Bunnies are very cute and very easy to love, but keeping rabbits as pets does require plenty of effort and planning. From making sure they’re safe to knowing what they can eat, our bunny care tips will help you look after your furry friend.
Pet rabbit care starts with research
Once you’ve decided to get a rabbit, you’ll need to find out how to look after your pet bunny. Care starts with doing plenty of research and learning all about the breed of bunny you’ve chosen. There’s no such thing as too much preparation, so immerse yourself in it all. With our bunny care tips, you can put steps in place to make sure your new bundle of fluff will be happy.
Set up a safe space outdoors
Whether you’re going to keep them inside or out, the biggest part of pet rabbit care is to keep them safe. When they live outside, rabbits are susceptible to insects, disease and attacks from other animals, so you must secure them in a hutch. That means covering the top and ensuring that the entire frame is secure.
Health Warning
When cleaning up your rabbit’s litter tray or other accessories, don’t use anything that could be poisonous or hurt the bunny’s skin, such as bleach.
Bunny-proof the indoors
Bunnies will often be better off indoors, and you should always bring them inside during extreme weather. Be sure to bunny proof your home before letting them roam: no cables to bite, no loose baseboards for them to get stuck in and no toxic plants to chew on.
Put down a litter tray
Just like cats, bunnies poop… a lot! Keeping rabbits as pets involves setting up a litter tray. They like to go in one place, so training them to use the tray should be easy – as long as they feel safe and it’s clean. If your bunny is smelly, there’s a good chance his litter tray needs cleaning. Wash the tray thoroughly using a powerful dish soap, such as Sunlight, and warm water.
Play with them
A big part of learning how to care for a rabbit is knowing how much they enjoy interacting. Show them affection, give them plenty of cuddles and play regularly. After all, a happy bunny is a much healthier bunny. Find the right balance of stimulation and rest time.
What can rabbits eat?
It’s really important to feed your pet the right food. Not sure what rabbits eat? Refer back to your research for information about how to feed a bunny of a specific breed. As a general guide, they should be fed a minimum of one cup of vegetables for every four pounds of weight.
This can include:
- Carrot tops
- Rocket
- Romaine lettuce
- Spinach (occasionally)
- Cucumber
- Spring greens
- Fennel
What do rabbits eat apart from veg?
You can also feed your fluffy friend up to two tablespoons of fruit a day.
Here’s a list of some of the fruits that are safe:
- Grapes
- Bananas
- Strawberries (including leaves)
- Tomatoes (without leaves)
- Avocado
- Cherry
- Lilies
- Nutmeg
- Sweat Pea
- Tomato leaves
Originally published