Your First Bunny!

Your first bunny!

So you think you want a rabbit? A cute, furry bunny with long floppy ears, soft fur and big brown eyes?

Perhaps your youngest child is begging for a bunny. Maybe you saw one in the pet store the other day and haven't stopped thinking about it. Or you could have a friend trying to rehome their family rabbit. The reasons for wanting a bunny are endless.

I thought I'd give you my experience in obtaining my first bunny, and share with you what she's taught me so far.

Her name is Clover. And yes, she is the prettiest, cutest and smartest bunny who ever lived. Not that I'm biased or anything. She was a Tractor Supply bunny, meaning she appeared miraculously at Easter time in our local Tractor Supply feed store, offered up for sale in a cedar shavings-filled water trough at the check-out counter. She was huddled in the corner surrounded by her siblings. My ten year old daughter began the ritual "Can we get one?" routine and I caved. I have to say, though, I'd been thinking about getting a bunny anyway.

And why not? I have a small hobby farm on ten acres, complete with horses, goats, chickens, ducks, dogs, cats and pond fish. All we needed was a bunny. I thought it would be easy. I thought I could just chunk the rabbit in the pen with the chickens and feed it some rabbit food once a day. It would have a box to stay warm and have free rein to hop around in the dirt. No big deal, right? Wrong. A rabbit is a little more complicated than that.

We decided to go for it and bought the furry bundle of joy. And a "starter" cage. And rabbit chow. And a bag of rabbit hay. And toys. And water bowls. And feed bowls. Our ten dollar baby rabbit suddenly became a $100.00 investment, all in ten minutes time.

The Tractor Supply guy said she was around six weeks old. She was so tiny. Little ball of brown and white fluff. We brought her home and set up the cage on the fireplace hearth. The cat was insulted. Then intrigued. She finally decided that this strange looking "kitten" could stay and live with us.

So the first thing we had to decide on was a permanent place for her cage to stay. Her little starter cage was fine for now but she was going to need a much larger space in the future. Enter my construction-loving husband, who can build anything. (I think he secretly likes it when I bring home a new animal so he can design and build a new habitat!). He decides the best thing for Clover is an eight foot long, three foot tall, three foot wide rabbit hutch, which will be housed on our screened porch. Excellent choice. The screened porch will keep her safe from predators, provide shade (rabbits will die in the hot sun) and a break from the wind. So he builds the bunny condo and she moves in. Along with her bowls, toys, blankies and litterbox.

Rabbits can be trained to use litterboxes, just like cats! We use a large plastic cat litterbox filled with a layer of unscented pine shavings and hay (rabbits like to eat in their litterbox...I know, it's gross). Organic litters such as "Yesterday's News" or "CareFresh" are good choices too. To teach a rabbit to use the litterbox, scoop up her rabbit-poo (little balls) and leave them in the corner of her litterbox. It might take a few days but she'll get the hint. Then dump the litter box once a day and fill with fresh litter. It's so much easier than trying to clean the bottom of an entire cage everyday.

Outdoor rabbits do fine in cold weather, as long as it doesn't get too far below freezing. They do better in cold weather than hot. We give Clover a covered box filled with blankets in the winter. It has a little swing door to keep out the wind. In the summer she has a fan that runs all day and all night if need be. Another good reason to have the cage on the porch...electricity.

When deciding on housing for your rabbit just remember the little metal cages they sell at the pet stores just aren't big enough. If you don't have a handy hubby like me, there are several large cages available on the internet, but they will be pricey. We even considered a 10x10 chain link dog pen with a dog house (which a friend of mine uses with her rabbit). The more room, the better.

The next thing to think about is your rabbit's diet. Rabbits are like horses. Their teeth grow. They need constant fiber roughage. And they have delicate systems like horses. Hay provides the roughage they need and helps to keep their teeth filed down. Timothy hay is the best. Alfalfa is good but they need grass hay in addition to alfalfa. You can buy timothy at any petstore. My local Kroger grocery store even carries it! Of course, living on a farm allows Clover to have access to my horse's fescue and bermuda hay as well as her timothy.

Rabbits need a balanced pelleted feed made just for bunnies. Never give them old or moldy feed. Add fresh veggies everyday too. But not iceburg lettuce! Only dark lettuce. Clover likes the Spring Mix version of romaine mixed with spinach leaves. Carrots, cilantro, broccoli, celery and parsley are good picks. Just a little fingerful morning and night of lettuce and another veggie is all she seems to need to keep her healthy, along with her hay and pellets. And her fruit! We can't forget fruit! She gets a few pieces of apple every day along with her favorite....dried apriots! Just one or two a day. Rabbits have a bad sweet tooth, and like a child will turn away from healthy food to eat the sweet stuff. Rasberries, strawberries, pears, oranges, apples and melons make good choices.

What's next on the rabbit to do list? Companionship! Rabbits are social animals who like to live in groups. Have you ever watched a bunny in your yard at dusk in the summertime? They will burrow down into the ground to stay cool during the day and sleep, then hop out at night to hang out with their buddies. But rabbits can also be territorial, so if you buy two make sure you introduce them carefully. Spayed and neutered animals do best together. Unfortunately Clover has to live alone. She hasn't been spayed, and I don't think she will accept another long earred female into her home without protest. And we certainly can't get a boy bunny to live with her. So I spend alot of time keeping Clover company. I visit her several times a day (we have a routine) and sometimes she even lets me bring her into my house for a romp around the living room. If you get a bunny, plan on making it a part of your family. Don't just throw it into a cage in the backyard and forget about it. They need love and companionship just like people.

Toys! Bunnies love toys! Keep a toy box just for your furry friend. Clover likes cardboard. Cardboard toilet paper rolls. Cardboard coke boxes. Cardboard paper towel rolls stuffed with hay. She also likes empty Crystal Light or Parmesian Cheese containers to toss and throw around in her cage. Some rabbits like small balls or special made chew toys to roll with their nose. Change the toys out often so she doesn't get bored.

Bunny behavior is the best thing about owning a rabbit. They are so different from any other pet you've probably had. The are nosy, inquisitive, at times demanding, and can be huffy. If they dance in circles around your feet, they love you. If they grind and click their teeth when you pet them, they are enjoying your company. If they fold their ears slightly back they are accepting you as their friend. If they stretch out and relax, they feel safe with you. If they grunt like a pig, they're mad. If they thump with their feet, they're scared and warning you of danger. Rabbits do "binkies"! They jump straight into the air as high as they can go, twirl around in mid-air, land and takeoff with lightning speed. That's a binky. Hysterical to watch. It means you have a happy bunny.

I hope my experience with Clover has helped you just a little in your decision to get a rabbit for your household. They make great pets but you need to plan ahead before getting one. I found a lot of excellent advice on "the House Rabbit Society" webpage...www.rabbit.org. Read everything you can about rabbits because you can never know enough. What you don't read, your rabbit will teach you!