How to Take Care of a Rabbit

• by Darcy Logan

Introduction

• Rabbits make great pets, but lousy Easter presents.¹ While some people might think of them as large hamster, or low maintenance pets that won't live very long, in reality rabbits need daily care and can live up to ten years.² Owning a rabbit is not something that should be rushed into. Once you have decided to become the proud owner of a rabbit, it is important that you now how to properly care for it. Giving your rabbit proper care will not only keep it healthy, but help avoid behavioral problems and make it a more enjoyable pet.

• Expert Village: General Tips About Pet Rabbit Care (Time: 1:01)

Wild Orphan Rabbits

• People often stumble across a young wild rabbit and mistakenly believe that it has been orphaned. In the wild, rabbit mothers only nurse their young about 5 minutes usually in the middle of the night.³ During the day, they will leave the nest to feed. Unless you know for sure that the mother has been killed or the baby is injured, it is best to leave it alone. If the baby does need car, contact a veterinarian or your local wildlife rehabilitator.⁴ You can find a local wildlife reahabilitator through a search engine on the University of Minnesota website.⁵ For more information on caring for orphaned wild rabbits, check out the following links:
  1. House Rabbit Society: Caring for Orphans
  2. Wisconsin House Rabbit Society: Wild Baby Bunnies
  3. VeterinaryPartner.com: Care of Orphaned Rabbits

Step 1: Choosing the Right Housing for Your Rabbit

• If you have never had a rabbit, you may believe that it needs to be confined to a cage or hutch. Actually, if you properly rabbit proof your house it can spend most of its time roaming free.⁶ If you do decide to cage your rabbit, be aware that most of the all-inclusive "rabbit starter kits" will not adequately meet your rabbits needs.⁷ To keep a rabbits in a cage is the equivalent of keeping a dog locked in a crate all day and can lead to health and behavioral problems.⁸

Rabbit Cages

• There are a few guidelines to follow when selecting a cage or building your own. A good rabbit cage should:
  1. Be at least five times the size of the rabbit.⁹
  2. Protect your rabbits feet from hard wire flooring.⁹
  3. Allow your rabbit to stand on its hind legs without bumping its head.⁹
  4. Be large enough to include a litter box and a resting area.⁸
  5. Be easy to clean.⁸
  6. Provide adequate ventilation.⁶

• The Wisconsin House Rabbit Society recommends that the cage be at least 24-inches by 30-inches and 18-inches high.¹⁰ However, you should take in consideration how much time your rabbit will spend in the cage. The more time it will be in the cage, the larger the cage needs to be.¹¹ An alternative to keeping your rabbit in a cage, it to provide it with a pen. Rabbit pens can be made using puppy play pens.⁷

• If you have yet to purchase a cage or run for your rabbit, you can find many good quality ones online. A few examples include:
  1. PetSmart: Ware Manufacturing Rabbit Run | Exercise Pens | Midwest Pet Exercise Pens
  2. PETCO: Midwest Small Animal Playpen
  3. Rabbithouses.net: A Better Rabbit House
  4. Leith Petwerks Inc.: Bunny Abode Condos
  5. Doctor's Foster and Smith: Large Exercise Pen

• Expert Village: Where to Keep Your Pet Rabbit (Time: 1:50)

Build a Rabbit Hutch

• Although it can be tempting to keep your rabbit outdoors, the ASPCA does not recommend it.¹² If there is no other alternative, you need to provide your rabbit with a adequate protection from the weather, a nesting box and a strong secure hutch that will protect it from predators.¹³

• To build your own hutch, there are a variety of sites online that provide plans. Here are a few sites with helpful, free information:

1. House Rabbit Network: Building a NIC Condo
2. Michigan Rabbit Rescue: Build a Bunny Condo
3. KW Cages: Rabbit Cages, Rabbit Supplies, Rabbit Housing, Small Animal Cage Supplier
4. Purina Mills: Construction of a Hutch
5. LSU AgCenter: Rabbit Hutch | Rabbit House | Hutches for Rabbits
6. Mother Earth News: Pequoda's Rabbit Hutch  
7. Mississippi State University Extension Service: Homemade Rabbit Cages

• YouTube: How to Build a Rabbit Condo (Time: 5:06)

Step 2: Feeding Your Rabbit

• A good rabbit diet consists of quality pellets, fresh hay and fresh vegetables. Fresh, clean water should be available at all times. Water can be provided either in a sipper bottle or a heavy bowl that won't tip. Make sure your new rabbit understands how to use the sipper bottle.⁹

• Expert Village: Pet Rabbit Diet (Time: 1:23)

Pellets

• Pellets are an important aspect of your rabbits diet because they are highly concentrated in nutrients.¹⁴ Pellets should be 15 to 19 percent protein and 18 percent fiber.¹² Do not feed pellet mixes contain seeds, grains, dried corn or dehydrated vegetables because they are poorly digested and can be dangerous for your rabbit.¹⁰

• Up until six months of age, feed your rabbit as many pellets as it wants.¹² After that age, pellets should be limited because overfeeding can lead to obesity and medical problems.¹⁴ Once your rabbit is fully grown, it should be limited to 1/4 cup for every four to five pounds of body weight spread out over two feedings.^{15 9} A good guide to follow is:
  1. 2 to 4 pounds: 1/4 cup daily
  2. 4 to 7 pounds: 1/2 cup daily
  3. 8 to 10 pounds: 1/2 to 3/4 cup daily
  4. 11 to 15 pounds: 3/4 to 1 cup daily¹⁰

Hay

• Rabbits should have fresh hay in front of them at all times. Hay provides rougate that reduces hairballs and helps digestion.¹⁰

1. Feed your rabbit grass hays such as timothy, orchard, brome, oat, Bermuda or marsh.¹⁰ If possible, offer a mixture of these hays.⁸
2. Avoid alfalfa and clover hays because they are too rich in calcium and protein.¹⁰ Young rabbits (under 7 months old) can be offered alfalfa hay.¹⁴
3. Do not feed straw because it is lacks nutritional value.⁸

Fresh Vegetables

• Fresh vegetables should make up about one-third of your rabbits diet. Typically, these vegetables will be dark leafy green or root vegetables.¹⁴

1. Feed approximately 1 to 2 cups of fresh vegetables a day.¹⁵
2. Offer your rabbit a variety of vegetables each day.
3. Introduce new vegetables one at a time.¹⁴ Eliminate any vegetable that causes diarrhea within 12 hours after feeding.⁸
4. Variety is important, so feed your rabbit three different vegetables at a time. When introducing new veggies to a rabbit's diet, try just one at a time and keep quantities limited.⁹
5. You may be surprised to find that iceburg lettuce and carrots are not on this list. However, this is not an oversight:
   1. Iceburg lettuce is mostly water and can cause diarrhea.¹⁰ It should be avoided.
   2. Carrots are high in sugar and can cause intestinal problems.¹⁰ They can be fed as a treat, but not as a main part of a rabbit's diet.
6. Kale, mustard greens, spinach and other vegetables that contain high levels of oxalic acid should only be offered once or twice a week because the salts of oxalic acid can accumulate in a system and cause toxicity.⁹
7. You can begin offering vegetables to your rabbit as early as 3 months of age.¹⁴

Vegetables that are Rabbit Safe

Alfalfa sprouts Artichoke (Jerusalem) Arugula9 Asparagus Baby greens Basil Beet tops (not root) Bok choy Borage Broccoli Brussels sprouts Caraway Cauliflower Celery (chopped) Chard Chickory Chives (in moderation)

Cilantro Clover Collard greens Cucumber Dandelion greens (unsprayed and washed) Dill Dock Endive Escarole Fennel Kale Lemon balm Lilac Marigold Marjoram Mint

Mustard greens Parsley Pea pods (flat, not peas) Peppermint leaves Raddichio Radish tops or sprouts Romaine lettuce (not iceberg) Sage Savory Spinach Swiss chard (any color)8 Violet leaves (unsprayed and washed)10 Watercress Wheat grass14 Zucchini16

Treats

• The best treats that you can offer your rabbit are small offerings of fruits and other foods. These should be given in small amounts, no more than 2 tablespoons per 5 pounds of body weight a day.⁸ You may be surprised to see carrots listed on the list of "treat foods." Some examples of good treat foods include:

Apples (no stems or seeds) Bananas Blackberries Blueberries Bean sprouts Cactus fruit Carrots (tops and root) Cherries

Cranberries Grapes (mashed) Green or red bell peppers Kiwi Fruit Mango Melons Papaya (no seeds) Peaches Pears

Pineapple Plums Raisins9 Raspberry (leaves, stems, fruit) Shredded wheat (unsweetened)15 Squash8 Strawberries Watermelon16

What Not to Feed Your Rabbit

• You will find that most human foods not listed above are unhealthy and should not be feed to rabbits.⁹ A list of some foods that might seem "rabbit friendly" are listed below. Please note, this article leans towards the edge of caution. For example, foods such as tomatoes that have been listed as safe by some sites but unsafe on others are listed below.^{16 9} If you question any food listed, please contact a qualified rabbit veterinarian.

Bamboo Beans (of any kind) Beets Breads Breakfast cereals Cabbage

Cereals Chocolate Corn Cookies Crackers Grains

Iceberg lettuce Nuts Oats Oatmeal17 Onions Pennyroyal

Refined sugar Potatoes Peas Rhubarb9 Seeds Wheat8

Step 3: Providing Your Rabbit with Toys

• Toys provide two vital functions for your rabbit. They help wear down its teeth and provide it with mental stimulation. Avoid any toys that have sharp edges, loose parts or are made of soft rubber.⁹ Also, make sure that your rabbit cannot get its head or paw stuck into the toy.¹⁰

• A few examples of toys that are good for chewing include:
  1. Untreated wood, including branches from trees. (Allow the wood to dry at least a month before using.)⁸
  2. Cardboard including paper towel or toilet paper rolls.⁹
  3. Cardboard boxes filled with paper or with small holes
  4. Willow bowls, balls and rings.⁹
  5. Wooden chew toys designed for birds.⁸
  6. Empty oatmeal containers⁶

• Rabbits also like toys that make noise and that they can move but are still chew-safe.⁸ A few examples of these include:
  1. Empty plastic or metal cans.⁸
  2. Plastic Slinkies.⁶
  3. Hard plastic baby toys (keys, rattles).
  4. Bird toys.
  5. Woven grass mats, baskets and coasters (untreated).
  6. Wire, hard plastic or Whiffle balls.
  7. Small paper cups.
  8. Stuffed animal.¹⁸
  9. Concrete tubes.¹⁰
  10. Toddler plastic play sets.¹⁰
  11. Cat playhouses.
  12. Small towels or hay tubs.¹⁰
  13. Jungle gym type toys.¹⁸

• Expert Village: Rabbit Chew Toys (Time: 1:29)

Step 4: Exercising Your Rabbit

• Rabbits need several hours of exercise every day.⁹ Exercise fencing panels, such as those used by dogs, are great way to provide your rabbits with ample space to run and jump.
  1. Fencing needs to be at least three to four feet high.⁸
  2. Never leave your rabbit outside in a pen unsupervised.⁸
  3. A sheet of no-wax flooring can protect your floor underneath the pen.⁸

• If you decide to allow your rabbit free access to your house you will need to "bunny proof" it. This includes protecting phone and computer cords, covering furniture, removing toxic plants and other materials.⁸

• Expert Village: How to Exercise Your Rabbit (Time: 2:12)

Step 5: Handling Your Rabbit

• Most rabbits do not like to be picked up or cuddled.¹⁰ However, there will be times you need to do so. Picking up a rabbit must be done with care to avoid scaring or injuring it.
  1. Never pick up a rabbit by the ears or the scruff of the neck.¹⁹
  2. Instead, place one hand under the front and the other under the back of the rabbit.⁸ Then, scoop up the rabbit and bring it up close to your body.⁹
  3. Do not scoop up your rabbit by its stomach and allow the back legs to dangle. Rabbits have very powerful hind muscles. If it should kick in this position, it is possible for it to actually break its back.¹⁰
  4. Work near the floor when learning how to pick up your rabbit in case it manages to get loose.⁸

• Expert Village: Picking Up Your Pet Rabbit (Time: 1:22)

Step 6: Grooming Your Rabbit

• Rabbits will naturally groom themselves, but they lack the ability to vomit up hairballs like cats.⁹ Therefore, it is important that you spend a few minutes each day brushing your rabbit to remove any excess fur. Rabbits such as angoras with longer hair will need more thorough groom on a daily basis to prevent matting.²⁰

• Expert Village: How to Groom Your Rabbit (Time: 1:52)

Trimming the Nails

• Rabbits nails can grow very long and sharp if they are not trimmed. You will need to trim your rabbits nails about every two months.²¹ To do this, you will need nail trimmers (such as those used for cats), cotton balls or Kwik Stop, and a towel.
  1. Wrap your rabbit in a towel to help restrain it.
  2. 

     (Photo by Mahalo)
     The trick to trimming nails is "less is more." If you trim the much, you can cut into the quick and cause bleeding. See the image for a general diagram.
  3. Try to locate the quick before cutting by looking at the nail closely under a bright light.²²
  4. If you cut into the quick, use Kwik Stop or hold a cotton ball onto the nail until the bleeding stops.²¹ Cornstarch and flour also work to help stop the nails from bleeding.²³

• Expert Village: Trimming Your Pet Rabbit's Nails (Time: 1:36)

Step 7: Maintaining Your Rabbit's Health

• Although rabbits do not require regular shots or vaccinations, they should still be regularly checked out by a veterinarian. Rabbits will not show signs that they are ill until the illness is advanced.¹⁰ Take your rabbit to a veterinarian immediately if it shows any of the following symptoms:
  1. Lack of appetite or bowel movement for more than 12 hours (known as GI stasis).^{12 24}
  2. Watery diarrhea.¹²
  3. Listlessness.²⁵
  4. Loss of balance.²⁵
  5. Distended abdomen.²⁵
  6. Loud tooth grinding.²⁵
  7. Hunched posture.²⁵
  8. Hiding in unusual places.²⁶
  9. Drooling.²⁶
  10. Straining to urinate.²⁶
  11. Discharge from the eyes or nose.²⁶
  12. Coughing or sneezing.²⁴

• Expert Village: How to Recognize Illness in Your Rabbit (Time: 2:46)

Spaying and Neutering

• Female rabbits can be spayed once they are six months old. Males can be neutered once their testicles have descended.²⁷ Spaying or neutering your rabbit is necessary if you have two rabbits of the opposite sex (recall the idiom, "breeding like rabbits"), but is also a good idea if you only have one rabbit. While you may be tempted to breed your rabbits, be aware that it is very difficult to make money breeding rabbits. Furthermore, finding homes for the babies can be very difficult.²⁸ Before breeding, check with your local animal shelter to see how many unwanted rabbits they have.

• If that is not enough to convince you, here are a few more reasons to spay or neuter your rabbit:
  1. Reduces "aggression" in rabbits. Females are less likely to be territorial and males are less likely to spray or mount.²⁷
  2. Female rabbits are highly susceptible to uterine cancer.²⁷
  3. May reduce problem chewing behaviors and other destructive behaviors.²⁹
  4. Will reduce urine odor.²⁹

• Expert Village: Spaying & Neutering Pet Rabbits (Time: 1:31)

Step 8: Litter Training Your Rabbit

• Although rabbits will never become as trainable as a dog, the can be taught some basic rabbit manners.³⁰ One of the most common things people desire is to train their rabbit to use a litter box. Rabbits are naturally clean and will usually only urinate in one or two spots.^{10 31} Once they have chosen a spot, you can start litter box training by placing a litter pan in that spot.
  1. Line the litter box with newspaper or pelleted newspaper.
     1. Do not use pine or cedar shavings.¹²
     2. Do not use clay or clumping cat litter.⁸
  2. Place hay inside or near your rabbit's litter pan because rabbits usually defecate while they are eating.⁸

• For more information on litter training your rabbit, check out any of the following links:
  1. House Rabbit Society: FAQ: Litter Training | Litterbox Encore | Alternative Litterbox
  2. Rabbit Advocates: Litter Box   | Litter Training
  3. Expert Village: How to Litter Train a Rabbit

• Expert Village: How to Train Your Rabbit to Use a Litter Box (Time: 2:09)

Conclusion

• Now that you and your rabbit have settled down, you might be interested in finding some activities that you can do together. You might sit down and read Ronald Lockley's The Private Life of the Rabbit. If you are interested in either Margery Williams' The Velveteen Rabbit or Richard Adams' Watership Down, they are both available in both book and movie format. Of course, you can also sit down and watch Who Framed Roger Rabbit or any of the numerous Bugs Bunny movies and cartoons.

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References for How to Take Care of a Rabbit

1. ↑ Expert Village: Why You Shouldn't Give Pet Rabbits as Easter Presents  
2. ↑ Rabbit Rescue & Rehab: 9 Common Rabbit Myths  
3. ↑ House Rabbit Society: Caring for Orphans
4. ↑ Wisconsin House Rabbit Society: Wild Baby Bunnies
5. ↑ University of Minnesota: How To Locate a Wildlife Rehabilitator
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3} PetEducation.com: Rabbit Proofing Your Home
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} House Rabbit Society: Beyond Cages: The Possibilities of Pen Living
8. ↑ ^{8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 8.14 8.15 8.16 8.17 8.18 8.19 8.20 8.21} VeterinaryPartner.com: Rabbit Care
9. ↑ ^{9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 9.11 9.12 9.13 9.14 9.15 9.16 9.17} The Humane Society of the United States: How to Care for Rabbits
10. ↑ ^{10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 10.11 10.12 10.13 10.14 10.15 10.16} Wisconsin House Rabbit Society: Care Guidelines
11. ↑ House Rabbit Society San Diego Chapter: To Cage or Not to Cage
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5} ASPCA: Rabbit Care
13. ↑ Rabbit Advocates: The Rabbit Habitat  
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 14.6} PetEducation.com: Rabbit Nutrition: Diet Requirements and Feeding Rabbits at Different Life Stages
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1 15.2} Rabbit Advocates: Healthy Rabbit Diet  
16. ↑ ^{16.0 16.1 16.2} Rabbit Advocates: Vegetables & Fruits
17. ↑ Rabbit Health Central: What Should I Feed my Bunny?
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1} Rabbit Advocates: Toys  
19. ↑ House Rabbit Society: FAQ: Handling
20. ↑ Kind Planet: Grooming Angora Rabbits
21. ↑ ^{21.0 21.1} House Rabbit Society: FAQ: Grooming
22. ↑ MyHouseRabbit.com: Clipping Your Rabbit's Nails
23. ↑ About.com: Trim Your Rabbit's Nails  
24. ↑ ^{24.0 24.1} Expert Village: Signs Your Pet Rabbit is Sick  
25. ↑ ^{25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 25.4} Rabbit Advocates: Keeping Bunny Healthy  
26. ↑ ^{26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3} Rabbit Advocates: Health Concerns
27. ↑ ^{27.0 27.1 27.2} Wisconsin House Rabbit Society: Why we Spay and Neuter
28. ↑ House Rabbit Society: FAQ: Spaying and Neutering
29. ↑ ^{29.0 29.1} PetEducation.com: Spaying and Neutering Rabbits: Why, When, and How and Post-Operative Care
30. ↑ University of Miami: Training Your Rabbit
31. ↑ House Rabbit Society: FAQ: Litter Training

How to Take Care of a Rabbit Video

• Expert Village: General Tips About Pet Rabbit Care (Time: 1:01)
• Expert Village: Where to Keep Your Pet Rabbit (Time: 1:50)
• YouTube: How to Build a Rabbit Condo (Time: 5:06)
• Expert Village: Pet Rabbit Diet (Time: 1:23)
• Expert Village: Rabbit Chew Toys (Time: 1:29)
• Expert Village: How to Exercise Your Rabbit (Time: 2:12)
• Expert Village: Picking Up Your Pet Rabbit (Time: 1:22)
• Expert Village: How to Groom Your Rabbit (Time: 1:52)
• Expert Village: Trimming Your Pet Rabbit's Nails (Time: 1:36)
• Expert Village: How to Recognize Illness in Your Rabbit (Time: 2:46)
• Expert Village: Spaying & Neutering Pet Rabbits (Time: 1:31)
• Expert Village: How to Train Your Rabbit to Use a Litter Box (Time: 2:09)

How to Take Care of a Rabbit Recommended Links

• American Rabbit Breeders Association
• House Rabbit Society Rabbit Care Guide
• House Rabbit Network
• Rabbit Rescue & Rehab
• Rabbit Advocates
• Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund
• Expert Village Video Series: Pet Rabbit Care
• Expert Village Video Series: Guinea Pig & Rabbit Care

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