Bunny User Guide
Congratulations on your new rabbit! Below is a brief description of what you will need and how you can care for your rabbit. If you have any questions or concerns for as long as you have your bunny, please call us and we’ll be happy to help you. Check out our Bunny FAQ for frequently asked questions and health issues.
Your rabbit will need a cage made of wire, with a water bottle and food dish or bin. One quart bottles refilled daily insure the rabbit won’t run out of water on a hot day, and water is the most important thing your rabbit needs. Rabbits chew on wood, so your cage should not be made of wood, although you can rest the wire sections on a wooden frame and include replaceable wood pieces to rest on or nest in. Expect chewing damage on any wood the rabbit can get access to. The minimum size cage for a Dwarf is 18" x 18" x 12" high. The minimum for a mid sized rabbit is 24x24x18 high. The minimum for a French Lop is 24" x 48" x 18" high or 30" x 36" x 18" high, with cage supports. These sizes are for single rabbits, and can always be larger. If your rabbits share a cage, add 50% or more to the size.
Rabbits are social. A single bunny needs a friend. If you have only one rabbit and do not spend much time with it, consider getting a companion bunny, as rabbits are very social creatures and will get lonely and bored. A buddy bunny can be a litter-mate, another rabbit from the same breeder, or from a different breeder. Guinea Pigs do not make good rabbit friends, so it is not a good idea to share a cage with these two species. In general, rabbits, especially same-sex litter-mates, can usually share a cage if you start when they are young. If you have a buck and a doe, or have older rabbits that have not been raised together, they will need separate cages. House your bunny buddies close together so they can communicate easily, but rabbits can get pregnant through the wire. A well socialized bunny makes a great companion for humans, and will enjoy interaction with you. Gently hold and stroke your bunny every day and you will be rewarded with a friend that comes to the cage door to greet you.
Rabbits need plenty of water. Always keep fresh water available. You may use a bottle, dish, or watering system. If you have a watering system or bottles with nozzles, leave a dish of water available until you are sure your new rabbit understands the new water source.
Rabbits need to stay cool. If the cage will be outside, keep it in the shade in a protected area from strong weather and predators. In weather over 85 degrees, give your rabbit a square plastic bottle filled with ice you have frozen in the bottle, such as a 2 litre juice bottle. A hot rabbit will lie next to or on top of the frozen bottle. Square bottles won’t roll around and hurt the rabbit. Don’t use Blue Ice or other coolants, as the rabbit may chew and ingest the fluid.
Rabbits need to eat. Feed your rabbits at the same time every day (later afternoon or early evening is best as they are nocturnal), using the same brand of food. Good quality rabbit food is available at feed stores at reasonable prices. Pet stores generally charge far more. Give your rabbit about 1 ounce of food per pound of bunny. A 4 lb. Mini-Rex should receive ½ cup of feed per day. It’s OK to give your rabbit treats in moderation. The best treats are Timothy Hay, Orchard Grass or greens (not lettuce), and these types of treats can be given every day. Other treats, such as black oil sunflower seeds, small pieces of carrot, a slice of apple, etc. can be given twice a week. You don’t need to purchase expensive pet store rabbit treats; fresh fruits and vegetables will suit your bunny just fine. Beware that some foods have natural colors that stain the urine of rabbits, especially when too much is eaten. Red urine (not uncommon) usually comes from something the rabbit ate, and typically is not blood. It is also recommended to avoid onion family and cabbage family vegetables (broccoli, Brussel sprouts, etc.).
Rabbits are nocturnal. Your bunny will eat and play mostly at night, and nap during the day, often lying on its side dozing in the afternoon. During the night, your Rabbit may rock out, keeping you awake if the cage is in your bedroom.
Bunnies like to play. Rabbits enjoy toys, especially young rabbits. Vary the toys, as bunnies get bored, just like kids. You can use walnuts, a ring of measuring spoons, empty toilet paper rolls, empty paper towel rolls, knots of rope with wooden beads, and brown paper lunch sacks (opened up for them to hide in). Just make sure any toys are safe to chew. Rabbits also enjoy a romp around the yard. You can create a safe, mobile playpen in minutes by making a large circle out of a few yards of rabbit fencing available from Home Depot, and hooking the ends together. Place the playpen in a shady spot that is safe from predators, neighbor dogs, etc.
Rabbits like to chew. Give your rabbit a piece of wood in the cage that is large enough to lie down on (and get a break from the wire floor), and that can be chewed on safely and replaced easily. Rabbits’ teeth continue to grow, so they need to chew. Home Depot sells small pine yard stakes for under 20 cents a piece that are great rabbit chew toys. Make sure you buy untreated wood (no arsenic).
Rabbits make good pets. You can housetrain your bunny to use a litterbox. Make sure your house is bunny-proofed, so no electric wires can be chewed, etc. The House Rabbit Society has a lot of information on bunnies in your home. If you have little people in your house, limit bunny time so that bunny doesn't get dragged around like a doll or handled so much it gets tired. Baby bunnies that get overhandled by enthusiastic children can learn to bite in order to be put down. The best bunny visits are short, sweet and frequent, so bunny doesn't get burned out by the kiddos.
Bunny nails need to be trimmed occasionally. Use a cat nail trimmer and hold the nail up to the light to insure you avoid the blood vessel. Have some cornstarch on hand to stop any accidental bleeding. Very long nails can become dangerous to the rabbit and can be caught and pulled out if they are too long.
Bunnies make baby bunnies – very easily! Unless you plan to breed, do not put a buck (male) and doe (female) together, no matter how short of a period of time. You would be surprised at how fast they can do what bunnies do best. If you want to breed, get information from your breeder, 4H leader, and rabbit books. Breeding rabbits is fun and educational, but you must be sure you have an appropriate outlet for your rabbits before you breed, as many unwanted bunnies end up in shelters. Be a responsible breeder. If you end up with "surprise" babies and have no outlet for them, contact your nearest Rabbit Club or 4H club, and a rabbit breeder with better resources may take them. We can also help placing babies.
Last, if you can't keep your bunny, please don't "set it free" to die a lonely death in the wild. Contact a nearby rabbit breeder, rabbit club, 4H club or your animal shelter or rescue society. If you purchased your rabbit from a breeder, contact that breeder first. Most pet stores are not able to take rabbits back, although they may be able to refer you to a rescue or shelter. We provide rabbit rescue in Central Texas.