Friday, May 14, 2010

How should i take care of my rabbit?

I'm 16. so my mom's cousin brought a rabbit to my house, and gave it to me. I had a full plastic box, drilled holes inside it (quite a lot of them), and I put the rabbit in there with water, carrots, and some green leaves. I can't take it inside because my mom has no heart to these kinds of things... what should i do, What kind of cage should i buy? (im kinda on a budget) thanks.How should i take care of my rabbit?
I鈥檓 sorry, but you need to take the rabbit to a rabbit rescue. At 16 and on a budget, and without your family鈥檚 support, you cannot take care of a rabbit the way it needs. You sound like you鈥檇 make a great pet owner, but in this case giving the rabbit up is the caring thing to do.





To start with, rabbits are expensive animals. It is true that sometimes rabbits can be kept outside (in very mild climates and when they have a proper hutch and other rabbits to snuggle up with), but forty dollars will not buy a proper hutch. A real hutch (which stands three feet off the ground and is secure enough that a large dog can鈥檛 knock it over) will cost well over $100 dollars. Otherwise your rabbit will very likely become prey to a stray or wild animal, or insects from the ground. Rabbit food and bedding is also costly in the long run, unless you live on a hay farm (pellets should be an occasional treat, and while fresh veggies are good hay is what a rabbit needs to be healthy). Rabbits need ample space to play outside their hutches and burrow and climb and chase. Even the most secure back yard or patio takes both money to secure against escape. Also, rabbits need to see the vet eventually and a vet visit starts at about $50, while medicine runs much much higher.





A good rescue can provide the rabbit with all these things until another home is found. You should look online for rescues in your area and/or call your local animal shelter and ask where they recommend. If you live further away from a good rescue (one that has the resources and space to keep rabbits happy) then as a final act of generosity you could surely convince your mother to make a one time drive however many miles away to deliver the rabbit.How should i take care of my rabbit?
A plastic box really wont last long if anything your dear rabbit could end up dead sadly within the next 2 weeks if you keep him in that kind of condition you have to get a rabbit cage from a pet store or you could even make one yourself like go find some cheap chicken wire or even rabbit wire at like a yard sale or something and make a holding pin for him, they need to have FULL air circulation because of the ammonium from the urine with could make him very sickly and you could then go to a dollar store and buy rabbit food and water holder which is the same thing used for hamsters also , Also if you build your own cage make sure something is underneath him so he's not always standing on the wire which could cut his feet and cause some damage there, Well i hope everything works out great GOOD LUCK!!! :)
Don't listen to smarty pants. Rabbits are usually kept outside. You need to buy a real cage for about $40 with wires and a tray. Give it a water bottle and feed it 1/2 of pellets if it's a medium breed, and a handful of timothy hay every day. You can use pine shavings for bedding. An occasional vegetable/fruit is good. Let it out for exercise AT LEAST once a week. Good luck!
If you're keeping it outside, you need an elevated cage (preferably wire siding with a covered floor) with a hutch or enclosed portion where the rabbit can sleep, hide, or can be protected from harsh weather.Rabbits do not respond to extreme heat or cold (above 80 degrees and below 40 degrees) or to bad weather (thunderstorms, snow, etc). I really think keeping a rabbit inside is the more humane option, but they do sell outdoor cages that provide proper protection from animals and the weather. A plastic box with holes in it is NOT appropriate to keep a rabbit in for long term - it can chew through it, and it doesn't have proper ventilation.





As for food, you need a high quality pellet feed (preferably with a timothy hay base - you can check the ingredients list), a never ending supply of timothy hay, a variety of fresh fruits and veggies daily , and clean water in a large rodent water bottle. Without appropriate access to pellet feed and timothy hay, your rabbit will be nutritionally stunted and could die from malnutrition or starvation.





Good luck with your new rabbit!
First of all, I'm assuming this is a domestic rabbit, and if I am correct, it definitely should not be living outside. Rabbits living outside (no matter what kind of cage) are left subject the the elements, predators insects, disease, and lonliness. Domestic rabbits are very prone to heat stroke and are really meant to be inside pets. Check out the site below. There is actually quite a bit of info you will want to research about rabbits because they are unusual creatures that actually take alot of work to properly care for. check out the site posted below, it has the most current and Accurate information out there. You'll want to spend quite a bit of time reading about their diets, behaviors, litterbox training, ect. on this site.





http://www.rabbit.org/





As for the cage, read on the site, but I will also put my two sense into it: You need to buy a cage that has a solid bottom to it, not a wire or mesh one with holes in it because these are very bad for rabbits' feet and cause sores and its just plain uncomfortable for them. I mean can use imagine having to stand on wire floor barefoot 24/7? The wire ones do mean that you don't have to litter box train your rabbit, but its really not worth it. Since you should be buying a solid bottom cage, you will need to litterbox train your bunny so it makes clean up easier. Most rabbits catch on pretty quick(once again look at website for reference). I think the best way to do it is to not put any bedding down in their cages for a few weeks, but get a low and large enought litter box filled with litter. Rabbits will naturally want to go to the bathroom in the litter box because they do not want to sit in their own waste and they will start to catch on pretty quick. Of course you have to keep cleaning up pee out of the bottom until they catch on. You also need to look for a big cage with plenty of room. You can always look on ebay or craigslist if you are on a budget.





If you have any more questions feel free to email me

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