If you have just added a rabbit to your family, or maybe you have been caring for a rabbit and would like more information. This will help you to understand your rabbit’s housing needs. Nurture your relationship by learning about your rabbit’s personality. Educate yourself on rabbit nutrition and improve your knowledge with rabbit fun facts.
Our goal is to help you enjoy years of rewarding companionship full of good health and happiness.
PersonalityRabbits make intelligent, energetic, and entertaining pets. Their friendly disposition, quiet demeanour, soft fur, and warm eyes have captured the hearts of rabbit owners for years. In general, rabbits are very affectionate and enjoy human interaction as well as the company of other rabbits. In fact, if paired with the right mate, a rabbit can form a close bond for life. Rabbits are most active at dawn and twilight and seek a quiet corner for a nap during the midday. This schedule makes them particularly well suited to working families. There are approximately 50 different breeds of rabbits with wide variations in size, ear length, and colour. From the 15-pound Flemish giant, to the petite 3-pound Netherlands dwarf, to the French lop with 10-inch long ears; there is a rabbit to suit almost every personality.
HousingYour rabbit needs a cage with plenty of room to play, rest, eat, and explore. The bigger the cage the better, and the exact size depends on the size of your rabbit. Rabbits love the two-story cages with ramps connecting the different levels. Solid flooring is best, because a rabbit's feet can become irritated and inflamed if in constant contact with wire floors. With time and patience, your rabbit can be litter box trained. Place the litter box in a corner of the cage the rabbit has already soiled, and provide a safe litter such as hay, composite recycled newspaper pellets, or organic litter made from alfalfa or oats. If you include bedding in the cage, appropriate choices include
shredded paper (avoid shiny ads that can contain toxic substances), certain hardwood shavings, or composite recycled newspaper pellets. Cedar and pine shavings are not recommended, because they contain resins that can be irritating to your pet's skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. Oxbow Pet Products' EcoStraw is an excellent bedding material for your rabbit. Hay can also be used as bedding.
Nutritional NeedsWater is the number one nutrient requirement for all animals, and fresh clean water is a must for your rabbit. Water can be provided in a sturdy crock or a water bottle with a sipper tube. If your rabbit soils the water bowl or enjoys tipping it over, the bowl should be replaced with a water bottle. Water needs to be changed daily, and a bottle's sipper tube should be cleaned weekly. Oxbow's Bunny Basics 15/23 and
Bunny Basics/T pellets have been designed with your pet rabbit's nutritional needs in mind. Bunny Basics 15/23, an alfalfa-based pellet with extra calcium and protein, is designed for growing rabbits younger than 6 months of age.
Bunny Basics/T, a timothy-based pellet lower in calcium, is designed for the mature rabbit with lower calcium requirements. High-calcium diets have been incriminated in certain rabbit health problems such as bladder stones and sludge. When switching foods, make sure to make the change gradually to help prevent digestive problems. Oxbow also recommends you feed your rabbit unlimited quantities of grass hay such as
timothy,
brome,
orchard, or
oat. Hay provides essential fibre, which helps maintain your rabbit's intestinal health. Hay also prevents boredom by satisfying the rabbit's innate desire to chew, and it serves as an important means of dental health maintenance. Rabbits enjoy a cage full of hay in which to rest, snack, or play. Your rabbit should also eat vegetables daily. It is important to introduce vegetables one at a time to make sure each agrees with your rabbit's digestive tract. Approximately 1 cup of vegetables per 4 pounds of body weight daily is appropriate for rabbits. Some suggestions include parsley and carrot tops, Avoid gas-forming vegetables such as broccoli or cauliflower. A treat should be enjoyable to eat and provide interaction between you and your pet. When fed in limited quantities, herbs (fresh or dried) or fruits can be offered as treats. In order to prevent digestive upset, it's best to feed the same treats consistently.