How To Care For Rabbits
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- Videojug
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How To Care For Rabbits
If you're interested in owning a rabbit, or perhaps have one or two already, follow London Vauxhall City Farm's step by step guide to caring for your rabbit. Learn with VideoJug on how to look after these sociable animals properly.
Step 1: Housing and bedding
You can keep your rabbit indoors or outdoors. They need a large weatherproof home off the ground, out of direct sunlight and strong winds. The floor should be flat, not wire, and covered with a thick layer of straw or wood chippings, with extra for bedding. The enclosure should be escape-proof and safe from predators like foxes, dogs and cats.
Step 2: Handling
Rabbits are naturally shy and nervous animals, and need a lot of handling to make them easy to catch and hold.
Step 3: Diet
Rabbits have sensitive digestive systems, and so a balanced diet is important. Half of a healthy rabbit's diet should consist of coarse hay and straw, to eat, chew and prevent boredom. Give each rabbit a handful of rabbit food mix or food pellets per day. Rabbit food mixes contain cereals, fruit and vegetable flakes and herbs. Pellets are not as appetising to look at, but each one ensures that the rabbit gets a balance of the nutrients it needs.
A good diet should also include occasional small chunks of fresh lettuce and carrots, and plenty of water.
To check that your rabbit is a healthy weight, run your hands firmly over it's back. If you can't feel it's spine easily, then it's likely that your rabbit is overweight. If it's too prominent, the rabbit may be underweight. Talk to your vet about how to manage your rabbit's diet.
Step 4: Exercise and play
Let your rabbits out to play every day in a large, safe area. As well as running and jumping, rabbits love exploring their surroundings.
Rabbits have evolved teeth that constantly grow to make up for wear and tear caused by chewing tough vegetation. A rabbit needs plenty of wood and straw to gnaw on to keep its teeth at the right length.
Step 5: Cleaning
Clean out your rabbit's hutch or home every day if you can.
Completely clear the old straw and wood shavings from their home, and refill.
Step 6: Grooming
Rabbit's can usually keep themselves clean, but they will benefit from occasional grooming. Small grooming brushes and mitts can be bought from pet shops. Sit down with the animal on your lap. Pick off any mud or droppings from the animals coat. Brush in the direction of the fur. Don't be too rough and be careful of the rabbit's eyes. Make sure whole animal is groomed and cleaned, including the belly. Rabbit's nails need to be trimmed occasionally, when they get too long. If you've never done this before, get a vet to show you how. Done badly, it could hurt the rabbit.
Step 7: Health
The eyes of a rabbit should be bright and clear with no discharge. The ears should be free of excess wax. The nose should be free of discharge. Gently pull apart its lips with your fingers. The teeth should overlap by only a small distance. The gums should be pink and free of discharge, ulcers or red areas.
By running your hands over the animal's body you should be able to detect any lumps on unevenness, and check for any fur loss.
If you spot anything abnormal, contact your vet as soon as possible.
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03:04
Clean A Rabbit
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02:52
Care For Dwarf Rabbits
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02:46
Care For Hamsters
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02:51
Care For Ferrets
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03:44
Begin Caring For Rabbits
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03:20
Choose A Rabbit Cage
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02:43
Identify Different Breeds Of Rabbits
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01:50
Determine Rabbit Gender
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02:16
Organise Pet Insurance For Rabbits
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03:57
Draw A Cartoon Rabbit
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02:00
Calculate Growth Rate
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04:34
Draw A Bunny
Tips & Comments
Rabbits can eat dark leaf lettuce as long as it's not too often, Jesus people! Seriously I'm in 4-H and have raised/shown rabbits for 4 years, and have always given rabbits romaine lettuce as an occasional treat and they're all still alive and perfectly healthy. Get your facts straight -.-
There is NO reason to feed your rabbit pellets unless he or she is a picky eater..alot of people just go straight into feeding them pellets because it's BEST! People do this without even first knowing or checking how their rabbit eats or what it likes...which is stupid and thoughtless! Also imagine eating the same thing DAY IN DAY OUT!! If your bun is a good eater and always eats what in her bowl then all you need to do is make sure the food is balanced, and also feed little but often, dont give your bun a full bowl, there will be alot of waste this way, feed little and often like half a cup three times daily...this is what my buns get and their bowls are always well eaten and they have ad lib hay and water (ad lib means constant supply)
im going to get a rabbit soon and all you lot are trying to say its bad well i got believe in ya lot!!!
WABBITSSS! ^___^
This video isnt very good, firstly rabbits shouldnt be fed that crap with lettuce bits in it because they just take out the bits they like and leave the good stuff therefore they need to be fed on the pellets. Also where is the mention of keeping a rabbit indoors? I have two rabbits who live indoors with me and they make excellent indoor pets! Finally rabbits should always be neutered/spayed, this is because rabbits have more than 80% chance of getting cancer if they are not and can cause alot of pain and stress. There is alot more to rabbits than people think. There was also no mention of a binky, this is the jump a rabbit does when it is extremely happy and usally only indoor bunnies do this as outdoor bunnies often get forgotten and are lonely alot of the time. www.binkybunny.com has the best information for the care of rabbits.
um...I think you should take the rabbit to the vet if you think it has a broken spine...I have 2 rabbits!! the black one in the film looks exactly like one of mine!! My other one is a lionhead/netherland dwarf cross. They are both rescues! If anyone is thinking of getting a rabbit, I would strongly advise getting one from a rescue centre as they usually have loads of choice and there are still baby ones! They are just as cute and need loving homes!
I think that video jug should change this video. Beginners could watch this and not treat their rabbit properly! In every category it says to ask a vet about it, so what is the point in making this video? By the way, lettuce is NOT ok! It's too watery, and leads to diarrhea and the next stage is death! You should read books on rabbit care, because the books are read through by experts to see if it is right. With websites, no experts read them to say that they are right! NEVER pick up a rabbit the way they said to do! It will seriously harm the poor rabbit! You SCOOP them underneath and support their legs!
Would you believe most people think picking a rabbit up by its ear is good for it?!?! This film is totally basic, if i wasnt allgeric to them i would get another rabbit and make my own vidoe... geese the videojug people have no clue on a basic pets needs. first timers DONT use this advice!!
Are you seriously NOT supposed to feed a rabbit lettuce?! My vet even said to do so. I know not to feed them Iceburg lettuce (too much water). I often alternate types of greens.
please DO NOT FEED BUNNIE BLOODY LETUICE