rare Gal { BUNNY ae \ 4 THE 5 PILLARS OF CARE for a ae RABBIT pa care is not as simple or straightforward Ca as most people think. Rabbits are intelligent and social creatures, with complex dietary needs. When you bring your rabbit home for the first time, you'll need to make some changes to your household and daily routine to make sure your rabbit is as. happy and healthy as can be. BASICS OF RABBIT CARE: 2 plier 2 ARBIeee 6 CURA NG —— 4. LITTER_TRAINING 5. SOCIA ON WE WILL GO OVER EACH OF THESE CATEGORIES TO MAKE = SURE YOU ARE PREPARED FOR LIFE WITH A HAPPY BUNNY! BUNNYLADY. COMThe vast majority of a rabbit's diet should be made up of ‘grass-based hay. Its vitally important to your rabbit's digestive health. You want to give your rabbit unlimited timothy hay, and you can add in some other types of hay (such as oat or orchard hay) to give your rabbit some variety. Alfalfa hay should only be given to rabbits younger than 6 months old. GREENS PELLETS Leafy greens are a valuable addition Pellets provide useful protein and to the rabbit's diet. They provide proteins nutrients. Make sure to use pellets that and nutrients that help rabbits thrive. do not have all the colorful fruity pieces. Measure it out: 1-2 cups/day Measure it out: Only % - #6 a cup/day. TREATS Give your rabbit some fresh or dried fruits and vegetables as treats, but only in small amounts. Too many sugary treats are not good for a rabbit's digestive system, Measure it out: Less than 1 - 2 Thsp/day Rabbits need to stay hydrated, so make sure to give them some fresh water every day. It's better to give your rabbit water in a bowl because that encourages them to drink more. But some rabbits are sloppy drinkers and like to flip their bowls over. For them you'll want to get a large water bottle instead,SAFE LEAFY GREENS * ARUGULA * KALE ° BASIL «© MINT * BOK CHOY * PARSLEY ° CABBAGE © ROMAINE LETTUCE * CARROT TOPS * SAGE ¢ DANDELION GREENS © SPINACH ¢ DILL ° THYME * LEAFY LETTUCE WATERCRESS Carrots are not a healthy food for rabbits. You can give your bunny little pieces of carrot as treats, but you don’t want it to be a main part of their diet. * APPLES ° KIWI * BANANAS * LEMONS ¢ BELL PEPPERS * MANGO ¢ BLACKBERRIES © ORANGES * BLUEBERRIES * PAPAYA * BROCCOLI ¢ PINEAPPLE * CARROTS * RASPBERRIES * CRANBERRIES * STRAWBERRIES * CUCUMBERS * TOMATOES * GRAPES © ZUCCHINI BUNNYLADY . COM/RABBIT-DIETCY. gS MOST CAGES SOLD FOR RABBITS ARE MUCH TOO SMALL! WHY INDOOR RABBIT: Rabbits are much safer and happier when they are kept inside. Outdoors there are many predators and bugs that can attack and infect rabbits. Our bunnies also struggle with extreme weather conditions and get depressed if they are left alone outside all the time. ENCLOSURE SIZE: Your rabbits enclosure should be 3-4 times the full length of your rabbit. While the width of the enclosure should be at least, 1 length of your rabbit. You also need to make sure your rabbit can stand up completely on their hind legs without bumping the top. These are minimum sizes, ‘you can always go bigger! Rabbits should get at least 1-2 hours of exercise a day (more is EXERCISE: _ better). this means letting your rabbit roam a larger area of your house while you supervise them to keep them out of trouble. BUNNYLADY . COM/BEST-RABBIT-CAGERABBIT PEN: Instead of using a cage, | always recommend that people use a rabbit playpen for their enclosure. You can use an area rug underneath to protect the floor from your rabbit's digging. METAL CAGE: Some metal cages, such as large dog crates, are big enough for rabbits. You should avoid any cage that has a wire bottom, since that cause cause sores on rabbit feet. WOODEN HUTCH: Wooden hutches are a popular option for housing rabbits. Be sure to check the type of wood being PLASTIC CAGE: used. Some types, such as Most plastic cages are too small, cedar, are poisonous to rabbits. but you may find a large plastic cage that is suitable for a small rabbit. [7] FOOD DISHES [7] WATER [| HIDING HOUSE [2] LITTER BOX [2] HAY TROUGHaida. RABBIT -PROOFING RABBITS ARE NOTORIOUS TROUBLEMAKERS. THEIR INSTINCTS TO DIG AND CHEW ON EVERYTHING CAN WREAK HAVOC ON AN UNPROTECTED HOUSEHOLD. 1. WIRES Move your wires away from your rabbit's reach or cover them with plastic tubing. 2. CARPETS Try putting plastic mats on the ground to keep your rabbit from digging into corners. 3. BASEBOARDS Block access to baseboards by using DIY cube fencing or even just flattened cardboard boxes. a 4. UNDER FURNITURE Block off access under sofas and beds or put plastic mats down to keep them from damaging the carpet. 5. MISC. ITEMS Keep dangerous item (such as houseplants, space heaters, or standing fans) out of your rabbit's reach. Give your rabbit a lot of different toys that they can chew on. This will be good for their teeth and keep them distracted from more destructive ways they can use their teeth. ] OY. BUNNYLADY . COM/BUNNY—PROOF INGTOOLS YOU NEED: 1. PAPER-BASED LITTER 2. 3-5 LITTER BOXES 3. POOPER SCOOPER 4. NEWSPAPER * Start by keeping your rabbit in a smaller space. * Place a litter box to the corner your rabbit uses as a bathroom * Move some of your rabbit's poop and a pee soaked newspaper into the litter box.LA fH MTT * Give the rabbit more space during exercise times. tt | HO + Place extra litter boxes around the room. * Clean up any accidents thoroughly. * Start removing the extra litter boxes one at a time. + If your rabbit has an accident, put the litter box back and try again in a couple days. DID YOU KNOW? Rabbits that haven't been spayed or neutered are a lot harder to litter train. They also tend to be more aggressive and have more health complications. Contact your vet today to get your rabbit fixed. BUNNYLADY . COM/LITTER-TRAIN-YOUR-RABBITwith your PY = RABBITS ARE VERY SOCIAL CREATURES AND ARE MUCH HAPPIER IF THEY CAN SPEND TIME WITH YOU AND THE FAMILY. 1. SIT WITH YOUR RABBIT Most rabbits don't like to be held. ‘They get scared when their feet leave the ground because they won't be able to run away if they sense danger. Try to spend time with your rabbit sitting on the floor with them, instead of picking them up every time you interact. 3. TRAIN YOUR RABBITBa Ma LANGUAGE LOAF Relaxed or sleeping BINKY FLOPPED Happy and excited Sleeping HUNCHED q Sick or in pain Bo BGGRESSINE = Territorial or scared THUMP Upset or scared & —_ o 4 EARS FORWARD ALERT Curious or cautious LICKING Scared or cautious Grooming or territory marking BUNNYLADY . COM/RABBIT-BODY—LANGUAGE