Diet
Rabbit's digestive systems are very weak and sensitive. It's extremely important that their diet is healthy and easy to digest. Obviously, they should have 24/7 access to water. The next most important part of their diet is hay. Hay is not only their food, but it also helps grind down there continually growing teeth. A high fiber, low protein hay should be available to your rabbit at ALL times. Quality, healthy hays are timothy, orchard grass, and meadow grass. Alfalfa hay is high in protein and hard to digest. Alfalfa can occasionally be given to your rabbit as a treat, but never has a staple to their diet. Your rabbit should also be given pellets on a daily basis. Most pellets that look fun or colorful at a pet store are actually extremely high in protein and sugar. Pellets should have 18-25% fiber and 12-14% protein. Timothy based pellets are the best type of rabbit food. Brands I recommend are Oxbow, Kaytee, Small Pet Select, or Sherwood. These are healthy, timothy based pellets that are easy to digest for your rabbits. Rabbits up until the age of six months should be given unlimited pellets( unless they overeat). Once they are older then six months, depending on their weight, you can decide how much to feed them daily. Rabbit three months or older should get a variety of leafy greens each day. It's important to pick edible, leafy greens. Veggies such as carrots, celery, or broccoli can not only cause gas, but are high in sugar which can cause health issues. Every rabbit, no matter the size, should get at least one cup of veggies per day. Treats can be given occasionally. Many treats sold at a pet store, such as yogurt drops, are extremely dangerous to give your rabbit. Sugary treats can cause health issues and teeth complications.
Housing
Housing your rabbit is something that is often debated in rabbit owners. Many people disagree with keeping your rabbit(s) outside. If I kept my rabbits indoors they would not be able to have nearly the amount of space they need. Whether they live indoors or outdoors they should have a large cage. A large rabbit is obviously going to need a greater amount of space then a dwarf rabbit. 99.9% of cages sold at a pet store are no where near as large as a rabbit needs it to be. In my opinion, most cages sold as a 'rabbit' cage, are not even big enough for a hamster. Large dog kennels or pens make great indoor rabbit cages. Litter training your rabbit is easy and simple. If your rabbit is litter trained they could have a free range of a full room! Outdoor hutches should be sturdy so wild animals cannot get in. Rabbits are animals of prey; many wild animals would love to snack on your rabbit. I have a type of dwarf rabbit(2-4lbs.). I give them a minimum of six sq. feet for their cage and daily exercise in a 48 sq. foot pen. Make sure the cage or hutch you've bought your rabbit is large and escape proof. In every cage you should have somewhere where your rabbit can hide. A box is a great thing to use for this! Most rabbit cages have a wire mesh bottom. This can hurt your rabbit's hocks(back feet). It is very important you have a place like a bed, towel or fleece, where they can get off the wire.
Basic Care
Rabbit need a healthy diet, read above to learn more about it! Your needs daily attention. If you don't interact with your pet rabbit, often they will become aggressive and skittish. They need daily exercise. Most rabbits, whether young or old, have a lot of energy. They need a large play place to get rid of it all! Great toys to put in the rabbit play pen are tunnels and boxes! Because rabbit teeth never stop growing they need loads of toys! You can make your own toys or buy them. You can also find chew toys around your house such as-toilet paper tubes, pine cones, sticks, cardboard, egg cartons and much more! Rabbits need daily grooming. At least once every month you should cut your rabbits nails. A rabbit's nail never stop growing! Make sure you don't cut the quick! Make sure your rabbit's cage stays clean and sanitary at all times. Most disinfectants sold at stores are poisonous to rabbits. A homemade disinfectant can be made that is safe and kills most germs! All you do is mix one part white vinegar to one part water. Then add a few drops of lemon oil!
Checklist
Before bringing your rabbit home, make sure you have everything below. The cage your rabbit is staying in should be completely set up and ready for the new arrival! When your rabbit arrives home, you should leave them alone for at least 12 hours to get used to their new surroundings. The rabbit will be extremely stressed and trying to pick it up or hold it all the time will possibly make the rabbit not like you! Remember, bonding with your rabbit takes time and patience. Your new rabbit will more then likely think of your as a enemy until she begins to trust you. Here is the checklist of essentials you need before bringing your new bun home!
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1. Hutch or Cage
2. Large exercise pen
3. Water bottle or bowl
4. Food Bowl
5. Pellets
6. Hay(keep in mind a rabbit eats a clump of hay the size of them a day.)
7. If your rabbit is three months or older you'll need fresh leafy greens
8. Fleeces/beds/towels
9. Litter box(cat size or large bin)
10. Litter(Stay away from cat litter, cedar shavings, and pine shavings
11.LOTS of toys(a rabbit can never have too many toys)
12. A hide-e-house(somewhere they can get away if they're scared. It needs to be pretty dark and enclosed on three sides and roof)
13.Small carrier
14.Nail clippers
15. Poop scooper
16.Hay rack(easy to make at home!)
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If you have anymore questions about rabbit care feel free to contact me!