Pet Rabbit Care and Resources
Home Life
The best life for a rabbit is one where they have a territory where they feel safe and an extended play space that they can run and hop around in. This looks different for everyone. It can consist of a cage, hutch, large dog crate, an exercise pen or any combination of these elements. There are many rabbit owners who decide to “free range” their pets and litter box train them. Rabbits are intelligent creatures and get bored when confined to a small space. If you have an open set up make sure to give your buns tunnels or caves to hide in. These can be as simple as refashioned cardboard boxes or fancy store bought rabbit homes. They love to sleep in their “burrows” or hide if something startles them.
Consider homing your new pet in an area of the home that is used often. When rabbits are kept in a bedroom, they may get lonely or will never get used to a lot of noise and interaction. They are most active in the morning and during dinnertime so our favorite location is near the kitchen or dining room.
If you would like to go with a traditional cage design, make sure you get one big enough for a large litter box and extra room to hop around. This cage is great because it’s roomy, it rolls on wheels, and comes with the play yard. It’s available in a larger size (shown) and a smaller size as well. The bars of the playpen are small enough that a young bunny cannot slip through.
The Traditional Flat - $210
Upgrade your rabbit’s condo with another story and more room of their own. Your rabbit will still need some time outside of the hutch to exercise so it has a ramp to let them out easily to the floor.
The Bunny Condo - $115
An open air, floor living experience for bun. This works really well for families planning to have a free range rabbit. Its easy to just open their gate and let them roam around. Decorate their home with accessories from makers like Nancy and the Baskets.
Read the full guide about this Bunny Home Set Up.
Litter Training and Rabbit Poop
Litter box training and “free ranging” is possible for indoor rabbits and there are many resources (and opinions!) available for learning about this. Large, shallow cat litter boxes make a great boxes for rabbits, but the truth is that they can learn to use a variety of shapes and sizes as a litter box. I find that the litter boxes they sell as “rabbit litter boxes” or “corner litter boxes” are really too small, even for a dwarf rabbit. My favorite thing to use is a large shallow plastic storage bin without the lid. We place their hay and food bowl inside the litter box because they generally go while they are munching.
We use kiln dried pine or aspen shavings as it is absorbent, lasts a few days, and composts very quickly. This is easy to find at any feed or pet store. A few inches of pine cat litter pellets also works very well and is safe for rabbits. You could also use ground walnut shells, wheat pellets, or shredded paper bedding. Avoid anything containing cedar as it is unhealthy for rabbits. Using hay or straw does not work well and smells pretty awful soon after getting wet
To encourage them to hang out in their box, make sure to place their hay feeder inside of, or above it. Usually rabbits want the hay on their level and many owners will line the side of the box with hay. Not all rabbits are as tidy as you would be while eating though! If they are wasting the hay by pushing it around and soiling it, try one of these washable hay baskets by Nancy and the Baskets.
I know this is going to sound gross, but rabbit poop is GOLD for your garden. It’s why we originally got rabbits for our homestead. Throw it in your compost or add it directly your garden beds as mulch. It’s a clean fertilizer since rabbits are vegetarian. Poop can also tell you a lot about your rabbit’s health and should be monitored for changes. Here’s a visual Guide to Bunny Poops.
High Side Litter Box - $22
The high sides contain the mess and the box is nice enough to leave out in the open. Just add your favorite litter and you are ready to go, or at least your rabbit will be.
Washable Hay Basket - $20
These washable hay baskets, by Nancy and the Baskets, are the best way to offer hay right at your rabbit’s level while keeping it tidy. Just attach it to the side of a litter box or cage bars and reduce wasting hay while your rabbit is happily litter training at the same time. If it get soiled, just pop it in the washer and dryer.
Rabbit Proofing
If your bunny will have free reign in the house/apartment/room, you will absolutely want to bunny proof the area. Even if you keep the bunny in a cage or pen, you still will need to safeguard your home when you let the rabbit out for supervised exercise. Rabbits are very curious and persistent creatures. They will find a way to get into your computer cables, charging cords, wires, and houseplants. Some rabbits will even go further than this (larger breeds can be more destructive) and nibble on baseboards, wooden furniture legs, and dig up carpeting. Block off areas that could be dangerous, install simple cord protectors, and move house plants out of reach.
Nutrition
Before we talk about food, we should make a quick note about water. Access to fresh water is vital. And this is especially important for baby bunnies as dehydration can quickly become an urgent issue. Signs of dehydration would be lethargy and not eating hay or pellet food. We use bowls for water instead of water bottles. Rabbits will always drink more from a bowl and we would suggest the same for all families with rabbits. A water bottle as a back up is okay, but if adopting from us, remember that the rabbit will not know how to use it!
A baby rabbit diet will consist of unlimited pellets and hay until about 3 months old. Then it is advisable to reduce their pellet intake to about 1/8-1/4 cup twice a day so that they develop good habits in eating mostly hay. Unlimited hay is always provided at every age. You may start to slowly introduce leafy greens around three months, and then vegetables in small amounts as they adjust to the new fresh foods. An adult Netherland Dwarf’s daily intake will consist of about a cup of leafy greens, 2 tablespoons of veggies, 1/8 cup of pellets, and unlimited hay. We feed ours twice a day; first thing in the morning, and again around dinnertime splitting these portions in half. In between meals, they will nibble on high fiber hay which is essential for their digestion. Read more about nutrition on our blog.
We suggest feeding Oxbow brand rabbit pellets and hay. It is easily available and uses high quality ingredients. For rabbits over a year old, there is an Organic Bounty Adult Rabbit Food option. For young rabbits, from 8 weeks to about a year old, you should use Garden Select Young Rabbit Food.
Notes about Hay
Rabbits eat A LOT of hay but there are big differences in types, quality, and nutrient values of hay. Yes, you are going to get to know more about hay than you ever imagined. We use Oxbow brand and have been very happy with the consistent quality and freshness. You may feed your rabbit a variety of hays including Organic Meadow Hay, Oat Hay, Botanical Hay, Orchard Grass, and Western Timothy Hay. Alfalfa Hay is good for rabbits under 7 months old, but should be avoided for older rabbits due to being high in fat and not as high in fiber.
To learn more about why there are different types of hay check out our blog article about Netherland Dwarf Nutrition.
This Oxbow Timothy Hay and Orchard Grass blend is a great starting point for your first rabbit. It is great for both young and adult rabbits, and it is always good to offer a variety of hays to avoid a picky eater in the future.
Immune and Gut Forage Blend - $16
Rabbit forage blends are a simple and efficient way to add vitamins and nutrients to your rabbit’s diet. Our immune and gut blend uses dried herbs that supports overall rabbit health, and can be used daily. It was formulated by a local herbalist and is handmade at Breadbox Farm.
Socialization
In the wild, rabbits are social animals, a trait that has stayed with them during the domestication process. Companionship is important to their welfare. If they are kept as a single rabbit, they will want to have a lot of interaction with their human family. We suggest homing them near the dining room, living room, or kitchen where they will have a lot to observe and become a part of your family routine. Another option is to keep them in pairs or groups. They cuddle, play together, groom each other, and create very strong bonds. There are instances where rabbits bond to other pets in the home, such as a cat or dog, and this could be a fantastic option, but of course doesn’t always work out perfectly. No matter what your situation, I want to stress the importance of social interaction in a healthy rabbit’s life.
Rabbit Language
Besides providing basic care for your rabbit, the most important thing you can do is learn to understand your individual rabbit’s social and emotional needs. Being able to understand your rabbits body language and how they feel can be a huge part of building a healthy relationship. I love this article about rabbit behavior by My House Rabbit. And definitely check out this article written by Robin about creating a positive bond with your rabbit.
Rabbit Pairing Options to Consider When Adopting Young Rabbits
-Two males kept together will most likely need to eventually be neutered due to hormones making them more aggressive (only with other male rabbits!), but once this is done they can bond for life. Consider the cost of neutering two rabbits if planning on adopting two males.
-Two or three females will generally bond easily, especially if they were housed together while young. They may go through fussy, mean-girl, moments during puberty just like humans, but these phases generally pass within a couple of days. If you notice your girls not being nice to one another separate for a few hours to days. Make sure they have a large enough space and give them plenty of hides and tunnels so they can each define their own “burrow” for alone time. Eventually this stage will pass. They don’t generally need to be spayed in order to get along, but there are other health reasons to consider spaying. Read more below under Health.
-A male and female pairing works excellently as long as you go into it informed. I’m sure this doesn’t need to be said, but an unaltered male and female rabbit will waste no time in making more rabbits to live with you. This can happen as early as 4 months old! Many vets will not fix a rabbit until they are 6 months old, so if you bring home a male and female of the same age, you will want to separate them from 4 months on, until one or both are fixed. If this sounds daunting or you don’t have the space for that, adopt a male that is a few months older than the female, then have him neutered before your female is old enough to conceive.
Bonding Adult Rabbits
Bonding adult rabbits can be exhilarating and anxiety inducing so we approach this process with care and respect. We can make suggestions and try to prepare clients for what they may experience during a bonding process, but each rabbit is unique and they have opinions about who they like and dislike. Here are some basic guidelines to help you start.
Rabbits should be spayed or neutered before starting a search for a bonded mate.
Female, male pairs tend to be easiest to bond. Two females often works. Two males can be more difficult, but not impossible.
Bonding over time is very personality dependent, but initial response can be very scent driven. A positive initial reaction makes for an easier bonding process, but isn’t always an indicator that it will work out perfectly.
Dominant and submissive traits, activity level, use of body language, how the rabbits are fed, and the even the moods of the people in the environment can affect a bond.
Chasing, minor pulling of fur (usually from the bum), guarding of spaces and resources, jumping over each other, humping, running away, hiding, buzzing, humming, and grunting are all normal bonding behaviors when rabbits are working out who is dominant and what spaces belong to who. Monitor these behaviors and stay close without breaking them up.
Biting the face or ears, drawing blood, entering into a hurricane of fighting without breaking up after 3 seconds, and chasing for more than 30 minutes without stopping to rest are dangerous and not productive bonding behaviors. You should intervene, take a break for a few hours to a day, and try again later.
Rabbits + Cats + Dogs = ?
Socializing with other types of pets, namely dogs and cats, is a question that comes up a lot for new rabbit owners. Every situation will be different as every animal has a different personality and set of experiences but we’ve written a Guide for the First Introduction with a dog or cat. Our rabbits have been raised around our small dog, Leon, and have absolutely no fear of him at all as he is very often in their space and loves to “clean” them. I find that most of the time pets settle down after the first couple of weeks and it will be like your new rabbit was always a part of the family.
Healthcare
Vaccines
There are no required vaccinations for rabbits living in North Carolina at this time, but there is just one available, for RHDV2. What you should know about RHDV2 is that it is often fatal and a very scary disease but is not active on the East Coast of the United States at this time. That being said, you should research a good rabbit vet in your area in case of future need and if you are traveling with your rabbit research if there have been any breakouts in the area first, and consider the vaccine a few months before traveling. Wild rabbits can transmit the disease to domesticated rabbits and the virus can survive in the environment for short periods of time. You can find updated information about RHDV2 breakouts from the USDA.
Spay or Neuter
We do not spay or neuter our pet rabbits before we adopt them out to their new families for a few reasons. Firstly, they cannot be fixed until they are 5-6 months old. That means the rabbits would not be able to go to new homes until much later in life, after they are full grown, but I believe that younger rabbits are more flexible and will get used to new situations faster. It is also very expensive in our area and would increase the adoption fee dramatically.
There are both benefits and risks to consider when thinking about spay or neuter and you should consider the added cost of the operation when you adopt a pet rabbit. If you are going to litter train your rabbit indoors, fixing them may potentially help the process. There are also many health benefits associated with spaying females because there is a very high incidence of cancer in the female reproductive organs. The risk involved is with the actual surgery and the anesthesia. Not every rabbit reacts the same way and it can be a dangerous operation that they do not survive.
Read more about why to spay and neuter your rabbits.
There are a few local vets that I have used to neuter and spay rabbits. I will list the details and approximate pricing below. Please make sure to inquire about extra costs when you make your appointment as there may be extra charges for services and medications.
Orange County Animal Services in Chapel Hill - Neuter $125, Spay $150
Animal Kingdom Veterinary Hospital in Cary NC - Neuter $244, Spay $278, Add on Laser Option +$55 per rabbit, Add on Pre-screen Option +$32 per rabbit
Avian and Exotic in Raleigh NC - Neuter $325, Spay $500, General Health Check - around $60, Blood Work - $100
Willow Oak Veterinary Hospital in Durham NC - Neuter $300-325, Spay $350-400
Sheets Pet Clinic in Greensboro NC - Neuter $195, Spay $255 (aftercare meds included in cost)
Rolesville Veterinary Hospital in Rolesville NC - Health Check required first $65, Neuter $160, Spay $180
There is more in depth information on our blog about maintaining the health of your rabbit, how to treat minor health conditions, and when to go to the vet.
Baby Bunny Care Sheet
If you’re thinking about a baby bunny, start here by clicking the link above! This is a quick care sheet for families taking home a younger rabbit. This will get you through the first few days with your new pet and can be used a reference guide for health, feeding, schedule, home set up, and early litter box training.
Have you found any helpful resources that you think we should be sharing? Email us or message us on Instagram @breadboxfarm
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