Thinking about adopting a bunny?  Consider adopting a bonded pair!  Rabbit Rescue always has bonded pairs up for adoption.  Rabbits do alright on their own if you have lots of time to spend with them, but we believe they are happier with a bunny friend.  They are great company for each other if you are gone during the day.

 

Looking for a friend for your current bunny?  Best match for bonding is a neutered male and spayed female.  Rabbits of the same sex are much more difficult to bond as they can be territorial.  Both rabbits should be fixed prior to bonding.  Size, colour or breed do not matter to the other bunny, but what you do want to look for is a compatibale personality match - dominant and submissive are usually the best match.  Once bonded, rabbits can share a litter box and food bowls.  They will prefer being housed together, as being separated from their mate can be very stressful.

 

How to: We recommend housing the rabbits side by side for a minimum of 2-3 weeks before introducing them to each other. This allows them to get used to each others scent.  You may also try switching their cages and litter box, as this can decrease territoriality and, and get them more used to each other. When they are introduced, it should be in a neutral territory (ie a bathtub works very well!).  Both rabbits should be spayed and neutered (and remember that a neutered male can get an unspayed female pregnant for up to 2 months after his surgery). Wear over mitts so you can grab a rabbit if fighting occurs, or have a water spray bottle handy to discourage nipping.  Short bonding sessions are recommended until they get more comfortable with each other (IE 1-2 minutes).  Do not let them fight, chase or circle each other.  Rabbits DO hold grudges, and this will hinder the bonding process.  If the rabbits are not bonding after many sessions, you can try taking them for a car ride together (in a carrier).  This often helps the bonding process.  The key to bonding is being patient, and taking things very slowly.

 

For more bonding info, visit: http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/introductions.html

http://www.mybunnies.com/bonding.htm

http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/san-diego/behavior/bonding-tips.html

 

 

 

There are many benefits to spaying or neutering your rabbits. For males, behaviour is a primary concern. Mature males will spray urine if not neutered and having them neutered calms them down.  Neutering also decreases chewing and digging behaviours, and eliminates the chance of testicular cancer.  Females are extremely prone to developing uterine or ovarian cancer if not spayed - some figures show that cancer rates are as high as 90% in females over 5 years.  Most rabbits that come into our care are not spayed - a huge percentage of them are found to have large tumours when we spay them.  Spaying your rabbit will likely save her life.  It's important that the surgery be done by a vet who has experience with rabbits (not just cats/dog).  Females can also become territorial or cage aggressive if not spayed.

Rabbits are clean animals, and are relatively easy to litter train.  Recommended litters include newspaper pellets (IE Yesterday's News or Daily Scoop), or Wood Stove Pellets.  Not only can pine and cedar shavings cause respiratory problems and liver damage, but are not very absorbant and get stinky quickly!  Aspen shavings or Carefresh bedding are also safe for rabbits. Never use clay, wheat or corn based litter, as they can all cause blockages if injested.  It is much easier to litter train your rabbit once they are spayed or neutered, as they will not have the same urge to mark territory.  To encourage your rabbit to use the litter box, place a handful of fresh hay in it. Put the litter box where you see the rabbit going to the bathroom. Be patient and persistant.  Its always beneficial to start with too many litter boxes than too few. Litter boxes should be cleaned daily. 

 

Grooming

 

Brushing should be enjoyable for both you and your rabbit. We recommend using wire slicker brushes for picking up lots of fur.  If rabbits are not brushed regularly, they can develop wool block (fur balls).  As rabbits are unable to throw up, these fur balls can create a blockage that can be quite serious. Rabbits molt 4 times each year, and will need extra brushing during that time.

 

Nail Triming

 

Rabbits need to have their nails trimmed aprox every 1-2 months.  When trimming nails, locate the quick (where the blood vessles are) and make sure you leave a small space between where you are cutting and the quick.  Always a good idea to have styptic power on hand in case a quick is cut (corn starch will help it clot in an emergency). Place your rabbit in a calm, quiet area so its heart rate will slow down and the bleeding will stop. If your rabbit has dark nails, you can use a flashlight to back light the nail and locate the quick.  If you are not comfortable trimming nails, your vet can show you how.  Rabbit Rescue Inc. also offers nail trimming services.

There are many options to 'house' your rabbits.  Most rabbit 'cages' are much too small for the rabbits.  There should be enough room for the rabbit to stretch up, lay down fully, to hold a litter box, food & water dish, toys, and enough room to hop around a bit.  The bigger the better!!

 

Be cautious of top opening cages - never let your rabbit jump out of them on their own.  We have received many emails from owners who's bunnies have tried to jump out, only to get caught half in and half out when the door falls closed on them.  Most do not survive.

 

Wire bottom cages can be rough on bunny feet.  If you have a wire cage, remember to cover the wire (cardboard, newspaper, old tshirts etc) to protect their feet.  Being housed on metal can cause sore hocks for bunnies.

 

Some smart housing options:

 

Dog Crates - Dog crates work well to house rabbits, as the come in larger sizes.  They can be messy, as they do not have high sides.  To solve this, you can fasten coroplast around the bottom to prevent hay, paper etc from being kicked out. 

 

Creative Cubes - Creative cubes work very well and can be found at most Walmarts, Costcos and Home Depots in the shelving department.  Normally sold for shelving units, they make excellent rabbit or guinea pig cages!  They are inexpensive and can be made as large as you like!  Linoleum or coroplast can be used for the bottom.

For more information on building a creative cube cage, visit:  http://bunssb.org/cage.asp and: http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/NIC.shtml.

Most rabbits love to chew phone cords and wires. To protect your cords, wallet, and bunny from being electrocuted, please bunny proof any area that your rabbit will have access to.  A protective cover can be placed over cords (ie PVC piping) to keep them safe, or you can raise them off the ground so your rabbit can not reach them. Buttons off remote controls are another favorite snack to the roaming bunny. Beware of any flowers or plants within your rabbits reach that may be toxic to them. For a list of toxic plants, visit: http://www.adoptarabbit.com/articles/toxic.html

 

For more information on how to bunny proof cords, including photos, visit: http://www.mybunnies.com/wires.htm

Bunnies love to play with toys!!  There are many things you can make for them that are very inexpensive.  IE) toilet paper rolls, paper bags filled with treats and hay and tied off at the top.  Baby toys are great, as are hard plastic cat toys. Stay away from anything made out of soft plastic that they could injest. Providing them with their own toys will discourage them from chewing your things!  Untreated wicker baskets are fun for them to chew, as well as old phone books.

 

To order some bunny toys, you can visit:

http://www.busybunny.com