Bunny Care Guide

I Picked up my bunny, now what?

When you first bring your bunny home make sure to give your bunny time to adjust. Bunnies are prey animals so they can get stressed or scared very easily. It may take your bunny a day or two to settle in. Their poop may get smaller from being stressed for a day and they may not eat right away which is okay. Just keep an eye on them for the first 24 hours to make sure they are okay.

Bunny Supplies checklist:

Hutch/ Enclosure
Food: Pellets & Hay
Food bowl & water bowl/bottle
Litterbox
Litter bedding
Brush my
Nail Trimmers
Toys, mats, accessories

Choosing your rabbit enclosure:

Your rabbit enclosure will vary for your particular situation, needs, and abilities. Whatever you decide works best for your family,it is important to have some sort of enclosure to keep your bunny safe when not supervised. Here are a few options:

Outdoor hutch & play area
Indoor Xpen
Indoor Clear plastic exercise pen

Wire floor cages: If you are unable to have your rabbit free roam I would recommend a cage with a wire bottom for sanitary reasons as long as it's the proper wire gauge. Contrary to many opinions a wire bottom cage is better for the health of your pet as long as they have a mat or area where they can get off the wire from time to time. It will not hurt your Holland lop as they are dwarf rabbits and do not put a lot of weight on the wire. Many people worry about sore hocks but as long as the wire is the proper gauge you should not have a problem. Rabbits have a higher chance of getting sore hocks if they are constantly standing in their urine.

Make sure your rabbit's setup allows for plenty of time for exercise.

Can Bunnies play/live outside?

Yes, but please keep in mind:

Heat/sun is very stressful to bunnies and can kill them.
Provide shade (and a box or two for hiding) and allow to play during mild weather only (approx. 45-80 degrees).
A dog exercise pen at least 30" tall with full or partial shade is ideal.
Do not allow your bunny to play on grass that has been recently treated with chemicals. An organic lawn is best!
A porch or covered patio is ideal.
Be mindful of predators such as hawks, dogs, raccoons, etc.
1 to 2 hours of exercise outside is plenty.

Pros/cons of having a free-roam rabbit:

Pros: Rabbit gets plenty of exercise, they are more integrated with the family and therefore have more opportunities for bonding.
Cons: Rabbits can chew up furniture/ chords, and rabbits can eat something that can hurt them.

Rabbits Diet:

Hay:

Your bunny should be eating primarily hay. A bunny's digestive system is very sensitive and it is important for them to constantly be eating so their gut does not stop. It is very important to feed your rabbit an unlimited amount of hay. You can purchase hay at your local pet store, or feed store, or my favorite option and most cost-efficient is your local farm. I purchase 40 lb timothy/orchard hay bales at Great American Supply in Taylors, SC.

What hay is right for my bun?

Timothy - Timothy is the best choice for an adult rabbit. There are three types of cuttings. 1st cutting is the coarsest hay 2nd cutting is in the middle and 3rd cutting is the softest. 1st and 2nd cuttings are best to help keep your bunny's teeth ground down as they are constantly growing. Some people also prefer hay cubes because they are less messy and less dusty which helps people with allergies.
Orchard - many people complain of allergies pertaining to timothy hay so orchard grass is a great alternative.
Alfalfa - alfalfa hay is considered a legume, not hay which is higher in fat and for this reason, alfalfa hay is good for rabbits under 6 months of age and nursing does only.
Meadow/oat - these hays are great to mix into your bunny's hay to mix it up a bit and add variety to your bunny's diet. Only a little should be mixed in at a time so that your bunny does not stop preferring Timothy/ orchard hay.

Pellets:

Pellets can be free-fed up until 6 months but ultimately pellets should only be 10% of your bunny's diet. After 6 months your bunny should only be getting a ¼ cup of quality timothy-based pellets. Larger breeds/bunnies can eat up to ½ a cup. Please DO NOT buy pellets with added seeds, fruits, and treats mixed in as these are not good for rabbits. My recommendations for feed include:

Oxbow Garden Select pellets
Oxbow organic bounty
Science Selective pellets
Tucker Milling non-gmo rabbit pellets (This is what I use. I purchase from Great American Supply in Taylors, SC)

Transitioning feed:

your rabbit will be sent home with a bag of transition feed. It is important to slowly transition your rabbit's food to your new feed as their digestive systems are very sensitive and will need time to adjust.

Leafy Green Veggies:

Veggies should only be introduced around 6 months in small amounts. Start by introducing one type of vegetable at a time little by little and slowly increasing the amount to up to ½ cup a day. Some veggies to include in your bunny's diet after 6 months include leaf lettuce/kale, dandelion greens/flowers, cilantro/parsley/basil, plantain herb from untreated lawns (free food!), old-fashioned oats, NOT quick-cook oats (can add just a few oats on top of pellets).

Treats:

Treats should only be given sparingly after 6 months and can include, small slices of banana, a few berries, a small amount of carrots, and apple slices (no seeds).

Food/ Water bowl/bottle:

There are many options for food bowls. Heavy crocks that won't tip over work fine or cups that attach to the cage.

There are pros and cons to using water bottles/ bowls. Water bottles stay cleaner and you might not have to fill up as often but your bunny might not drink as much water as they would from a bowl. I prefer bowls because I like to know my bunnies are getting enough water but I do need to clean them more often.

Hay racks/bags are also a good idea to have to keep the hay waste at a minimum. There are many options for feeding hay and lots of diy options as well.

Litter training your rabbit:

Many people do not realize that your rabbit can be litter trained, but it is possible. If you wish to litter train your rabbit start by keeping your rabbit in a small space. Put a litter box in a corner and put the bunny's food bowl and hay rack in/above the litter box because bunnies often go while eating. Pick up loose poop and throw it in the litter box. Soak up urine with a napkin and throw the napkin in the litter tray. Increase your rabbits roam space a little at a time when they have established the habit of using the litter box. Keep in mind that if you decide not to neuter/spay your rabbit, they may start to mark/spray their territory outside of the litter box around 6 months when hormones kick in.

Pelletized bedding from tractor supply is very inexpensive and effective in the litterbox.

Spaying/ Neutering:

Be aware that you may want to neuter your bunny. This will help with :

-Eliminating the risk of ovarian/uterine cancers and other uterine diseases such as pyometra (infection in the uterus) in females. The risk of developing cancers of the uterus increases as the rabbit ages. It is best to spay before the rabbit is 2 years of age to greatly reduce the risk.

-Reducing aggressive behavior Both male and female rabbits (especially females!) can display aggressive behaviors such as biting and lunging. Rabbits that were once easy to handle can become very difficult to pick up once they have reached sexual maturity

-Reducing urine marking behaviors Males and female rabbits can spray urine on vertical surfaces to mark their territory. It is more commonly seen in males than females. The urine from a sexually mature male also has quite a strong odor. If the behavior is allowed to continue, it may be impossible to completely stop with neutering so it is best to neuter before sexual maturity or just shortly after to curb this behavior before it becomes a habit.

Grooming your rabbit:

It is important to brush your rabbit's fur at least once a week and maybe daily when they molt as ingesting a lot of loose fur can stop a bunny's digestive tract and can even be fatal.

You will also need to trim your bunny's nails at least once a month. I recommend watching a few YouTube videos on that before you start so that you can learn how far to clip them without cutting the quick as that will cause them to bleed.

Bunny Poop and what to look out for:

Bunnies have two main types of poop - dry balls (or turds, if you will) and grape-like clusters of tiny, moist, shiny poo balls called cecotropes. Both are normal!
Being hind-gut fermenters, bunnies need to eat all or most of their cecotropes kind of like we consume probiotics. You'll be disgusted when you first catch your bunny scarfing down poop, but it's usually at night while you sleep. Extra cecotropes often get smashed on the cage floor or occasionally on your bunny, but your bunny will groom these and does not need a bath. Excessive cecotropes scattered all over the cage floor can be a sign of an imbalance, and you may wish to consult your vet.
Diarrhea, in contrast, is like watery toothpaste and is an emergency that constitutes a trip to your bunny vet. If your bunny is still eating well, a strict hay-only diet for a few days may help, but this is often a sign of a severe digestive imbalance such as the beginning of GI stasis or other illness. It's best to see your vet if this should happen.

Things to look out for that can be an emergency:

Your bunny stops eating
your bunny stops pooping
your bunny is lethargic
your bunny gets nose discharge, sneezing
diarrhea

Bunny Behaviors:

Binky - The first time you see a binky, you'll insist that a tiny crab on the ground must have pinched your bunny's bottom to make it leap and twist so oddly, but it really just means your bunny is happy.
Flop - You know how dogs circle an area and then plop down to relax or sleep? Bunnies do something similar minus the circling and with a whole lot more spontaneous side-flopping. If you ever catch your bunny post-flop, you'll check for signs of breathing, but the bunny is just super relaxed and likely sleeping.
Thumping - Since bunnies can't tell you they are angry or annoyed verbally, they thump with their hind feet. They thump if you don't feed them fast enough, they thump if you put them back into the cage too soon, they thump if they sense danger. You have basically ticked off your bunny. It's sometimes fun to stomp your foot in response and wait for a reply.
Turning his/her back - Like thumping, this is usually in response to something you've done that has upset your bunny, and you are getting the silent treatment.
Tooth Purr - Pet your bunny's head gently, and watch his/her mouth. Do you begin to see a gentle chomping motion? That is basically bunny purring, though you don't usually hear much of a sound.
Growling/Lunging - Some bunnies usually does (girl bunnies), get cage defensive around 3-6 months old and don't like you reaching your hands into her territory. It's best to remove your bunny before cleaning the cage and scheduling her to be spayed ASAP. It usually takes a few weeks post-surgery for the hormones to subside. If she's too young for spaying, then make sure to firmly press her head down when negative behavior occurs and say, "No!" firmly. Desensitizing her by wearing a glove and invading her space can be helpful for some bunnies too.
Mounting/Spraying - Some bucks (boy bunnies) can't control their urges and mount things: other bunnies, stuffed animals, your feet, and can spray as well, though this is usually only a problem if you have other bunnies in the vicinity. Neutering is the best way to deal with both issues.

Will a bunny get along with dogs and cats?
Most of the time, it's possible to integrate a pet rabbit into a household with cats and/or gentle dogs. However, please remember that rabbits are PREY ANIMALS and will naturally be scared of anything perceived as a predator. Try providing your bunny with a few days of relative peace and quiet at first and then slowly introduce other pets from a distance. Take your cues from the bunny as to whether to continue or stop introductions. It is imperative that your bunny has a safe place if he/she becomes scared. A tunnel or cardboard box with a small hole should work. Give your bunny a hideout in each of his/her play areas. It may be necessary to keep the cage up high away from dogs or cats and provide safe elevated hiding places as well. Always have a "plan b" such as placing the bunny's cage in an area of the home where the other pets don't go often like a basement, laundry room, or even a garage in extreme cases.

Does my Bunny Need a Friend?
Don't be fooled by the adorable pictures on social media of two bunnies cuddling peacefully or grooming one another. That bond likely took weeks or months to achieve and is certainly not the outcome in all attempted pairings. If you provide your bunny with plentiful daily interaction, he/she will likely form a close bond with you and be quite happy. Bunnies like to have their own space, and sharing it with another bunny is only potentially possible when the hormones are addressed through spaying/neutering. I do believe bunnies prefer having a mate, but this isn't possible in all situations.

For those uncertain about what having a pet rabbit entails, I recommend starting with ONE BUNNY, getting it spayed/neutered, and later adding either a baby or another spayed/neutered rabbit. Having separate living quarters is essential at first and as a backup plan if bonding is not successful.