RABBIT HABITS

RABBIT HABITS

Just a little rabbit care information from the educational tunnel of the Rabbit Rescue Sanctuary Australia...

• RABBITS GRAZE so don't give them 'meal times'. They must have a hay bag or rack with an unlimited supply of premium top grade fresh and clean hay. They should also have a bowl of fresh premium grade rabbit pellets to eat whenever they feel the need. Change daily as they go stale. Ensure no damp or mouldy pellets are in the bottom of the bowl. Keep it clean.

• RABBITS DRINK best from a ceramic bowl. Rabbit drinkers such as water bottles with sippers often fail. The ball in the sipper becomes stuck or the pipe has cutting edges that hurt the rabbit's tongue. A heavy ceramic bowl keeps water cool and bunnies can wash their faces too. A ceramic bowl is hard for a rabbit to tip over so don't be tempted to use plastic that they can grab with their teeth and flip over which leaves them without water.

• RABBITS SLEEP A LOT Rabbits are “crepuscular” (their most active times are early morning and evening and their deepest sleep occurs in the afternoon.) This makes them great pets for working people as they are ready to play when you are home before and after work. They don't make any noise to disturb neighbours while you are away from the house.

• RABBITS NEED A FRIEND so they can snuggle together when sleeping, play when awake, share food, etc. No human can satisfy a rabbit’s need for constant companionship. Think of all the times you won't be sitting with your rabbit e.g. while shopping, working, visiting, sport, gym, or while you are asleep all night in bed and your bunny sleeps alone.

• RABBITS DIE IF NOT PROTECTED FROM MOZZIES & FLEAS so keep them protected by keeping them in the home especially during the evening and night. Fly screen, electric and sun powered mosquito zappers and Advantix for Dogs on the back of the neck to kill fleas and repell mosquitoes if applied fortnightly. To apply you need a one ml syringe from the chemist or vet. Draw up the amount from the tube into the syringe. Apply to the back of the neck in a few places. If you put in one place it may 'pool' and just soak up into the fur or burn the skin. The aim is to get it to soak into the skin in a few places at the back of the neck where the bunny can't lick it. The dose rate is 0.1ml per kg so weigh your rabbit first.

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Adopt a Rabbit

Adopt a rabbit and receive advice and ongoing support from The Rabbit Rescue Sanctuary Australia.  We guarantee to take back or swap our rabbits if not suitable at any time during the life of the rabbit.

We believe that there is an owner for every rabbit. Each rabbit we rescue comes along with it's own individual personality and needs, sometimes training requirements. Sometimes a rescue rabbit may have health problems. These are seen to by our veterinarians that are very experienced with rabbit health.  

We believe there is an owner suitable for every rescue rabbit

There are those that will only adopt a "perfect" pet rabbit and other people who are willing to take on a "less than perfect" healthwise rabbit and care for him or her.  Sometimes rabbits we rescue come to us with fear and unsociable behaviours. Our Foster Carers and Volunteers work with those bunnies to train them and get them to gain trust in humans. Some people are willing to adopt those rabbits and continue to care for them and help them to overcome fear and train them in better ways of behaving. 

Why Adopt a Pet Rabbit? Rabbits as a pets

Why adopt a rabbit for a pet you might ask!  

Here are some reasons why a rabbit makes a good pet.  (Please add a comment at the bottom as it helps us on Google which helps us get more homes for rabbits.)

Rabbits are a no noise pet

Many people these days live in houses with small yards, close to other neighbours.  Rabbits make a quiet pet so are less likely to disturb the people next door than other pet types.

Rabbits are a low cost pet

Rabbits are cheap to feed compared with some other pets.  A rabbit needs around a cup or two of rabbit pellets a day, their body volume in hay, around a cup of vegetables and fresh water.  Other food items can be added to that however the feed cost per day is around 50 cents if that.  Pet litter for the rabbit's litter tray will add approximately another 50 cents per day.  We recommend Barastoc Rabbit Pellets as they are formulated for rabbits and contain the vitamins and minerals they need.  If you buy a bale of top quality hay and a big bag of rabbit pellets they will last you for ages and keep fresh in plastic bins with lids.  If you adopt a rabbit from the Rabbit Rescue Sanctuary you get added value because your rabbit will already have been vaccinated, wormed, mite treated and desexed.  If you adopt you save two rabbits: the one you adopt and the one you make a space for.  See our article on Cost of a rabbit for more information.

Rabbit housing 

Your pet rabbit can live in your home with you with a few accessories such as a playpen, small kennel, box or tunnel, ceramic food and water dishes (so rabbit can't tip over), rabbit litter tray with pet litter in a corner of the playpen, sheet of thick, clear plastic to protect floor under the playpen.  We recommend the HoundHouse company's "RabbitHouse" which is a canvas collapsable kennel.  It has a mesh bottom with short legs so bunny can jump into it and be off the floor. In summer the mesh bottom allows air to circulate keeping your rabbit cool.  Depending on your budget, pet enclosure fencing is available from Bunnings at a cost of 4 panels for $25 approximately. Look for it in their garden recycling bins area. You will need a minimum of two packs which will give you 8 metres of pet fencing. It comes with corner connectors so you can make a square or rectangle rabbit playpen.

Rabbit Toilet Training and Cleaning

Rabbits rarely need much encouragement to use their pet litter tray if it is a) in corner of enclosure b) always in same place c) changed daily.  Cleaning of the rabbit enclosure is easy and requires just a quick sweep up of any little 'mistakes' with a brush and tray and wipe over the plastic floor covering with sponge and warm water with a little detergent and vinegar in it. The vinegar removes any traces of smell which is nice and also keeps the rabbit aware of going in his litter box.

Rabbits as a Companion Pet

Rabbits love to be in company.  We recommend two rabbits so that one is never alone while you are away at work or school or just plain busy.  Your pet rabbit will bathe in the joy of your company.  A rabbit loves you to watch them, talk to them, offer them pieces of their food or a treat.  Once your rabbit grows to trust you he or she will hop over to you and enjoy a gentle stroking and tickles around the face and neck with your finger.

Pet Rabbits for Adoption

Have you got room in your home and your heart for a pet rabbit?  They are easy to keep if you set it up right.

We suggest this kit for a house rabbit:

Pet enclosure playpen (buy cheaply the wire panels at Bunnings who sell them in their garden recycling aisle.
HoundHouse's RabbitHouse to sleep and hide in
Ceramic (heavy) food and water dish
Litter tray with pet litter in corner of pet enclosure.
Barastoc Rabbit Pellets, Hay, Carrot, Greens

Your rabbit from the Rabbit Rescue Sanctuary will come desexed, vaccinated, wormed, litter trained, loving people and pats.

Can you provide a home for a bunny in your house and heart?

Our Rabbit Adoption website blog thingy.