Lifespan
Rabbits can live 7–10 years.
Diet
Grass or timothy hay should be offered free choice and should make up 90% of the diet.
Alfalfa is not preferred.
Green leafy vegetables should be offered as a loose pile the size of the rabbit’s head.
Large, unlimited amounts of fresh hay should be offered daily.
Young bunnies should be introduced to hay as soon as they can eat on their own.
Mixed grass hay or Timothy hay is preferred because it is lower in calories and calcium than alfalfa.
Use a good quality, high fiber alfalfa or timothy based pellet as a small part of your rabbit’s diet.
Feed a minimum of 1 cup vegetables for each 4 lbs. of body weight.
Select at least three types of vegetables daily.
A variety is necessary in order to obtain the necessary nutrients, with one each day that contains Vitamin A, indicated by an *.
Add one vegetable to the diet at a time.
Eliminate if it causes soft stools or diarrhea.
Limit fruits to 1–2 tablespoons per 5 lbs. of body weight, none if dieting, from the list below of high fiber fruits.
Sugary fruits such as bananas and grapes should be used only sparingly, as occasional treats.
Bunnies have a sweet tooth and if left to their own devices will devour sugary foods to the exclusion of healthful ones.
Vegetables
- Alfalfa, radish & clover sprouts
- Basil
- Beet greens, tops*
- Bok choy
- Broccoli, mostly leaves/stems*
- Brussels sprouts
- Carrot & carrot tops*
- Celery
- Cilantro
- Clover
- Collard greens*
- Dandelion greens and flowers, no pesticides*
- Endive*
- Escarole
- Green peppers
- Lettuce: Romaine, Red or Green leaf, no iceberg or light colored leaf*
- Mint
- Mustard greens*
- Parsley (!X)*
- Pea pods, the flat edible kind*
- Peppermint leaves
- Radicchio
- Radish tops
- Raspberry leaves
- Spinach (!#)*
- Watercress*
- Wheat grass
(!) = Use sparingly or rotate.
High in either oxalates (X) or goitrogens (#) and may be toxic in accumulated quantities over a period of time.
Fruits
- Apple
- Blueberries
- Melon
- Orange, including peel
- Papaya
- Peach
- Pear
- Pineapple
- Plums
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
Absolutely NO chocolate, poisonous, cookies, crackers, breakfast cereals, bread, pasta, yogurt drops or other “human treats.”
There is research to suggest these items may contribute to fatal cases of enterotoxemia, a toxic overgrowth of “bad” bacteria in the intestinal tract.
Housing
For small breeds, housing should be 24″ x 24″ x 18″ high.
For larger breeds, housing should be 36″ x 36″ x 36″ high.
A solid floored area is needed.
Solid walled cages should be avoided.
Any bedding used in the cage should be non-aromatic.
Pine and cedar shavings can be extremely irritating to the respiratory tract.
A recycled paper bedding, such as Carefresh, is recommended to use as bedding or in the litter box.
Temperature should be 60–70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Keep humidity low.
Litter Training
Start with a small area and place your litter box in a corner.
It is best to pick a corner where the rabbit has already used.
Reward your pet when it uses the box and never punish him when he is in the litter box.
Schedule of Care
Annual physical examination.
Spaying/neutering at 3–6 months of age.
Nail trims as needed if unable to trim at home.
Common Medical Problems
Cancer in female rabbits: prevent by spaying your rabbit at a young age.
Aggressiveness and urine spraying: prevent by neutering your rabbit at a young age.
Overgrown teeth due to malalignment: trim teeth every 3–8 weeks if malaligned.
Diarrhea: true diarrhea is uncommon but soft stools are common.
Intermittent soft stools are normal, with the soft stool occurring at night and hard stools occurring during the day.
Rabbits may eat these stools, which is normal behavior.
Sudden diet changes or a low fiber diet may cause persistent soft stools.
Introduce new food slowly and follow the diet recommendations listed above.
Pasteurellosis: Pasteurella multocida commonly inhabits rabbits’ sinuses.
When stressed, this bacteria can overgrow and cause infection throughout the body.
With any signs of illness, have your rabbit examined.
Signs commonly seen are:
- Runny nose
- Loss of appetite
- Decreased activity
- Abnormal head posture
- Skin lesions
References: House Rabbit Society www.rabbit.org
