Rabbit Care

Plain and Simple - rabbits like to eat and poop at the same time. Since hay is high in fiber and rabbits spend a lot of their time eating hay, it makes sense that one of the fastest ways to litter train your rabbit is to place their hay above their litter box so that they can sit in their litter box and eat their hay at the same time. 

The next step is that rabbits can become pretty set in their ways. You'll begin to notice where your rabbit naturally uses the restroom in their living space. It will usually all be contained into one area. The easiest thing to do is choose this place to put the litter box. 

Once your rabbit is doing pretty good with litter training in their main living space, you can try teaching them to go when they are out exercising and having some time to free roam. I recommend using a few litter boxes and a smaller space to start with and gradually expanding the space and eventually taking away some of the boxes once you see consistent progress. 

Litter training your rabbit is sometimes very simple, especially since they like being clean but sometimes it's not that easy. If your rabbit is taking a little longer to get it, you can try trying different litters to see which one your rabbit prefers. They may not like the texture, or even the smell, of one and you might find better success with a different type. Maybe even a different litter box. You might find that they prefer a larger box or shorter (or higher) sides.

If you still aren't having any luck, and it doesn't seem like your rabbit is going in one spot and seems like they're just using the restroom everywhere, and they're over 6 months, it may help to get your rabbit spayed or neutered since the behavior is most likely due to them trying to mark their territory. 

Rabbits need a cage with a minimum space of 3ft x 2ft. 

Bigger is always better and you should still make sure your bunny gets at least 30 minutes of exercise per day.

You can use different types of bedding - anything from CareFresh, to wood shavings to fleece blankets. Wire bottom cages are extremely helpful in making sure your rabbit remains clean, dry and doesn't get sore hocks or skin conditions due to urine getting on their skin.

You can also litter train your rabbit. My rabbits start on litter training from just a few weeks old. However, some rabbits just don't succeed with litter training. Spaying and neutering can help some. I have a page specifically for this topic.

Regardless if your rabbit is housed indoors or outdoors, it's very important to make sure your rabbit doesn't overheat. Always provide good air circulation, avoid your rabbit being in direct sunlight, and make sure your rabbit can remain dry.

Hay. Rabbits need at least one big section of hay the size of their body per day. Hay helps keep food moving through their body. 

Pellets. Rabbits also need pellets. Your rabbit will come with a small bag of pellets to help you transition to whatever food you choose. You should never feed pellets with colorful pieces. Always make sure to slowly switch a rabbit to new foods by gradually mixing.

Rabbits need plenty of water. They drink as much as a dog would. My rabbits are raised on both bowls and bottles to make sure they don't have problems adjusting to their new home. 

Fruits and vegetables. Avoid giving too much fruit and vegetables like carrots due to the high sugar content. Start off giving very small amounts of safe fruits and vegetables to avoid digestion issues for your rabbit. 

Also know as GI Stasis, this is a very serious, life-threatening condition that rabbits are very prone to experiencing. 

This can be caused from

•  Stress
• Changing food too fast or offering too much of one food.
• Dehydration 
• Not enough hay
• Being fed irregularly or going too long without feeding
• Blockages
• Improper diet

It's important to create a First Aid Kit. We offer them for sale or you can create your own. Critical Care and infant gas drops are the most important things to include in your kit. These can save your bunny's life in the event they end up with Stasis. 

Symptoms include:

• Small poop, irregularly shaped poop, or no poop. 
• Bloating
• Not eating or drinking
• Lethargic

Dental Problems 

Rabbits teeth are continuously growing and hay is essential in preventing overgrown teeth. It doesn't guarantee their teeth will not become overgrown, or that your rabbit won't have other dental problems. 

Signs: Drooling, swelling, lumps around jaw. 

Treatment: Vet! This is urgent because you rabbit will most  likely not be eating as much as they should which can lead to GI Stasis.

Head Tilt

This can be due to a simple ear infection or something more serious called E. cuniculi. 

Signs: Tilting head to one side, may also show signs of being lethargic, not eating, eyes involuntarily moving back and forth, rolling over, unsteady and unable to stand. 

Treatment: Inner ear infections are common, but E. cuniculi (a parasitic infection) is common as well and a serious condition. It's best to take your rabbit to the vet for a correct diagnosis.

Heat Stroke 

Over heating can cause death extremely fast so it's best to avoid this situation by making sure your rabbit is never in direct sunlight or extreme temperatures. 

Signs: Panting, excessive thirst, lethargic. 

Treatment: Cool rabbit down by moving to cool area, wipe ears with slightly cool water. Do not bring your rabbit's body temperature down too fast by using cold water. 

Mites 

Similar to fleas, rabbits can get mites. These usually show visible signs in the ears in the form of redness and scabbing.

Signs: Scabs in ears, head shaking, scaly or hairless patches, excessive itching, dandruff. 

Treatment: Clean and treat your rabbit's living space, and the living space of any other animals in the home. Rub olive oil on your rabbit's ears 3x/day. You can also try Ivermectin between your rabbit's shoulder blades if you feel comfortable. If it doesn't improve within a week, take your rabbit to the vet. 

Respiratory Infection

Sometimes, like people, your rabbit can become sick and show signs of sneezing and a slightly runny nose. This can be caused by dust from the hay, allergies to fragrances in the home, etc. It can also be caused by an infection called Pasteurella. 

Signs: Sneezing, runny nose, decreased appetite, eye discharge.

Treatment: If it comes on suddenly and your rabbit is not having trouble breathing and has not been around other rabbits, guinea pigs, rats or mice, it's safe to assume it's just a simple respiratory infection but it's important to monitor your rabbit and be sure there are no signs of difficulty breathing. If your rabbit has been somewhere where other animals frequent or around other animals, it's best to take your rabbit to the vet to rule out Pasteurella. 

Sore Hocks 

Signs: Bald spot on feet, scabs on feet, limping, struggling to walk. Treatment: Give a solid floor area to rest feet, keep cage clean, keep rabbit clean and dry,