Rabbit Care
I am not a vet. I am only giving information from my own personal experience, and what works for me and my personal rabbits.
Writing a Care guide for a rabbit is very challenging. There are many different ways to raise rabbits. You need to decide what is best for you and your rabbit. I will be describing my personal experience with how we raise and care for our rabbits here.
What you need
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Housing
Crate or Hutch -
Water bowl or Bottle
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Feed bowl or gravity feeder
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Bedding
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Hay (for eating)
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Feed pellets
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Something for them to chew
we use sticks from an apple tree
Week 1
Once your rabbit is home and in its new habitat, I personally recommend letting the rabbit settle in quietly for the day. Resist handling the rabbit more than necessary. Rabbits are easily stressed. Try to keep dogs quiet and away from the space the rabbit is in. As well as cats. Cats are very capable of hurting rabbits.
Observe your rabbit for any signs of distress, or digestion issues.
Before they come home.
Have your rabbits space set up Prior to bringing home your rabbit. They will be stressed out from the transportation, and they should be put into their new housing instead of waiting for you to set up.
If this is going to be a house rabbit, set up its crate or hutch in a quiet location. Rabbits are easily frightened and need time to adjust to their new surroundings.
Talk to the person you are purchasing from, if your rabbit has been outside, you should mimic the same temperatures in the location that you will be keeping your rabbit in.
Example. Here on our farm our rabbits are kept outside in my barn. The barn temperatures are very close to the same temperatures that are outside. Bringing a rabbit that is used to being kept in winter temps below and at freezing, then bringing them into your warm house will be a shock to their system and they may struggle since their fur is very warm.
Be sure to have the rabbit's food and water placed in the crate as well.
The other thing I must stress is knowing where there is an exotic vet who is accepting new patients. Regular small animal vets do not see rabbits. Rabbits are considered exotic animals.
Week 2 and beyond
By now your rabbit should have started to adjust to its new surroundings. Handling it more now would be easier on their systems. Be sure to NOT pick the rabbit up by its ears, or hold it by the scruff of their necks, Rabbits are not cats. Pick your rabbit up carefully by its body and support its full body with your arm. Hold your rabbit very much like a football with its head tucked into your elbow. This allows your rabbit to feel safe and secure.
Young rabbits cannot have fruits and vegetables. They must maintain a diet of their feed pellets and hay. Please talk with your vet about the appropriate age to introduce other types of treats to your rabbit.
Things to watch for
With the help of your vet discuss a healthy weight for your rabbit. An overweight rabbit is a very unhealthy rabbit, as well goes for underweight too. Different breeds of rabbits will be different sizes. Currently the rabbits we raise here will be healthy maintaining a weight from 9-10 pounds full grown. But other rabbits should not weigh more than 5 pounds.
Rabbits need routine nail trimming. This can be a two-person job until your rabbit is used to this being done.
Rabbits need untreated wood to chew on, or a "lava" rock. Personally, I prefer to use Limbs off of an apple tree that has never been treated with pesticides. Check your rabbits' teeth often, they can become overgrown and need to be trimmed.
Rabbits stool should be pellets and never soft. Provide a proper diet to help prevent gastrointestinal issues.
Rabbits can get fleas, ear mites, as well as other health issues. Thus the importance of finding a vet that will see your new furry friend.