I love rabbits because they're soft, cuddly, quiet, intelligent, and really cute. I want you to enjoy your bunny as much as possible, so let's hop to it! For starters, it is very important for your rabbit to feel safe and comfortable. The first thing to do for your bun is to set up a proper home. If you don't have any other pets living in your house, then I recommend having your rabbit live inside rather than outside where it could be prone to predators and poor climate conditions. If you have to keep your rabbit outside you should plan on getting a rabbit hutch that elevates off the ground. The picture below is a smaller version of a tall hutch, but it still is applicable for an outside rabbit, especially if you plan on letting your rabbit run around your yard. The little ramp aids the rabbit going in and out of the cage as it pleases. You can purchase hutches at any major or small pet stores or online. This particular hutch is available at Greg Roberts Quality Pet Supplies. You can find most of the necessities, such as cages, food, and water bottles at the Rabbit Whisperer Store as well.
Like I stated before, it is preferable to have your rabbit live inside. In addition, it is also important for your rabbit to have some stretching space, so be sure to look for rabbit cages that compliment your rabbit's size. The picture below displays a plastic cage with a door that can serve as a ramp for your bunny. I have house broken my rabbits, if you plan on doing the same then having a ramp is pretty crucial for your pet. Again, you can get this plastic cage at any big or small pet store, (Rabbit Whisperer Store, Petco, PetSmart, etc.)
After you buy a cage you have to set up the rabbit's new home. First, place the cage in a place where the rabbit is against a wall, preferably in a corner where the rabbit feels safe and can see what's going on in the room. Second, I would suggest lining the bottom of your cage with either recycled paper mulch or newspaper, this is to protect your bunny's feet. Make sure you have a food bowl, hay tray, and a water bottle inside the cage. Set up your bunny first, and then we'll worry about the litter training a little later. When you're done, your cage should relatively look like this, notice that all three of the major components are there inside the cage.
Congratulations you've completed the first stage for making a home for your rabbit! Stay tuned for more information on what to feed, how to litter train, and "speak rabbit" to your bunny!
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Making a Home For Your Bunny
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10 Comments:
I recently just bought a lion head bunny. She passed away this morning, and I dont know what I did wrong. I made sure she had fresh water, I played with her too. She was an inside bunny and would be in the cage when I was not home. I would let her out but only while I watched her.
I was given a huge bowl for her food, a wood hideaway thing but no one told me about the hay tray. What happened to my bunny Nala? I was so sad this morning and confused.
My condolences to your bunny! From what you're telling me, it seems your bun didn't get enough hay. Because your rabbit is a special new breed that has long hair, it was rather imperative that your bun had a lot of hay in its cage. Your bunny most likely couldn't swallow its fur and suffocated from the lack of hay to help it pass through the body.
I hope this experience doesn't sway you away from not having a pet bunny anymore. Again, very sorry to hear your news!
~R.W.
Hi,
I'm a new lop momma and a little confused about her cage setup. Her cage kit included hay, Carefresh, pellets, feeder & water bottle. It is a wire bottom and I'm just not sure what goes where? Do I cover the bottom of the cage under the wire rack with both Carefresh & hay or does one or the other go on top of the wire floor? I've read it's not good to leave her pads exposed to the wire floor but I'd prefer cleanup to be minimal so wouldn't I want all droppings & urine to fall through instead of covering up the wire floor with bedding causing her to trample in it?
Thank you in advance!
Hello JJ,
It's really not a good idea to have your rabbit's feet exposed to a wire floor. Their hocks (padding parts of feet) can get worn down and infected. It is a good idea to have food in a little container and a litter pan/box. I usually put down newspaper on the floor to soak up any extra urine or poop. Please read my post about litter training your bunny so that you have minimal cleaning up to do.
~Jen
Actually, it is healthier for a rabbit to be on wire. It keeps them cleaner which = healthier. How would you like to sit in wet, dirty shavings and have poo stuck to your butt? If the bunny has no options but to sit on wire, it can get sore hocks, therefore, if you plan on leaving the bunny caged for hours at a time, you will need to provide a resting board or piece of carpeting. This should be large enough for the bunny to sit on. I have french lops...love them!
Hi Willow,
On the contrary, wire is not healthier for a rabbit. Sore hocks are serious, and really hurt bunnies. Also I don't recommend that owners use shavings, but rather recycled bedding. Recycled bedding is healthier for the rabbit's respiratory system and is cleaner. Rabbits who are litter trained, in good health (not sick or out of shape) and have owners that clean up after them often, will most likely not sit in their wastes all day long.
Thanks for posting,
Jen
Thank you for the nice blog and good resources. I have two bunnies and I love them dearly. They live inside and have a whole room to themselves to run through, sleep in their little makeshift house and run to the cage when nature calls. Which is what I am having a bit of a problem with. I use wood chips, soft shreds which smell nice, are soft, natural wood and bunnies even love to nibble on it as they poop. However when it comes to cleaning up, I realized these wood chips cannot be recycled and I would like to limit or lower the amount of waste. How do I do that? Which products are good for bunnies as bedding, but are also recyclable?
Thank you kindly,
Mila
Hi Mila,
Wood chips are actually very hazardous to a rabbit's respiratory system. I recommend using "Carefresh Bedding." This type of bedding is made out of recycled paper products. You can purchase it at my online store or go out and buy some at your local pet store. In the meantime, some creative people use their woodchips in their gardens - serves as a weed blocker and mini fertilizer.
Thanks for writing in,
Jen
Oh good grief! I had no idea! I will most certainly purchase the recycled paper bedding. Can you tell me how is it disposed of? I presume regular trash? Thank you again. This is very helpful.
Mila
If you can't find Carefresh Bedding, you can also use the Purina brand "Yesterday's News," which is litter pellets made from recycled paper. From my research, paper pellets or bedding is the best type of litter for rabbits, because they do not release any harmful chemicals, and if rabbits eat the pellets, they will not cause any digestive problems (as many other forms of shavings and litter can).
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