Funny Bunnies Farm

Rabbit Care Sheet

WHAT DO I NEED TO GET STARTED?

FEEDING

DAILY

Your rabbit has been fed Blue Seal Home Fresh Show Hutch Deluxe 17 which can be found at Tractor Supply. If you decide to feed a different type of pellet, please transition your rabbit slowly. Transition feed is provided with your rabbit. If your rabbit is less than 6 months old, he/she can be fed a ½ cup of food per day. I recommend ¼ in the morning and ¼ at night. Increasing gradually as they grow.

Hay should make up 70%-80% of your rabbit’s diet. Choose a good, high fiber hay such as Timothy Hay or Orchard Grass. Do not allow your rabbit to urinate or defecate on the hay they are eating. This could make them sick.

Fresh water should be given at least twice per day. Be sure to keep your rabbit’s water bottle or crock clean and free of hay, food pellets and droppings.

TREATS- Start at 4-6 months of age

  • Fresh Veggies

Dark leafy greens: romaine lettuce, bok choy, mustard greens, carrot tops, cilantro, watercress, basil, kohlrabi, beet greens, broccoli greens and parsley. Bell Peppers, carrots, cucumber, endive and brussels sprouts, fennel.

  • Fresh Fruit

Apples (no seeds), bananas, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, grapes, melon, nectarine, orange. Only one small slice.

  • Others

Rose petals (fresh or dried), hibiscus flowers, dandelions, almonds.

DO NOT FEED

  • Oats, seeds, bread, starches, iceberg lettuce, potatoes, onions, garlic, corn kernels.

HEALTH

What should I look out for?

SOME items to keep an eye out for are lethargy, diarrhea, weak hind legs, hair loss, not eating or drinking, dull eye color or coat, scratching excessively, staining around mouth, weight loss, dietary preference change, discharge from eyes/nostrils, lumps and bumps, dirty or overgrown teeth, abnormal urine color (please check google before panicking. Rabbit urine can vary from yellow to almost blood-like red with no issues). If you notice any of these items, please take your rabbit to an experienced rabbit veterinarian.

Should my rabbit see a veterinarian?

Most veterinarians will recommend an annual visit for health screenings. Your vet can also provide vaccinations for things like calicivirus, myxomatosis and rabbit viral hemorrhagic disease. Please discuss these items with an experienced exotic animal veterinarian and determine if they are right for your rabbit. 

 

HOUSING

Cage/Hutch

There are SO many options when it comes to deciding how to house your rabbit. No matter which you choose, make sure your rabbit has a break from being on wire. You can put in a blanket, cardboard or a  piece of wood for him/her to lay/stand on just so long as they have somewhere to relax off the wire. Do not use wood shavings for your rabbit litter. The best I have found are pelletized wood that are often used in horse stalls. They trap odor well and there is no harmful dust released into your rabbit’s habitat.

Rabbit Proofing

This is very important to ensure the safety of your rabbit. Make sure your rabbit does not have access to electrical cords or loose carpet fibers. Rabbits will chew just about anything, so keep an eye on them anytime they are outside of their enclosure. Chords, wires, wood (especially) are all some favorites of your bunny and could be hazardous to their health and safety.

HANDLING YOUR RABBIT

Most rabbits do not like to be picked up and may struggle or kick. When picking up your rabbit, be sure to support their entire bodies. One hand under their belly and the other supporting their back legs so they feel safe. Scoop them up slowly and hold them securely against your body.

When you first bring your bunny home, give him/her some time to adjust to their surroundings. They may be nervous or even a bit frightened in this strange place. It may take some time for them to warm up, but with patience and consistency they’ll usually do so pretty quickly.

OTHER ITEMS

Please reach out to me with any questions or concerns. I am always happy to help make the transition from our home to yours as easy and stress free as possible.

Should your rabbit not be everything you had hoped, or he/she doesn’t get along with your other animals, Funny Bunnies Farm is willing to take returns, free of charge.  Please note that the cost of your rabbit will not be refunded with voluntary surrender of the animal. Returning a rabbit to our bunny family involves quarantining from all our other pets and the need to monitor their health for 30 days before returning them to our herd. We are only able to take back rabbits if we have cage space. We are a very small rabbitry, so room for additional rabbits is not guaranteed. We ask that you please return your rabbit with whatever feed they have gotten used to.

THANK YOU so much for supporting our little bunny farm. Please feel free send us updates. We love to see how our babies are doing!