Today we are adding to our pet series with Being a Good Rabbit Parent. Rabbits can make great first pets for children as long as the child is taught how to properly handle and care for the rabbit.
A rabbit is not a pet rock. You can not get a rabbit, put it in a cage, and forget about it. Rabbits need daily care and are very sociable animals. Rabbits have specific needs and want to be around others. If properly taken care of a rabbit is a great, little pet. But there are some things that you need to consider to help you in Being a Good Rabbit Parent.
Being a Good Rabbit Parent means you need to know How to Handle Your Rabbit Properly.
1. How to Pick up and Carry a Rabbit
When you get your rabbit the first thing you need to know is How to Pick Up and Carry a Rabbit. You do not want to grab a rabbit and tote it in just any old way. If you do not pick up and hold a rabbit right you could scare or even hurt the rabbit. In return a rabbit could bite or claw you trying to get away or protect itself.
Proper handling of a rabbit is important so both you and your rabbit have a good safe experience.
A. To Pick Up a Rabbit
To start with you want to be sure your rabbit is calm and ready to be picked up.
Most animals feel threatened by someone hovering over them so bend down and get low, closer to the rabbits level. Do not hang over the rabbit this may scare the rabbit.
It may be best to pet the rabbit a minute to assure it that you are its friend and are not going to hurt it.
Slowly put your hand under the rabbit’s belly and carefully picking it up.
Hold the rabbit close to your body to make it feel safe. This will also stop the rabbit from jumping out of your hands.
B. To Carry a Rabbit
Once you have the rabbit in your arms, it is safest to gently scruff the rabbit to carry it. Moving around holding the rabbit may scare it so you want to hold the rabbit in a way that it will feel safe and you have a secure hold on it. Be sure when you scruff the rabbit, you do it with a firm but gentle hold.
Either hug the rabbit to your body or put a hand under the rabbit’s butt so it is not hanging out in mid-air. Again, this can scare the rabbit.
C. Putting a Rabbit on the Ground
When you are ready to put the rabbit down, squat down and gently place the rabbit on the ground. Do not drop the rabbit, this will not only scare it but may hurt it.
Most of the time a calm, happy rabbit will be fine with your handling it. Especially if you have a good relationship with the rabbit. A rabbit that is happy, healthy and well treated will usually like and trust the owner. Taking the time to get your rabbit used to you and spending time with it, will go a long way to making the rabbit feel safe. A rabbit that already feels safe with the owner is much easier to handle.
When you get a new rabbit it may take a little while to establish a good relation with it but it is well worth the time.
Being a Good Rabbit Parent means proper care.
A. Rabbit Pellet Feed
Rabbit pelleted food is a very common and readily available food. This should be a high protein and high fiber food. But pellets should not be the only feed provided for a rabbit.
B. Hay
Rabbits will need you to provide hay for them in addition to the pelleted food. Rabbits love to nibble on hay. You can buy small packages of rabbit hay from most pet stores. But rabbits do love alfalfa hay also.
C. Vegetables
A variety of vegetables should be left out for the rabbit to choose from. Like people, rabbits can be picky eaters so you may need to try several different kinds before you find the ones your rabbit likes best.
However, there are some foods that are not safe for rabbits so be sure to do your research before you add a new food to your rabbit’s diets. Some foods can make your rabbit sick, while others can kill it right out.
Here is a small list of vegetables that are safe for rabbits.
Broccoli Leaves Lettuce Strawberries
Carrots Parsley Raspberries
Celery Bananas Tomatoes
Things You Can Not Give a Rabbit:
Any Kind of Bread Nuts Cereal Eggs
Onions Avocado Any Kind of Dairy
D. Water
As with all pets, fresh, clean water is important. Not only is it needed to keep your rabbit hydrated but rabbits need enough water to help them digest their dry pellets. Think of having dry cereal and not milk with it. Water helps the rabbits digestion process.
Be sure to keep fresh, clean water available for your rabbit at all times. The rabbit will drink at will during the day, so be sure to keep your rabbits water full. Of course, it is best to give them cool water and check that the water does not get hot during the day.
E. Cleaning
The food, water and treat bowl should be cleaned every couple of days. Dump old, stale food and dirty water then wash the bowl with soap and hot water. Keeping clean bowls will go a long way to keeping a healthy rabbit. And no one want to eat old food or dirty water from dirty bowls.
Being a Good Rabbit Parent means knowing how to house your rabbit.
Three kinds of areas should be made available to your rabbit, a sleeping area, a play area, and an outside area.
A. The Sleeping Area
A rabbit will need a hutch to sleep in. Now a hutch can mean different things. It does not actually have to be a rabbit hutch that you buy from a store. But whatever sleeping area you provide for your rabbit needs to have certain things. Your rabbits sleeping area need to be enclosed to make your rabbit feel safe. Rabbits like dark, warm areas to sleep in. But it must have good ventilation. It is best if the sleeping area has a solid floor so the rabbit does not get its feet or hair stuck in wire.
The rabbits sleeping area will need to be big enough for the rabbit to stretch out and sleep comfortably. The general rule is the rabbit should have an area wider than the rabbit is when laying stretched out; longer than your rabbit can jump three or four times; and taller than the rabbit when it is standing up on its hind legs.
As you can see, different sized rabbits will need different sized sleeping areas. What will work for a mini-rex will not work for a Flemish Giant.
This is something to think about when you are deciding what kind of rabbit you want to get. Sometimes, size does matter.
B. Play Area
You will need to have a rabbit area big enough to hold the sleeping area and a play area. Rabbits do sleep a lot, like many animals, but they will want to be able to stretch its legs and hop about during the day.
The food and water bowl should be kept in this play area as well as any toys or exercise gear that you may give your rabbit.
Make sure the area you plan for your rabbit will be big enough for both the sleep area and a play area.
C. Outside Area
Even though the rabbit has a play area inside it will need an area outside as well. Rabbits need outside time to be able to dig around in the grass and dirt, this is just part of being a rabbit. Digging and hopping around will help keep the rabbit in good shape and work off extra energy.
They will also forage about picking out treats from the grass and flowers in the yard. This is ok but just be sure the plants in your yard are rabbit-safe. Dandelions and Plantain, not bananas but medical herbs, are very good for rabbits. Rabbits can eat many of the “weeds” in the yard but do be sure to check on what plants are in your yard and as always, do your research to be sure those plants will not hurt your rabbit.
This outside play area should have a cover to provide protection from heat, sun, rain, and wind. You should not leave your rabbit alone outside for long periods of time but still, it is best to lean to the safe side and have a way for the rabbit to get out of the elements. A rabbit hutch, a pet tent, or a lean-to would all work well.
Fresh, clean cool water should always be within the rabbit’s reach at all times.
Predators should also be on your mind when you set up your outside rabbit play area. You do not want a dog, cat, raccoon, or the like to get into the play area and hurt your rabbit.
You will also need to secure the area so the rabbit will not be able to get out of it. There are outside rabbit “coops” to buy at pet stores but you can secure a fenced area also. It is important that you have some kind of border that the rabbit can not dig out of or other animals to dig in. A wire or mesh covering and fence will do well to keep the rabbit in and other animals out. A cover is best to keep hawks and owls away. Though you should not leave your rabbit out at night.
Being a Good Rabbit Parent means giving your rabbit proper stimulation.
A. Treats
There is a wide variety of treats available at pet stores and feed stores specifically made for rabbits. There are dipped treats, hay treats, edible logs, and all kinds of other cute treats for rabbits. Again, there are some treats, made for other animals, that are not safe for rabbits. Be sure to check before you give a new treat to your rabbit.
There are some herbs that are very beneficial to rabbits. This is a short list of some of the herbs that rabbits can eat but it is by no means a full list.
Calendula Chamomile Chickweed Plantain
Echinacea Parsley Clover Lemon Balm
Raspberry Leaf Thyme Rosemary Peppermint
You can provide your rabbit with fresh herbs and add dry herbs to their bedding for help keep away bugs and bad smells. Of course, not all herbs are safe for rabbits to check first before you give your rabbit anything.
B. Toys
Again, there is a wide variety of rabbit toys available in pet stores. Your rabbit will need things to play with to stimulate it. Treat rings, hemp wraps, cute shaped toys, toys that you put food inside of, and all kinds of other things are readily available and are made with rabbit’s needs in mind.
You can buy toys but you can also give your rabbit sticks to chew. As before, be sure the wood is rabbit-safe, not all woods are.
If you are giving your rabbit wood to chew be sure it is not treated wood. The chemicals they treat the wood with can harm your rabbit.
In your rabbit’s play area, you can add a rabbit gym so your rabbit can run, jump, hop and play. This play will help keep your rabbit form getting bored and help keep it healthy. You can find different kinds “gym” gear at the pet store and most of these kinds of things are made to be chew safe as well.
Chewing is important for rabbits, it helps keep their teeth trimmed properly. Rabbits are one kind of animal whos teeth continue to grow so if they are not worn down, they will get too long for the rabbit to eat correctly.
Being a Good Rabbit Parent means training your rabbit.
As pet rabbits are kept inside, many people will litter train their rabbits just like they do cats. It is fairly easy to litter train a rabbit using the same method as cats.
Not all litter is safe for rabbits so be sure you get a rabbit safe litter to start with.
Put a litter box in your rabbits play area where it usually goes potty.
The reward system works well with rabbits for all kinds of training. When the rabbit goes potty in the litter pan, give it a treat or take the rabbit out and pet and praise it for doing a good job. Yes, it is just like training other pets and kids, the principle is the same, training is training.
Generally rabbits will pick up quickly and potty in the litter pan. This will help keep the rabbits area clean and make it easier for you when you do your regular cleaning.
Being a Good Rabbit Parent means giving your rabbit the proper grooming.
Most rabbits will clean and groom themselves to a certain extent but longer hair rabbits will need help to keep their fur clean and knot free.
Pet stores have all kinds of cute gadgets to groom your pets and rabbits are no exception.
Brushes and combs can be used to groom the rabbit and keep knots and gnarles out of the rabbits fur. These look bad but can also pull and pinch the rabbits skin. So it is best to brush your rabbit regularly. Rabbits usually enjoy brushing and this gives you more time to spend with your beloved rabbit, like together time but with a purpose.
Rabbits will also need to have their nails trimmed. It does take some special holding and care to trim your rabbits nails, but it can be done at home. You can buy trimmers or have the local pet groomer or vet do this for you. If the rabbits nails get too long they will have trouble walking properly and may develop muscle and leg issues.
Being a Good Rabbit Parent means knowing things that can be bad for your rabbit.
A. Ear Mites
Ear Mites are common in rabbits, especially when several rabbits are kept together.
Early signs of ear mites can include scratching the ears, head shaking, and reddish coo in the ears. If left untreated, ear mites can move to the entire body and cause scratching, scabs, and hot spots. It is important to check your rabbit for ear mites every week or so. If you find ear mites or suspect your rabbit has them, it is best to go ahead and treat for them. Mites are tiny but they can cause big issued and are extreamly irritating to your pet.
There is not much worse than an itch than can not be stopped and the poor rabbits have no way to help themselves but to scratch. And scratching can lead to other, worse health issues. So it is up to you to keep an eye out for issues and help your rabbit if an issue comes up.
B. “Wolf” Larva
The term “wolf” means a fly larva that has imbeded under the skin and is growing there. Yes, that is nasty and very harmful to your pet. All animals can get a “wolf” but it is common in rabbits.
Flies like to lay their eggs in poop and warm, damp dirt. A fly will lay its eggs that will hatch into larva. Once the larva has hatched, it can burrow into a rabbits foot and start to grow inside the skin. This, as you can imagine, can be painful and cause infection. The larva will dig itself into the rabbits foot and live there, eating away the skin and meat. If it is left untreated the “wolf” larva can travel around in the rabbit and cause all kinds of health issues.
Treating a “wolf” larva is fairly easy and should be done immediately. The rabbit can be taken to a vet for treatment but there are over-the-counter medications that can be bought at feed stores and pet stores.
Be sure to check your rabbits feet weekly and if you even suspect your rabbit has a “wolf” larva, get it treated quickly.
A rabbit can get a “wolf” from living in a dirty cage, walking in poop or living on the ground. So it is very important to keep the rabbits cage, bedding, housing, and play yard clean.
C. Runny Eyes
Runny eye in rabbits can be caused by gnats, flies, pollen, dust, and other environmental items. Normally runny eyes is easy to treat if you catch it early. As with the other rabbit issues, check regularly and treat immediately if there is a problem.
Eye drops are available form your local vet. If the issue is not handled quickly if can damage the rabbits eye so be sure to keep an up with treatments.
D. Fleas
As with all animals, rabbits can get fleas. Fleas can quite literally suck the life out of your rabbit. Along with fleas come the tapeworms that fleas carry. Be sure to check your rabbit for fleas daily and if you see any, start treatments right away.
You can get flea preventative from your vet that is rabbit safe but not all flea treatments are rabbit safe. Ask your vet for the ones that can be used on rabbits.
E. Worms
Again, any animal can pick up worms. As with fleas, the worms will suck your rabbit down and can make it sick. In heavy cases worms, when left untreated, can kill a rabbit.
Worm preventatives are available from your vet and are recommended just like monthly flea preventatives.
F. Urine Scald
Rabbits that have to sit in too small a place or whos’ area is not cleaned often enough can get urine scald. And yes, that is exactly what is sounds like. A rabbit will sit in its’ of pee until the skin is burnt but the pee. Not only will the rabbits fur be dirty and stained but the skin can become infected. This is also very irritating to the rabbit and may cause the rabbit to chew the area.
It is most important to keep the rabbit’s area clean to prevent this kind of thing.
If your rabbit gets urine scald, clean the area well and take the rabbit to the vet for treatment.
Of course, this is not a full list of rabbit health concerns. There are an array of other possible healthy issues with rabbits form feet issues to ear issues. If you know your rabbit and understand its usual habits and patterns, you should be able to tell when your rabbit is not doing just right. If you suspect your pet has an issue, see to it immediately, most things if left untreated will turn into something worse and possibly life threatening.
As the old saying is: An ounce of preventative is worth a pound of treatments. Try to keep track of your rabbits health issues so they do not get out of hand.
Being a Good Rabbit Parent, like being a good parent to your kids means teaching kids to be good and responsible owners to your rabbit.
Getting a pet can be a good way to teach kids to be responsible for something other than themselves. As rabbits are small, compact, and can be kept in a small area, they are pretty easy to care for. Rabbits are generally quiet, with no barking or meowing. Rabbits can make a great first pet for kids. And Who does not like a warm, fuzzy rabbit?
With a rabbit, your kids can learn the habit of checking on food and water daily. They will have to have a regular cleaning schedule and groom weekly. Taking a rabbit outside for playtime will get the kids off the computer and out into the yard to play. They may even find they enjoy the process of petting, grooming, and watching the rabbit run around. Rabbits can be pretty comical while exploring their area. Kids can have a lot of fun with a rabbit as long as they are shown how to handle the rabbit and how not to. You want a rabbit to be a fun, good learning experience for your kids but it needs to be a good life for the rabbit too.
Kids should be taught to be kind to animals, how to gently pick up a rabbit, and how to properly care for one.
Rabbits can be fragile so they can not tolerate rough handling. Doing it wrong can hurt the rabbit and make it afraid of people.
When you are looking at getting a pet for your kids, think rabbit and see if a rabbit would be a good fit for your family and if your family would be a good fit for a rabbit.
Do remember, a rabbit is not a pet rock. You can not get a rabbit put it in a cage and forget about it. Rabbits need daily care and daily companionship. If you will take the time to get to know your rabbit, you will be able to tell what mood it is in and what it wants to do. Rabbits can develop great personalities if they are given the chance and treated well.
Being a Good Rabbit Parent is by no means a Know-All and Do-All for rabbit owners but is a good place to start. This list will give you some idea of what it means to have a rabbit and some of the things that will be required from you to have a healthy, happy pet rabbit.
It should be noted that this information is generally good for most small, mammals like chinchillas, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, rats, mice, and those kinds of pets. However, other small pets should not be kept in an outside play yard. But the handling, food and water, treats and toys, and inside housing are all very similar.
As always, please note our disclaimer page. We are not vets or animal care specialists. This is for information only.
We hope you have enjoyed this talk on Being a Good Rabbit Parent. When you are thinking of getting a pet, consider some of these things about rabbits. They really do make great pets when you take the time to get to know them.
If you are interested in other talks like this please check out these below.
Rescue Dogs Make the Best Pets
Try Fostering a Dog Before You Become an Owner
Thank you, for visiting and please come again for another edition of Out Standing in the Field.
Good information