Rabbits make great pets thanks to their friendly and inquisitive nature.You will find that a rabbit will often be happy to sit on your lap and be stroked and petted.Remember, rabbit care is important and by looking after your rabbit you are doing your bit to ensure it leads a long and happy life.Caring for a rabbit is relatively straight forward and is made easier by following the guidelines below.
Before you adopt a rabbit make sure you can provide it with a hutch, bedding, adequate amounts of food and enough safe, open space for it to be able to run around.The hutch will need to have adequate height to allow the rabbit to stand on its back legs. It also needs to be wide enough for the rabbit to hop around.In terms of space make sure the hutch is big enough to allow the rabbit to make at least 4 hops in any direction.Plan out your hutch in zones, so there are separate areas in which the rabbit can play, sleep eat and go to the toilet.You will need a larger hutch if you have two or more rabbits.Bedding is important. Rabbits like to snuggle down at night and need to be kept warm.For additional insulation you need to line the hutch with newspaper and dust free straw.Take time to consider where you will be locating the hutch. You do not want to place it in areas of direct sunlight or not enough light.Cover the hutch at night with a breathable fabric so the rabbit is not confronted with any night time predators such as foxes and cats.Of course rabbits don’t want to be couped up in a hutch all day. Your rabbit would really appreciate a safe place to run and play and a rabbit run can provide this environment.
A rabbit needs a specific diet and digestible and non digestible fibre is important.Rabbits digest their food twice, which is why this is important.Foods like supermarket brand museli can be high in sugar and starch, both of which are not healthy ingredients. Try and avoid buying this food.To give your rabbit the very best chance in life feed it a specialist rabbit food product.Look for deals on specialist pet food on the internet or go to a pet food retailer.Rabbits love a treat, so offer it healthy and tasty snacks like fresh apple, chopped cabbage and juicy tomatoes.
Caring for a rabbit really isn’t difficult, but caring responsibly is sure to lead to a healthier and happier life for your pet, so by providing it with a good sized hutch, quality pet food and a health care plan you are doing your very best to be a responsible pet owner.