Rabbit Care
Things Rabbits Need:
Water
Rabbits need water available at all times! Stoneware pet bowls are our favorite for feed and water. We found we had trouble with water bottles because the ball bearings can get stuck and cause leakage or get blocked. They are probably good as a backup, but since the flow is so slow, rabbits who use them may not get enough water or you may not like the noise of them drinking, so we do not recommend them as a main water source for your rabbit.
Quality Pellets
We feed our rabbits a blend of New Country Organics pellets with Tucker Milling GMO free pellets. It’s important to avoid genetically modified ingredients and unhealthy fillers. Keep in mind that soy, corn and wheat in animal feed are likely to be genetically modified, so you’ll want to choose feed that has none or very little of those ingredients for a healthier rabbit. Watch for fruit and molasses, as well. If sweeteners are in your feed, your bunny may develop a dependency on them. It’s best to avoid sweeteners in your rabbit pellets.
Fresh Hay
Rabbits need Timothy hay in addition to feed pellets. It provides the roughage they need for good digestion. It also helps keep their teeth from overgrowing. Timothy hay should be available to them at all times. We buy Timothy hay by the full bale at Marietta Seed & Feed.
Sweets and Treats
Save the sweet stuff like carrot slices, fruit, such as apple slices, banana slices, blueberries, etc. for a bunny that is at least 5 months old. Young bunnies can get addicted to sweets, become ill-mannered beggars, and lose their appetite for healthier things their bodies need.
Black oil sunflower seeds are a good treat for adult rabbits and bunnies, however, any time you change the diet of your bunny, do it gradually, watching for any changes in their digestion and well-being.
Habitat
Indoor Habitats
Read what is here, but also visit our Bun Store page, which is our Amazon Associates Account link collection, for an organized list of recommendations.
Among the indoor cages we’ve used, we like our SONGMICS Pet Playpens for their adaptability.
Outdoor Habitats
We have tried several different hutch types but we decided that building our own hutches to our specifications was best. Ours are taller, more durable, and more accessible than any I have found online.
Ours are basically duplex style. Each one has a removable divider so one hutch can be one large cage or two medium sized cages. Even if you choose to raise your rabbits indoors, it’s not a bad idea to have an outdoor hutch so you have options. It’s good to bring outdoor rabbits in sometimes, and vice-versa. The important thing is to balance the needs of the rabbit and also the needs of your family.
