By
Leah Pugh
Most of us associate rabbits with Easter - you may have even begged your parents for one. However, one thing you may not know: Bunnies come with a list of chores. Feeding, changing the water, and cleaning the cage are all things that will need to be done.
RABBIT HABITAT
A two-by-three-foot cage makes a good, managable home for your new friend. You can find these at most pet shops or retail stores. You will also need a small dish for food and a water bottle - some rabbit cages come as kits and these will be included.
Once you have this, take the top off the cage and line with newspaper. Place a pile of shavings in one corner of the cage; that will be the rabbit’s bathroom. You can use either cedar, pine, or paper shavings.
Helpful-Hare-Hint: Paper shavings absorbs the rabbits’ urine and the smell of their waste better than pine or cedar.
BUNNY YUMMIES
There’s nothing that excites a rabbit more than feeding time. Some rabbits will gnaw on the bars of their cage when they know it’s time to eat. Rabbit pellets will be his main diet but you can also suppliment this with food from your own refrigerator.
A bunny salad made with kale, store bought mixed greens, and spinach can be used. Feed him a cup of salad three times a day. You can also drop in a handful of timothy hay, as well as carrots, celery, and apples. But be careful, too much fresh fruit like apples can give them diarrhea. If your rabbit does get diarrhea, a good trick is to take a stale piece of bread (it should be as stale as a crouton) and feed it to him. This will stop bunny from getting dehydrated and put an end to the diarrhea.
Helpful-Hare-Hint: A good way to remember to feed your pet is right after or before each of your own meals.
Hare H2O
You don’t need to give your rabbit fresh water every day. However, when the water does get low, take the bottle and clean it with warm, soapy water and rinse well before you refill it.
Helpful-Hare-Hint: You can use purified water and bottled water for refilling the container.
It's Time to Clean
No one really likes a smelly task of cleaning bunny's cage, but it's all part of being a responsible pet owner.
To start, take the rabbit out of the cage. Remember, If you try to clean the cage with the rabbit in it, you may risk getting bitten or even sprayed on. The rabbit is simply protecting its territory from an invader.
After your rabbit is safely out of the cage, take a plastic scooper, (almost like a shovel), and scoop the waste and paper out of the bathroom section of the cage. Dump the mess in a plastic bag that you can toss in the garbage later. Line the bottom of the cage with fresh newspaper then sprinkle clean shavings in the "bathroom corner."
When this is finished make sure to give him some fresh timothy hay.
Helpful-Hare-Hint: To help get your bunny easily out of his cage, you can lure him with his favorite toy or a nice big carrot.
So, do you still want a rabbit? They can be cute, but they need plenty of maintenance. Make sure you weigh the cost (including your time) before bringing that sleek bundle of fur home with you.
For more …
For details about how to care for your pet rabbit, there are many great books. Hop to It: A Guide to Training Your Pet Rabbit by Samantha Hunter (available used on Amazon for about $4). It tells you everything you need to know from the day you buy your rabbit.
