Pet rabbits benefit greatly from both the time outside their rabbit hutch or rabbit home for exercise, as well as the social time your pet bunny gets to interact with you and your family. It is usually a good idea to spend some of this time training your pet rabbit, and having her come to you when you call her name can be a helpful thing for her to learn!
Like training any other pet, it is important to be consistant when you train your pet rabbit, give her plenty of time to learn and reward her for being successful! Once she learns how to come to you when you call, impress your family and friends and have your bunny hop back to her cage when you call her. That one is always a crowd pleaser! The Pets on Mom.me website details the following steps to help train your pet rabbit to come to you: "Getting Down to Her Level Avoid training your rabbit outdoors, where it's easy for her to run away. Instead, train her in a secure area of your home to prevent escape, such as inside the garage, basement or other secure room. After you've brought her cage into the chosen confined space, allow her to come out. To appear less threatening and help gain her trust, lower yourself to your rabbit's level. The ideal way to interact with your pet rabbit is on the ground, according to Indiana House Rabbit Society. Rabbit training requires patience and takes time. Bribing the Bunny If you know your rabbits favorite treat, hold it in your hand and call her name. When giving commands, always issue the "come" command before your rabbit's name. For example, you might hold out the treat and say, "Come Fluffy." Keep your tone friendly and upbeat, rather than sternly ordering her to come to you. When you initially begin training, you might need to wave your hand in front of your rabbit to gain her attention. When she finally comes to you, praise her and allow her to eat the treat. With repeated practice, your bunny will equate hearing her name with receiving a tasty snack if she comes to you. Leaving the Rewards Behind After your bunny learns to come to you in short distances, began training her at longer distances. If you have a fenced-in area of your backyard, release her from the cage and issue the "come" command from across the yard. Or, issue the command from a different room of your home. Once she begins consistently coming to you when called, begin weaning her off the treats so she learns to obey the command without always receiving a reward. Hopping for the Best For the best results, always call your rabbit by her name rather than alternating with nicknames. You should use the same command each time, so she learns "come" means that she's expected to come to you. To protect your rabbit's health, only give her healthy treats, such as small pieces of fruit or vegetables. Avoid processed treats from pet stores that are typically high in sugar and artificial ingredients. Be patient -- some rabbits train faster than others." Read the full article at How To Train Your Rabbits to Come to You Free Shipping on Rabbit Supplies at BuyRabbitHutch.com
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Grooming your pet rabbit on a weekly basis ( more often for some breeds and some times of the year) is not only a great way to bond with your pet bunny, but is also a very good thing to do to keep your pet healthy. It is very important to remove excess hair to prevent hairballs, which can be very bad for your pet rabbit. Gentle brushing and handling on a daily basis is not only enjoyable for your bunny, but it can help her get used to the entire grooming process.
So now that you know that grooming your pet rabbit on a regular basis is good to do, the next thing to determine is how to do it and what you need to purchase. Below is a list of Common Grooming Tools for Pet Rabbits that is on TheRabbitHaven.org website, "How often to brush a rabbit: Rabbits need to be brushed at least every three days. In addition to removing any loose hair, these brushing sessions help prepare them for the multiple daily brushings that they need when heavy sheds begin. (These heavy shed cycles may occur about three times per year or more). Rabbits will shed in different ways. Some rabbits will take a couple of weeks or more to loose their old coat of fur. Other rabbits will be ready to get rid of their old coats just a few days. Quick shedding rabbits require immediate grooming to prevent illness. Common tools used to groom a rabbit:
Low Prices and Free Shipping at BuyRabbitHutch.com Should you adopt a pet rabbit? The answer is a simple one. But more on that in a minute. Before you do anything, adopting any animal as a pet is a commitment in both time and money. As with any pet, take the time to understand how to properly care for your pet, consider the other people in your family (such as small children) and make sure that you will all give your new pet plenty of love. If it is a pet rabbit that you are considering, then please make sure that you understand how to be a responsible pet rabbit parent.
Assuming that you have gotten past all the above criteria, then now the fun part can start! If you want an absolutely "Awesome" pet to love you and to love back, then by all means, you should consider adopting a rabbit! The Petfinder website offers some great reasons to adopt a pet bunny:
Visit BuyRabbitHutch.com for Low Prices and Free Shipping Everyday! How To Trim a Rabbit's Nails
It is important to make sure that you trim your Pet Rabbit's nails on a regular basis. The best advice is to simply keep an eye on how quickly they grow and to trim your pet bunny's nails when they start to look a bit longer than they should. Rabbit nail trimmers are available online and at most pet stores, and with a little practice, you will be trimming your pet rabbit's nails like an expert! A word of caution - do not cut them too short, or into the rabbit's blood line in the nail. That is called the "Quick" or "Quick Line". You must only trim the area below that, away from your rabbits foot. Most of all, read this informative article and learn how to trim a rabbit's nails before you try the first time! Lastly, if you do not feel comfortable doing this, most Vet's can trim your bunny's nails and only charge a minimal fee. It is a great alternative! The Rabbit Haven provides the following advice on how to trim a rabbit's nails: "How to trim bunny nails: Place the bunny in a comfortable position where you can easily reach their feet. We tend to do nail trims with the rabbit laying on our laps with feet up towards us, or having the rabbit in a standing potion on a table where the rabbit is comfortable and we can pick up one foot at a time to trim the nails. A third choice is to use a cuddle approach/hold, where the rabbit is cradled ion one arm as we trim the nails. Some people also use a towel to wrap their rabbit to keep bunny secure. Then they bring out one foot at a time to trim. If the rabbit has light colored nails their nails will be easier to trim as you can see where the blood supply or Quick starts and can trim below that line. Dark colored nails are harder to see through and therefore, you may want to use a back light (flashlight) which will allow you to see the nail quick. Some people use a touch spring back approach and I do not recommend that. It does work for very experienced people." To read the entire article by The Rabbit Haven, click here: Rabbit Grooming Basics Visit BuyRabbitHutch.com for more Free Pet Rabbits Information and Advice! Yes, like many other pets, rabbits will also shed. This is normal, but it also means that responsible pet parents need to make time each week for regular grooming sessions. Pet rabbits can get hairballs, like their feline counterparts, but for a pet rabbit, this can become more serious. Take the time each week for a gentle grooming session - your pet rabbit will enjoy and be healthier because of it!
The House Rabbit Society explains this in more detail below: "Rabbits shed every three months. Every alternate time they’ll have a light shedding that may not be very noticeable. Next they’ll have a heavy shedding that you will not be able to escape. Rabbits are fastidious groomers. They insist on being clean and tidy and will lick themselves like cats, and like cats, they can get hairballs if they ingest too much hair. Unlike cats however, rabbits cannot vomit. If hairballs are allowed to form they can become gigantic masses of tangled hair and food and will block the stomach exit, causing the rabbit to starve to death while his stomach appears to be very fat. Rabbits need to be brushed at least weekly. In addition to removing any loose hair, this weekly brushing session helps prepare them for the multiple daily brushings that they must undergo when their heavy shedding begins. Rabbits will shed in different ways. Some rabbits will take a couple of weeks or more to loose their old coat of fur. Other rabbits will be ready to get rid of their old coats all in one day and these rabbits are the ones that cannot be neglected once they start shedding. You can often remove a very large percentage of hair by just pulling it out with your hand. But, however you remove it, remove it as soon as possible or your rabbit will do it during grooming. Bald spots on rabbits are quite common when they are shedding. I have one Angora rabbit for instance, that gets totally naked except for her face and feet. But, short haired rabbits can do the same thing. If these bald spots occur from shedding, they will begin to grow back within a week or two." To read the entire article on grooming pet rabbits, clcik here: Rabbit.org Grooming Visit BuyRabbitHutch.com for more great info about Pet Rabbits! Before making any decision to get a pet rabbit for your family, take the time to educate yourself about her needs and her care. Pet rabbits are not an impulse purchase, such as for Easter or other holidays. Pet rabbits may not be the best choice for a family with younger children, as kids like to carry around and "love" their pets, which can end up being harmful for both child and bunny!
Pet rabbits require the same consideration, caring, love, work, expense and commitment that goes into the choice to add any dog, cat or other animal as a member of your family. Learn about what it takes to be a responsible pet parent, in this case a responsible pet rabbit parent, ahead of time! The following information is from the Petfinder.com website about "Choosing a Bunny Buddy" “There are more than four dozen recognized breeds of domestic rabbits, which vary in size, color, fur type, body type and ear type. Weight can range from about two pounds to more than 20 pounds. Many breeds are very striking in appearance, and they attract buyers with their good looks. As with other species, however, the mixed breed often has a kind of offbeat appeal, and what breeders see as faults can add charm and distinctiveness. Owners of mixed breeds delight, for example, in their “unicorn lops” (one ear up, one ear down) or “helicop lops” (both ears straight out to the side). A frequent misunderstanding is that smaller breeds require less living space than larger ones, but even the smallest dwarf bunny can be extremely energetic and needs room to run. Temperaments of individual rabbits—even within a breed—can vary tremendously. The larger breeds (many of whom are sold as “meat” or “lab” rabbits) are sometimes described as “gentle giants,” with calm and placid dispositions nicely suited to family life. Male rabbits tend to spray, and females tend to be territorial, but these patterns are significantly reduced or eliminated by neutering. A mature (older than one year), neutered rabbit is often a better choice as a family pet than a younger rabbit, whose “raging hormones” can result in undesirable behaviors. All in all, the best way to select a companion rabbit is to set aside preconceptions regarding breed, sex and age, and to meet the rabbit and interact with him for long enough to get a feel for his individual personality.” The entire article is available here "Do Rabbits Make Good Pets?" People love pets! And that is a wonderful thing, as both benefit in many proven ways including reduced stress, health, enjoyment, friendship, love and more. Just like their larger dog and cat counterparts, rabbits can make great pets too! Perosnally, I think that pet rabbits should be considered as indoor pets, which will help nuture the love and bond between your pet bunny and her adopted family!
You may have heard the term House Rabbit, but what does that actually mean? The Petfinder website offers a great look in their article "Do Rabbits Make Good Pets" "Rabbits can indeed make wonderful pets—for the right people. Pet owners frequently characterize themselves in terms of their animals—“I’m a dog person” or “I’m a cat person.” But exactly what is a “rabbit person”? According to Jennifer Saver, D.V.M. (herself a rabbit owner), a rabbit person is someone who enjoys observing as much as handling, and who does not get overly upset at a rabbit’s natural tendencies, such as chewing and digging. Rabbits have strikingly distinctive personalities. They can be as playful and silly as puppies or kittens, as independent and fascinating as cats, or as loyal and openly affectionate as dogs. And long-time rabbit owners claim that domestic rabbits are, in their own way, every bit as smart as cats and dogs. Dana Krempels, Ph.D., an evolutionary biologist at the University of Miami, sees daily examples of this in her group of 16 rabbits. “Their intelligence is very different from other species” she says, “but is just as adaptive and just as elegant.” Rabbits can easily learn to respond to their names, as well as to simple words, and they learn to use litterboxes readily. They are adroit at getting over, under, around or through barriers intended to restrict them, and some owners seem almost proud of their rabbits’ ability to negotiate household obstacles. There are also those owners who, thinking that they have succeeded in training their rabbits, discover that their rabbits have actually trained them. Ann Casama of Fair Lawn, NJ, conditioned her rabbit, Patrick, to return to his cage by ringing a toy bell and offering him a treat, but within a short period of time, Patrick began ringing the bell on his own and waiting expectantly for his treat. If Casama does not respond as quickly as Patrick would like, he rings the bell again." You can read the full article here Do Rabbits Make Good Pets? Which rabbit litter should you choose for your pet bunny? There are many commerically available rabbit litters available today, but they all fall into small groups based on what materials they are made from. Some are made from wood, some paper pulp and some even from ground up corn cobs! So which type would be best for your pet rabbit?
In addition to which material your rabbit litter is made from, there are other consideration as well. First of all, you want to choose a rabbit litter that is safe for your pet rabbit. You also will want one that can absorb moisture to keep your bunny comfortable. Along with absorption, you will want to choose one that offers good odor control too. To learn more about the differences between rabbit litters and how well they work, San Diego Rabbits wrote a great article to help you choose: "There are many more litter options now than there were just a few years ago. Each litter has a different absorption rate, weight, scent, and tracking capabilities. Because rabbits tend to nibble on everything and can easily inhale the dust, it is important to choose a non-toxic product. Over the years, we have come to know that there may be health risks associated with prolonged use of pine and cedar shavings - and neither is very absorbent as a litter - so we encourage you to try one of the many new litters designed for use with rabbits. We are happy to report that manufacturers are now providing us with many new, innovative products. Courtesy of BunnyBytes - thank you Kathy and Steve! - we were able to test several litter products on foster rabbits. Here is what we discovered. Aspen Supreme pellet litter: This pellet litter had a "woodsy" smell but it was not strong or offensive. The pellets are compostable and can be flushed in small quantities. Although heavy, we found this pellet litter to be very good at odor control and very absorbent, as well. The pellets are dark in color, so it took a little getting-used-to, but this litter fared very well. Kathy from BunnyBytes reminds us that because these pellets are also good at keeping odor down, so we need to remember to adhere to a regular cleaning schedule to keep bunny's box fresh and clean. Aspen Wood particles: This shaved-wood product looks similar to pine shavings, but it is made from Aspen wood. Although relatively absorbent, the wood particles stuck to most bunny butts so, in turn, the litter tracked all over the house. Not a great option - there's enough hay to clean up as it is! This litter is also recommended bedding for rats and guinea pigs. EcoFRESH: Made by Absorption Corporation, makers of CareFRESH, this litter looks and feels like clay, but it isn't. This litter is made from recycled paper. It is absorbent and virtually dust-free. One nice feature of this litter is that some rabbit droppings can be sifted out as you might do with cat litter. CareFRESH: Still one of the best paper-product litters available. Made from paper pulp and dust-free, this litter is non-toxic, very absorbent and flushable in small quantities. Along with hay and rabbit droppings, it makes great compost. Clay cat litter: Although inexpensive, clay litter can be dusty and may encourage digging in the litter box. There are also more absorbent litters on the market. Also, if bunny should ingest this litter, it could be fatal. DO NOT USE clumping cat litters with rabbits. This litter clumps when exposed to moisture, and it can't tell the difference between external and internal moisture. Rabbits tend to nibble on everything, and should they ingest clumping litter, they risk a potentially deadly intestinal blockage. Corn cob: Relatively absorbent, but very light and tends to get tracked and kicked out of the litter box easily. Cat Country: Made primarily from plant fibers, this pelleted litter is absorbent as well as compostable. Yesterday's News: This pelleted litter, made from recycled newspaper, is absorbent and can be flushed in small quantities. Feline Pine: Kiln-dried pine shavings, with no aromatic hydrocarbons. Liquid waste is absorbed by these pellets, which swell and become wet sawdust. Shredded paper: Layers of newspaper and shredded paper topped with hay can be used in the litter box, but we've found it may tempt rabbits to ingest large amounts of paper. Rabbits also love to get a grip on the paper and make a big mess. Economical and a good way to get second use out of the news, shredded paper may or may not work well, depending on your rabbit's habits. Selecting the right litter box and litter for your rabbit will depend on the products you can find, as well as your rabbit's activity level and special needs. Sometimes testing the different products is helpful, and we hope we've given you some "litter for thought!" To read the entire article, visit SanDiegoRabbits.org |
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