So You Want to Own a Rabbit

Since I began posting about my baby bunnies, I have received many questions about Satin Angoras and rabbits in general. I’m going to try to answer some of them here. Remember, I am not an expert!

Rabbits make fabulous pets. I had absolutely no idea how wonderful they are until I got obsessed with Angoras and had to have my own. Rabbits are most active during the mornings and the evenings, making them a perfect pet for the average nine-to-fiver. Rabbits are quiet, but full of personality; they can even be litter boxed trained.

There are many resources on the net for those interested in rabbits. I started with the House Rabbit Society, the American Rabbit Breeders Association, and the National Angora Rabbit Breeders Club. If you want to have a rabbit in your life, I strongly urge you to visit those sites. Each is full of information about rabbit care, feeding, housing, and health.

Each of these sites is also full of worst-case scenario horror stories. I was terrified that I would injure, kill, or maim my rabbits before I even got them home. Rabbits are very susceptible to some odd things, but they are also very resilient and, overall, easy to care for.

The Rabbits

First, you need to decide what type of rabbit you want. Do you want a particular breed? Is size or color important? Will you be showing your rabbit or just enjoying his quiet company? If breed doesn’t matter, reach out to your local shelters for a rescue rabbit. He may need extra patience and love, but it will be worth it.

I wanted Angora rabbits for their wool, so I looked for a breeder. I found the lovely Kim at Woolie Creations through the NARBA’s website. She helped me pick out Jasper and Nutmeg, and gave me pointers for their care. If you buy a rabbit through a breeder, make sure you feel comfortable asking questions. If the breeder makes you feel awkward asking for help, find a different breeder!

Housing

Rabbits can be litter boxed trained, but should never have free run of the house. They have a distressing habit of chewing power cords, carpets, walls, and floorboards. If you want a house rabbit, I would recommend setting aside one room, or one area of the house, that is completely rabbit proof – the House Rabbit Society has many guidelines for rabbit-proofing your house.

I started with Cubes and Coroplast housing for my rabbits. I was able to build each rabbit a very large cage that included jumping shelves for much less than similar cages would cost in a pet store. I’ve recently upgraded to stacking cages from Bass Equipment that are roomy, easy to clean, and have a smaller footprint than the old cages. The most important thing to remember is rabbits need more room than the typical pet store tells you.

Feeding

There are a lot of rabbit food brands out there, and it can be very confusing trying to pick the best one. I use LM Animal Farms Classic Blend because I can get it easily at the local pet store, it has a nice mix of roughage and protein, and my rabbits like it. Whatever you pick, remember that rabbit tummies do not like change. When you first get your rabbit, ask for a three-day supply of the rabbit’s food. If you switch brands, do so slowly by adding a little bit of the new food to the old over a few days.

Young rabbits should be able to eat as much as they want, when they want. As adults, feed your rabbit a set amount at the same time every day. Each brand of feed is a little different; start with their guidelines and adjust as necessary. To check the weight of my rabbit, I run my hand along her back to feel the spine; if the spine or hips feel boney, she’s too skinny; if I can’t feel the spine at all, my rabbit is too fat.

Rabbits also need high quality timothy hay. This is especially important for wooly rabbits – I’ll go into that in more detail next time. I buy my hay at the pet store, but many buy small bales from local farmers. The hay needs to be kept dry; moldy hay is toxic and can kill your rabbit.

Don’t forget the water! If a rabbit doesn’t have clean water, he won’t eat, and he could die of dehydration. It doesn’t matter if you have a crock of water in the cage or a water bottle mounted on the side, as long as your rabbit has fresh water every day. I use water bottles because my rabbits would play in their water crocks and make huge messes! I’ve found that Lixit makes sturdy water bottles that don’t drip.

Treats

My rabbits are spoiled; they get treats almost every day. Their favorite treats are parsley, carrots, oats, whole grain crackers, sunflower seeds, apples, and raisins. Rabbits do not eat lettuce! Before giving your rabbit treats, check the House Rabbit Society’s lists of good and bad treats. Like anything in life, there can be too much of a good thing! Small amounts are best, especially if it’s something new.

Next Time – Special Care for Angora Rabbits

Since this post has become so long, I will save my advice for Angora owners for next time. If you stuck with me this long – thanks for humoring me! Here’s a funny picture for your prize.