Rabbit Care and Tips

See the April 12, 2009 post titled “Unusual Pets - Rabbits” and the July 22, 2009 post titled “Building Housing for Pet Rabbits” for further information on these great pets.

Pets complete a home for both single people and families. Children often desire pets more than adults do, as they think animals are cute and fun to have. Adults, of course, know the work required. Like any pet, rabbits need care. They need to go to the veterinarian, be fed and watered daily and have their home cleaned. When you decide to purchase a rabbit, you need to know exactly what is required.

Before I get into your rabbit’s needs, you will want to know the types of rabbits that are available. The most common types of rabbits sold as pets are cottontail, dwarf and lop eared rabbits. The dwarf rabbit is small and should be kept indoors. Cottontails are not as sensitive to the weather and can be housed outside in moderate climates. Lop eared rabbits have long floppy ears and like cottontails grow to a good size. The type of rabbit you wish to have for a pet will determine the care needed.

Like cats and dogs, rabbits require shots from the veterinarian to keep them in good health. People carry diseases that can harm animals if they do not wash their hands before and after they handle their pet. Rabbits can be susceptible to worms and other dietary parasites so it is important to take your rabbit for its veterinarian visit when needed. Speak with a veterinarian about your rabbit’s care and any questions you may have before you complete your purchase.

Rabbits eat pellets, hay and some vegetables. Most rabbits like to munch on carrots or lettuce as a treat. You want to feed your rabbit every day to ensure it is receiving the proper amount of food. Unlike cats that eat when they are hungry, a rabbit can over eat and become over weight. Some commercial feed for rabbits contain nuts; however, these foods are typically not good for your rabbit as they are too high in fibre. You can feed your rabbit fruit as a treat, but you should not do so daily as the sugar in fruit could cause health problems.

Housing for a rabbit can be in your home or if you wish to keep them outside, a wooden cage will work. Most outside cages are designed to let the waste fall through so your rabbit(s) are not sitting on it or laying on it. The cage should be built large enough to house an adult rabbit with bedding spread out to make a nice little home. They should be given plenty of water and have it changed daily. Having a fenced backyard for your pet rabbit is a great idea. They can roam, under supervision, for a little exercise, which all pets need. Do not leave your rabbit unattended, even in a fenced back yard. In the time it takes you to go to the washroom and return to the back yard, your rabbit can dig a hole under the fence and be gone. Tame rabbits have no defence against dogs, large hawks or eagles. They are also easy pray for coyotes, feral cats, racoons and foxes.

You should clean your rabbit cage at least once a week or more often, depending on how messy or smelly it becomes. Your rabbit needs a clean environment to eliminate the possibilities of disease. An important factor in having a rabbit that lives a long life is its environment.

Rabbits with their fuzzy cottontails or floppy ears are some of the cutest pets you can own. They are a medium maintenance pet. With proper feeding and environmental care, you can have your rabbit for 5 to 10 years. Your children will enjoy showing off their pet rabbit to all their friends and beg you to take her to show and tell. I do not think that this is a good idea. Rabbits do not handle stress well. Being in a room full of children who want to touch and hold her is quite stressful and could cause your pet to become ill.

There are a couple of things you have to watch for that are seldom mentioned in rabbit books or by your vet. When female rabbits go into season (become ready for breeding), they will pull hair from their chest to make a nest. Frequently they swallow some of this hair, which like a cat, will form a hairball in their stomach. If your female rabbit begins to look lethargic, get her to a vet immediately. She could have a hairball, which if untreated, could be fatal.

If you have male rabbits, when they go into season, similar to a male dog, they will begin to spray their cage and any nearby furniture. Therefore, at this time, it is advisable to restrict them to their cage until their season is over. During this time, you will have to wash their cage more frequently as their urine is quite smelly. From experience, mom and dad recommend that you get a female rabbit if you decide to get a rabbit for a pet.

I feel that pets are needed to complete a family. As mentioned in one of the previous posts listed above, rabbits are great pets and can provide you with countless hours of entertainment and affection.

Until next time,

Teia

Tips for Puppy-Proofing Your Home

Ah, puppies . . . We’re so adorable, filled with boundless energy and curious about any-and-everything around us. That's why taking steps to puppy-proof your home will go a long way in protecting us from harm. And on the flip side, your precautions will also safeguard your belongings from possible damage.

Your first task is to observe things from a puppy's point of view. How? It’s simple. Go from room to room; get down on your hands and knees and take a good look for anything that we might be enticed by. Remember, we are new to the world and like toddlers, we are inclined to explore our surroundings by putting things in our mouth and poking around in nooks and crannies.

Cabinets

Be mindful of cleaning supplies and personal care items that are stored in low storage areas like under the kitchen sink and in bathroom cabinets. Needless to say, the ingredients in these products are extremely harmful and can even cause death. If the cabinet doors can be easily pried open, think about storing these items in some other place. Another option is to purchase plastic childproof cabinet locks that can be temporarily attached to the handles or knobs. When mom and dad had Bucko, a blue and gold macaw, they had childproof locks on every cupboard door in the house. These safety locks can usually be found online or in local stores that carry baby supplies. Also remember that most of us are allergic to chocolate and raisins, so ensure that you keep these tasty morsels stored in high cupboards because if we eat them it could be fatal. Some of us are also allergic to grapes so do not leave them where we can get to them.

Electrical Cords

You can’t imagine how tantalizing an electrical cord is, especially when it's looping down from a table or desk. "I can jump at it, pull on it, wrestle with it and even gnaw on it," we all think to ourselves. The dangers are obvious: a falling lamp or electrocution can cause serious injury or worse. Wrap up loose hanging electrical cords or at least block access to them. And for cords that need to run across the floor, enclose them in rubber or plastic cord/cable runners that can be purchased at an office supply outlet or home improvement store.

Plants

Household plants are attractive to most animals, especially puppies. However, most of them are toxic to us. Ingesting a bite or two can cause nausea, vomiting and in some cases death. For our safety, reposition your plants so that they are out of our reach.

Small Objects Around the House

Be alert to small items around the house that can be swallowed or cause choking such as coins, jewelry, sewing supplies, batteries, medication and miniature knick-knacks left on low surfaces. A few of us will eat any small object that will fit in our mouth, so until you are sure about us, keep small objects where we cannot get to them. You don’t want an emergency operation to be necessary to remove a small toy or ornament from our stomach. Believe it or not, I heard of a dog that ate stones and he had to have expensive operations on a regular basis. And don't forget to block access to trash receptacles in the kitchen, your home office and even the bathroom. Now speaking of bathrooms . . .

The Toilet (Or, "Beyond the Great Rim")

To an adventurous puppy, the challenge of climbing up, up and over the rim of your toilet is a tail-wagging delight. Unfortunately, falling head-first into this big, slippery bowl of water is not so delightful especially for a smaller-sized pup. Simple solution: make it a house rule to keep the bathroom door closed at all times because even as we get bigger, some of us like to use the toilet as a water bowl.

Puppy-proofing your home may seem like a hassle but providing the safest environment possible is a necessity. After all, we are your lovable, four-legged bundle of joy and we are worth it. We don’t mean to be destructive or troublesome, but like a child, we are adventurous and we want to learn everything we can about our new home and environment. We also want to learn what the rules are. We can’t abide by them if we do not learn what they are.

Until next time,

Teia