Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 4: Making a living space for your rabbit
• Part 2 of 4: Eat, water, and gnaw your rabbit
• Part 3 of 4: Play with and exercise your rabbit
• Part 4 of 4: Keeping your rabbit healthy
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

Are you thinking about getting a cute bunny as a pet? To stay healthy and happy, rabbits need plenty of hay and vegetables, a warm, cozy den and plenty of time to play and run around. Read on to find out how to properly care for a rabbit.

To step

Part 1 of 4: Making a living space for your rabbit

1. Buy a cage or hutch that is suitable for indoor use. Rabbits are small but need a lot of room to move. For an average sized rabbit, you will need a cage that is at least four feet wide, two feet deep, and two feet high. Look for a cage with a closed bottom or bottom tray and sides made of sturdy iron wire, so that the rabbit gets plenty of fresh air.
   • Do not put your rabbit in a cage outside. Rabbits that are kept outside live shorter lives; it is more difficult to give them a safe and comfortable place and they can die of a heart attack when predators come close.
   • If you choose a cage with a bottom of iron wire, place a closed wooden or plastic board on the bottom. The iron wire can injure your rabbit's legs.
2. Place a layer of hay or wood chips on the bottom of the cage. Rabbits love to make snug burrows, so put a layer of soft, natural material on the bottom of the cage to give your rabbit a comfortable place. You can use any type of hay except alfalfa. Do not use pieces of conifer or cedar wood in the cage. The fumes from this are harmful to the organs of your rabbit.
3. Place the cage in a place suitable for rabbits. Of course, you want to let your rabbit out of its cage and run around regularly. So put the cage in an area that doesn't matter if a rabbit is walking around. Remove all cords, small items and valuable furniture from the area - rabbits love to gnaw.
4. Set up a container for your rabbit to use. Rabbits naturally always use the same place as "toilet" - often this is a certain corner of the cage. Place newspapers on the bottom of a small container or rabbit toilet (available at a pet store) and fill the container with hay. Then place the bowl in the corner of the cage that your rabbit prefers.
   • You can give your rabbit more than one bowl or rabbit toilet; consider placing a second bowl where your rabbit likes to play.
   • If you don't want to use hay, fill the tray with pressed paper grains. You can buy these in the pet store.

Part 2 of 4: Eat, water, and gnaw your rabbit

1. Provide enough fresh hay for your rabbit. Hay is the most important part of a rabbit's menu. Your rabbit should therefore always have hay available. It does not matter which type of hay you choose. Place enough fresh hay in a clean corner of the rabbit cage every day.
2. Give your rabbit a bowl of rabbit pellets (bix). This contains proteins and fiber, two building materials that are indispensable for young rabbits. Rabbit pups can eat as much bix as they want. Give adult rabbits a maximum of 25 grams of bix per kilogram of body weight daily.
3. Give your rabbit enough vegetables. Rabbits are known to love carrots, but you should only feed them occasionally as carrots contain a lot of sugar. Feed your rabbit leafy vegetables such as spinach, turnip and endive. Give your rabbit about 50-100 grams of green food per kilogram of body weight daily. You can also treat your rabbit to fruits, such as apples, blueberries, strawberries, and bananas.
   • Some vegetables are not good for your rabbit. Avoid corn, iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, cabbage, beans, peas, potatoes, beets, onions, rhubarb, bamboo, seeds, grains, and all meats.
   • Human foods such as chocolate, sweets, dairy products and anything cooked should not be fed to your rabbit.
4. Give your rabbit chews. Rabbits love to gnaw and this keeps their teeth healthy. If you don't give your rabbits gnawing stones or other gnaws, they will gnaw on your furniture or other things you have around the house.
5. Give your rabbit plenty of clean water. You can put the water in a bowl or in the same type of drinking bottle that is also used for hamsters. Never run out of water for your rabbit and clean the water bowl or bottle regularly to prevent infections.

Part 3 of 4: Play with and exercise your rabbit

1. Leave your rabbit out of the cage for several hours every day. Rabbits love to hop and run around. To stay healthy, they need to be able to do this for several hours every day. You can play with your rabbit yourself or let him do his own thing (just make sure to keep an eye on your rabbit), but don't neglect your rabbit and make sure he gets plenty of exercise.
   • If you enjoy playing outside with your rabbit, make sure you choose a place that is fenced. Never lose sight of your rabbit.
   • Always keep cats, dogs and birds of prey away from your rabbit.
2. Give your rabbit plenty of toys. Rabbits like to chew on cardboard boxes and old phone books. You can also try playing with your rabbit by throwing a small ball or stuffed animal.
3. Pick up your rabbit carefully. Rabbits have a fragile body and should always be handled and lifted gently. Hold one hand under his back and one hand under his stomach, just behind the front legs. Hold your rabbit close to you. Never lift your rabbit by its ears.
   • Most rabbits love to be stroked on their heads.
   • Never handle your rabbit roughly or pet your rabbit when he doesn't want to. Rabbits get stressed quickly when they are uncomfortable.
4. Consider bringing in a second rabbit. Rabbits are social animals and they love to play with their peers. Taking care of two rabbits is not much more difficult than taking care of one rabbit. So you can buy a second rabbit so that both animals are happy.
   • Make sure to spay or neuter your rabbits, especially if you keep them in the same cage.
   • Make sure to get a rabbit of the same breed or a breed that is a good match for the rabbit you already have.

Part 4 of 4: Keeping your rabbit healthy

1. Clean the cage every few weeks. Have someone watch your rabbit while you clean. First, remove the dirty hay or wood chips from the cage. Then clean the cage with hot water and soap, rinse everything well and let it dry. Then put clean hay or wood chips on the bottom of the cage.
   • Wash your rabbit's water bowl or bottle every day.
   • The bowl on which your rabbit does its business should be changed every day. Also, clean the tray every week with a cleaning agent.
2. Brush your rabbit. You don't need to bathe your rabbit, but you can use a soft-bristled brush to gently remove loose hair from time to time. If you have two rabbits, you may see them grooming each other.
3. Take your rabbit to the vet. Rabbits should be checked annually for their health. Many veterinarians who treat cats and dogs have no experience with rabbits; you may need to find a veterinarian who specializes in "exotic" animals.

Tips

• Make sure your rabbits always have something they can gnaw on safely. This makes their teeth wear out and prevents injuries.
• Always be nice to your rabbits. Yelling or punishing your rabbit will not help. Instead, reward good behavior.
• If you just got a rabbit in the house, approach it slowly, calmly so that it doesn't get scared. Rabbits are easily scared and cannot see very well. So talk softly to the rabbit so he knows you are coming.
• Always behave in a calm and calm manner when you are around your rabbit. Your rabbit may get scared otherwise.
• Rabbit cubs also eat a special type of hay based on alfalfa in addition to hay. Do not give this to your adult rabbits!
• Rabbits need attention and people to play with them. When you have a new rabbit, let him sit in his cage or hutch for a while so he can get used to it. Do not give your rabbit a lot of attention or try to play with it immediately. Your rabbit must first get used to its new environment and moreover, it knows and does not trust you yet.
• To keep your rabbit cool on hot days, you can place a frozen water bottle or cold tile in its hutch. Do not use ice packs as they can be toxic to your rabbit.
• Once your rabbit is used to its cage or hutch, let it roam in a small, fenced-in area. This way your rabbit can get used to you and learn to trust you.
• If you want to get your rabbit used to another pet, hold the other pet tightly or put it on a leash. Bring the rabbit into the room on a leash or hold it. After a while, bring them a little closer together. Repeat until both animals are close enough to sniff each other. If your animals seem to dislike each other, it is better to keep them separate.
• Trim your rabbit's nails every two months.
• If you also have a cat or dog in the house, consider your rabbit's safety. Keep your animals separate.
• Large rabbits should be able to roam freely in your yard and shed.
• Wash your rabbit, clean the cage and make sure your rabbit always has enough to eat and drink.
• If your rabbit is shivering, wrap a warm blanket around him and pet him. If your rabbit is still shivering, leave him alone.
• You can also buy a harness and leash for your rabbit so you can take it for a walk.
• It is good to feed your rabbit foods such as carrots, lettuce and other fresh vegetables.

Warnings

• Do not give your rabbit an anti-flea remedy. Ask your vet for advice if your rabbit has fleas.
• Do not feed your rabbit meat. Their digestive system cannot process meat.
• Make sure the area where your rabbit is playing outside is secure and closed off. Rabbits can squeeze through very small holes and cracks and are very difficult to catch when they escape. Also make sure that the rabbit's enemies, such as dogs and cats, cannot get to this place.
• Rabbits can have many different types of characters; some are scary, some are lazy and other rabbits are in between. Don't force your rabbit to play.
• Do not give your rabbit light-colored lettuce such as iceberg lettuce. This can be fatal for them. Romaine lettuce is the best choice, but opt ​​for organically grown lettuce and wash the lettuce before giving it to your rabbit.
• Rabbits can bite or scratch. With rabbit bites that penetrate the skin, you are strongly advised to have it checked by your doctor.

Necessities

• A large cage with a closed bottom
• Bix
• Hay
• Fresh leafy vegetables
• Toys
• Transport cage or basket
• Rabbit toilet
• Drinking bottle
• Sweets
• Small brush with soft bristles