What do I need to know about having a bunny?

Question

I have had cats and dogs before, but never a bunny and Id love to learn about how to care for them. How to you litter box train a bunny? What type of litter should I put in the box? When can they have vegetables, and what's good for them? I also have a 5 month old baby and want to know if that will be an issue, although I don't really think so. What do you think?

Answer 1

Bunnies can be indoor or outdoor - you litter train them in much the same way as with cats and dogs - just put the pellets they drop into the litter tray, and move the litter tray where they drop most pellets and they'll get the idea!

+DIET: rabbits need 75% hay in their diet, and proper rabbit pellets (only bunny mix if they eat ALL parts of it). Suitable fruit/veg: http://www.mybunny.org/info/fruitveg.htm no more than 2-4 cups every other day)
+ HEALTH: the primary health problems in rabbits are digestive problems and dental problems. If rabbits go without eating or pooing for more than 12 hours they need to go to a vet pronto - they have very fast metabolisms, so starvation or constipation kills them quickly. Their teeth constantly grow, so they need to eat hay and hard pellets to keep their teeth worn down, and have wood to chew for their incisors.
+HOUSE - if living outdoors, the biggest cage and run you can afford! Bunnies should be in pairs of the same sex, as they are social animals and need the company of their own kind. Rabbits can be spayed/castrated for their health or if you wish more than one of a different sex to live together - bear in mind this is not done as routinely as with cats and dogs as rabbit anaesthetics are higher risk.

A bunny shouldn't cause any problems for a baby, although when baby gets bigger and wants to hold bunny close supervision is needed as rabbits can be wriggly, scratchy, kicky and even bitey - not hugely suitable as a pet for a young child, although there are always exceptions!

Thats all the important info I can think of!

Chalice

Answer 2

To answer your questions,

Q:How to you litter box train a bunny?
A: You introduce a litter box into the cage and try and put it in the corner they use the most ( you will see the pee and poop there). Remember to change the litter every day or every other day.

Q:What type of litter should I put in the box?
A: Only use paper litter, not the regular cat clay litter cause the rabbits will eat the litter and the clay litter could make them sick (one example of a paper litter is Yesterday's News)

Q:When can they have vegetables, and what's good for them?
A: At 3-5 months they can start to eat greens and veggies depending on the breed. Most greens are O.K., but not any type of watery greens/veggies like tomatos or iceberg lettuce. They have certain "poisons" in them that can get your rabbit very sick or kill it. Remember that the greens/veggies are TREATS! They should be given in small amounts once and a while

Q:I also have a 5 month old baby and want to know if that will be an issue, although I don't really think so. What do you think?
A: It should not be, rabbits in general are very sweet creatures and enjoy being handled and played with. They are very good about being held and grabbed at and poked. They are a good animal for a child to play with/ take care of cause they are easy to handle and take care of.

Hope this helps, and feel free to e-mail me if you have any more questions.

P.S._-To the person below, if the rabbit is raised right and is cared for properly they won't bite. So "even friendly bunnies bite" is not a true statement....

Answer 3

litter training a rabbit is not too hard. Get a bunny litter tray that goes in the corner of her cage, observe which corner of her cage she is going to the bathroom in and put the tray there, then put alilttle of her poop pellets in the tray. It helps if she only has one corner to go in, try putting a hay rack in one corner, her water bottle in the other, and her food bowl in the third, leaving one corner for her litter tray. You can use the same litter that you are using for bedding. I prefer using pelleted pine(it expands and is very absorbent). Don't use pine or cedar wood shavings because it will cause their liver function to change and have liver failure. If you want litter and bedding to be different you can use Aspen shaving (its a hardwood and doesnt cause harm) as bedding, and for the litter use the pine pellets (can get a small bag at walmart called feline pine, or a pet store you can get a 20 lb bag). Dont use clay litters because its dusty and causes respiratory problems. They can have vegetables when as treats when they are eating solid foods (i assume you are getting a weaned bunny) so when you get it, it can eat vegetables. Carrots, Cabbage, Green Peppers, Potatoe peels, strawberrys, banannas, etc. Whatever she likes. Also you should feed her some timothy has as a main part of her diet, and pelleted feed as a supplement. They baby and the bunny should not be an issue with eachother.

Answer 4

I bred rabbits for a while and they are really easy to care for all they need is 30min of attention a day and that is it. you have to feed and water it and when you go to pick one out I would suggest the netherland dwarf rabbit because they are bigger and more hardy then the rex's(one that always look like babies) but are still a nice size they have a good temperment and are easy to litter train. You litter train a rabbit the same way you do any small pet if you buy a cage or a starter kit keep them in there for about a month or two or untill it is relaxed in its new surroundings then remove the top part of the cage and they will usually go back to were they went in the cage and if they don't then watch him/her when it is running around and if it looks like it has to poop or pee the pick it up and place it in where the shavings are. I prefer shavings as a bedding but if the rabbit is going to be inside then keep the cage anywhere but not on carpet or you are going to do alot of vacuming and sweeping up shavings is alot easier they can have vegetible at about 9 months old favorites in my experience is carrots, lettus, strawberries, apples they will always need something to chew on and just make sure you watch them around wires in the house if you plan on letting it run around as for you baby it should be fine just watch them if you are letting them both play. Rabbits will give signs if they don't like what is happening like thumping there feet and lunging they will even chip or squeak at you.
I hope that answers your question.

Answer 5

From experience-a lose bunny in the house that is bored can/will chew through a waser hose connection and flood the apartment. Supervision at all times is key-they chew like crazy!

Answer 6

Here are some great websites and read the House Rabbit Handbook by Marinell Harriman.

Answer 7

Even freindly bunnys bite