The Basics On How To Care For Rabbits
There are a few extremely important things that any given rabbit owner needs to understand. One of the first facts is that a rabbit should never be given a wet bath. Rabbits are self-grooming – as long as they have space to move around they will clean themselves.
However, rabbits can easily go into such a shock that it causes cardiac arrest. There are many reported cases where a rabbit given a bath ends up dying of a heart attack so avoid this at all costs.
Next, prepare a decent inside space for the rabbit that stays consistent. Domestic rabbits need to be raised indoors because they won’t do well outside.
Setting Up The Indoor Space
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There are several different factors to consider when setting up the ideal indoor space for a rabbit. The first is to decide whether to raise them in a cage, or in a slightly larger space. While some people will allow them to run throughout the entire house, others choose to set up one room for the rabbit.
A caged rabbit still needs a special type of cage. Ideally it should be a minimum of six times larger than the rabbit itself and have at least one thing that can serve as a “hiding place” if it becomes nervous. Rabbits are prey to about everything out in the wild, so they want to have that safe place to hide in when nervous.
A non-caged rabbit still does well when it’s given a room or a specific space that doesn’t change much. They can be taught to use a litter box, and cardboard boxes are great because they give rabbits something to chew on and a specific part of their environment they can manipulate.
Preparing A Proper Diet
Anyone who wants to know how to care for rabbits needs to understand that rabbits need to have a very specific diet they need to follow in order to stay healthy. Hay is a major part of that diet, preferably “Timothy Grass” hay. Various green leafy vegetables should be mixed in with that diet, and an occasional bit of sliced fruit like pears or apples are a nice treat. Carrots are a classic treat, but use these sparingly as too much starch isn’t great for rabbit health.
Mix in a variety of these fruits and vegetables to give the rabbit the varied diet they need to thrive. Raising a healthy rabbit or rabbits can be more challenging at first than a cat or dog, but by following a few of the basic strategies here, an individual will be setting themselves up for success with a happy and healthy domesticated rabbit.
