Before deciding to adopt any pet rabbit, please make sure that you have a plan to let your bunny have ample, safe and supervisied time to exercise, outside her rabbit hutch or rabbit home. It is healthy for your pet rabbit to get time to run and hop, and basically - be a rabbit!
It is also importatnt that you provide your pet rabbit with a rabbit hutch or rabbit home that provides for some room to hop around inside. We always recommend that you choose a rabbit hutch or home that is as large as you can afford, and that will fit in the area that you are going to keep it. But remember that when it comes to rabbit housing, bigger is better. The Petfinder.com website suggests the following about exercise: "Many people think that rabbits don’t require much room for housing or exercise. Not so! Rabbits have powerful hind legs designed for running and jumping. They need plenty of out-of-cage exercise time, as well as a cage that allows them to move freely. The minimum recommended cage space for a single rabbit is 2’ x 2’ x 4’. Although wire-bottom cages are common, they can ulcerate a rabbit’s feet. If you have a wire cage, cover the bottom with a piece of wood or corrugated cardboard. Better yet, buy a cage with a floor. Your rabbit needs a safe exercise area with ample room to run and jump, either indoors or out. Any outdoor area should be fully enclosed by a fence. Never leave a rabbit unsupervised outdoors even for a few minutes! Cats, dogs and even predatory birds can easily get around fencing material. Also, rabbits can dig under fences and get lost. You can rabbit-proof an indoor area by covering all electrical wires and anything else your rabbit is likely to chew. Recommended exercise time for indoor rabbits is several hours per day" Learn more about pet rabbit care here Housing and Exercise Free Shipping on Rabbit Food & Supplies at BuyRabbitHutch.com
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Part of the enjoyment that most pet parents get from their pets is the joy of sharing "me time". This often involves patting, grooming and holding, especially with a pet rabbit. Pet rabbits are actually very fragile and to avoid injury to both bunny and bunny-picker-upper, it is important to learn the correct way to lift up your pet rabbit. The same is true for both holding and carrying your bunny. Think of these steps as a training process as well, which should help your pet rabbit to understand that everything is ok and there is no danger when you pick her up. Lastly, please realize that it generally is never a good idea for a small child to try to lift, hold or carry a bunny. It is better to have your child sit on the floor and possibly let the bunny sit on the child's lap or next to him or her, supervised, to enjoy some playful bonding time.
Here are some tips on how to lift a pet rabbit from the House Rabbit Society: "Now that bunny is out, it's time to lift him. The following are directions (for right- handed people) if you are uncertain, or having trouble lifting your medium-to-large-sized rabbit. Start with the rabbit on the floor, say, in the bathroom. Approach him slowly and pet him, leaving your hand on his head to discourage escape. Rabbits feel uneasy, and are most likely to struggle, when they are suspended in the air. So be prepared before you lift. Visualize how you want to hold the rabbit once you have lifted him. For example: the rabbit right side up, nose pointed to the left, left side along your midriff, supported by your right arm. Next, slide the rabbit around while he is still on the ground, until he matches this position, i.e. sideways and pointed left. Is he thinking of leaving? Keep your hand on his head, or gently grasp his shoulders. Do not lift by the scruff. If he runs, don't grab him. Follow him, using babytalk to lighten the moment. Wait until he stops, and start again. Kneel, and keeping your left hand on his head, bend your torso close to him. Place your right arm along his right side, and put your right hand under his chest. If he accepts this, take your left hand from his head and use it to support his groin. Otherwise, lift using your hand to support the chest, and your arm to support the side and hindquarters. Scoop him to you and hold him firmly there. The key to this method is to position the rabbit within a few inches of you. That way you will shorten the suspended-in-air stage." The full article is available here, which includes photos An Uplifting Experience Free Shipping on Rabbit Food & Supplies at BuyRabbitHutch.com Choosing the right hay for your pet rabbit is important, not only so she gets the proper nutrition, but also to keep her healthy. There are several types of hay that are commercially available, some that are even organically grown. Hay is also important for your bunny's dental health as well. It is also important to enourage your pet rabbit to eat hay, as not all rabbits will readily do so.
The following steps to make sure your pet rabbit is eating enough hay is from TheRabbitHouse.com "Despite the importance of hay, many rabbits are reluctant to eat it. This often stems from the availability of tasty but less healthy food, which can develop bad eating habits in young rabbits that can be difficult to change in later life. Not eating hay is a major factor in dental disease and illnesses relating to the gut, so putting in some hard work to encourage your rabbit to eat more has real health benefits. Here are some tips to encourage your rabbit to eat more hay:
Free Shipping on Rabbit Food & Supplies at BuyRabbitHutch.com What Should I Name My Pet Rabbit?
The process of choosing the right name has haunted people for a long time. Soon to be parents may spend days, weeks or even months trying to choose the right name for their baby that has not yet arrived. For pet parents, it may be slightly easier because they often have the benefit of at least seeing and interacting with their new pet rabbit, before actually choosing a bunny name. When deciding on a name for your pet rabbit, consider your new bunny's colors, ears, feet, eyes and any other attribute such as one ear flopping over. Also take into account her behavior. Does she love to eat, get patted, jump around or rub on you? All of these characteristics that help make your pet rabbit unique can all be taken into account when naming your new best bunny friend! Think personality! Lastly, remember that a name that is easier for your bunny to learn, along with any younger members of your household, may be a good choice too. Now comes the fun part - below is a partial list of pet rabbit names to get you started from Best4Bunny.com "Abra & Cadabra, Acorn, Alpine, Amaretto, Amelia, Anoop, Applejack, Apples, Aquabelle, Arby, Artic, Attila, Auburn, B-bop, Baby belle, Babycakes, Baja, Barkley, Barlow, Barnacle Barnum, Bazaar, Beaker, Bean, Beebee, Beechnut, Beevis, Beezie, Beezle, Berry-boo, Bessy Sue, Bettina, Betulla, Bewick, Bib, Bibi, Bilbo, Bingle, Binkyboy, Blackberry, Blottie, Blu, Bluto" etc. The entire name list is available at Bunny Names Free Shipping on Rabbit Food & Supply BuyRabbitHutch.com There are many rabbits, looking for kind and loving homes, ready to be adopted by caring pet parents. If possible, try to adopt a pet rabbit rather than buying one from a pet store or other source, to give adoptable bunnies a chance. There are many benefits to adopting a pet rabbit, just like adopting a pet cat, dog or other animal. In most areas, you can contact your local animal shelter as well as local rescue groups. Both can be a source of potentially great pet rabbits that will love you and your family!
It is always important to learn about the proper care needed to be a responsible pet rabbit parent, and most shelters and rescues can help you with this as well. MyHouseRabbit.com provides the following information on the Benefits of Adopting: "Rescues often have rabbits of varying sizes, breeds, and ages. So, if you were looking specifically for a young, agouti mini lop, you will most likely find a good fit at the local shelter. But, you also might surprise yourself and fall in love with an older mixed breed rabbit once you start looking. Aside from the ability to choose from a wide selection of different kinds of rabbits, adopting from a shelter or rescue is also very convenient. Volunteers at rescues take the time to acclimate rabbits to living in apartments and houses. In this way, the time you would have to take to train the rabbit is cut down considerably. For example, volunteers will litter box train the rabbits as they come in, so although a rabbit may take a little while to adjust to living in a new home, you will not need to litter train your new bunny from scratch. Furthermore, because a lot of rescued rabbits live in foster homes, many are accustomed to living in households with children and other pets. So if your household situation is similar, adopting a rabbit who is already comfortable in that environment makes the transition easier for both you and the rabbit. If you were interested in having multiple pet rabbits, you may be able to adopt a bonded pair or trio. This saves you the time and effort of bonding the rabbits yourself. Adopting a bonded pair or trio is ideal if you work full time because the rabbits can entertain each other while you’re gone." The entire article is available at Benefits of Adopting a Rabbit Free Shipping on Rabbit Food and Supplies at BuyRabbitHutch.com When you think about adopting a pet rabbit to add to your family, it is natural to think about the period of adjustment as your new bunny friend gets used to her new surroundings. How long does this take? How well do pet rabbits adjust? What does it take to help your new pet rabbit fit in and become a regular member of your family? All these are normal concerns, and the answer to most is that - thankfully, pet rabbits do adjust fairly easily and fairly well to a new loving home.
It does help considerably to know what to expect, and what preparations to make. It will also be helpful to create the best environment at your home ahead of time so that when your bunny comes home, the transition will be a short and easy one. The Petfinder.com website offers the following advice: "Rabbits as Roommates When you first bring your rabbit home, he is likely to be somewhat timid in his new surroundings. But given time and the freedom to explore, he will quickly make himself at home. As prey animals, rabbits steer clear of open spaces where they feel exposed, preferring to hug the wall and hide under furniture. A rabbit’s typical pattern of exploration is to start from an area of perceived safety and to venture out a few feet at a time, increasing his range with each successive trip. Some spirited thumping is not unusual as the rabbit encounters new aspects of his environment. Territory is claimed and marked in several different ways—some of which can be disconcerting to new owners. Mature, unneutered males spray urine, and both males and females (even those who are reliably litterbox-trained) may leave what many owners tactfully refer to as “calling cards”—fecal pellets containing anal gland secretions that relay information to other rabbits and mark territory boundaries. They may also mark their territory by rubbing objects firmly and repeatedly with their chins, releasing a substance (imperceptible to humans) from a scent gland under the chin. Some rabbits consider human beings their own personal property, and many an unsuspecting owner has been liberally “marked” in more ways than one. Most rabbits adapt remarkably quickly to the hustle, bustle and noise of a normal household, particularly if their cage or pen is placed in a high-activity area, such as a family room. This gives the rabbit a safe place from which to see, hear and smell all that is going on. Housing a rabbit in a child’s room or an extra bedroom, where there are sporadic bursts of activity, may actually delay the rabbit’s adjustment to normal family life. Rabbits can also get along quite well with most domestic cats and many breeds of dogs. Even cats and dogs who chase small animals outdoors tend to accept indoor rabbits as co-equal family members and usually do not harass them if the owner is present. Introductions must be done carefully, and supervision of interactions is always a good idea." You can read the full article here Petfinder.com Rabbits as Roommates Free Shipping on all Rabbit Food & Supplies at BuyRabbitHutch.com 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 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! |
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