Diet

The Normal Weight for a Rabbit

Every Rabbit has a different healthy body weight. Most breeds of rabbits have different standards for weight; for an example, Mini Rexes are small but still weigh around six pounds because of the density of their bodies. Some lop breeds can be the size of large cats but only weigh four or five pounds. It is important for you to know the correct weight for your rabbit. One common way of measuring the weight without a scale is to feel the backbone of your rabbit. If you feel sharp points you need to start actually feeding your rabbit. If you feel no backbone at all it is time to step away from the treat bag and let your bunny out of the cage.

Cecotropes

Have you ever glanced at your rabbit and saw him chewing but he was nowhere near the food bowl? Don’t worry, he’s only eating his own poop. Rabbits produce a special dropping that is packed with nutrients. These cecotropes are vital to a rabbits health. In a healthy rabbit you will never see these droppings in a cage. When a rabbit leaves these delicious and fragrant droppings it is usually a sign of a medical problem. Overweight and elder rabbits will commonly leave cecotropes because they are unable to eat them directly after they are produced.  Sometimes rabbits will produce too many cecotropes. When this occurs, you should take a look at your rabbits diet and be sure you are not feeding to many starchy foods. If your rabbit produces large amounts of cecotropes and does not eat them, be sure to contact your veterinarian.

Grass Hay

Grass hay is the most important part of a rabbit’s diet. Grass hay should be the base for every rabbit’s diet and should be offered 24/7. Hay offers nutrients, chewing, and fun. A rabbit needs forage in their diet in order to keep their digestive tract working properly. As well as being healthy, a rabbit who eats a lot of hay will feel full and won’t chew on your dining room chairs.

Grass hays include timothy, meadow, oat, rye, barley and Bermuda grasses. Multiple types of hay can be provided for a variety of tastes. Some hays will be mixed which is favorable. You can purchase bags of hay from pet stores but we recommend contacting us when you need hay. We will provide you with fresh hay whenever you wish!

There are plenty of ways to offer hay to a rabbit.
Box – One way to provide hay is to keep it in a wooden or plastic box. A wooden box can provide something extra to chew as well as provide a fun bed for your rabbit. Make sure to clean the boxes if your rabbit soils them.
Toilet Paper Tube – This is a great way to make a fun toy while not having to purchase anything fancy. We stuff cardboard tubes with hay so the rabbits can throw the, around without making a huge mess of their hay.
Basket or ball- Pet stores will usually sell baskets or balls that you can stuff hay into. These also help to keep the hay neat and tidy.

Be sure to always provide hay to your pet rabbit!

Greens, Fruits, and Veggies

Acceptable Greens:

Greens are great to feed. Many greens when slowly introduced can be fed in replacement of pellets. They provide many health benefits and every rabbit loves a daily salad of all their favorites. Be sure to watch you rabbit and see how they react when feeding them anything new. Always be sure to not feed too much on one thing.

Acceptable Fruits:

Fruits need to be used as treats only. Fruits are very high in sugar and water and cause upsets in a rabbit’s digestive system if overfed. Dried fruits are great as treats. Rabbits are sweet toothed and will work very hard to get fruits. Be strong and limit their intake!

Acceptable Veggies:

Edible Flowers:

Flowers should be organically grown and not bought from florists.

Water

Water is a necessity to every living thing. Please be sure to always have fresh and clean water for your rabbit. You should try and clean bowls and water bottles once a week to prevent the growth of any bacterium. Do not alter your rabbit’s water with flavor or medications at this may keep them from drinking.

Rabbit Pellets

There are many different opinions on the subject of pelted food for rabbits. Pellets were originally made for breeders who needed something that was quick and easy to feed. They also did not have to feed very much of them making it a greater profit. Today, we still use pellets. In a rescue or a situation with large numbers, pellets are very handy. In a single rabbit home, they are not needed. Rabbits that are not fed need to have a very strivct and planned diet including daily greens to make sure all nutrients are received. Some homes will choice to continue pellet feeding because of it’s ease of use and price. Produce can be expensive unless you have a garden. In conclusion, feeding pellets is a personal choice.

Some rabbits can be fed unlimited pellets while others need help rationing themselves. A less active bunny who spends a good amount of time in a cage will most likely need to be rationed and have special feeding times to prevent obesity. An active bunny can usually have unlimited access to pellets.

Grooming & Handling

Handling

The are many options when it comes to handling. The main thing is to support the hindquarters and spine. We will often pick rabbits up by the scruff then place them to our bodies quickly. However, this should only be done when you have experience and have been explained the dangers. The safest and most common way to pick up a rabbit is to go under the belly and lift them to your chest. This method should be used unless you have an unruly rabbit. Rabbits that learn to bite or scratch may benefit from the scruff method. When you have the rabbit, firmly hold the rabbit to your body always supporting the hindquarters. The simplest method is to hold the rabbit upright against your chest with one hand under its hind and the other on its body. Some rabbits can be held upside down like a baby as well.

Nail Clipping

Nails grow to become uncomfortable and sharp. If left long, they can get caught easily on wire and carpet and be ripped off. Toe nails bleed and this is never fun. It is much easier to just clip your rabbits nail regularly to prevent accidents.

Rabbits have small nails that should be cut with small nail clippers. Human toe nail clippers can crack the nail and cause bleeding so we recommend you invest in a pair of rabbit or cat nail clippers. When looking at a nail, you will notice a pink part called the quick. The quick bleeds when hit with clippers. You should leave a little nail to prevent accidentally hitting the quick. If your rabbit does not sit still, try flipping the rabbit over or wrapping it in a towel. If necessary, find a second person to help you. We will be more than happy to help you as well.

Bathing

Bathing should be avoided. This is a stressful and unnecessary experience. However, there are exceptions. When a rabbit is disabled or obese, it can become hard to wash themselves. You may have to do a “butt dip”. This involves dipping your bunny in a warm bucket of soapy water.(special rabbit shampoo should be used) If you want another way to “bathe” consider finding a spray or powder shampoo. This is easy to apply and is not as stressful as a bath. They come in many fragrances to make sure to keep your bunny smelling his best.