their ears have the largest amount of thin fur and exposed skin on their bodies.  You can keep your rabbit comfortable on hot days by keeping them our of direct sunlight (obviously :), keep a fan blowing; however not directly on him as they do not like drafts, or you can keep frozen water bottles for him to lie next to.  Ceramic tile also is cool for your bunny to lie on.  
  Now that we know how rabbits differ from and are in some ways like cats and dogs, I would like to mention that it is very dangerous for a rabbit to snack on dog or cat food.  Since your bunny may be living in the same house as a cat or dog, it is very important to keep their food away from each other, as dog and cat food is designed for carnivores and not for herbivores.  They are high in protein and fat as well as carbohydrates in the form of grains...  usually corn.  Although rabbits can eat small amounts of dog or cat food and appear to be normal, there can be insidious changes that take place over time.  Excessive levels of protein can lead to kidney damage and excessive levels of fat and grain-based carbohydrates can lead to obesity.  However, by far the most dangerous side effect in rabbits that eat dry dog or cat food is the disturbance of the normal intestinal flora that will ultimately lead to intestinal distress and death.  Rabbits can become seriously ill and can die within 24 hours of eating dog food due to acute intestinal disorders. 
  In closing, I hope this helped inform you some about rabbits.  They are very interesting creatures, and are so because they truly are unique animals & not to mention absolutely adorable!

*information provided by myself and from information I found on the internet