Care Guide

What do I need before I bring my rabbit home?

 We recommend setting up your rabbit cage/area before you bring it home.

At the very least you will need:

You should also have:

Don't wait till the last minute to put something together for your rabbit to stay in.

Transporting your Rabbit


Moving to a new environment will be stressful for them. For your rabbit's first car ride put them in a box or carrier bedded with some hay, a towel, or a puppy pad. As anxious as you might be to get acquainted with your new best friend don't carry or handle them during the ride home. Your rabbit should be housed in a quiet place for the first few days. During this time avoid introducing them to any other pets you may have. barking, loud noises, and lots of movement they aren’t familiar with can be scary for them.


Bonding with your Rabbit

Rabbits are social animals but can take time to warm up to you. We know your new rabbit is cute and cuddly, but we recommend allowing them to get familiar with their new space for the first 24 hours. At this point, they should be pretty comfortable in their new surroundings and you can start bonding with them. Always be calm and gentle when Interacting with them. It's normal for a rabbit to show signs of fear or ignore you when you're getting to know each other. Start by sitting with them in a smaller area (we recommend a playpen) and waiting for their curiosity to bring them to you. Anytime your rabbit comes up to you, offer them a treat (hay, pellet, greens). You will increase positive bonding that way. 

Rabbits don't like to be carried and will often react by kicking their hind legs. They're not trying to hurt you, but searching for something solid under their feet. If they start to kick while you’re holding them, be careful not to drop them.

Housing

There are a few things to consider to make sure your setup will properly meet your rabbit's needs. Due to the extreme heat in Texas, we don't advise housing rabbits outside.

 So, what exactly should you be looking for? 

This all depends on a few factors: 

If your rabbit will be spending a lot of time outside of its area (5 or more hours per day) A smaller cage would be okay for a rabbit to stay in.

 If your rabbit will be a completely free-ranging rabbit who is allowed anywhere in the house, a smaller, store-bought cage could work as well. You will need to make some adjustments to protect your rabbit and your property. Cover all electrical cables and protect any wooden furniture you don’t want to see nibbles on. Protect them from predatory animals that might see them as toys or hunting game. Never leave a rabbit unsupervised with other pets or young children.

 Keep in mind that any area designated for free-ranging bunnies should be left open to your rabbit at all times. This should be your rabbit's safe spot where it knows it can find its food, hay, water, and litter box.

 If your rabbit won't be spending much time outside of its area, it should be kept in a minimal space of 12 square feet. Rabbits need room to run around!


Diet


Rabbits need unlimited access to clean water. They also need unlimited access to hay and daily pellets for added nutrition. our rabbits are raised on a diet of alfalfa hay and Purina® complete rabbit pellets. We suggest feeding alfalfa hay until your rabbit has reached seven months of age after that you can switch to timothy hay. If you decide to switch to a different brand of pellets or hay, you MUST transition them to the new foods slowly to protect them from developing diarrhea. We do not recommend feeding them any fresh fruits or vegetables for the first three months. Always double-check to verify a fruit or vegetable is safe to give to your rabbit. Believe it or not, some veggies, such as Cabbage, Lettuce, and Avocados, are bad for rabbits. A few rabbit-friendly veggies are carrots, mustard greens, and bell peppers.


Take your bunny to the vet immediately if you notice diarrhea, lack of appetite, crusty ears, overgrown teeth, head tilt, or any sudden behavioral changes.


Grooming

Grooming is an essential part of your rabbit's care routine.

 Fur brushing

 Rabbits should be brushed at least once a week, this is especially true for long-haired rabbits such as Lionheads. Brushing removes excess fur, which can prevent a lot of health issues in rabbits. If improperly cared for a rabbit's fur can become clumped and matted which can lead to skin irritation and even infections. 

 Rabbits groom themselves by licking, ingesting too much loose fur can cause a GI block which can be fatal. Be sure to check the underside of your rabbit and remove any droppings caught in their fur, regularly emptying and cleaning your litter box will help your rabbit's underside, and paws stay nice and clean.

 Ears

Check your rabbit's ears regularly for wax build-ups or signs of infection. Ear wax from the outer ear can be removed with a cotton swab. Be careful not to push on wax in the canal, and do not attempt to reach deep into the ear canal. Keeping your rabbit's ears free of debris or wax is important. This is especially true for long-eared rabbits who tend to have damp areas inside their ears that need to be kept clean and dry or they may suffer from an ear infection or inflammation 

 Nail clipping

 Be sure to check your rabbit's nails as part of your weekly grooming routine. Trim your rabbit's nails whenever they start to get long. We recommend frequent trims even if you are only trimming a small amount off. Be careful not to cut too far back as cutting too close to the root of the nail can cause injury. Rabbit nails can grow to be very long and will be uncomfortable for your rabbit. Allowing nails to grow too long may cause toe, nail, and foot injuries, and can even impede your rabbit's mobility.

 

Grooming should be part of your regular interactions with your rabbit. Grooming is essential in keeping your rabbit disease-free, clean, and healthy.