Lops and Pigs

How to care for Rabbits

Everyone has different ideas and opinions on the best way to look after your rabbits. Here is my advice but you will find your own methods as you go along also. The three main things to consider if you are looking at keeping a rabbit.

• Do I have enough time to care for an animal
• Can I afford the housing, food and vet bills
• Can I care and provide attention to a rabbit

When you have carefully considered all of these then you need to prepare accommodation for your Rabbit. The best advice is you should buy the biggest cage you can afford is important that they can stretch out and have a bed area that they can hide in. Also you need to check that it is weatherproof you can buy then from your local pet shop or contact us at lops and pigs for a handmade hutch.

Feeding your rabbit is quite simple, feed and bedding can now be bought from most supermarkets. I feed mine chudleys rabbit royle but burgess excel also i s a good feed. Rabbits also should be given some fresh food everyday your rabbit will have its favourite but most love carrots, cabbage (but not to much), grass, dandelions, Swede, apple, potatoes peelings, broccoli, cauliflower. Contrary to popular belief do not feed them lettuce they love it but it gives them stomach ache and a poorly tummy. Straw and hay also are popular for both bedding and to eat.

Rabbits are sociable animals and like to live in pairs. The best combination is to have a male and female. They will of course need to have a trip to the vets at around 4 months old so they cannot have babies. If you are not keen on this then two females should be ok together but not all of the time. Again they may get hormonal and fight at around 4 to 6 months and considering neutering will calm them down. Two males will 9 times out of 10 fights so we cannot provide 2 males together here at lops and pigs unless they are living in separate accommodation or are to be neutered.

All rabbits need lots off exercise the best you can have is a run where other animals cannot get into. If you have enclosed garden you can let them run around built you will need to watch them as cats will find it very entertaining and also some rabbits will dig.

It is very popular now to keep your rabbit indoors, they will happily settle into family life and will love the attention. You will need to litter train your rabbit as you would a cat and make sure that all wires are covered. You will need to provide lots off things to chew on otherwise you may find your skirting boards & furniture chewed.