What Supplies Do I Need For
My New Pet Rabbit?
Here is a list of supplies you
will need to purchase before you pick out your new pet rabbit:
Pet Carrier - you will
need a safe way to transport your pet home from the breeder and to the
vet's office (if needed). You can purchase a 'pet taxi' type carrier
available at most any pet store, or you can purchase an actual wire/drop
pan carrier used by rabbit breeders, from any of the rabbit supply
vendors. Make sure you choose one large enough for the rabbit breed
you intend to purchase!
Cage - all rabbits need their own cage, even
if you plan to 'bond' your pet rabbit with another rabbit. You can
purchase cages from most pet stores but your best bet is to purchase
directly from a rabbit supply vendor (links listed on the
main pet page)
They supply sturdy, long-lasting cages and are oftentimes cheaper than
what you'd get from a retail pet store..
Rabbits do best in a wire
cage, with sturdy wire flooring (1/2" x 1") which will allow droppings to fall through and
collect in a 'drop pan'. Always buy the largest cage you can afford
- rabbits are active if given the room! Below we've listed some
minimum cage requirements you can use as a guide:
-
Small breeds such as
Holland Lops, need a cage that is at least 18 inches by 24 inches, and at
least 18 inches high, preferably larger as the smaller breeds are
generally pretty active rabbits.
-
Medium sized breeds
such as the Champagne D'Argents need a cage that is at least 24 inches
by 30 inches and again, 18 inches high.
-
Large breeds such as
the French Lops, should have a cage that is at least 24 inches by 36
inches, 18 inches high, preferably larger, and these large breeds should also have a wooden
resting board so they are not always on wire flooring.
Note: breeds with short, plush
fur, such as Rex and Mini Rex, should also be provided a resting board -
the fur on their footpads is very short and does not offer adequate
protection on wire flooring.
Cage Location - If your
rabbit will be housed indoors, choose a cool, dry place, away from drafts,
vents or direct sunlight. If your new rabbit will be the lone rabbit
in your house, be sure to place his cage where he can be part of your
household activities!
If you choose to keep your
rabbit outside - he will need protection against weather elements such as
direct sun, rain, snow, wind, and excessive temperature extremes, along with
protection against many pests; flying insects, dogs, cats and other
predatory animals, and this does include inquisitive neighborhood
kids! Outside pet rabbits do best if they are housed next to, or are
allowed to live with a bonded mate or friend - they should not be kept
completely isolated!
Feed and Water dishes -
there are many options for providing feed and water to your pet rabbit - a
common practice is to use heavy ceramic crock dishes for both food and
water. Purchase ones large enough so your rabbit's head can fit in
to reach the bottom. Rabbit supply vendors also offer 'feed hoppers'
that attach to the cage wire, clip-on bowls and crocks, and water bottles.
If you choose to use a water bottle, you will need to make sure your
rabbit knows how to drink from it!
Rabbit Feed - most
breeders will give you a starter supply of rabbit feed when you purchase
your rabbit, if not, ask for it! You can decide to buy the same type
of feed the rabbit is already used to, or you can purchase a different
rabbit feed. If you change feeds, the transition to the new feed
should be made slowly (over a week's time or longer) Start by
feeding just the breeder's feed for a few days, then gradually mix more
and more of your feed in daily, until the rabbit's ration is all your feed
and none of the breeder's.
Hay - we promote
healthy digestive systems by feeding hay to our rabbits every night.
Choose a grass hay, as alfalfa is too rich.
Read more about general rabbit
care, feeding, health and illness, grooming and rabbit habits in our printable pdf booklet
Your New Rabbit
Below are more things you
can buy for your rabbit although you can purchase these later.....
Resting boards - many
people like to provide a place for the rabbit to get off of the wire
flooring. This can be as simple as a piece of cardboard (no tape,
staples, glues or chemicals!), or a ceramic tile, piece of plain drywall,
or a piece of unfinished, untreated wood. Keep in mind that whatever
you use, you will need to keep it clean or replace it when it becomes
soiled.
Toys - rabbits love
toys! We find that our cheapest toy, a square of cardboard, makes
the most entertaining toy for our rabbits - they sit on it, rip it to
shreds, throw it around, and some carry it around with them. We also
use clean, empty cans (no sharp edges), toilet paper rolls stuffed with
hay, hard plastic cat toys (the 'roller' cages with a bell in the center),
and small plastic bottles with noise-making rice or pellets inside.
What ever you choose for toys - keep them clean, and make sure they are
not made of a material that can be harmful to your rabbit.
Litterbox - if you
intend to housetrain your rabbit, purchase a litter box. Some of our
French Lops insist on using a litter box - and we've found that the
large litter boxes that clip onto the side of the cages work well - the
front is usually lower than the sides and back and allows our larger
rabbits to lay in the box if they choose! We use the same shaved
pine bedding in the litter boxes as we use in our drop pans, but there are
other options. Do not use scented kitty litter or clumping litters of any
kind though.
Grooming supplies - we
use brushes and combs made for cats; our brush has a square head with
curved wire bristles with the tips coated in plastic. You can use
just about any comb bet we opt for the medium-fine-tooth combs to pull
matted fur off the rabbit. Other that a comb and brush, it may be
helpful to have a small spray bottle for water so you can mist your hands
or the rabbit before grooming (if you mist your hands then run them over
the rabbit-loose hair will accumulate on your hands, then 'ball it up' to
dispose of it).
Of course you will need
something to trim toenails with and again, we use a small scissors-type
clipper commonly used for cats, but you can use most anything, even a
human fingernail clipper, for the job.
A few first aid items handy
to have on hand are:
Probiotic gel or powders
- these are available from most any pet supply store and come under brand
names such as Benepac and ProBios. Probiotics are a helpful first
treatment for a rabbit not eating or one whose appetite is lessened from
antibiotic treatments.
Sterile eye wash for pets
- rabbits, especially lop rabbits with the big bulldog type heads, can
suffer tear-duct blockages quite easily - eye washes help remove debris
Simethicone Drops -
available from human pharmacies and made for infants. These drops
help relieve intestinal gas pressure in the rabbit who is suffering from a
stomach or intestinal upset.
Small plastic needle-less
syringes - available from drug stores/pharmacies for infants - these
can come in handy when you are trying to force-feed medications or water.
Of course, there are many more
first aid items one can buy as you progress in your pet rabbit hobby, but
most are treatment-specific and will not be needed unless your rabbit is
undergoing treatment for a problem your vet identified.
Read more about general rabbit
care, feeding, health and illness, grooming and rabbit habits in our printable pdf booklet
Your New Rabbit
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