Got a Pet Rabbit? Here is a Little Guide to Get You Started

3 essentials you must take care of.

5 min readApr 3, 2023

Do you know there are about 14 million pet rabbits in the world? Quite a number, you see. What is more pressing is that all these rabbits are social animals that yearn for attention and contact from their humans.

And they are often mistaken as easy to care for pets. Except, pet rabbits demand a specified diet and meals, daily monitoring, medical care, time out of their cage, and cleaning.

Hence, as much as you find them cute and lovable, you must provide proper care and attention in about the same amount or more.

Their lifespan is long, that is 8 to 12 years, so to offer quality care, you need to look into specific requirements.
Here are some prerequisites you should know:

Habitat — Make Your Pet Feel at Home

Domestic rabbits can’t tolerate extreme conditions, thus you should keep them indoors. And if you leave them to roam around the house, make sure they are not crossing the fence because it can be dangerous for them.

Rabbits are fond of chewing, so be careful to place any unwanted chewing material like wires, ropes, and cables around.

Rabbits Cage

If you put your pet in a cage, make enough room for it to move freely. Place its cage in an airy area. Make sure you clean your pet’s cage to prevent parasitic insects.

Moreover, as the winters bring extreme conditions, you can use straw bedding for insulation, and to prevent the water bowl from getting frozen, you must change it daily.

Also, ensure a resting or hiding area in their habitat, as rabbits like to rest or hide. You can fill a box with hay and they are good to go.

But not all the rabbits agree to it — the rest of the lot would like just a confined box to hide in.

Exercise

Let your pet rabbit out of its quarter in a large area for a few hours daily to run around, as exercise is crucial for their health and behavior – because you do not want them in bad health or behaving irresponsibly.

Litter

You can train your rabbit in the litter box. Place it where your pet usually goes to the bathroom. Keeping hay in the box helps as the rabbits enjoy passing stool while munching on food.

And so, pellet litter is the best bedding for the litter box, as it is non-toxic and digestible if your rabbit decides to feast on it.

Toys

In the end, provide your pet rabbit with toys as they play a significant role in mental and physical stimulation, aid in wearing down the teeth, and keep them from getting bored and depressed.

The toys can be straw baskets, dry branches, empty cardboard cartons, and air-filled balls.

Diet — Keep It Clean and Healthy

Diet is an essential component of a pet’s well-being. Your pet is what it gnaws on! Put their health above all. And so, a rabbit’s diet comprises grass-hay, vegetables, and fruits.

Grass hay

Provide your rabbit with grass hay at all times, as it is loaded with vitamins, proteins, and minerals.

Grass hay helps to prevent obesity and overeating since it gives the rabbit feeling of the stomach being full.

Notably, grass hays suitable for your pet are timothy, orchard grass, brome, and oat hay. These hays are good for their digestive systems and provide sufficient fiber that helps prevent dental health problems.

Green foods

Besides grass hay, adult rabbits also need green foods such as kale, broccoli, parsley, celery, and Brussels sprouts.

Green foods contain the same nutritional value as hay but with an enormous range of nutrients and they add water to the diet.

Fruits and Vegetables

As for treats, rabbits enjoy fruits and vegetables such as apples, blueberries, papaya, strawberries, carrots, cherries, cranberries, bell peppers, pineapple, and squash.

You can also feed more sugary fruits, like bananas and grapes, but in a restricted amount.

Water

Finally, you must provide your pet rabbit with water and change it regularly to avoid breeding bacteria.

Foods you must AVOID

Rabbits should NOT have tomatoes, corn, legumes-hay, beans, bread, nuts, and seeds in their diet as they contain fats and a high quantity of starch.

Chocolates, candy, or anything moldy is a big NO as well. Furthermore, ask your pet’s veterinarian for their diet to be more careful.

Health—A Healthy Pet Is a Happy Pet

Like the environment and diet of your pet, looking after its health is also imperative. At your end, you can check on its eating patterns and other activities; if something goes out of order, call or visit your veterinarian immediately.

And to check on their overall health, see them routinely. There are procedures such as spaying and neutering to ensure your pet’s health.

Spaying/Neutering Your Pets

Spaying is a surgical procedure for removing the uterus and ovaries from female animals. And neutering refers to removing testicles in male animals.

It is as vital for a rabbit to get neutered or spayed as it is for cats and dogs. The suitable age for a rabbit to get it done is 4-6 months.

Spaying/neutering can prevent uterine cancer in female rabbits and testicular cancer in male rabbits. Moreover, the procedures can prevent other uterine diseases in female rabbits like Endometritis and Pyometra and hematomas in male rabbits.

Along with that, it helps stop aggression that can begin around 8-18 months. You can control aggression in male rabbits only if you get them neutered before it starts or soon afterward.

Final Words

We know rabbits are delicate pets that need proper attention and care. Handling rabbits can also be tricky as their backbone is fragile, so pick them up under the chest.

Now, if you plan to get a pet rabbit, you must look into all the requirements, which include your interest and love for the pet.