New Bunny Care Sheet

Caring for your new bunny when it comes home!

1. Never use pine or cedar shavings. Dont use them as bedding or in the litter

     pan. When the bunny pee's on them it cause a fume which can be fatal to

     the bunnies.

2. Never use cat litter in the litter pan. Use a rabbit safe litter a example is corn

     cob litter.

3. Food use only a plain pellet food (nothing added). Some foods have corn,

     seeds, nut or dried fruit, avoid these food until your rabbit is much older.

     You must slowly adjust your bunny to new things. If you add things to fast

     your bunny can get diarrhea and it can be fatal.

4. You have received a small bag of food mix my food 1/2 and 1/2 with yours

     until my food is gone. Make sure your food is plain pellets nothing else added.

5. No fruits, vegis or treats for at least another month.....if you can wait longer

     thats better. Remember fruits and vegi's are only treats (everything your

     rabbit needs is in the pellet food) do not over feed fruits and vegi's as this

     could also result in diarrhea (again can be fatal). When you first start

     feeding fruits and vegi's use very small pieces and do not feed to much

     just a few tiny pieces to start is good. This way you can watch and make

     sure it doesnt upset their stomach. Rule of thumb on fruits and vegis:

     If its really juicy, acidy or cause us gas there is a good chance it will give

     your bunny diarrhea. The safest treats are small carrots and romaine

     lettuce. Stay away from Iceburg lettuce. Also tomato plant leaves are

     toxic.

6. When introducing new food to your bunny its urine may change colors.

     It can be any color from clear to a blood red. This is fine as long as it

     is the urine. This color will lighten, it may take a couple of weeks but

      as the bunnys system gets use to the new food it will change.

7. Never give you bunny a bath. The slightest draft could make it become

    sick very easily. If it needs to be cleaned use a baby wipe and wipe it

   down.

8. If our tempature falls below 30. Bring your bunny inside. The adults can

    handle it but the babies have a hard time. Once they are bigger they will

    be fine outside in the cold. Just fill their cage with hay, cover with a blanket

    and if poccible ad a heat lamp to 1 side of the cage. Make sure there is room

    for the baby to move if it gets to hot.

9. If you have any questions at any time please feel free to email me

Enjoy your new Pet!!

Basic Bunny Care

Food and Water

Rabbits are herbivores, meaning they eat only grasses, vegetables and fruit. Their diet should contain a protein content of between 12 and 16%. This can be provided with pellet commercial feed (specific to rabbits) and  with a variety of fresh foods. Pellets must be stored in moisture-proof  containers and used within 60 days. Hay is also important for your rabbit, adding fiber to the diet. Here is a link to a small family farm where you can order your rabbit fresh hay from their farm www.sierravalleyhay.com. Hay should be fed daily.  Compressed bales of hay can be purchased at pet stores or purchased directly from farmers or from country feed stores.

Alfalfa can also be added to your rabbit’s basic diet, as long as it is fresh and clean. Ensure that it is put in a bin so it does not get soiled or used as bedding.

Feed foods with a high water content sparingly. Do not feed Iceburg lettuce, cabbage, beans, potatoes, rhubarb or chocolate, the latter three can be toxic. Do not give large amounts of greens unless until your rabbit has adapted to them and young rabbits should be introduced gradually to greens only after 3 months old. Never make any sudden dietary changes as this could prove fatal to your pet.

If you see your rabbit eating his droppings don’t be concerned.  This is a natural behaviour.  Rabbits don’t get all the nutrition they need from their food first time around so they make soft droppings, which they eat again.  The next droppings are small, hard and round and will not be eaten.

Plastic sipper bottles are best for water. Be sure the nipple is low enough for the smallest rabbit to reach. Shallow water dishes may also be used, but require daily cleaning.

Food and water should be changed daily and containers cleaned and disinfected once a week.

Housing

The amount of space your rabbit will need depends on the size and breed of your rabbit - the more space the better. Your rabbit’s hutch should be not less than 4 feet long by 3 feet wide by 2 feet high, raised above the ground. About 18" at one end should be boarded in for a sleeping room, with an opening large enough for the rabbit to go back and forth to the living and eating area. The living and eating area should have a full wire mesh front, with a door to open for feeding and cleaning with a strong latch to prevent dogs, cats and wild animals from getting in.

The floor of the cage or hutch should be solid as wire mess can hurt rabbit feet.  Using a litter box in the cage/hutch will make clean up easy.  Provide fresh straw or coarse shavings ( no pine or cedar) for bedding at all times, and be sure to clean out thoroughly whenever bedding becomes soiled or damp.

Remember that a rabbit needs time out of his cage/hutch for exercise every day.  With supervision and rabbit-proofing your rabbit should be given a area to hop freely.  Make sure he has sufficient toys for entertainment, such as boxes, bags, hard plastic toys, phone books, baskets etc.

Handling

Use two hands to pick up your rabbit, with one hand supporting the rump and the other under the chest area. Never lift a rabbit by its ears. Lifting by the ears causes serious injury. Rabbits can be easily frightened by loud noises or sudden movements which could cause them to quickly squirm out of a person’s grasp. Falls can cause broken backs and limbs as well as internal injuries. Hold your rabbit while sitting down, preferably on the floor with a towel on your lap.

Grooming/Nail Trimming

Long haired breeds should be brushed regularly with a soft brush. Baths should not be necessary for rabbits as they are meticulous groomers.

Nails need to be trimmed about every six weeks or as necessary. Consult a vet or knowledgeable person for instructions if hesitant.  Care must be taken to avoid cutting the blood vessel in the center of the nail. In good light this vessel is clearly visible. If accidentally severed use a product called "Quick-Stop" (available at pet stores) to stop the bleeding.

Exercise

Your rabbit requires plenty of daily exercise. They will happily hop around a room that has been cleared of hazards such as electrical  cords, cats or dogs, and poisonous plants. Your rabbit will enjoy  munching on fresh grass on your lawn, but make sure the area is contained with fencing and the animal is carefully supervised at all  times. Be certain the grass has not been recently treated with  chemicals of any kind. Temporary enclosures can be made that  confine your rabbit to a small area of your lawn. Provide a water dish and a box for cover. Rabbits require about 30 hours a week of  exercise outside of their hutch.


Medical Concerns

Rabbits are generally healthy creatures as long as their habitat is clean and their food and water fresh. A rabbit’s digestive tract contains essential bacteria to aid digestion. Stale food or sudden changes in diet can cause the development of harmful bacteria in your rabbit’s digestive tract which could lead to serious health problems and death.  Your veterinarian should be consulted immediately if you notice your rabbit has a loose stool (withhold greens and feed hay and rolled oats).  A veterinarian should also be contacted if your rabbit has difficulty breathing, has excessive hair loss, or shows any other unusual behavioural changes such as loss of appetite and a runny nose, head tilt, incontinence (urine-soaked rear legs) or has any abscesses, lumps or swellings. Never administer oral drugs from the Penicillin family as these can destroy “good” intestinal bacteria. Injuries due to falls or other accidents should be treated by a veterinarian immediately.