rabbit care 101 This basic care guide will help yu keep yur pet healthy and happy. Yu ll learn abut: Prper diet Handling Husing, Litter bx training, and rabbit prfing Rabbit behavirs and hw t identify them Health, Grming, & Trimming Nails Brther Wlf thanks yu! Rabbits are amazing pets and just like a dg r cat, they take a lt f time, dedicatin, attentin, and lve s we thank yu fr chsing t either fster r adpt ne f these very special creatures! Sharing yur huse with bunnies will bring lts f fun, laughter, lve, cmfrt & cmpany. Once yu earn the trust f yur new husemate (r mates), the start f a beautiful relatinship will blssm.
Feeding Yur Rabbit Yur rabbits diet shuld be 80% hay, 10% greens, 5% healthy pellets & 5% healthy treats. HAY Grass hay is abslutely vital t the digestive health f yur rabbit. It helps prevent besity, dental disease, diarrhea, and bredm. Yur rabbits shuld have unlimited access t quality grass hay. Unless the hay in yur pet s habitat is siled, d nt replace it this culd encurage picky eating! Yur rabbits shuld eat a pile f hay the size f his bdy every day. GREENS Rabbits are herbivres! A diverse selectin f leafy greens shuld be 10-15% f yur rabbit s diet. Feeding a wide variety f greens prvides yur rabbit with imprtant vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Avid a mn diet. A great rabbit-safe and plants t avid list is included in yur packet. When intrducing new fds t yur rabbit g slwly t allw her bdy time t adjust. PELLETS & TREATS Pellets shuld be fresh and shuld be relatively high in fiber (18% minimum fiber). D nt purchase mre than 6 weeks wrth f feed at a time, as it will becme spiled. Alfalfa pellets are fine fr yunger rabbits but timthy pellets are preferred fr lder rabbits. Avid mixes with nuts, crn, seeds, and fruit. Rabbits will pick ut the tempting bits and leave the healthy pellets. The right mix f hay, greens, and pellets will help t avid health prblems. Mst ppular hay types: Timthy Orchard Grass Oat Gray Alfalfa hay is best given nly t baby bunnies up t 1 year ld and senir rabbits ver 6 years ld that need t gain weight. A guideline fr serving size is 1 cup f greens per 2 punds f bdy weight. Greens may be fed nce per day r divided int multiple feedings per day. NEVER feed iceberg lettuce and be cautius with cabbage and brccli, as they will cause digestive upset. If yu need t change pellet brands, d s gradually t avid upsetting their stmachs. Per day feed a max ¼ cup f healthy pellets & a max 2 tablespns f healthy treats like berries, apples, pears, and bananas. 2
Handling Yur Rabbit Being a prey species, rabbits are n cnstant alert fr predatrs, s it s imprtant t take care when picking them up. 3
Husing & Litter Bxes Like a cat r dg, we cannt live a healthy and happy life if cnfined t a tiny cage. Hwever, a large playpen, bunny-prfed rm, r a large dg crate shuld suffice fr mst bunnies. Once fully trained, sme bunnies may have free run f their hme! Rabbits need AT LEAST 1-2 hurs per day ut f their enclsure t run and play, with 3-4 hurs per day being the best. Inside yur bunny s hme always include: a litter bx lined with ne f the safe litters listed belw, plenty f hay (bunnies like t munch while they p!), sme tys, and fresh water (a bttle is recmmended ver a bwl). Rabbit Prfing Yur Hme: Rabbits LOVE t chew especially n electrical crds! Place ALL electrical crds ut f reach r in tubing. They als may gnaw n wallpaper, rugs, furniture, r basebard trim. 4
Understanding Rabbit Behavir 5
Yur Rabbit s Health Observe yur rabbits behavir clsely everyday and yu will be able t tell when yur rabbit is nt well. The earlier yu spt any illness signs the better as rabbits are prey animals and will hide their illnesses. Always check they are eating their fd and hay everyday. Always seek advice frm yur vet immediately if yu are unsure what t d. Carrying ut regular health checks will als keep yur rabbit happy and healthy. Signs smething is seriusly wrng: Yur rabbit is limp, flppy and cld Difficulty breathing Flystrike maggts visible n back end Severe diarrhea Grinding teeth ludly Lss f weight. See yur vet immediately if yur rabbit has any f the abve symptms. Other signs all is nt well: Difference in behavir Desn t cme t greet yu Nt interested in fd Hunched up Hiding/sitting in a crner Nt drinking/drinking t much Sitting in same place all day Laying dwn and getting up again quickly Diarrhea N drppings in tray Lets yu pick them up when usually they dn t Watery/creamy eyes Wet nse/discharge/sneezing. It is extremely imprtant t mnitr yur rabbit clsely. If yu are unsure what t d cntact yur vet ASAP r if it has been lnger than 24 hurs and there has been n imprvement, then always seek advice frm yur vet.
Grming & Trimming Nails Rabbits shed every 3 mnths! They are fastidius cleaners and will grm themselves, hwever they need help r they will ingest t much hair and get hairballs. Unlike cats, they cannt vmit hairballs up. Rabbits need t be brushed weekly. Rabbits nails can grw t be very lng and sharp and will be uncmfrtable fr the rabbit. It is imprtant t trim yur rabbits nails (r have a vet trim) every 6-8 weeks. There is a quick that will bleed if yu trim t far back, s take care t avid this. Yu can purchase a prduct called Kwik Stp that cntains a fast acting styptic slutin t stp bleeding. 7
Resurces & Cntact Infrmatin This guide is just a brief intrductin int rabbit care, but there is s much mre that ges int caring fr yur rabbit. Please cntinue yur educatin thrugh the recmmendatins belw. At Brther Wlf, we highly recmmend watching a vide series created by bunny lver Amy Sedaris and rabbit expert Mary E. Ctter. They cver everything there is t knw abut taking care f yur pet rabbit, in a delightful series! Vide link: http://www.hwcast.cm/guides/1187- hw-t-take-care-f-a-pet-rabbit/ Helpful websites: http://rabbit.rg/ http://myhuserabbit.cm/ http://best4bunny.cm/ http://www.therabbithuse.cm/ http://www.thebunnyguy.cm/ Litter bx bedding suggestin: Equine pine pellets are the mst absrbent, cheapest bedding ptin we have fund yet. Pine shavings are nt recmmended but these are pellets that have been cmpressed and d nt pse a threat t yur bun. Link: https://www.tractrsupply.cm/tsc/prduct/equinefresh-pine-pellet-stall-bedding-40-lb Brther Wlf Animal Rescue Cntact Infrmatin: Brther Wlf Animal Rescue 828-505-3440 General infrmatin: Ext. 101 Fster Team: Ext. 112 General infrmatin: dgs@bwar.rg Medical infrmatin: medical@bwar.rg Pinterest is a great way t find lts f unique ideas fr all things bunnies. Yu can find ideas fr tys, husing, care, and mre! Feel free t call r email with any questins r cncerns! 8