Loving Your Pet: Caring For Your First Rabbit

Created ByGJW Titmuss

ContentsYour First Pet Rabbit Slide 3

Equipment and Supplies Slide 4A Sufficient Rabbit Home Slide 5

Cage Maintenance Slide 6Handling Your Rabbit Slide 7

Handling Your Rabbit (Part 2) Slide 8Mixing Rabbits Slide 9

Mixing Rabbits (Part 2) Slide 10Registering with a Vet Slide 11

Insurance Slide 12Infections and Symptoms Slide 13

Diet and Food Slide 14 Diet and Food (Part 2) Slide 15

Water Slide 16Exercise Slide 17

Social Details Slide 18Image Sources Slide 19

Your First Pet RabbitCuddly, curious and adorable, rabbits make for the perfect pet for the whole family to enjoy.

So, if you are about to become a first time owner, make sure you offer these fluffy bundles of joy the love, care and attention they deserve.

If you look out for their needs, you will share some excellent memories together that will last you a lifetime.

Equipment and SuppliesIn order to look after your rabbit properly, you’ll need to purchase the following items:

Cage or hutchExercise runLitter box and scoopFood dishesRabbit foodWater bottle/bowlCarrierHayBrushToysCleaning spraysChews

With this equipment, your new pet can live a decent life in comfortable surroundings.

A Sufficient Rabbit Home• Your pet will need space to thrive and develop

• Remember that they will get bigger over time, so purchase a larger cage to house them

• They should be able to hop a few steps and stretch without hitting the top of the cage

• A cage with a solid base, as opposed to wire flooring, is the preferred option

Cage MaintenanceClean your cage on a weekly basis by carrying out the following:

• Remove all hay, bedding and other equipment

• Clean all surfaces using hot soapy water

• Use vinegar to remove urine stains on the base of the cage

• Wash all feeding bowls, litter boxes and soiled toys and let them dry thoroughly

• Once the cage is dry, add newspaper to the base before relaying hay and bedding

• Put the equipment back into the cage

Handling Your RabbitRabbits can be interactive - however as they are a prey species, you need to be calm around them so that they don’t become stressed.

Always be gentle when handling them, as they have delicate skeletons and it won’t take much force to cause them damage.

Before you pick your pet up, allow them to get used to you at their level first – a good way to do this is to lie down and feed them greens.

Handling Your Rabbit (Part 2)Once they are comfortable with you in their surroundings, you can try and pick them up.

• Always do this with both hands placed either side of their spine for additional support

• Hold them close to your body and allow them to lie along your forearm

• Their face should be near to your upper arm, so that they can shield themselves if they feel threatened

• Make sure their nose isn’t blocked so that they can breathe properly

• Never be forceful with them or hold them by the ears

Mixing RabbitsSuccessful integration between two rabbits can be achieved, although this must be completed with caution.

When mixed with other rabbits, some can become aggressive, so make sure you monitor their behaviour.

• Young rabbits from the same litter shouldn’t have any difficulty in integrating

• However, if males and females are put together, the male should be neutered to avoid unwanted pregnancy

Mixing Rabbits (Part 2)If you already own a rabbit and you’re looking to bring another one into their territory, follow these steps:

• Allow them to bond on neutral grounds – such as in a pen or exercise run

• Place vegetables and toys in the pen/run so that they feel more comfortable

• During this phase it’s natural for them to smell each other

• If aggressive behaviour is displayed and continues, split them up and try integration at a later date

Registering with a Vet Register with a local vet at the earliest stage possible.

A vet will be able to help your pet if they become ill, catch an infection or disease, or require surgery.

They will also administer vaccinations and answer any questions you have relating to your pet’s health and wellbeing.

InsuranceA well as registering with a vet, you should also make sure that you have sufficient insurance in place for your rabbit.

Depending on your policy, insurance will assist with:

• Loss• Theft• Vets bills• Medical treatment• Death from illness• Death from injury

Without this in place, you could incur expenses which you weren’t prepared for.

Infections and Symptoms Check your rabbit on a regular basis to make sure they haven’t caught any of the following infections:

Infection Symptoms

Fly strike

Eggs present on damp fur, the anus, or other areas of the rabbit that are moist, maggots on the rabbit’s skin.

Pasteurella (snuffles)

Sneezing, coloured discharge from the nose and eye, matted hair on legs from excessive wiping of the nose.

CoccidiosisLack of appetite, rough coat, weight loss, potbelly, diarrhoea.

Ear mitesScratching the ears, shaking the head, brown waxy substance in the ears.

Fur-mites

Loss of fur around the face, neck and back, poor coat condition.

Diet and FoodRabbits need to consume their own bodyweight in fresh hay, so make sure they have plenty of it available every day.

Commercial rabbit food and fresh greens can also form part of a sufficient and stable diet.

Safe greens Unsafe greens

Asparagus Bindweed

Broccoli Bracken

Cabbage Oak leaves

Celery leaves Foxglove

Courgette Rhubarb leaves

Kale Yew

Rocket Privet

Diet and Food (Part 2)• A sudden change in diet may potentially upset a rabbit’s

stomach • Therefore, changes should be made over the duration of a

week • Portions should slowly increase in size too, allowing them

to adapt to the new food • Treats can be provided, although natural types are the

best option

Water• It’s imperative that your pet has access to fresh drinking

water at all times

• Regularly check their cage and top up any bottles that are low

• Make sure they have more water in the summer when the temperature is hotter

• If they are consuming more water than normal, consult your vet

ExerciseAs rabbits need between two to three hours of free run time a day, the best way to achieve this is to place them in their exercise run daily.

Keep an eye on them at all times so that they don’t escape or get attacked by predators.

Maintaining a regular routine will ensure that your pet stays healthy, so always look out for their needs.

GJW Titmuss

@GJWTitmuss /GJWtitmuss

Contact us today:

www.gjwtitmuss.co.uk

As a leading online pet store, GJW Titmuss offer a wide range of pet food, products and accessories. Based in Lamer Lane, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, customers can view our website or visit our store directly.

Web orders - 01582 839114 / store - 01582 833883

enquires@GJWTitmuss.co.uk

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Image Creditshttp://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-52070650/stock-photo-two-satin-mini-lop-rabbits-next-to-each-other%2C-isolated-on-whitehttp://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-45759079/stock-photo-white-rabbit-bunny-babyhttp://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-52380508/stock-photo-rabbithttp://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-953286/stock-photo-rabbit-hutchhttp://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-35665556/stock-photo-happy-girl-with-a-rabbit-in-her-armshttp://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-52072651/stock-photo-close-up-of-satin-mini-lop-rabbits-s-profile%2C-isolated-on-whitehttp://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-40646626/stock-photo-mid-section-of-young-male-veterinarian-doctor-carrying-a-rabbit-at-medical-clinichttp://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-13787804/stock-photo-image-of-cautious-rabbit-in-green-grass-outdoor