Rabbit Care

Feeding

Young rabbits do well with a higher protein food, but all rabbits should be fed a quality pellet that is designed to meet their nutritional needs. Rabbits do not do well with corn, so avoid food or treats that include corn. Because pellets are largely made of alfalfa hay, rabbits get all they need in a pellet and should not be fed additional alfalfa hay. They do benefit from free access to Timothy or grass hay, however.  

Any change to a rabbit's diet should be made very slowly. If a rabbit has been moved to a new environment, allow them several days to adjust without making any changes to their food. Then, begin by mixing in a very small amount of their new food. For example, if the rabbit is eating one cup of pellets per day, offer 1/8th of a cup of the new food (and 7/8ths the existing food) for 4 days, then 1/4 cup of the new food for 4 days, then 1/2, then 3/4 until  they are fully on their new food. 

Breeding

Determining the difference between males (bucks) and females (does), age to first breed, keeping does and bucks in good condition, always bring the doe to the buck's cage, what a "fall off" is, gestation period, nesting boxes and behavior, etc.

General Care

General care of rabbits includes grooming, basic health care, and more.

Housing

How you house a rabbit depends largely on how you will live with your rabbit. Fortunately, rabbits can live happily and comfortably in quite a wide range of housing options, as long as some basic safety requirements are met. 

If your rabbit is living inside your home as a pet, they can live in a cage or even have a room or rooms that are rabbit-proofed and set up for them to cohabitate with you. Rabbits can be trained to use a litter box, so, unlike many other small animals, they can live cleanly in an area of your home. Some people chose to create an enclosed space in a room, utilizing a pen, a litter box and some form of comfortable resting/hiding space.  Here are some ideas of indoor enclosures to get you planning.

There are also a variety of hutches and cages for indoor rabbits. Keep in mind that while many of these look very decorative, cleaning should be a  high priority. As popular as it is for rabbit housing, wood can (and will) be chewed, and urine soaks into wood like a sponge. Ventilation is also very important for rabbits, as their respiratory system is sensitive.  If you are going to use bedding in any portion of the enclosure, DO NOT use cedar, in chips, shavings or any form. While it is a pleasant smelling wood to people, it can cause significant problems for bunnies.

If you opt to keep your rabbit in a wire-bottom cage, where the droppings will fall through to a tray or other setup, ensure that the cage construction is appropriate.  The bottom wire MUST be 1" by 1/2" and a minimum of 14 gage.