Rabbits are naturally sociable animals and enjoy lots of attention and company. Your rabbit should have a strong waterproof hutch with a solid floor and wire front. Keeping rabbits as pets hutch pet care trust daily clean. In fact, rabbits could live on hay and water alone, but we recommend providing some fresh leafy vegetables and a small amount of commercial feed. If youre concerned about your rabbits behaviour, seek veterinary advice to rule out any form of illness or injury that could be causing problems. Rabbits kept as indoor during the summer or in a hot environment, might need to have a fan close by in order for them to keep cool. You should also brush the fur of your rabbit several times a. If you already have a rabbit, introduce your new rabbit to her cautiously and. Mar 18, 2019 rabbits are extremely social creatures, being with another rabbit is vital to their health and happiness, thats why a companion rabbit or other animal is so important. How to care for a rabbit providing food, snacks and water put out unlimited grass hay. Our simple guide to pet rabbits covers everything you need to know when deciding on a rabbit as a pet. Learn more about what every pet owner must provide for their pet.
Having 247 access to hay and pellets means that the little runt that was pushed away from the teat in the nestbox now has a chance to catch up with the rest of the litter. If theyre not nursing, contact a vet immediately so they can help. Read download how to look after your pet rabbit pdf pdf. Pdf this resource was produced by members of the ufawrspca rabbit behaviour and welfare group. Recently there has been a change in the law regarding the welfare of pet rabbits which makes neglect as significant an offence as cruelty rabbits need plenty of care and attention, and this is a requirement which goes on throughout their entire lives, even after their initially doting child carer has gone travelling around the world on a gap.
We have feeding, grooming and exercise tips, tricks to teach your pet and some fun trivia and quizzes. Because domestic rabbits housed outdoors are most often. They have specific needs in order to live a long, happy and healthy life. We bought this for our 6yr old daughter who wants to get more involved looking after our family rabbits. Rabbits are a wonderful animal to raise as a pet or as part of the livestock on a farm. This book will detail information on raising animals in both urban and rural situations, breed types, housing and food requirements, and general health care for the. Find out why rabbits should be kept with other rabbits and what to do if youre introducing a new bunny into the mix. Their reaction to handling may also depend on their past handling experiences, so youll need. So far about the ebook weve got looking after rabbits comments consumers have never still eventually left their writeup on the sport, or otherwise make out the print still. Therefore, all of the rabbits in our care are spayedneutered before being made available for adoption. Read our guide to how to look after a rabbit, which covers comfort, bedding, food, possible infections, exercise and even rabbit loneliness.
They can become part of the family but, as sensitive animals, are best suited to teenagers and adults. Rabbits try to avoid attracting attention from predators by only looking unwell when they are very ill. It is important that you wait 30 days after surgery before making an introduction to other rabbits. Rabbits kids guide welcome to our rabbit learning zone, where we have lots of helpful information for you and your family on how to care for your pet. Males usually recover from neuter surgery more quickly than females recover from spay surgery. Be sure to take your bunny to an experienced rabbit veterinarian.
They are a great starter animal for children who participate in 4h or other rabbit shows. Gestation period this is the period of time between mating and kindling birth of the young rabbits. Before bringing your bunny to any pet emergency clinic, call first to see if they have a veterinarian on duty who treats rabbits. Rabbits are the most popular pet mammals after dogs and cats in the uk. Jul 24, 2019 dwarf rabbits are relatively easy pets to care for, however there are still a lot of things that are good to know before purchasing one. Try to find a veterinarian with experience in looking after rabbits. Placing a towel down can help make rabbits feel more secure. Sussex, dutch, himalayan, havana, standard chinchilla and palamino. Be aware that the quiet one may potentially grow up to be an anxious or more fearful cat. A rabbits top front teeth grow at a rate of 3mm a week. If you are looking for a family pet for a busy home, look for a kitten that is alert, keen to approach visitors and playful with their litter mates. Rabbits should be fed in a way that is as close as possible to their natural diet. Keeping rabbits and guinea pigs cool in summer we might enjoy the summer heat but it can be tough on rabbits and guinea pigs. Therefore, when they get sick they go quiet and more often than not, they suffer in silence which means that many conditions go unnoticed until they are harder to treat which in turn means the prognosis is never that good.
Costs and time involved in keeping rabbits pdf 189kb how to take care of your. Not all general practice vets are trained in rabbit care. Also, start to introduce pellet food 2 weeks after the rabbits are born so they start to wean off of milk. It is intended for use by animal technicians, facility. An exercise pen provides a larger and more pleasant space for your rabbit than a cage, and its so much easier to clean. This is why parents too should like the idea of having a bunny around whether they are kept as indoor or outdoor pets because looking after a bunny needs to be everyones responsibility. Apr 12, 2011 watch how to look after for a baby rabbits from the leading how to video provider. Recent scientific research has confirmed that rabbits suffer from stress and loneliness if kept alone. The ultimate guide to dwarf rabbit care pethelpful. A rabbit s run should never be placed in direct sunlight for this reason. With this said, rabbits are not the ideal choice for very young children and even older children should not be given the sole responsibility of looking after them. My rabbits live in really clean conditions and are fed a proper diet and still ended up with them. They can live freereign in a bunny proofed roomrooms, or they can be contained within a puppy pen, bunny condo, or large rabbit cage.
Take your new rabbit to the veterinarian to be sure it is healthy. They crawl under the fence, hop into his garden, and munch on his plants. Owning and caring for pet rabbits can be great fun and very rewarding, but it is also a big responsibility and a longterm caring and financial commitment. All rabbits need daily exercise so encourage your rabbit to practise its natural behaviour. Rabbits are an increasingly popular pet, they are animals that provide companionship, theyre docile, are easy to look after and dont take up too much space, etc. As rabbits spines are fragile, make sure their hind legs are secure so they cannot kick out and damage their spine.
A pipe in its hutch can act as a burrow, or a box filled with shredded paper can encourage digging include some root vegetables to nibble on as a treat. So if you see your rabbits scratching their ears a lot, check them. Make your rabbits feel right at home with this handy pet guide. How to look after your rabbit is an easy to read and informative book will provide children aged eight to ten vital information on how to look after their new pet rabbit. Registered address shilton road, burford, oxfordshire, ox18 4pf. This tutorial will give you helpful instructions to guarantee you get good at rabbits. From feeding to grooming and toys to hutches, youll find everything you need to know.
Do not use frontline flea and tick treatment on your rabbit. Keep your rabbit healthy by following our health and welfare advice, including information about how to check your rabbit s health. Blue cross is a registered charity in england and wales 224392 and in scotland sc040154. The larger the breed, the shorter the life expectancy. Rabbits who do not poop or eat in 24 hours are in danger of dying.
Rabbits are one of the most rewarding pets, but can also pose some surprising challenges. A simple guide to caring for pet rabbits bunnyhugga. One of the main characteristics of these animals is the fact that their teeth grow continually. How to look after a rabbit behavioural tips blue cross. After having a bout with ear mites, i now check my rabbits ears almost daily to be sure i keep a jump on them. Provides lots of useful information on caring for and understanding rabbits, ranging from feeding and grooming to toys and hutches, all illustrated with colour photographs and cartoons.
Keep your rabbit healthy by following our health and welfare advice, including information about how to check your rabbits health. In rabbit bonding, the new rabbit will either be lumped or humped in most situations, but some pet rabbits have been on their own for so long they have no idea. Understanding rabbits rabbits are quite delicate creatures that over time have evolved to do everything in their power not to attract attention to themselves. An essential guide covering everything children need to know to make their pet rabbits feel at home. Looking after your rabbit tinas mini lop rabbits, ashford, kent. Many rabbits dont like to be picked up but there are times you will need to pick up your rabbit, a trip to the vet for example.
Under the animal welfare act, pet owners are legally obliged to care for their pets properly as most owners already do by providing the following five basic. Give the rabbit a dish of rabbit timothy hay pellets. Heatstroke can prove fatal to rabbits, but if they do survive, they may well suffer from respiratory issues for the rest of their lives. First of all, when you buy a rabbit you should take it to a veterinarian who will give your. Here is a basic overview on how to care for a pet rabbit. Even a small bar of dark chocolate can be fatal to our pets. There are many different breeds of rabbits available. Registered company in england and wales under company number 00363197. Although, for those who have by now see this ebook and you are prepared to help make their discoveries well request you to be tied to to go out of an evaluation on our website we will distribute equally negative and. Cages should be no less than 45cm high for rabbits over 12 weeks of age. This guide takes you through everything you need to know, from deciding whether a rabbit is the right pet for you, where to find a rabbit and how to keep it healthy and happy, to understanding what is really going on in your rabbit s head. Many vets who are wonderful with cats and dogs know very little about rabbits. The hutch should not be kept in direct sunlight or in cold drafts. Rabbits are a very popular pet and are easy to look after.
Children should only look after rabbits under parental supervision. Do not pick your rabbit up by the scruff of the neck or by the ears. Naturally sociable, rabbits like companionship and prefer to live in pairs or compatible groups and their behaviour will reflect this. Rabbits generally recover quickly from spayneuter surgery and often return to their normal behavior in just a few days. Though rabbits are house pets that require less care than others, they still need your attention and even more so if they are expecting. A rabbit s top front teeth grow at a rate of 3mm a week. If your female rabbit has become pregnant, then youll probably be worrying about how to look after and care for her from now on and until she gives birth. We did not acquire a taste for domesticated rabbit meat and, indeed, many of us were prejudiced against it for we. Take at least 3 hops in either direction from one end to the other. Keeping a rabbit is a hugely rewarding venture, however you should be. She tells her dad to be nice and let the rabbits be.
Offer young rabbits unlimited amounts of calcium and proteinrich alfalfa hay and alfalfabased pellets. Aug 08, 2019 to care for newborn rabbits, make sure theyre nursing from their mother for the first 8 weeks after theyre born. Space allowances should be adjusted relative to the size of the rabbit, i. Inquiry and comparative report on the condition of private school teachers in seven european countries austria, belgium, france, italy, the netherlands, german federal republic, united kingdom pdf. In many cases, and particularly for people living in an apartment or a small house, having a rabbit as a domestic pet is a better option than having a cat or a dog.
Dwarf rabbits complete pet owners manual is an excellent start for anyone new to dwarf rabbits and a solid guide for more experienced owners. Kits grow at different rates, even in the same litter. Guidelines on keeping pet rabbits rabbits other pets. Looking after rabbits, hamsters, mice, guinea pigs.
In addition, it is not helpful to mix grass and alfalfa hay, as the more palatable alfalfa hay will be eaten exclusively and the grass hay left behind. She really enjoyed the book but i did cringe quite a bit whilst we were reading it together as a lot of it is outdated and some of the things like hutch size advised in the book is now considered crueloutdated. Pet rabbits can be taught to respond to commands using positive rewardbased training. Some litters may be kindled as early as the 29th day or as late as the 35th day. This is why changes in behaviour, including not eating, may indicate that your rabbit is ill. If you rabbit s behavior suddenly changes and especially if your rabbit stops eating, a visit to the veterinarian is in order.
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