RABBIT CARE
Rabbits are truly rewarding animals. They are inquisitive a pleasure to have and watch, every bunny has it's own truly unique personality. The advice I am sharing is from my own personal experience as a rabbit keeper and is just my opinion. If you are thinking of getting a bunny do your reasearch... find as much information as you can, you will find conflicting stories but giving a bunny the best life you can is about never being to proud to ask around and following your instincts.
FOOD
Contarary to popular belief you should never a feed a bunny lettuce. Bunnies have real problems digesting lettuce.
The more boring the food looks the better it probably is! On some very good advice given to me recently I have switched my bunnies dry mix to Allen and Paige Natural. This is a natural feed that is great for buns. I have noticed a big difference on cleaning days as the hutches are a lot easier to clean and the bunnies I had that had funny tummies when I took them on now no longer need special food. This feed is doing wonders for them all. I also offer my bunnies fresh green vegetables and carrots in moderation. They love spring greens!
Make sure you provide plenty of fresh hay. A very large portion of bunnies diet should be fresh hay. It is also very good for the teeth. Make use of your local farm shops. I buy my hay in bales at between £4 & £5 a bale! Not only is it much better value for money than bag hay it is also better quality and a lot less dusty. Talk to the farmer... If they know it is for bunnies they will pick you a nice green bale!
HOUSING
Firstly you should make sure you provide enough space. There is info on this on my what size page.
Make sure you hutch does not leak. A nice strong sturdy hutch should last a long time if well looked after. Before the winter sets in each year check your hutches. You should try to treat hutches once every year with pet safe products this will help prolong the life of the hutch. The best time to do this is in the late summer months when it is dry enough to take bunny out for long enough for you to do what you need. Buy the best quality hutch you can afford. The better the timber the warmer and drier your hutch will be. Stay away from hutches built in redwood timber if you are a bunny owner. Redwood is toxic to bunnies. There is plenty of info on this on line. In the summer and winter months a cotton sheet will provide the protection you need. Avoid plastic where possible as it is not breathable and there needs to be good air circulation in your hutch. Use the sheet for shade when it is hot and use it to shelter from rain and wind. The sheet will get wet but it will protect the bunnies. I get old sheets from second hand shops and value ranges in your local supermarket.
SEASONAL
In the winter bottles are prone to freezing. I use old socks to cover the bottles with. If it is very cold then provide plenty of straw. Straw is also available form your local farm shop.
Cardboard boxes make great homemade snuggles. Remove all the tape from the box as it may be toxic. Fold the flaps in on the bottom. Turn the box on it's side and fill it with straw. This makes a nice snuggly warm place for bunnies to curl up.
In the summer when it is very hot. A spray mist bottle filled with water is great. Just spray on to bunnies ears. Bunnies ears hold heat so if you spray the ears it is more comfortable for bunny and is cooling directly. You can place a tile in the hutch as this will give somewhere cool for bunny to lay. Make sure you make use of those old sheets. Use them to help shade bunny. The heat can be more dangerous to bunnies than the cold. Imagine what it would be like to spend a hot day wearing a fur coat! If it is too hot try a parasol directly in front of the hutch. Temperatures over 25 degrees are very dangerous. Fill water bottles regularly. I use empty drinks bottles filled with water and frozen to put in hutches too.
BEHAVIOUR
Know your bunny! When you bond with your bunny you will learn your bunny's personality. When you know you bunny then you will know if something is wrong or when they are happy and content. Every bunny is different. Some will like to be picked up and handled and cuddled, others are not keen on being picked up but will calm down when they realise that there is nothing to be frightened of. When you bond with your rabbit you will soon learn what he/she likes and does not like then you can handle them accordingly. Always be confident with them. You are the boss. Some of my bunnies love to have their noses stroked, this is a great way of bonding. Try to avoid picking up your rabbit from above. Rabbits are prey animals and this can scare a nervous rabbit.
