About rabbits
There are many different types of rabbits available today. Amongst some of the most popular include: Dutch, Flemish giant, Netherland dwarf, lops etc.
You can keep a rabbit on it own or keep it with another rabbit. It is usually said that you can keep two males together or two female’s together ok. However you cannot guarantee they will get on and not fight. Some people also keep their rabbit together with a guinea pig, however this idea is heavily disputed as they can fight and the rabbit could do the guinea pig some serious harm with its powerful back legs.
Rabbit Housing (hutches)
There are many rabbit houses or rabbit ‘hutches’ on the market, varying in size and cost. These are available from any good pet stores and also on the internet from online pet shops. Rabbit hutches can be made from either plastic & wire or from wood. Wooden hutches tend to be more popular and are more widely available. These rabbit hutches are made from weather proof materials and should last for a long time.
It is also wise to think about purchasing a rabbit run too, as rabbit's love being able to hop around freely, with the security of protecting them from other animals and stopping them running away. Again there are many different rabbit runs on the market. These vary in size and shape. It is usually a good idea to buy a rabbit run which has a section covered. This helps your rabbit stay cool in the hot weather and dry in the wet weather.
Rabbit Bedding
First of all you should put down some newspaper or wood shavings on the floor of the hutch. This is there to soak up wet patches. It is then advisable to put a straw down on top of the paper/shavings. This acts as a bed for your rabbit. Your rabbit will move the straw around and create a nice comfy bed for themselves.
It is important to remember that the rabbit hutch should ideally be cleaned every day to ensure a clean and fresh environment for your rabbit.
Rabbit Food
Before you buy your rabbit it is always to good idea to ask the breeder, shop keepers which rabbit food they have been feeding the rabbit with. This is due to the fact that any sudden change of diet can upset the rabbit’s stomach. Therefore it is always a good idea to keep feeding the same food, or if you want to change it, ensure this is done gradually over time.
There are two main types of rabbit food on the market. This includes rabbit mix and rabbit pellets. Rabbit mix is available from all good pet shops and varies in size and cost. You can buy small quantities such as 2.5kg all the way up to 15kg. Rabbit mixes usually contain some of the following ingredients: Flaked peas, grass pellets, oats, flaked maize, extruded biscuits, extruded locust beans, flaked wheat, whole wheat, herbs. The only possible disadvantage with mixes is the fact that some rabbit will be selective and only eat certain ingredients.
The other type of rabbit food you can buy is rabbit pellets. Some people favour this type of food as it can stop selective feeding. However this food can look a little boring.
These are some of the rabbit mixtures available on the market:
www.mypetfoods.co.uk/rabbits.html
http://www.dodsonandhorrell.com/uk/chudleys/pet/rabbit/rabbit-royale
These are some of the rabbit pellets available on the market:
http://www.naturalpetfoodcompany.com/
It is also important to remember that rabbit’s also love eating hay. This is extremely good for them, you can buy specially designed hay racks, which fit to the side of the hutch and let your rabbit eat the hay whenever they want.
Rabbit Treats & nibbles
As with humans, rabbit’s like a treat every now and again. Rabbits love things like parsnips, carrots, apples and cabbage. The harder fruits and vegetables are great for your rabbit’s teeth. However it is important to remember that too much of these treats can cause stomach problems.
It is also good to remember that rabbit’s teeth continue to grow all the time. Therefore it is a good idea to provide things like mineral blocks which help sharpen teeth. Also you can buy hazel sticks and other specialist wood sticks from pet stores. These help to ensure you rabbit teeth stay healthy.
[Guide2rabbits - a quick guide to pet rabbits - Food - Hutches - Bedding - Treats]
Rabbit food – rabbit pellets – rabbit mix – rabbit hutches links
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