Do's And Don'ts Of Owning A Rabbit
Pet Rabbits Are More Popular Than Ever, But Many New Owners Don't Realize Their Complex Care Needs
Over the past decade, rabbits have hopped up the list to become the third most popular pet in American households behind cats and dogs. Perhaps fueled by pandemic pet adoption trends, increasing numbers of families are taking home floppy-eared friends from local shelters and rabbit rescues. It seems these once-overlooked lagomorphs are finally getting their moment in the spotlight.
And who can blame new bunny owners for finding them so irresistibly cute and cuddly? With proper care and handling, rabbits can in fact make wonderfully endearing, long-term animal companions. However, they have very specific nutritional, environmental, behavioral and medical needs that set them apart from more traditional pets.
Many first-time rabbit adopters unfortunately don't realize just how much specialized daily effort successful rabbit keeping requires until they're already hopping down the bunny trail. We'll cover the essential do's and don'ts you must know before welcoming one of these delightful but delicate pets into your home.
Follow Our Definitive Guide to Rabbit Care Best Practices
In this in-depth care guide, we will outline both the key things you absolutely must do for your bunny's health and happiness (setting up a rabbit proof environment, proper diet, vet checks) as well as the biggest mistakes that new owners often make unwittingly (poor litter habits, lack of exercise, inappropriate feeding).
Just like dog breeds have different activity levels and care needs from each other, it's important to note that not all rabbit breeds and individual personalities are the same either. But by understanding some fundamental facts about rabbit care expectations, you'll have all the information you need to make one a joyful, bonding addition to your household for over a decade.
5 Must-Do's for Pet Rabbit Care
Let's get started with the five vital dos and don'ts you simply can't afford to miss if you want both you and your rabbit companion living happily...
1. Select the Right Rabbit Breed and Personality for Your Family
With over 50 rabbit breeds recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association to choose from in colors ranging from pure white to jet black and every spot and hue between, deciding "which bunny is best" for your home can seem overwhelming!
Should you pick cuddly, chubby and laidback options like the New Zealand, Silver Fox or Flemish Giant? Or maybe active, athletic types such as the Dutch or Mini Rex that need plenty of exercise and mental stimulation? Before picking up your rabbit, do research to determine what size, grooming needs and activity level will fit into your family's lifestyle over the next decade.
In addition to breed traits, even rabbits within the same litters can have distinct personalities – from shy to curious, high-strung to mellow. Be sure to spend plenty of hands-on bonding time with any candidates at the shelter or rescue to get a sense of whether they'll acclimate well to your environment. Finding the right rabbit match for household expectations makes all the care over their 10+ year lifespan much more rewarding.
2. Fully Rabbit-Proof Any Area They'll Have Access To
While the idea of a furry friend freely hopping around your home may sound charming, the reality of rabbits' relentless gnawing instinct can mean damaged moldings, furniture, carpet and electric cords if you don't diligently protect your space. Start their residency in a single room without dangerous elements until housetraining is underway.
Then as their world expands into well-supervised playtime around other rooms (always keeping a close eye!), apply sturdy protective materials over baseboards, wires, valuables and plants that could harm them. Also provide appealing alternatives like cardboard boxes, wood blocks and tunnels to satisfy your rabbit's essential urge to chew while keeping your belongings intact.
3. Feed an Unlimited Supply of Timothy Hay
The foundational key to your fluffy friend's digestive health (and limiting bad litter box habits) lies in free access to fresh timothy, orchard grass or oat hay at all times. Rabbits have constantly growing teeth requiring grinding down plant fiber nearly round the clock. Unlike treat pellets or fruits, hay nutrients also promote good bacteria in bunny stomachs.
Provide hay in litter boxes, bedding areas, even stuffed inside toilet paper rolls or boxes to encourage natural foraging behavior. Refill piles before they run low so your rabbit always has an overflowing buffet of their staple food to support healthy growth. Monitoring hay intake daily prevents concerning issues like weight loss or "poopy butt" from inadequate fiber.
4. Provide an Enriched Indoor Environment With Plenty of Room to Hop
While cute little starter cages may look appealing at the pet store, a cramped living space fails to meet both physical and mental needs for these active creatures. Rabbits require at least 4 by 4 ft floor space at minimum to stretch muscles with a hideaway nest plus engaging toys.
Consider an exercise pen attached to their enclosure for protected roaming access. Rabbit-proof a spare room, hallway or living area to become home base instead of small cages. The more stimulating discovery opportunities you provide through tunnels, cardboard castles and sprinkle healthy treats to forage for, the happier your long-eared friend will be as an indoor house rabbit.
Set up baby gates to cordon off unsafe spots and spend ample cuddle and playtime together each day. Having an exciting, ever-evolving indoor playground makes them less prone to boredom and depression.
5. Establish a Relationship With an Exotic Vet for Checkups
While cats and dogs on routine preventative care may just need annual booster shots, rabbit health requires much more specialized monitoring to catch issues early before they become severe. Establish a partnership with a local exotic vet you trust, scheduling at minimum an annual wellness visit.
Key reasons to have your rabbit examined include checking teeth alignment, stomach/intestines functioning, feet/nails condition, evaluating diet and weight, listening for respiratory problems, feeling for potential tumors or abdominal masses. Always inform staff you have a rabbit when calling about concerning symptoms to ensure proper advice. A rabbit savvy vet guiding your care decisions helps avoid costly issues.
7 Biggest Mistakes Rabbit Owners Make
Let's get started with the 7 mistakes pet rabbit owners makes
Not Maintaining Litter Habits
While most rabbits can be litter trained to use a designated tray of pelleted paper, wood stove pellets or cat litter, it only stays that way with proper daily maintenance from owners. Situate boxes with hay in corners where bunnies naturally eliminate. Quickly clean soiled bedding areas and replace used litter at least twice daily.
Accidents outside the box could signal medical issues like urinary tract infections or inadequate space. But usually, inconsistent cleaning or dirty boxes overwhelm rabbit's sensitive noses, causing them to poop nearby. Stay on top of scooping for happy, habit-forming bunnies.
Choosing All Wire Cages or Outdoor Housing
Traditional confining all-wire mesh cages may be fine temporarily but fall desperately short for meeting active rabbits' welfare needs long-term. With thin floor grates causing painful foot sores and little room for movement, these setups cause chronic stress. And outdoors in backyard hutches leaves them vulnerable to temperature extremes, predators, bugs and lack of socialization.
Always provide spacious indoor housing with solid flooring plus plenty of exercise time in climate-controlled safety. While enclosed outdoor runs can make nice sunny additions, they don't replace the need for snuggly blankets, hidey holes and your companionship as primarily house rabbits.
Allowing Access to Chew Hazards
Rabbits explore surroundings constantly with their ever-growing front teeth as natural prey animals needing to whittle down upper/lower incisors for comfort. Protect yours from harming themselves or destroying your belongings with smart precautions. Fully block access to dangerous but tempting nibbles like electric cords, poisonous houseplants, small items that could choke or upset digestive systems if swallowed.
Overhandling a Stressed Bunny
Some rabbits love being constantly cradled and snuggled. But what seems like cute clinginess could actually indicate an anxious, insecure personality craving hiding and independence. Attempting excessive physical touch against their wishes teaches them humans are scary predators, worsening undesirable behaviors.
Learn your individual rabbit's cuddle quota and signs they need personal space respected. Building bonds grounded foremost in trust makes for better long-term relationships.
Not Following Up on Preventative Care
Beyond spaying/neutering, rabbits require additional proactive medical steps to maintain health that cat/dog owners often don't expect. Be diligent on yearly vaccinations to protect against contagious deadly viruses like RVHD. Annual wellness checks detect early onset issues from malocclusion to cancer that benefit dramatically from early treatment.
Schedule appointments for nail trimming if your bunny hates handling paws. Tracking weight fluctuations, drinking/eating/pooping habits informs vet decisions too. Staying on top of evolving health data from friendly check-ins means less illness emergencies down the road.
Feeding an Inappropriate Diet
The classic carrot or sugary yogurt treats many owners offer both overload calories and lack proper nutrients for maintaining delicate digestive systems. Over time, poor diet leads to painful conditions like bladder sludge, intestinal blockages and tooth decay.
Do your homework to understand essential hay, vegetable and limited pellet ratios appropriate for your rabbit's age and size. Restrict fruits to occasional small servings. Supporting their sensitive stomachs with an appropriate balanced diet prevents expensive issues.
Impulse Purchasing a Baby Bunny
It's perfectly understandable to melt at the sight of a cuddly baby bunny for sale or adoption without grasping the more than 10 year commitment caring for these delightful creatures entails. But once irresistible impulse gives way to the daily reality of rabbit needs, many well-meaning owners become overwhelmed.
Thoroughly research bunny basics ahead of time, budget for vet costs and only partner with reputable rescues or breeders. Making an informed forever home choice extends happy lives...and keeps more rabbits out of already crowded shelters when that cute factor wears off.
Follow Our Care Tips for a Hoppily Ever After
And those are what we consider the 12 most essential do's and don'ts when it comes to properly caring for domestic rabbits! As we covered, everything from selecting the right breed and rabbit-proofing your home to diet, enrichment and preventative medical care requires much more intentional effort compared to looking after the average cat or dog.
But armed with this comprehensive primer on meeting rabbits' needs in all stages of their 10+ year lifespan, neither novice or experienced owners have any excuses for not getting things right.
While certain facets may seem involved at first, establishing the right foundations of housing, rabbit-savvy vet partnership and nutrition means you'll all be hopping merrily along together for years. And regularly investing dedicated time into positive interactions, exercise and mental stimulation means a healthy, well-adjusted rabbit perfectly adapted to blossom as a house pet.
Have additional questions on easing into rabbit ownership? Want examples of our favorite brands of litter boxes, play pens or pellet mixes tailored to your new bunny's needs? Let us know in the comments! We'll be sure to circle back with helpful answers so you can focus on bonding instead of second-guessing care.
Here's to many wonderful adventures together with your floppy-eared fur baby! Just be sure to share plenty of cute photos with us along the journey...