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Care of Rabbits
Rabbits have been raised by man for many centuries, both as companions and as a food source. The number of breeds designed specifically for companionship is diverse and growing. Hop into this category to explore the wonderful world of pet rabbits.
6,402 Questions
How old do baby rabbits have to be before the male can be around them?
Rabbits are ground-dwelling animals. When they are held, they will get frightened. But, if you hold them correctly, they will settle down a bit. They feel secure when you hold their paws (especially the back ones) and not let them dangle.
Lifespan of a neatherland dwarf rabbit?
On average, a Netherland Dwarf rabbit can live between 10 to 12 years with proper care and a healthy diet. Some rabbits may live even longer, up to 14 years or more, depending on their genetics and living conditions. Regular veterinary check-ups and a safe, enriched environment can help ensure a longer lifespan for your rabbit.
What does the bunny represent?
Bunnies are often seen as symbols of fertility, playfulness, and abundance. They can also represent gentleness, innocence, and vulnerability. In some contexts, bunnies may symbolize the arrival of spring or new beginnings.
What relationship best describes the interactions between lettuce and a rabbit?
Predation. The rabbit eats the lettuce for nourishment.
What do floppy-eared rabbits eat?
To be safe, don't feed your rabbit anything that isn't recommended for rabbits. See the related question below for more details about a healthy rabbit diet.
If you want to feed your rabbit a new plant, always check unknown plants against a list of poisonous plants for rabbits (there are a few on the web -- one is linked below). Do research online to see if the plant is recommended for rabbits. If you decide to give it to your bunny, start off with tiny amounts, and watch the rabbit's health for bad reactions (diarrhea, gas, pain, etc).
Rabbits cannot eat the following:
- Chocolate
- Coffee
- Nuts or seeds
- Processed, prepared, or cooked "human" foods -- no cereals, cookies, crackers, breads, chips, sweets
- Meat or dairy -- including cheese, butter, animal fat ingredients
- Drinks (aside from water!)
- Oily/greasy foods
- Many houseplants and roadside plants -- see link below
- Potato (especially not any green parts)
- Plant parts of tomato (leaves, spine, stem, etc)
- Old food, rotten food, wilted plants
- Horse chestnuts
- Cleaning chemicals
- Vegetables straight from the fridge -- the coldness will upset the rabbit's stomach and it can lead to diarrhea
- Too many treats
- Lettuce
- rats, snakes, poison, kittens, other rabbits
- fish or sushi
About treats: Rabbits can have many fruits and vegetables as a treat -- like cucumber, carrot, tomato, apple -- but too much of these foods will make them sick. The House Rabbit Society recommends no more than 2 tablespoons of fresh treat food per day for a normal, healthy 6 pound rabbit.
About lettuce: Lettuce has natural compounds that can give rabbits diarrhea and make them seriously ill. Light-coloured and white lettuces contain these compounds most (like iceberg lettuce); also, light-coloured plants don't have nutritional value for rabbits, so they should be avoided. Dark-coloured lettuces (like the dark adult leaves of Romaine, Green Leaf, Red Leaf) are good for rabbits in moderation: they can be included in the rotation of "salad" greens but shouldn't be offered every day. Rabbits in the wild can eat lettuce because they are also free to eat herbs and minerals that counteract the lettuce's effects; you can mimic this diet with a rotation of herbs, weeds, and other greens in your rabbit's salad. Dark lettuces are less likely to give the rabbits diarrhea but some people say why risk it when there are so many things you can feed them?
More Information about What Rabbits Can and Can't Eat
Bunnies love, radicchio, endive, dutch carrot tops (occasionally), silver beet, spinach (occasionally), basil, parsley, collard greens, mint, mustard greens, , cilantro, mint, strawberry leaves, raspberry leaves, wheat grass, and dandelion leaves and flowers.
They need a good mixture of those veggies fed in relation to their weight. About 1.5 cups of vegetables per kilogram of body weight each day. Only a small amount of pellets, about three tablespoons. Ignore anyone who says rabbits need tonnes of pellets : my vet says no to pellets. They will make your rabbit fat and sick if you give too much. And they need unlimited timothy or oaten hay.
Also grass gives them gas, and rabbits can't fart or burp, so too much grass is a bad thing. Domestic rabbits are nothing like wild rabbits, as they've evolved differently. And rabbits do need to be protected from poisonous things as they do not know whether something is poisonous or not. They test their environment with their teeth. And of course, always have lots of clean fresh water for your bunny. And no iceberg lettuce! It gives them diarrhea.
As treats small amounts of fruits like strawberries, apples (but not the seeds, which are poisonous), pears, cherries, blueberries, grapes and bananas. Definitely not too much, because sugar is bad for rabbits and can make them really sick. Fruit and pellets are junk food for bunnies!
Acid fruits, like tomato, orange, mandarin, and pinapple. They love apples and of course carrots. You can give them pretty much all vegetables.
[edit] Rabbits actually can eat pineapples and oranges. The acidity will clears up any hairballs they may get, considering rabbits cannot throw up. However, they should only eat it in small amounts
Some things rabbits can't eat (this is NOT a complete list! To keep your rabbit safe and healthy, think not about what they can't eat, but what they CAN eat. See the related question, linked below, for more information):
Amaranth
Arrowgrass
Bracken fern
Bromweed
Buckeye
Burdock
Castor beans
Cherry leaves
Chinaberry
Chokecherry leaves or pits
Comfrey - Personal note: some folks feed this with no problems.
Fireweed
Foxglove
Goldenrod
Hemlock, poison/water
Horehound
Jimson weed
Johnson grass
Larkspur
Laurel
Lupine
Mesquite
Milkweed - personal note: yet wild bunnies have been known to eat this no probs.
Miner's lettuce
Moldy bread, moldy anything
Oak
Oleander
Pigweed - personal note: mine will eat the young leaves, they leave the stalk and older leaves
Poppy
Potato leaves, sprouts, or peels
Rhubarb leaves
Soybeans or soybean vines
Sweet clover - personal note - what's wrong with clover?
Tarweed
Tomato leaves
Rabbits have various predators, including foxes, coyotes, hawks, owls, and domestic dogs and cats. These animals hunt rabbits for food. Human activities, such as habitat destruction and hunting, also pose threats to rabbit populations.
no it is not a rabbit it is way to big and cammels can be ridden
What is a brown and gray bunny called?
a brown and grey bunny is called brown and gey bunny
funny bunny
Some rabbits like the taste of goji berries and some do not. If they dislike them, don't feed it to them, however if your rabbit likes them, feed it in small amounts. Never feed goji berries to them if other ingredients have been added to them like sugar or high fructose corn syrup. But, you can feed your rabbit dried goji berries :-I
Yes they can climb<<< They could probably climb up like.. a three inch step, but your not gonna be seeing him up in your front yard tree when you look out your window. They're body weight is a slight dis advantage to climbing, their not strong enough to lift that much weight, look at their little feet for an explanation!(:
How long does a miniature rabbit live?
Miniature rabbits typically live between 5 to 10 years, although some may live longer with proper care and a healthy lifestyle. Genetic factors, diet, exercise, and living conditions can all affect the lifespan of a miniature rabbit.
A rabbits tail has many different names. It could be referred to as a scut, cottontail or a bob.
When did they stop using the rabbit test?
The rabbit test, used for pregnancy detection, was replaced in the 1960s by more reliable medical tests like urine-based pregnancy tests and later blood tests. This change happened due to ethical concerns and advancements in scientific technology.
Lop-eared rabbits are only different from other pet rabbits in appearance. The gene that makes their ears flop down doesn't affect their behaviour or their needs in terms of how to care for them at all. If you want to know about lop-eared rabbits, just research rabbits: there's no difference.
Rabbits can be wonderful pets, but you have to provide them with a habitat that allows them to be who they are, otherwise they will not be good pets at all. Unhappy rabbits can be destructive and aggressive -- even violent; or, they might just be timid, hiding in the back of their cages, never wanting to cuddle because they don't trust you. Whether or not a rabbit is a good pet for you depends on your lifestyle: can you care for a rabbit or not? Research rabbit care and behaviour and you'll find out whether a rabbit is right for you or not. Consider the related questions below.
Some opinions about lop-eared rabbits:
My opinion is that Lop eared rabbits are the same as normal rabbits but they seem... more cuter and Appropriate for Family and little kid they generally have a gentle nature.
Rabbits are all cute in my opinion, I feel that Mini Lops are a very cute and appropriate rabbit for a family. I also am partial to Havanas.
What is wrong with your 5 year old female rabbit if it has red smelly urine?
I have one rabbit with extremely smelly urine with what seems to be minor bladder sludge issues now and she's 5 yrs old. She has also tested positive for pasturella when we first got her and brought her to the vet. Their urine can range in color from almost clear to complete chalky red yellow brown white....
I'm currently worried mine either has way too much calcium in her diet causing the sludge or a UTI. I'm hoping to get her to the vet and have a culture or urinalysis run on her to determine what's going on. I have 2 spayed female rabbits and this is the one that has always had strong smelling nasty urine issues since young and she never lets on that it's an issue and I have had a urinalysis run on her a few years back and she tested clean.
Vet is your best bet if you are really worried but if bun is getting plenty of timothy hay and water I bet it's fine.
Can a Mini Rex successfully breed with a Flemish giant?
Technically, a Mini Rex and a Flemish Giant could physically mate and produce offspring, but it is not recommended as their size difference can pose health risks to the female during pregnancy and birthing. Additionally, the size variation between the two breeds can result in offspring with unpredictable characteristics and health issues. It is generally advised to breed rabbits within the same breed or of similar sizes to ensure the health and well-being of both the parents and offspring.
because they are making sure the other rabbit knows that its the dominant one. Mine do it all the time and i have had them for a year and a half now :)
They are signaling to any buck in the immediate area that they are ready to breed. Why are your rabbits together so they can do this? Every rabbit should have it's own cage, It's own space so to speak.
I just got three mail rabbits one is abusing the other rabbits or are the other rabbit girls?
It's important to keep the aggressive rabbit separated from the others to prevent harm. Introducing them slowly and providing enough space can help reduce aggression. Consulting with a veterinarian or a rabbit behavior specialist for further guidance is recommended.
Where did the rabbits came from?
Humans' relationship with the European or 'true' rabbit was first recorded by the Phoenicians over 1,000 years BC, when they termed the Iberian Peninsula i-shfaním (literally, "the land of the hyraxes"). This phrase is pronounced absolutely identically in modern Hebrew, i (אי) meaning "island" and shafan (שפן) meaning "hyrax", shfaním (שפנים) being the plural form. Phoenicians called the local rabbits "hyraxes" because hyraxes resemble rabbits in some way, and probably were more common than rabbits at that time in their native Levant. Hyraxes, like rabbits, are not rodents. The Romans converted the phrase i-shfaním to its Latin form, Hispania, and hence the modern word "Spain".
What to feed a mother rabbit after giving birth?
raw calves liver, it's very high in protein and iron to replace alot of the blood she lost durning birth or c-section. But make sure you freeze it or buy frozen so the bacteria will die while freezing. Never feed your dog cooked meat, it'll clog up their atteries.
How do rabbits grow and develop?
Wild rabbits are very suited to their environment. First off, rabbits are colored so that they can blend in with their environment. Many rabbits also have the ability to molt so that their fur can change colors with the season. for example, the snowshoe rabbit is white in the winter but brown in the summer. The length of the fur will also vary depending on where the rabbit lives. The density of the fur also varies.
They also have very strong back legs which help them to hop around very fast. they have big ears which leads them to have powerful hearing sense, they need this sense because they are quite small.
Can a male and female rabbit live together?
Answer 1: Yes they can
Answer 2: On the whole, the following is true:
Males and females can live together quite happily but you must be prepared for the consequences - Doe's breed continuously throughout the year and it would be very unfair to breed her so many times, not to mention the effect it would have on her general health. I personally have never put a male and female together for longer than a few hours when I wanted them to breed.
Males very rarely live with other males. They tend to get territorial and one will try and dominate the other. This will usually result in serious injury or even death. Some males may tolerate each other when they are outside of their hutches (in a run or the garden) as opposed to being kept together in 1 cage.
Females will nearly always live happily with another female. This is particularly true if both Doe's have been introduced from a very early age, or are from the same litter. You may, sometimes, be able to introduce an older female to another one but I suggest you watch them closely for a few days to make sure they do not fight. Does make better pets as they have a better temperament than bucks and will quite happily live together without fighting.
Males can be neutered and then they will be able to live with the female and you will not have to worry about an unwanted pregnancy. This is great because they get companionship which makes them happy and healthier. Neutering male/male and female/female pairs also means they are more likely to live together without fighting.
Answer 3: In my experience, the answer is 'Yes'. And 'No'.
'Yes', if you have only the two rabbits and the cage is large enough to afford each of them some privacy. And also 'Yes' if they are a romantically involved pair that you want to breed.
'No' if they are not romantically inclined or if the cage is too small.
And a resounding 'NO!' if they have already had their babies. If the male is kept in the cage with the female there is a much better than 1 in 2 chance that he will kill the babies, and possibly the mother as well. In fact, if you are certain the female is pregnant, remove the male immediately.
Answer 4: NO, NO, NO Every rabbit needs it's own space. The ONLY time a buck and a doe should share a cage is during the brief mating process (15 minutes tops) and then the doe should be taken to the bucks cage and removed as soon as they breed.
The entire text above about bucks killing babies and does is erroneous. A doe is more likely to kill a buck than the other way around. And if you don't have a buck in with your babies he will not kill them. The way that most babies are killed is by over anxious does jumping in and out of the nest box and stomping them. This would be true if the buck jumped in and out of the nest box also. What would cause a doe to do this?? Predators, loud children, fireworks, strangers in the area, all will cause a doe to become anxious.
Males and females can live together quite happily but you must be prepared for the consequences - Doe's breed continuously throughout the year and it would be very unfair to breed her so many times, not to mention the effect it would have on her general health. I personally have never put a male and female together for longer than a few hours when I wanted them to breed.
Males very rarely live with other males. They tend to get territorial and one will try and dominate the other. This will usually result in serious injury or even death. Some males may tolerate each other when they are outside of their hutches (in a run or the garden) as opposed to being kept together in 1 cage.
Females will nearly always live happily with another female. This is particularly true if both Doe's have been introduced from a very early age, or are from the same litter. You may, sometimes, be able to introduce an older female to another one but I suggest you watch them closely for a few days to make sure they do not fight. Does make better pets as they have a better temperament than bucks and will quite happily live together without fighting.
Males can be neutered and then they will be able to live with the female and you will not have to worry about an unwanted pregnancy. This is great because they get companionship which makes them happy and healthier. Neutering male/male and female/female pairs also means they are more likely to live together without fighting.
The RSPCA advise against keeping Guinea Pigs with rabbits as they have different dietary needs, have different ways of communicating and rabbits can do very nasty injuries to them.
You can't just put two or more rabbits together and expect them to get along, though. You can't let them fight, either: it could lead to serious injury, and it's emotionally traumatic. Before two rabbits can live together they need to be "bonded." See the related question below for details and helpful links.
What does it mean if your rabbit is sneezing a lot?
It can mean they have sneezed; some rabbits also do this when they have something stuck up their nose.
If a rabbit sneezes repeatedly on a frequent basis or the sneezing is accompanied by nasal discharge it would be advisable to have them check out by a vet!
What do 7-8 weeks old bunnies look like?
They look like mini rabbits. They have all their baby fur, huge legs, opened eyes and almost everything else adult rabbits have besides the visible mating parts of the male bunnies. Right now we have baby rabbits that are about that age that are half mini rex and half something else. It was a surprise that our rabbits had babies for they were never in the same cage besides the time we went on vacation... they were not in the same cage yet they were in cages next to each other. Our rabbit had a fully healthy litter although she had her first and hopefully last litter.... They can be cute but sometimes they bite... ouch! Hope I helped!
_POLOHGIRL_
What does it mean if your rabbit has diarrhea?
Baby rabbits with diarrhea are seriously ill and in danger of death. If your baby rabbit has diarrhea, bring it to a vet immediately!
If your adult rabbit has diarrhea, it may actually have cecal dysbiosis -- unformed cecals. *Bring your rabbit to your "rabbit-savvy" vet as soon as possible so you can determine the actual cause, and to treat the symptoms.*
Cecals (aka cecotropes, night feces) are a specialized kind of dropping that rabbits consume and redigest in order to get maximal nutritional value from their food. Cecals usually aren't seen by humans because they're consumed straight from the anus, but sometimes a spare one or two is left behind. A well-formed cecal is a small round ball, mushier than a rabbit's normal droppings but still with a regular shape -- sometimes they're found clustered together in a grape formation. Unformed or mushy cecals can be bigger, the size of a normal dropping, and they can be anything from just a little mushier than usual, to a runny liquid.
When you keep finding unformed cecals over a day or two, that could mean your rabbit isn't eating enough fibre (hay). Rabbits need a diet high in fibre: they should eat mostly hay (grass hay for adults, alfalfa for juveniles), with limited amounts of pellets and fresh greens daily. Too many fruits and vegetables can also lead to cecal dysbiosis; some rabbits are more sensitive to some fruits and vegetables than others -- closely observe and get to know your bunny on a personal level!
If encouraging hay, and feeding the right amounts of pellets and greens, doesn't resolve your rabbit's diarrhea within a day or two, or if you notice any other signs of ill health in your rabbit, bring her to the vet as soon as possible. Keep a close eye on your rabbit at this time! It's important that you bring your rabbit to the vet so that her symptoms can be treated and the true underlying cause can be identified.
