How do you care for a 4 week old bunny?

Answer 1

Looking after your new Rabbit Rabbits make wonderful pets for both adults and children. They are friendly animals and it is very easy to become your bunny's best friend. One rabbit on its own is more like a puppy and will become very affectionate and dependant on you and your family. Please remember that looking after your bunny is much more than just feeding and cleaning up. They need you for company, especially if they live on their own. Bunnies can live from seven to ten years so having a bunny is a big commitment and should not be made without serious discussions between all members of the family. (For the rest of this text your new bunny will be referred to as a 'he' but it will refer to boys and girls.) How do you choose the right bunny? Before you get your first bunny, it is important to find out as much as you can about them from books, friends, breeders or your vet. There are lots of different breeds of bunnies and you should try to get one that will suit the whole family. You can get your bunny from breeders, good pet shops and from animal welfare societies. (You will find these in our 'Your Territory' section.) Choose a bunny who is friendly, lively and active. Also make sure he is healthy with no obvious signs of problems. Mum and Dad will help with this. Please do not take a bunny any younger than six to eight weeks old away from his mother. When a rabbit is very young, it can be difficult to tell whether it is male or female, so it is a good idea, unless the breeder is very knowledgeable, to take it to a vet, especially if you are getting more than one! Does your bunny need company? Rabbits are sociable animals and, in the wild, live in groups of 10 to 15. One rabbit on his own becomes very dependant on human company and will become very lonely if not given lots of attention. You could, of course, have two bunnies! Two males (bucks) kept together will fight most of the time. A male and a female (doe) are also likely to fight, when they are not busy starting a family! Two females will not necessarily get on especially when they are old enough to have babies. The best idea is to get two bunnies right from the start and have them neutered (Mum or Dad can explain this) which will give them a better chance of getting on with each other. Some people think it is a good idea to have a rabbit and a guinea pig living together but this does not work, as they both have different food requirements. Whilst they can become good friends, the rabbit will be more aggressive and the poor guinea pig can become the underdog. Preparation for the arrival of your bunny Get everything ready in advance of collecting your new bunny. Remember if he is very young, he will find everything very strange from the minute he leaves his mother and home. He will be lonely and will miss his mother, brothers and sisters. If you take a little time to prepare for his arrival, you will make it easier for him to settle in. Bunny Shopping List * Hutch * Wood shavings to line the hutch floor. * Heavy earthenware dish * Water bottle * Hay * Rabbit food mix * Mineral/vitamin stone to gnaw at in order to keep his teeth healthy * Litter tray * Toys Let us take these items one by one: Bunnies can either live indoors or outside and this must be decided before the purchase of his hutch. If he is to live outdoors: * The hutch must be weatherproof with an overhang to stop rain getting in. * It should not rest directly on the ground; most outdoor hutches come with legs attached. * The hutch should be positioned in a sheltered place, away from strong sunlight and winds. * The doors must be secure to stop cats and other animals getting. If your are keeping your bunny indoors: * Make sure the hutch is in a quiet area of the house, away from any loud noises which may frighten him. * Keep him in a room where he will see people so that he does not feel lonely. * Keep him away from radiators, heaters, bright lights and draughts. * Let him have natural light but away from direct sunlight. Whether your bunny is living indoors or outdoors, the hutch must have enough space for him when he is fully grown. It should be tall enough for him to stand fully stretched and long enough for three hops. The hutch should be split into two areas: one closed in for his bed and the other open to view through strong mesh for his living quarters. Rabbits piddle a lot and need to be cleaned out regularly. Remove the wet litter and droppings daily and clean the floor once a week. Rabbits are clean animals and will only do their business in certain areas. Therefore, a lined litter tray can be used to keep the rest of the area dry and clean. Keeping his home clean will keep your bunny healthy and comfortable. Rabbits spend a lot of time eating and nibbling and need to have food available 24 hours a day. Buy a heavy earthenware dish (one that cannot be tipped over when he stands on it!) for his mix and a water bottle which is hung onto the side of the hutch. Baby bunnies quickly get used to drinking from these and they make sure that the water stays fresh and clean all day. Please remember to change the water daily. Your bunny will eat rabbit mix and hay as the main part of his diet. A mineral/vitamin stone should always be available for him to gnaw on. Rabbits can easily be trained to use a litter tray and this should again be lined and covered with wood shavings. In order to keep your bunny amused and stop him from becoming bored, get him some toys to play with. A hard plastic ball for him to roll about is ideal and the cardboard rolls from inside toilet paper or kitchen paper towels is usually enjoyed to the full. Finally, choose his name! Bunnies will soon learn their names and once he has done so, training will become easier. Arrival of your bunny The day has come to collect your bunny! If you are bringing him home in the car, please remember a bunny can wriggle about a lot and so it is a good idea to put him in a cardboard box, with air holes and lined with hay. When you get him home, put him in his hutch and leave him to settle down and investigate his new home. You will find he will probably stay in his sleeping quarters for most of the first day, but do not worry about this. Remember he will feel very strange without his mum, brothers and sisters. Each time you pass his hutch, talk to him quietly to let himknow he is not alone. Do not be surprised if he does not want to eat much for the first few days, this is natural. On the second day you can take him out of the hutch for the first time. Litter Training If he is an indoor bunny, it is important to have a litter tray ready from the moment he is allowed out of his hutch. Put a few of his droppings from his hutch in the tray to encourage him to use it. Put him in the tray regularly and hopefully he will catch on to the idea. Be prepared to clean up a bit after your bunny for the first few weeks and always watch him carefully. It is important that you scold him immediately for any mistakes but never ever hit him, however lightly. Vaccinations There are two vaccines available for bunnies. Please ask Mum and Dad to discuss these with your vet and, if necessary, arrange for them to be done. Making friends with your bunny Your pet will soon become tame and affectionate if you handle him often but it is important to do this properly. * Never chase your bunny or he will never trust you. * Never pick him up by the ears. * Hold him by the scruff of the neck with one hand, scoop him up quickly and then immediately put your other hand under his bottom, bringing him into your chest. * Hold him securely but gently, talking quietly to him to make him feel safe and relaxed. He might try to wriggle away so please be very careful not to drop him as a fall could hurt him badly or even kill him. If you do not feel confident in picking him up and holding him, ask Mum or Dad to help. It is a good idea to sit on the floor with him until you have more confidence. Some bunnies do not like to be picked up but this does not mean they are unfriendly; they still like to be petted and cuddled. Given time your bunny will trust you totally and will not feel nervous or worried when you pick him up or hold him. Be patient! Training Please do not think your bunny is stupid. Rabbits are bright, alert and respond well to training and because of this it is possible to train him to commands - 'COME', 'UP', 'DOWN', 'NO', 'PEE PEE' are examples. A trained bunny is a friendly, well-behaved pet and it is definitely worth the effort to persevere. Great patience is required (as well as treats!) and always remember that bunnies are very sensitive so never raise your voice or lose your temper. Choose which commands you want him to learn and teach him them one at a time. Keep the command simple and always say your bunny's name at the end of the command. Gradually replace the treat with praise and lots of cuddles so that your bunny learns to obey with or without treats. Grooming Rabbits wash and groom themselves regularly and in doing so keep themselves very clean and presentable. However, most of them enjoy being brushed, especially during the spring and autumn when they are moulting. Grooming also gives you the chance to check your bunny's health. Look to see if his claws need trimming or if his teeth need clipping. Exercise Please do not let your bunny become overweight. As a lot of your bunny's time will be spent in his hutch, you must make sure that he gets out daily to stretch his legs, either indoors or in the garden. If you decide to let your bunny run about loose indoors, you must always watch what he is doing as he can cause a lot of damage by chewing electric cables and furniture. Before letting him out, please make sure other pets, which could hurt him or frighten him, are locked out of the room. If he is an outdoor bunny, allow him the run of the garden if it is well fenced and escape proof. You must watch your bunny at all times in case he starts to burrow and do not allow him near any grass that has been treated with chemicals. Check with Mum and Dad. To keep him safer in the garden, you can make a run for him by stapling wire netting on to a timber frame. However make sure this can be pegged down to stop the wind blowing it away and giving him a fright. Some bunny talk Soft grinding of teeth This means your bunny is happy and he will do this when you are petting him in his favourite spots like on his cheeks, forehead or behind his ears. Soft cooing Another sound made by bunnies when they are happy and content. Loud thumping with back feet Your bunny will do this when he is frightened. Sometimes he will do this to get attention or if he is angry. Hissing/growling Your pet will do this if he feels threatened or cornered. At this time he is likely to attack by scratching and biting, so leave him alone until he calms down! Loud squealing This means he is in extreme pain or very frightened. Never ignore this noise as it has been known for bunnies to die of a heart attack when they are extremely frightened. Light nudging with the nose This is your pet's way of greeting you and also a request to be petted. Chinning Rabbits leave their scent (you will not be able to smell it) by rubbing their chins onto anything they want to mark as their own including your feet! Licking Your bunny will lick your hands and face while he is being petted. Bunny moves his jaws as if chewing This means he is content and relaxed. Bunny races around very quickly This means your bunny is enjoying his freedom and that he feels comfortable and at home in his surroundings. Eating droppings Please do not give your bunny a row when he does this as it is natural and should not be discouraged. Rabbits need to digest some foods twice, and take these droppings, which are softer than the others, directly from their bottoms. He might make a low-pitched squeaking noise when he does this. Bunny pushes out his bottom and tail This means he is about to pee. Insurance There are some Companies who now offer insurance for rabbits and it is certainly worth thinking about as it could save your Mum and Dad a lot of money in vet bills. As you can see from the above, owning a bunny involves responsibilities as well as pleasures but if you follow this advice you will have a well-behaved, contented bunny who is a joy to own and who will repay the time and effort you have made many times over.