Preparing for your new rabbit
When deciding to bring a new rabbit home, you must first prepare for all it's needs.
Rabbits are very time consuming, fragile creatures who require a lot of attention!
Housing
YES, your rabbit may live inside! They may also live outside!
Whether they are housed in or out, they will most likely require a cage.
If you opt not to get them a cage; they will at least need somewhere they are able to hide.
Always provide your rabbit with a dry, covered area to escape from harsh temperatures!
ENrichment
As rabbits are quite social creatures, you will need to provide them with attention daily!
They are also at high risk of becoming bored if left in a cage all day, or are lacking social attention.
Rabbits who become bored are likely to become depressed, and start becoming anxious around you.
Ways to prevent this are to;
Provide your rabbit with a friend, though please remember this does not always work!!
Not all rabbits are able to live with another rabbit peacefully.
Provide your rabbit with toys such as toilet rolls, sticks, boxes to jump on and in, balls and more.
Play with and pet your rabbit daily!
Feeding
There are many debates on what is best to feed your rabbit.
Every rabbit in every household is different!
The easiest way to make sure your rabbit is eating an appropriate diet, is to feed them a good quality hay; such as Oaten and leafy greens or grass daily. Many do not feed their rabbits vegetables everyday as this can be expensive. This is understandable!
Another food option is to find a complete rabbit pellet, such as Barastoc Rabbit Pellets or Hygain Country Vital
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Fruits can be used as a treat on occasion and are much healthier than any "treats" you can buy at a pet store!
Weather
Rabbits are thick furred creatures, some breeds even have a double coat! This means that your rabbits do NOT cope well in the heat.
Any weather over 25 degrees Celsius is starting to become too hot for your pet.
If your rabbit lives outside, try your best to bring them in if it goes over 30-35 degrees.
Whenever it is hot, a great solution can be to provide your rabbit with frozen water bottles, ice cubes in their water, cold tiles in their cage, frozen fruit and veggies, or dampening their ears regularly with a face washer.
Another good idea is to always have air-conditioning in an area where you house your rabbit.