Rabbit Breeding

There are a number of wild rabbit species in the United States and some are faring far worse than others. One of the most endangered is the Pygmy rabbit. Once upon a time an abundance of these tiny creatures (on average they weigh under a pound) lived in the Great Basin of the United States, but now they have all but disappeared.

Unique and Intelligent but Running out of Food.

The Pygmy rabbit has a couple of traits that set them apart from other wild rabbits in America such as the cottontail or the jack rabbit other than being the smallest. They are the only species who dig and live in burrows and they have been observed to be very vocal, giving out what seem to be alarm calls to one another.

90% of the Pygmy rabbit’s diet consists of sagebrush leaves and they use the bushes as cover from predators. The destruction of large tracts of sagebrush is what most animal conservationists blame for the Pygmy rabbits decline.

Trying to Restore a Wild Species in Captivity

The Oregon Zoo has for the past several years been the home of a program that is trying to breed Pygmy rabbits in captivity, in the hop that they can eventually be returned to the wild. They have had some successes and a number of pygmy rabbits have been returned to the wild in Central Washington. The programs funding may be cut at the end of the year however, and some zoo personnel fear that should that happen there are still far from enough pygmy rabbits back out among the remaining sagebrushes for their species to survive,

So, you have had your adorable, cuddly bunny for several months, and all of a sudden your bundle of fluff has become the Demon Rabbit. He refuses to use his litter box and does not want to be held. In fact he’ll bite and scratch if you even attempt to pick him up. No, he hasn’t gone crazy; your rabbit is just entering his terrible teenage stage.

Dealing with a Teenage Terror Rabbit

Spaying or neutering your pet will help calm his foul temper and that can be safely performed at any time after your bunny is four months old. If you do intend to breed your pet this is of course not an immediate option, but there are ways to deal with some of the most common problems that “teenage” rabbits present.

Taming a Biter Bunny

One of the most common things that a maturing rabbit will do is start to bite. To avoid becoming a victim never pull your rabbit from his cage when he is facing you, as he may feel “cornered” and his only defense is his teeth. Instead, stroke him gently behind the ears and turn him around gently with your other hand, so that he is no longer facing you. Then pull him out gently, supporting his back legs firmly.

Just like their human counterparts teenage rabbits will not appreciate being disturbed from a great nap. Most rabbits prefer to spend much of their day sleeping, becoming more active around dawn and dusk, a genetic throwback from their wild ancestors, as these are safest times for wild rabbits to hunt. To avoid being nipped allow him to sleep when he wants, he might be more up for a nice playtime if he decides what time that should take place.

Reintroducing the Litter Box

For the unaltered teenage rabbit this can be hard. When your rabbit is out and about make sure there is a litter box no farther away from him than about 15 feet. Teenage rabbits seem to forget about their litter box if it is much farther away, unlike a pet cat who search the whole house to track his down. Often a teenage rabbit will become so engrossed in his tasty hay that he will forget about his litter box. Placing hay in front of it may help him remember.

The average rabbit is a naturally very curious and fun loving little animal. To be truly happy and healthy your bunnies need mental exercise as well as physical. If your rabbit has no outlet for fun he can become bored and overweight, depressed even. Toys should always be provided.

What Will My Rabbit Play With?

Some of a rabbit’s favorite toys can be common household items. Something as simple as an empty toilet roll stuffed with hay can provide your bunny with a safe chew toy as well as fun at mealtime. You can make him a bunny playhouse from a simple cardboard box, with entrance and exit doors for him to run through. Some rabbits enjoy shredding newspaper and will be amused that way. Often a bunny will enjoy digging and chewing. Why not fill another box with shredded paper for happy burrowing?

Store Bought Toys Suitable for Rabbits

Most bunnies enjoy playing with lightweight toys that they can pick up and toss around. Baby toys are perfect for rabbits too, and most of them love something that makes a noise. To encourage your rabbit to play with his toys toss one to him gently, in most cases he will toss it right back. Many rabbits enjoy playing with a small ball, but remember balloons are to be avoided; if they burst a rabbit may choke himself on the rubber. Many pet stores sell toys packaged especially for rabbits, but they tend to be more expensive than simple dollar store items that will keep your rabbit just as entertained.

Variety is the Key

Just like children, a rabbit will become bored with his toys at one time or another. Changing the toys in his cage or play area every so often will keep him interested. Do not give your rabbit any toy with small pieces that he could break off and choke on. Don’t forget to play with your rabbit and his toys, most rabbits like a good game with their owner, and regular playtime is a great way to “socialize” your bunny.

If you intend to keep a rabbit in the house your home will certainly need a little bunny – proofing. Here are a few of the steps you can take to help ensure the safety of both your rabbit and your possessions.

1. Cover all your Cords – Most rabbits have a tendency to chew on electrical cords if given half a chance. Run cords underneath the carpet or clip them up high, out of your rabbit’s reach. If you decide to use cord covers instead just make sure they are thick enough to do the job, rabbits have very sharp teeth!

2. Houseplants – Most plants commonly kept in the home will actually poison your rabbit if he nibbles at them. Keep houseplants off the floor and out of harm’s way.

3. Watch the Exits – It’s a great idea to give you bunny room to roam, they will certainly be happy about it. You do however need to make sure he has no escape routes into the outside world or to your best sitting room couch. If you have pet doors installed for other animals keep your bunny out of the room in which they are installed.

4. Litter boxes – Rabbits prefer to retreat to a quiet corner to attend to business. If you have a house bunny make sure he has a litter box available at all times and is trained to use it. Failure to do so may result in your rabbit deciding to use your carpet as a litter box, not a very pleasant thought.

5. Space- How much is too much? Giving you bunny full run of the house may not be the best idea. Rabbits are naturally very good at getting underfoot and run out from nowhere at the most unexpected times. Consider reducing your rabbits roaming to one or two rooms only, they will be quite happy and it will be far less work for you and your family.

Finding a good vet for your rabbit is important, and it is even more important that you have one in mind before your bunny falls ill. The vet you used to take your cat to might have been great with Fluffy, but what does he know about rabbits?

In your search for the right vet for your rabbit let a telephone conversation with several offices be your starting place. The answers you get to a few simple questions can help you decide if a particular vet is really equipped to take care of your precious pet:

1. How often do you see rabbits? If the answer is not often ,this a red flag right away. If the receptionist hesitates or says something like “we can see rabbits” or “we will accept a rabbit” this is not the same as a vet who sees them on a regular basis. Ask how many bunnies they see each week. One or two once in a while is not enough to make the vet in question a rabbit expert.

2. Ask how much it costs to spay or neuter a rabbit: Even if you did this ages ago, asking this one question can be another way to determine how often rabbits are seen at a practice. If the receptionist has to check to see if they do, then it is rather obvious that they do not do so very often. If you get a quick answer and a price quote, this is a very good sign.

3. Throw in a Tricky Question: Try asking if a rabbit should be forced to fast before surgery. The correct answer is a resounding NO. Fasting is to prevent vomiting under anesthesia, and rabbits cannot vomit. If the receptionist says yes, give her the benefit of the doubt for a moment, she is not the vet. Ask her to check with her boss. If she does and the answer is still yes, hang up and call another vet.

4. Do not assume a livestock vet knows her rabbits: Vets who work with farmers and breeders may not always share the compassion that house rabbit owners have for their beloved bunnies. Livestock are usually a financial commodity and sick rabbits are often killed instead of being treated.

5. Ask Fluffy’s Vet for a Recommendation: Remember the nice cat Dr? He may not know his rabbits, but chances are he knows someone who does. That way you can take the referral, then call and ask your trick question to make sure!

It’s not always wise to believe everything you read or hear about the business of raising and keeping rabbits, either as a pet or to breed. Many of the old wives tales are easy to spot as false, but there are a few that persist that can be downright detrimental to your rabbit’s health and wellbeing. Here are a few of the biggest out there, and the truth behind the myth:

1. You can let an unwanted pet rabbit out into the wild and it will be OK

The average domesticated rabbit will not last long in the great outdoors. Most fall prey to local predators such as dogs, cats and big birds, very quickly. It may be true that pet rabbits possess some inbred “prey instincts”, they have never had to rely upon on them and really have no clue what to do in the wild. If you can no longer care for your rabbit, try to find him a good home, or as a last resort hand him over to a local pet shelter.

2. You can pick a rabbit up by his ears.

Rabbits ears are not a handle. How would you feel if someone tried to pick you up by your ears? Well, rabbits feel the same way. The correct way to handle a bunny is to scoop it up, supporting its body with both hands. This myth probably gained popularity thanks to those magicians who do “rabbit hat tricks”, a practice that magicians guilds now frown on.

3. Pet store rabbit treats are good for your bunny’s health.

This is for the most part false. The brightly colored treats you see in the pet store are designed to appeal to you, not your rabbit. These treats often contain way more sugar and dried fruits and nuts than the average rabbit’s digestion system can handle.

4. Rabbits are silent animals.

New rabbit owners may be very surprised by the range of noises that their pet bunny makes, and they vary greatly from breed to breed. It may go from a low “buzzing” noise to a contented purr. A rabbit that feels threatened will often let out a very shrill scream.

5. Cats and Rabbits can be bred to create Cabbits.

Since these are two completely different species, it’s hard to believe that anyone falls for this particular myth but the “cabbit” theory is alive and well. It may be the strange way that cat breeds such as the manx , which do move in a way that is almost a hop that helped get it started. However, as far as anyone knows, cabbits only really exist in Japanese Anime cartoons.

For the inexperienced, the way a mother rabbit behaves around her kits may seem unusual, and they believe there is a problem. However, in most cases this is not true.

The concern usually arises from the fact that the mother rabbit is rarely to be seen with her babies, so the observer may conclude that she is rejecting them, and they are not being fed properly.

Unlike other animals, the mother rabbit does not naturally spend a lot of time with her offspring. This behavior can probably be attributed to the domestic mamma bunny’s genetic instincts. If she were in the wild with her brood, staying with them at all times would endanger them. Adult rabbits have a scent that can be tracked by predators, kits do not. By staying away except to provide necessities, the wild female rabbit is doing her babies a favor.

What is “normal” behavior for a new rabbit mother?

Rabbit mothers will not normally visit the nest box to check on her offspring during the day, but she does keep watch, just from a distance. Rabbits only need to be fed by their mother once or twice a day, and the mother will only allow the kits to nurse when she feels it is safe, usually just before dawn, and just after dusk. If there is a continual crowd of humans (especially children) around the cage, the rabbit mother may become too stressed to nurse, so make sure to give her plenty of privacy in the weeks after giving birth.

But how can you tell if the babies are well fed?

A well nourished baby bunny will have quite a distended tummy, looking a little like a “Pillsbury Dough Bunny” If the kits are not being fed well they will have tummies with a sunken appearance, their skin will be wrinkled, and their response to being handled will be weak or nonexistent.

If your baby bunnies are displaying these symptoms professional help is called for. If the baby seems very sick place a drop of honey or a fruit jelly in their mouth until you can get them to a vet.

As the weather in many parts of the world heats up, it is a good time to give a little thought to keeping your rabbit cool, especially if they spend a good deal of time outdoors. A wild rabbit is free to go wherever it wants, so can seek out shade or heat as they see fit. A pet bunny’s environment is controlled solely by the owner, so your bunny is depending on you to make sure they don’t get overheated.
The Perfect Temperature
Rabbits do best in a coolish environment, somewhere around 55 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal. A rabbit’s physical make up does not allow it to pant a lot to cool off, like a dog will, and they do not sweat. Rabbits with long ears have an advantage over their lop eared counterparts, as the ears do provide act as a sort of cooling mechanism, but not a very efficient one. Overheating in rabbits can be a serious problem, even resulting in death.
How to tell if Your Rabbit is Suffering in the Heat
If on a warm day your rabbit becomes very lethargic, or lies down, breathes heavily and tries to pant, these are all good indicators that he is too hot. If you do observe these symptoms it is very important to act quickly. He should be taken to a cooler area or room, and misted with water and wrapped in a damp towel.
If your bunny still does not seem to be improving, you can run cool, not cold, water all over his body, taking are to avoid his head. Once he seems to be feeling a little better, treat your rabbit as you would for shock. Have the rabbit lie in a cool, darkened area, with easy access to plenty of drinking water. If he does not return to his usual habits within a day or so, a visit to the vet is called for.

Sorry Bugs, it takes more than carrots to keep a rabbit in top form. When it comes to feeding and diet, a rabbit’s fairly sensitive digestive system has to be taken into account. A few tips;
Hay, Hay and more Hay
The average rabbit should have a supply of fresh hay available at all times. Feeding your rabbit a variety of the different types of hay available is often a good idea, as each different type has a different texture and fiber content.
Alfalfa Hay is great for pregnant does and rabbits under 6 months of age. However it is too rich for most adult rabbits, in excess it can cause some major health problems.
Timothy Hay is favored by most rabbits and is the type carried most commonly in pet supply stores. Oat Hay is good to give once in a while for a little variety and as it is thicker it helps keep sharp teeth in check. Orchard Grass has a much softer texture than other hay, and makes great bedding too.
Pellet Feeding
In general it is best to avoid giving your rabbit fancy “gourmet pellets” as more than the occasional treat. “Gourmet” pellets are those with peanuts, honey, colored cereal and other artificial additives. Rabbits 6 months of age and over should be given 2-3 tablespoons of alfalfa pellets per five pounds of body weight per day. Pregnant does and babies under 6 months however should be given access to all the pellets they desire.
Greens and Fruits
Rabbits will enjoy a full range of greenery. Most lettuce varieties are fine for rabbits, and they also enjoy such things as collard and mustard greens. Some rabbits even enjoy the occasional bok choy salad. Iceberg lettuce has no nutritional value for rabbits, so should not be the focus of his veggie diet. Cabbage and cauliflower should be avoided as they cause bloating and excess gas.
Rabbits can be given a variety of fresh fruits such as apples, oranges, strawberries and blueberries. Grapes, raisins and bananas should be avoided as they contain far too much sugar for your rabbit to handle.

When it comes to feeding time, rabbits are notoriously messy. Many knock over their feeding bowls, spilling food all over the cage floor, or gnaw there way through their water bottles. Here are a few great products that make feeding and watering your bunny a little bit easier and cleaner;

The Super Pet Gravity Feeder – Great for Weekends Away.

Everyone needs a break sometimes. If bunny has to be left home alone for a few days, or you just prefer your rabbit has access to pellet food whenever he wishes, the Super Pet Gravity feeder might be the answer.

Made of durable, chew resistant polymer, there are no sharp edges to hurt your animals, and it can be securely fastened to most cages, so that even the most energetic bunny cannot knock it over.

The feeder can hold up to five days worth or pellet food, and a special sifter prevents your pet from inhaling pellet dust, a common cause of respiratory problems in rabbits.

 Rollin’ The Hay Spinning Hay & Salad Dispenser – Fun at Feeding Time.

The Rollin The Hay Spinning Salad dispenser by Super Pet is a feed dispenser and rabbit toy rolled into one. To get to their treats, your bunny has to roll the ball, something most rabbits love to do with any ball. The fact that they are rewarded for their actions makes for a  happier rabbit, as any breed loves playtime.

The ball can be mounted to the cage, or placed on the cage floor on the included stand. Alternately you can remove it from its stand and just let the good times roll.

The dispenser can be used for fruits, vegetables and hay, all of which should be a part of a healthy rabbit’s diet.

Farm Innovators Heated Water Bottle – Great for the Outdoor Bunny.

Many rabbits live outdoors successfully. If provided with a warm, snuggly sleeping nest, they thrive even if its cold outside. But often the water in their bottles freezes or becomes unpleasantly cold in wintry weather. The Farm Innovators Heated Water Bottle is the only bottle on the market with a built in 20 watt heater, to keep your rabbits water at an optimum temperature at all times.

The heater is temperature sensitive, kicking in only when needed. It is made of sturdy chew resistant plastic and refills easily from a large top opening.