Q. Does the litter box of a
bunny have to be in a cage?
A. No.
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Q. I don't mind and
would like a bunny who could be in the house with just a litter box
but do you need a cage?
A. Generally it is nice for the rabbit to have a
space of his own. Having an area where you can confine the rabbit
can be helpful for training (time outs), or when you have a lot of
guests. The rabbit will appreciate it if he is feeling like a little
privacy. You can provide this in a number of ways: a cage, an
exercise pen, a room of his own. As you and the rabbit get to know
one another, and the rabbit proves reliable in his habits and has
earned your trust, you will probably live with the cage door open.
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Q. What kind of habits
do bunnies have? Do they like to be on a ...doggie bed?
A. Rabbits are most active in the early morning
and in the evenings. They tend to sleep during the day, but will
become accustomed to your schedule. Like cats they nap. Rabbits like
to run, jump, go into tunnels, under beds and behind sofas. Rabbits
chew and need baskets, branches and bird chew toys. Some rabbits
like to dig and need a digging box or an outside area where they can
dig. Some rabbits like to climb and need a climbing structure with
ramps and levels. Other rabbits like to toss and want a toss toy.
Rabbits like routine and a stable environment. Rabbits do like
doggie beds, but as some rabbit chew fabric (a health risk). I
have not used them much.
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Q. What do you
typically feed a bunny?
A. Adult rabbits need a high fiber, low calorie
diet. For proper dental health they need to chew for about 4
hours each day. Feed grass hays such as timothy and oat hay in
unlimited quantities. For a six lb rabbit, feed about a cup of
mixed greens each day and up to 1/4 cup of plain green pellets.
DO NOT FEED the pellet mixes as seeds and fruit should be handled as
treats and fed in very limited quantities.
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Q. Will a bunny use a
"doggie door" to go in and out? Ideally I'd like to
put the litter box and food box outside, perhaps in a cage.
A. Rabbits will use a doggie door
but they cannot be
left to run loose at night due to predators. Also, depending on
where you live certain insects can cause life threatening
conditions. So outdoor cages must be secure and should be screened
against insects.
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Q. If the bunny is
truly litter trained, is that a guaranteed they will not poop in the
house?
A. Some bunnies, like some children, are neat.
Others are not. It depends on your rabbit. At our
shelter, one way to tell is to come early in the morning before we
have cleaned. Pull the metal pans under the cages and look.
Many rabbits have clean pans or a pan with one or two stray poops.
I will say that the longer they stay at the shelter and the longer
it has been since the spay or neuter the better they do. Also,
some rabbits are particular and want certain litters or more than
one box. They have opinions on these matters and a caretaker does
best when they try to figure out what the rabbit wants. In
addition, some rabbits use poop to mark territory. This
behavior is reduced when they become more comfortable and relaxed in
their new home.
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Q. Do they adjust easily to a
new environment?
A. Again it depends on the rabbit. Generally, the
best plan is to take your new rabbit straight home and place it in
an area that has been set up for it with a box, food, water, toys
etc. Sit down and wait for the rabbit to become comfortable. If the
family has children, after the rabbit is comfortable make a circle
on the floor with the rabbit inside. Allow the bunny to come to each
of you in turn. No grabbing no holding. Let the bunny explore the
family. Carrot circles are OK for the children to give the bunny. Do
this on several occasions until the rabbit becomes comfortable.
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Q. How long does a bunny
typically live?
A. The average life span of a rabbit is about 6
years, but generally most people take very poor care of bunnies in
this country. For example, female rabbits after the age of 3 have an
80 percent chance of developing uterine cancer. Rabbits need a high
fiber diet and generally do not get it. Rabbits need 4 or more hours
of exercise daily and generally do not get it. So, with good genes
and good care, your rabbit can live to be between 11 and 13.
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Q. We brought a new bunny home. She is
fighting with our male rabbit. What can we do to get them to like
each other?
First, spay your female and neuter your male. Then
wait 4 to 6 weeks before re-introduction. Next read this: http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/introductions.html.
Be patient, and persistent.
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