Rabbits are popular pets during the Easter season, but there are many things you need to know about keeping a rabbit as a pet before you bring one home. While they can make for great house pets, they do require special care and attention in order to live a long and healthy life.
Bonding with Your Pet Rabbit
Aside from the fact that they are cute and cuddly, rabbits make good pets for a number of reasons. For example, they are very social animals and are generally very tame, particularly if they are handled gently on a regular basis. Rabbits also have a tendency to form tight bonds with their owners and they can be very fun to play with and to watch. Rabbits generally do not care for being held, though they do enjoy spending time sitting next to their owners. In addition, since they are very social creatures, you need to be certain to provide them with attention and opportunities for exercise on a daily basis.
Feeding Your Pet Rabbit
In order to stay healthy, your pet rabbit will need to follow a diet that includes a variety of different foods. Rabbit pellets alone are not enough for a healthy diet, as rabbits also need to eat plenty of roughage such as fresh vegetables and hay. You should not feed grass from your lawn to your rabbit, however as it may contain pesticides, herbicides or other harmful chemicals.
Training Your Pet for Life Indoors
If you plan to keep your pet rabbit inside, you should also take a few steps to keep both your pet and your home safe. For example, keep toys and other small objects out of reach of your rabbit so your rabbit can’t chew on them. Not only is this a safety issue, it can also result in some of your favorite items getting damaged.
You can also prepare your pet for life indoors by litter training your rabbit. Although litter box training isn’t quite as simple as it is with a cat, a little time and patience will help your new pet learn how to use the litter box properly. Keep in mind, however, that rabbit urine tends to be very strong and it can be difficult to clean if it is allowed to dry up. Therefore, you should be prepared to clean the litter box on a regular basis. You can also help reduce the odor by having your pet spayed or neutered. In addition, if your rabbit does urinate somewhere outside of the litter box, you may need to use a vinegar mixture to get the mess cleaned up.
If you plan to put your rabbit in a cage at night or while you are away from home, you should avoid the traditional rabbit cage with a wire floor. While this flooring is designed to help make cleaning easier, the wire can cause sores to develop on your pet’s feet. Rather, cover the floor with a sisal mat, a piece of wood or other solid flooring that will be more comfortable for your pet.
