I am thinking about getting a rabbit, any advice for a first time bunny owner?

Question

any tips on their care, can they stay out in the hutch in any weather? any good books you can recommend about keeping rabbits? whats the best breed? also injections and medical care what is involved?

Answer 1

So long as the rabbit has somewhere to get out of the rain it should be fine.
Rabbits kept as pets (in Aus) should be vacinated for that disease that let go a few years ago to try to wipe out all of the rabbits but appart from that you shouldnt have too many problems. I would make sure that if you have a garden or fruit trees that you hose the grass immediatley after any spratying and dont let the rabbit graze in the vicinity. Make sure you give them tough things to gnaw on as their teeth dont stop growing and need to be subjected to wear and tear to keep thin in good order ( I used to give mine the prunings off the fruit tree as they will gnaw the bark off and eat it, as well as rose prunings (minus the thorns) and and tough woody stems off cabages etc. I suggest that you get your tame so that it can be handled easy and let you pick up without running away because then yu can let it hop around in your yard if you are gardinging, sunbaking etc and of course exercise is good for them just as it is for us. I used to have an angora (they are rare and hard to get) it was the most wonderful people loving animal and of course the hair had to combed regularly to avoid- dreadlocks! But my rabbit used to love the attention.
Some peeople say dont give rabbits lettuce but I used to always give mine the vegie scraps/peelings including the outside lettuce leaves and any other vegie That would otherwise go to waste (oh and mine was a bit partial to odd hard crust of bread and couldnt resist dandelion leaves).
Good luck with the bunny.

Answer 2

Buy the book "The House Rabbit Handbook" and read everything. Rabbits are very different from cats and dogs. They are prey animals. You will also need to bunny proof your house by not having any electrical cords where the rabbit can chew them. This book will tell you everything you need to know about how to care for a bunny. We made a lot of mistakes before finding this book with our first bunny. Rabbits should never be exposed to rainy weather. If you keep it in a hutch you need to make sure it is in a safe covered area. Also know that the rabbit will need supervised time outside the hutch as rabbits need exercise. There are a lot of breeds. We have 2 Holland lops and one Netherland dwarf now. The younger lop is bonded with the dwarf. Your bunny will need to be spayed or neutered or you will experience behavior that you won't find pleasing. As for medical care, find a vet who is trained in exotic medicine because rabbits are not like cats and dogs at all. Rabbits are herbivores meaning they will need hay, green vegetables, and pellets as part of a healthy diet.

Answer 3

Lets just say one christmas my rabbit escaped and I was heartbroken. I have had two since, and the only reason why I am not getting any more is because it breaks my heart when they die!! But seriously I loved owning rabbits, each one had odd little quirks. I had an albino called Snowy and he had a guinea pig friend who would actually sleep on Snowy's back. How I wish I had a decent camera to take a photo of that... my other two, Smudge and Jeremy, were so gorgeous. They didn't like being handled much so I didn't push them around but they were still lovely. Toilet training:- To toilet train my three, all I did was put a cat litter tray in the corner that they chose as their toilet and each one used it right away!!! If yours need training though, just scoop of their faeces whenever they go out of the box and put them in. Chewing:- Rabbits do chew, not as much as rodents but they do which is why it's important to move any wires out of the way if they are to be house bunnies. Noises:- Unless terrified out of their mind or in pain they are silent. Living in an apartment:- If allowed outside occasionally, yes. Alternative exercise:- Plenty of mental stimulation Diet:- Rabbits will eat cabbage, carrots and of cause mixed rabbit food from the pet shop. You can feed them small amounts of fruit, not too much though. Too much fruit can cause ill health. Smallest/Largest: Netherland Dwarf and Flemish Giant German rabbit Scratch and Bite:- Rarely bite, and most scratching is unintentional and due to the owner not clipping the claws properly most of the time. (to clip their claws, restrain the rabbit by wrapping it in a towel or similar then get someone else to clip. Just clip the white bits, not the pink or it will bleed.) Medical Advice:- If he stops eating/pooping, see a vet straight away. I made that mistake and regret it... Life span:- Rabbits can live up to and over 6 years sometimes if looked after properly. Cage size:- As big as possible. ;) Sleeping:- The rabbit may find somewhere else to sleep other than with you. But you never know! He might really love you and sleep with you. Having a houserabbit is ace, it really is!

Answer 4

My partner and I have a rabbit. We got her as a 'kitten' (the correct term for a baby rabbit) at 5/6 weeks old and initially kept her in a hutch outside. October came and we felt sorry for her as it got colder so she moved indoors (but goes out every day to play and eat grass!)...

Because she's been handled lots and been around people she's incredibly friendly. She loves cuddles, and being out of her hutch in the evening. She acts like a pet cat, and loves running round the room and hopping on peoples laps. She's litter trained and doesn't mess in her hutch, so it doesn't need cleaning out nearly as often as it would otherwise - because it's inside, it's worth having the hoover ready when you do though.

If you get one, you can get either male or female - having them neutered/spayed can make them friendlier and also helps reduce the risk of cancer. If you get two or more, ensure that if they're males that they are from the same litter - they may fight otherwise, females are less of a concern.

More specifically;
Yes, they can stay out in any weather, but we didn't want her too - it seemed too cold!
I wouldn't say there is a best breed, every rabbit has a different character - we have a dutch rabbit, who's lovely, but that's probably her not just her breed!
There are loads of books available, try your local pet shop, or amazon!
Injections: mixymitosis jab every 6 months. Mixy is a horrible disease that gives the rabbit sniffles and makes them go blind before they eventually die or get killed. It's spread mainly through wild rabbits who may interact with your rabbit whilst it's outside - it's not worth chancing it though!

Hope this helps : )

Answer 5

Rabbits are great. You need to vaccinate them, check them DAILY and get their teeth and claws clipped or worn down. If you have an outside bunny leave a shady area in summer and cover the hutch with old sheets in winter but not down front so much.. Make sure you have a big pen for it to run in and move it every day. If not rabbit poo and wee will burn your grass and nothing will grow for six months. An inside bunny is best for first time owners but if you live alone if it is male do not let him think hes man of the house. Also try not to get a hong haired unless you wish to spend hours grooming a week.

Answer 6

i would firstly advise you to do a bit of research into the actual owning of a bunny as these pets do require a much time and commitment as any other pet.
you would need to make sure you have the time to take care of this animal...eg.feeding...cleaning the hutch....bonding with it....letting it out for exercise etc etc
also a rabbit needs a proper hutch to make him feel safe and not only to protect him for predators such as dogs and foxes to name a few.
a run if also a good investment as you can let him out to have exercise in the garden instead of him running around the house. the best way to find all your necessary information would be to visit your local book shop like easons or a library and find a book on rabbits. there are some goods ones like the RSPCA one...it has good pictures and is well explained.
it will show you the more popular breeds and so on.....(Dutch rabbits are mainly the most popular but due to there size and strength i would not recommend them for a young person)

good luck

Answer 7

Ive had two rabbits and they were really nice. In winter its best if they are brought in the house into an indoor hutch or put in a shed - dont put them in a garage where a car has been as it can make them very ill. In summer you have to make sure the hutch is very clean and I recommend getting a blow fly spray for them its horrible if they get it. Most books on rabbits are good only thing I recomend is be careful putting guinea pigs and rabbits together as if the rabbit is allot bigger than the guinea pig it can hurt it. We had two female rabbits and one of them was very nasty to the other when they were in the same hutch but were ok together in an open space. My rabbit died shortly after an operation because the vet didnt give us glucose to after its surgery so make sure you have a good vet! I found its been easier to look after rabbits than guinea pigs as they are not as nervous and its quite easy to pick them up. Good luck.

Answer 8

I was in your situation 4 years ago, and congratulations for deciding to get a bunny. I'd recommend getting a netherland dwarf rabbit. They come in different color variations also. And a female would be best for first time owners. Dwarf rabbits only weigh 2-3 lbs when full grown. If your gonna get a hutch, thats fine also. But I would highly recommend getting a indoor cage for the rabbit. Just make sure you get the rabbit fixed, get annual check-ups..and other than that..give the bunny a good diet full of fiber :) And when you pick one out, please go to a rescue or animal shelter :) They make great pets.

Answer 9

i fully reasearched myself on the net about rabbits before i bought one last year. rabbits arent as easy to care for as some people think. they need daily exercise and fed a correct diet. there are many illnesses they can get. you can vaccinte about myxi and VHD but in summer rabbits are prone to flystrike which can lead to death of a bunny. so in summer its vital to clean out the dirty areas every day so flys are no attracted. rabbits need an endless supply of hay to keep their teeth nice and trim and in tip top condition. if your rabbit does develop a dental problem which is pretty comment then expect big vets bills
afraid i have no adivce on breed but how about popping along to a local rescue centre and have a look at all the rabbits out there waiting for a loving home. they can even give you background and tell you the temprament of the rabbit.id also suggest getting the rabbit neutered - rescue buns usually already are. it helps calm down agression in males and prevent cancer in females
a two tier hutch with a run thats attached is great cas the bun can decide when they want to go out or shelter and u can cut off run access at night. its best to keep them shut in the hutch section if its sever weather and keep a waterproof sheet of somekind over the hutch to protect.
a suitable hutch should have enough room for the rabbit to hop about in happily and be able to stand on its hind legs.
best diet is hay, a handful of pellets a day and a selection of greens (not lettuce!)
you will also need to consider what you will do when you go on holiday and if there if someone who can look after the rabbit while you are away
i found so much on google and it really educated me. good luck on ur bunny search

Answer 10

Tons of good advice posted here already. I've been keeping bunnies for the past five years and can only add one thing - handle them daily.

If you pick up your rabbit every day and give it affection (and treats) it will eventually become socialised. You'll get much more pleasure from a bunny who comes up for a stroke than one who runs to the corner of the hutch every time you go to feed it.

Some rabbits are more nervous than others but you will eventually get even the most skittish bunny to become happy around you with persistence.

A previous poster suggested the Netherland Dwarf as a first rabbit. I completely agree - great breed and very easy to keep. Avoid lop eared varieties - they are much harder to maintain.

Answer 11

make sure you get it vaccinated for mixiee reminber that there are 2 types 1carried in straw & 1 by mice &other visiters to your garden
apart from that keep them in a decent wooden cage 2ft deep 4ft long 3ft tall they whant a spaced off area to sleep in & plenty of room & light to see whats going on around then make sure that they have fresh water & food every day ; dont leave then untouched they our your pet so pet, handle & make a fuss off then as much as you can if you want then in the house due so or make then some sort of run in the garden so they don't get bored keep there cage water proffed top & sides & give then plenty of bedding straw hay grass or even old newspappers
if your going to put gunie pigs in with then reminber some times the news papper ink can be poisions also reminber that if your breeding then
& disturb then or touch the young they will eat there young
keep an eye on there eyes teath inside ther ears & fur give then a good brush down at least 1s aweek as weill as clean then out at lest 1s a week if you make a habbit of giveing then a fuss then you will get to know there charter and be able to spot if any thing is wrong with then somer if you think thngs are not right get then to a vet dont just ignore then as they didn't ASK YOU TO HAVE THEN YOU DESIDED THAT WAS WHAT YOU WHERE GOING TO DO have fun with then they can be very loveing in return ::: there is no best breed some people like loopearerd rabbits some like grey or brown or black some like huge gaints others like dwarf they are are all as derrfirent as we are