Rabbits as Pets

By Maureen Fleury

One of the less common household pets is a rabbit. Before you even think of asking Mom or Dad about keeping a rabbit, there are some important things you need to know.

Hang Outs

Rabbits are not like dogs or cats when it comes to room temperature or outdoor temperature. Dogs and cats can go out in the snow or survive hot summer days. In the summer, if the temperature is higher than 80 degrees, a rabbit will get sick. Be sure to keep a rabbit in the shade and in a cool breeze. A basement or garage with a fan is a good idea. If your house has air conditioning, this is even better! In the winter, a rabbit will get sick if the temperature is below 55 to 60 degrees. It is better to keep the rabbit indoors.

Rabbits are quite comfortable in a box or cage called a hutch. They can be kept indoors or outside if you live in a place where the weather is not too hot or too cold. You can keep them in a box with screens to give them air to breathe or you can use a metal mesh cage. If you do use a metal cage, you have to put a sheet of hard plastic or metal on the floor because the metal bars will hurt the rabbit's feet. The bottom of the cage should be covered with straw or wood shavings. Rabbit hutches should be cleaned out twice a week. This includes new hay or shavings, clean dishes and water bottle.

I've been told that some rabbits can be trained to use a litter box just like a cat. If the cage is large, the litter box can be placed inside. If not, some people leave holes in floor of a metal cage and put the litter box under the cage. Just remember that you still need to have an area of the cage with a solid floor so the rabbit won't hurt its feet.

What They Eat

Rabbits need lots of fiber in their diet. You can buy pellet food at the pet store and this will ensure the rabbit is getting a balanced diet and proper nutrition. In addition to the pellets, rabbits should have alfalfa or timothy hay for their digestion. Most vegetables are good as a treat, with carrots being the best along with broccoli, brussels sprouts or squash. Dried fruit is also a good treat and the same with fresh apples, strawberries or melon.

Rabbits need water but do not use a bowl. Use a sipping bottle because this will prevent the hay, food and other matter in the cage from getting into the water and contaminating it. The water bottle must be refilled daily.

Because rabbits like to gnaw on things, it is a really good idea to buy a chew block from a pet store. Do not give it any type of wood to chew. Some wood, like cedar, is poisonous to rabbits. It is best to buy from a store. A compressed alfalfa block is also good for rabbits to chew on.

Grooming

Longhaired rabbits need to be combed daily to remove shedding hair and to prevent hairballs. A rabbit is not able to cough up a hairball like a cat so it's important to brush a rabbit regularly. The best comb to use is a dog flea comb. A rabbit's skin is very tender so the comb has to be soft and handled with care. Shorthaired rabbits can be combed twice a week or every second day. If a rabbit gets a hairball, they will choke. Rabbits can be given hairball laxatives designed for cats and this should be done weekly.

A rabbit's nails should be trimmed at least once a month. Fleas and ear mites can be treated with medicine designed for puppies and kittens. Rabbits don't need shots like cats or dogs but it is a good idea to take the rabbit to a Vet once a year for a checkup.

Do's and Don'ts

• Do not put rabbits near other animals that can frighten or injure the rabbit.
• Do use bedding that is made special for rabbits. Other bedding may contain harmful chemicals.
• Do not use a cage that is designed for other animals. Make sure it is made for a rabbit.
• Do make sure there are no sharp edges in the cage that can harm a rabbit.
• Do not use cleansers that can be harmful. Check with your pet store or Vet.
• Do make sure there is a good lock in the cage so the rabbit can't escape when it's not supposed to get out of the cage. Only let it out when supervised.
• Do make sure the rabbit has a clean cage. A dirty cage will make it sick.

The Pet Lady says: Do not buy a rabbit unless you are prepared to care for it every day. There are many rabbits in shelters because they were no longer wanted. If you choose to adopt a rabbit, there are many cute and cuddly ones waiting for your loving care.

About the Author:

Maureen lives in Coquitlam which is a suburb of Vancouver BC Canada with her three boys. In addition to the "humans" in the household, there is a menagerie of 4 cats.

Maureen's interests are animals and computers (more like an obsession). She enjoys online publishing, and running around taking pictures with her digital camera.

Maureen may be contacted by email at mfleury@shaw.ca.

Article courtesy of Suite101.com.