Can rabbits eat banana like guinea pigs? This is a question that often pops up in the mind of new rabbit owners. As a rabbit owner, it is your responsibility to make sure your fluffy pet gets only the best after all. This means that you will need to know what fruits your bunny can and can’t eat.
You may have noticed that rabbits go bananas for some fruits, but can they actually eat banana fruit? In this article, we will discuss a rabbit’s love of of this fruit and what effect it will have on your fluffy friend’s health.
Now it’s time to go a bit bananas and get you some answers.
Rabbits can eat bananas, but it should be fed in moderation. This means feeding it as an occasional treat only. Banana may be rich in vitamins, magnesium and potassium, but they also contain a lot of sugar. Sugar can cause digestive upsets, dental problems and obesity in rabbits so make sure you feed the right amount if you don’t want to end up with a sick bunny.
Never feed a rabbit under the age of 3 months banana. Their digestive systems are still underdeveloped and the sugar content may make them very sick.
Banana, like guava, is a fruit that should only be fed as occasional treats. Fruits usually contain a lot of sugar that may lead to several kinds of problems in your bunny. The most common health problems associated with overfeeding fruit is obesity and digestive upsets.
So can rabbits eat this fruit or is it too risky? Fortunately, if done right, rabbits can eat fruits like bananas safely without any negative effects. The general rule for feeding any kind of fruit is one teaspoon of fruit per kilogram (2 pounds) of body weight no more than three times a week. Since banana is a fruit, this rule will apply.
Here are some tips for safely feeding banana to your rabbit:
It is very important to wash bananas properly before feeding them to your long-eared friends. Even better, buy organic bananas especially if you’re planning on feeding the skin as well. Pet rabbits are very sensitive to pesticides and can get very sick and even die if you aren’t careful. To remove pesticides, wash the banana in lukewarm water with some baking soda.
If this is the first time you’ll be feeding banana to your pet rabbit, you can start with a very small piece as an introduction to this fruit. The usual amount you can feed safely is 5.4 cm (2 ⅛ of an inch) per 2.3 kg (5 pounds) of body weight. Also, restrict feeding banana to two or three times a week.
Bananas can be fed with the peel on. The peel is good for rabbits, but only if it came from an organic source. Keep in mind that rabbits can get addicted to bananas so it is extra important to keep to the serving size.
Since you've googled 'Car rabbits eat banana' I'm assuming this is the first time you'll be feeding this fruit. Keeping an eye on your bunny friend after introducing a new fruit is very important.
If your furry friend has any negative reactions to the banana, you can step in before the situation becomes serious. 24 hours is usually a good amount of time to observe your rabbit before feeding more banana.
If you see any signs of discomfort or diarrhea, don't feed banana again until your bunny recovered. You can try again in a few months time. If your rabbit get's sick again, don't feed banana.
If the symptoms persist for more than a week, it is best to take your pet to the veterinarian. If nothing happens after the initial introduction, you can continue feeding this fruit, but do make sure not to overfeed!
Overfeeding can lead to complications such as obesity and gastrointestinal stasis (the gut stops working) which can be fatal to rabbits. Also, avoid overripe bananas since they contain more sugar.
Some fruits are safe with some conditions while other rabbit food can be fed freely. Bananas are one of the fruits that can be fed freely as long as you follow the correct portion size. Some parts, however, are better than others. Let’s take a look...
The parts of banana:
Bananas contain a lot of beneficial nutrients for rabbits. Some of these nutrients include:
Are you afraid your bunny will get addicted to bananas? No worries, you can try these fruits and vegetables as alternatives:
Also, keep in mind that fruits should not make up more than 10% of your rabbit’s weekly diet. It is also very important to check if fruit should be peeled and if the seeds are harmful. In the case of bananas, you can remove the peel if you want to avoid exposing your bunny friend to more pesticides. Hay is still the most important component in any rabbit diet.
The short answer here is no. Bananas are completely safe if fed in the right quantities. The problem lies with pesticides. If you feed a rabbit banana covered in pesticides, it may end up dead or seriously ill.
It is definitely possible, especially if fed to baby bunnies or too much at once. Bananas contain a lot of sugar which may upset a rabbit’s sensitive digestive tract. If you don’t keep to the serving size or feed baby bunnies under the age of three months banana, you will most likely end up with a sick rabbits.
Definitely, as long as the banana is pesticide-free and cut up into the correct serving size. Rabbits can consume both the peel and the flesh of the banana. In fact, they can even eat the banana plant!
Yes, the leaves are healthier than the banana. Leaves can be fed in large quantities and much more often than the fruit. If you have a banana plant, adding the leaves to your fluffy friend's diet daily is a very good idea. You can include it in the ration of daily leafy greens your bunny gets fed.
Some rabbits are a bit pickier than others. If your bunny doesn't eat the leaves, it's not the end of the world.
Yes, but only if the bananas were sourced from an organic farm. Pesticides on the peels can be very dangerous to bunnies, so if you're not sure, rather don't feed the peel. The peel isn't as nutritious as the actual food anyway so there is no loss.
Bunnies can eat dried banana as long as it's fed in moderation.
So can rabbits eat bananas? Bananas are safe for bunnies and guinea pigs to eat, but you need to be careful of how much banana you feed at once. Rabbits can get addicted to bananas and will beg relentlessly for more. You, as the owner, will have to draw the line to keep your baby healthy.
Rabbits are individuals and may react differently when you introduce new foods, so keep an eye on your long-eared friend for the first 24 hours. If you want to learn more about what rabbits can eat, click here.
Can rabbits eat guava? This is the first question that should come to mind before sharing this delicious fruit with your fluffy pet. Rabbits are excellent beggars and usually get whatever they want, but as a responsible pet owner, you must make sure your bunny only eats rabbit-safe foods.
Rabbits can eat guava, but only as a treat. Guava fruit has a high sugar content, and the seeds can be a choking hazard. You can also let your rabbits eat guava leaves. The leaves are much safer than the fruit and can be fed daily.
Make sure to read our article on how to feed your rabbit properly. Your cotton-tailed friend needs more than just fruits to stay healthy.
To get back on track, let's look at a few details you should know before feeding your rabbits guava.
Definitely, but it should be fed as a treat. You should take a few precautions when feeding guava to your rabbits. Guava is rich in sugar, and the seeds can be a choking hazard. Baby rabbits should never be fed guava since their sensitive digestive systems aren't ready to handle the sugar content.
Guava, also called common guava, lemon guava, or apple guava and scientifically referred to as Psidium guajava, is an evergreen shrub or small tree that produces safe fruit for rabbits to eat. Keep in mind, like all fruits, guava is only a treat and should not be fed as a staple food source in your rabbit's diet.
Fruits are generally very high in sugar. Overfeeding fruits can cause dental problems, weight gain, digestive upset, and joint issues in rabbits. Excess amounts of sugar cause bad bacteria in the digestive system to multiply out of control, leading to diarrhea, bloat, and other stomach problems.
Don't get me wrong, guava is still safe for rabbits, but only if fed in the right amounts. The general rule for feeding fruits is one teaspoon of fruit per kilogram (2 pounds) of body weight two to three times a week. This rule also applies to guavas.
Here's what you should know to safely prepare and feed guava to your rabbits:
It is best to feed a rabbit guava with a yellowish-green color. This color indicates the guava is ready to be eaten but not yet overripe.
Unripe green guava is too hard for a rabbit to eat and may damage its teeth or cause choking and digestive system problems like blockages.
Overripe, yellow guavas, on the other hand, are very high in sugar, which may lead to diarrhea, weight gain, stomach upset, and, in the worst case, gastrointestinal stasis (GI stasis).
It's also very important to stick to feeding organic guava if possible. Pesticides are very dangerous to bunnies. This brings us to the next point...
If you can find organic guava, you will need to be extra diligent when preparing this fruit for your rabbits. Bunnies are very sensitive to pesticides and may get very sick if they eat guava covered in dangerous chemicals.
Make sure to properly wash your guavas in lukewarm water to remove any pesticide remnants. This goes for both organic and other guavas. (rather safe than sorry, right?) I would even go so far as to use a mild dishwashing soap to make sure all the pesticides are gone.
Cut the guava into four quarters. If you want to avoid the choking hazard posed by the seeds, you can remove the seeds. Depending on body size, your rabbit should be able to eat one-quarter safely.
If you have a very small breed like a Netherland Dwarf, you will need to adjust the portion further to avoid overfeeding on guava. If you're feeding a fruit salad-type meal, make sure to adjust the amount of guava to accommodate any other fruits in the meal.
Remember the general rule for fruits: One teaspoon of fruit per kilogram (2 pounds) of body weight two to three times a week. This goes for all the fruit together, not just the guava.
This is the most important step. When introducing any new foods, feed only a very small amount. Observe your rabbit for 24 hours after the introduction.
If you notice any signs of diarrhea or pain, stop feeding guava immediately. If the symptoms don't go away after a week or seem to get worse, contact your veterinarian immediately.
If nothing happens after the initial introduction, you can continue to feed this fruit in its correct proportions.
Not all parts of all fruits are safe for rabbits to eat. Fortunately, the guava is completely safe, but you should keep a few things in mind.
Guavas contain many healthy nutrients that will help your rabbit stay healthy. Some of these nutrients are:
The leaves of the guava tree are more beneficial to your rabbit than the fruits. They are high in fiber and low in sugar, making them an ideal rabbit treat. Guava leaves are quite tough, which will help with keeping your rabbit's teeth and gums healthy. You can also feed leaves more regularly without any negative effects.
Remember to take care when introducing this food since rabbits have sensitive stomachs and don't always do well when changing diets. If your rabbit isn't used to eating leaves, do a slow introduction with three or four leaves and then wait 24 hours to see how your rabbit reacts. Guava leaves can be added to your rabbit's regular feed as a supplement.
The branches of the guava tree are not rabbit-safe. They are extremely hard, which means they will damage your rabbit's teeth, get stuck between the teeth, and can cause choking and stomach upset. Too much fiber from these branches can cause diarrhea in your rabbit and may potentially cause internal damage and bleeding - Nobody wants that!
To be safe, avoid giving your rabbit guava branches. Rather, keep to the fruits and leaves as safer alternatives.
The seeds of guava are not toxic to rabbits. Just make sure you don't feed them on their own. Seeds from guava fruits can be a choking hazard. Rather be safe than sorry!
If you can, rather feed the skin of the guava, or even skip the fruit completely and go straight for the leaves. Unlike fruits, guava leaves are much healthier for bunnies and can be fed regularly without any stomach upset.
The skin of guava is the healthiest part of the fruit, at least for bunnies. It contains the least amount of sugar and plenty of fibre. Your cotton-tailed friend will thank you for occasionally adding guava skin to its daily food since they love a sweet treat every once in a while.
So, can rabbits eat guava? These fruits are definitely safe for your rabbit to eat, and if fed in moderation, it is also quite healthy. Make sure you take the necessary precautions to avoid stomach problems and other risks. Every rabbit is different, so do keep an eye on your bun-bun when you introduce this juicy treat.
If you'd rather not let your furry friend eat guava, you can try banana, melon, mango or kiwi fruits as alternatives. Remember that bunnies can't just eat guava, they also need unlimited hay, rabbit pellets, vegetables, and leafy greens to breed healthy stomach bacteria.
As a final farewell, here's a cute video of rabbits eating guava from @RabbitvideosUS
If you want to know more about rabbit diets, check out our other articles by clicking here.
Sources:
As a new rabbit owner, it is very important to know what to feed your rabbit everyday. There are many myths out there that are accepted by the general population that will negatively affect your bunny’s health. If you want to do things right, make sure you know how to feed your bunny.
If you're not 100% sure what to do, take a look at the myths involved below to make sure you don't feed your rabbit junk food. There's also some tips that will tell you how to correctly feed your precious pet.
Let's get started.
Knowing what to feed your rabbit everyday isn’t as easy as it seems. Here’s why you shouldn’t always believe everything you hear without doing your own research or asking an expert…
Rabbits cannot survive if you feed them only carrots and lettuce, in fact, some kinds of lettuce can potentially kill your rabbit. Iceberg lettuce, for example, contains lactucarium which is a compound that can be poisonous in large amounts. Light coloured lettuce also contains a lot of water and not much else making them pointless when it comes to rabbit nutrition.
Dark, fibrous lettuce, like romaine lettuce, is much better and quite nutritious to a bunny. If you decide to feed your rabbit lettuce, make sure to introduce it slowly to avoid digestive upsets. Lettuce should also not be fed as a sole food source but mixed with other fruits and vegetables to create a balanced diet.
Carrots, on the other hand, are root vegetables. Rabbits don’t usually eat root vegetables in the wild and thus carrots should only be fed as a treat. It is also very high in sugar which may cause dental problems if consumed regularly.
If you're wondering what to feed your rabbit everyday, you can never go wrong with hay. A rabbit’s main diet should be hay. If you feed too many pellets, it can lead to weight gain and digestive problems. Some commercial rabbit food may also contain harmful ingredients.
Muesli should be avoided completely since it causes dental and digestive problems. Rabbits only need pellets for the vitamins and minerals they contain. Pellets and nuggets will also help with wearing down the teeth and will help a sick rabbit to gain some weight.
You cannot feed a rabbit only pellets because they are natural grazers. They need a large amount of hay in their diets to keep their digestive system functioning as it should.
Hay is often marketed as animal bedding. While this is true to some extend, rabbits also need it as a food source to stay healthy. Rabbits are grazers and need large amounts of fibre in their diets to stay healthy. Grass hay should be fed daily to provide this fibre and to wear down your rabbit’s teeth.
Like you might have noticed, rabbits need more than just carrots and lettuce to stay healthy. They also have very sensitive digestive systems that don’t do well with any sudden changes. Whatever you do, don’t make any major changes to your rabbit’s diet in a short time, introduce new foods over a period of a few days or even weeks to make sure your bunny doesn’t get sick.
Hay is a rabbit staple. Rabbits are grazers which means they consume large quantities of grass every day. Rabbits should be fed good quality grass hay like timothy hay to keep them healthy.
Hay wears down your rabbit’s continuously growing teeth, provide important vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre that keeps the digestive system healthy. Your bunny needs unlimited access to hay since it makes up around 80 to 90 percent of a healthy rabbit’s diet. Healthy rabbits will usually eat a ball of hay the size of their bodies every day.
The hay you buy should be fresh with no sign of mold and not too much dust. Hay made from legumes like Alfalfa hay also isn’t great for adult rabbits since it is too rich and contains too much protein. Alfalfa hay can occasionally be fed as a treat and it can be fed to rabbits under the age of one year as a staple to help them grow.
Hay can also be used in a litter box to encourage rabbits to use it. This will help with rabbit house training if you have a free roaming bunny.
Vegetables and herbs are the second most important component in a rabbit’s diet, especially the leafy greens. Most rabbits favour leafy vegetables when given the choice. Most of the vegetables that you consume are also safe for your rabbit, with a few exceptions of course.
Baby rabbits or rabbits under the age of 6 months should not be fed any vegetables yet. At this stage, their digestive systems are still too immature to deal with the richness of some vegetables.
Adult rabbits, on the other hand, should be fed around two cups of vegetables a day depending on their size. Dwarf breeds should be fed no more than one cup of vegetables per day. It is ideal to feed a variety of two or three different vegetables every day, but keep in mind that vegetables should only make up 10 to 20 percent of your rabbit’s diet.
Make sure to introduce only one vegetable at a time. Start with a small bite-sized piece and wait 24 hours before you feed your rabbit more of this vegetable. If you see no reaction, you can feed larger quantities. To be safe, don’t introduce another vegetable until around 4 weeks have gone past with no side effects to the first vegetable you introduced. Do the same thing every time you introduce a new food.
Vegetables and herbs for daily feeding:
Fruits, although nutritious, should not be fed to your rabbit often. They can be used as treats two or three times a week. The reason for this is that they contain a lot of sugar which will lead to dental, digestive and weight problems. Experts suggest only including around 5 to 10 percent fruits in your rabbit’s diet per week. This equates to two tablespoons per 2 kilograms (5 pounds) of body weight per serving.
Most fruits are safe for rabbits to consume if fed in the right quantities. There are some exceptions so make sure to do your research before feeding your rabbit a new fruit. You will also need to follow the same procedure of feeding a small amount and waiting for at least 24 hours to check for any negative reactions. Some rabbits can be allergic to some fruits.
Rabbit safe fruits to try:
Pellets are important to make sure your rabbit gets all the minerals and vitamins it needs to stay healthy. It will also help to wear down the teeth. Pellets can potentially lead to weight gain and should thus not be overfed.
It is best to feed timothy hay-based pellets to adult rabbits since alfalfa contains too much protein for them which may lead to kidney damage. Baby rabbits under the age of one year can be fed alfalfa pellets, but only if you’re feeding grass hay. If you’re feeding alfalfa hay, keep to the timothy hay-based pellets.
Rabbits under the age of 8 months can be fed pellets free choice. Adult rabbits on the other hand should not be fed more than 25 grams (0.9 ounces) of pellets per kilogram (2 pounds) of body weight daily.
It is best to avoid pellets that contain dried corn, seeds and nuts since these ingredients may cause digestive problems.
As a quick summary, have a look at this rabbit feeding pyramid to make sure you know what to feed your rabbit everyday.
If you’re doing research for your new pet bunny, also have a look at the essentials you will need to keep your new rabbit healthy, safe and happy.
Yes, but only in small amounts. Rabbits don't usually eat root vegetables like carrots, but even they neat a sweet treat every now and then.
Yes, but make sure to feed the right amount and prepare it correctly. Celery has a tough string that needs to be cut for safety.
No, the heat and crushing action of the lawnmower will cause the grass to ferment prematurely. This can cause an upset stomach in some rabbits.
Congratulations, you’re about to become a bunny owner! Preparing for your new rabbit can be very exciting, but also stressful. It is always best to make sure you have all the essentials ready before your new long-eared friend comes home.
It's also a good idea to do a bit of research. Pet rabbits need special care and a rabbit-savvy veterinarian to stay healthy. If new pet will not be a house rabbit, you'll also need to research what your pet rabbit needs to live happily outdoors in all weather conditions.
If you were told that bunnies are easy pets, you've been misled. Pet rabbits are a lot of work, especially free-roaming house rabbits. Why? Everything in your home will need to be bunny-proofed. They love to chew on everything from electrical cords to baseboards!
They are wonderful pets, however, if you prepared properly, did your research and know what to expect. THey aren't for everyone, but once this pet loves you, you'll never want anything but more bunnies.
Need a bit of help? Let's take a closer look at pet rabbit needs and what rabbit ownership entails.
Before you get a pet rabbit, make sure to do research! Bunnies can live for 10 years or more so you need to be ready for the commitment. You will also need to think about getting your new rabbit spayed or neutered as soon as possible unless you're a breeder of course.
If you want to breed, make sure you have a goal in mind and a place for the babies to go. Rabbits produce large litters, they also breed very quickly with a gestation period of only 32 days! If you don't control breeding, you'll end up with a lot of bunnies very quickly.
You will also need to register yourself with an association or club to become a reputable registered breeder.
For the pet rabbit owner, spayed or neutered bunnies are the way to go. They are much happier this way since their hormones won't wreak havoc on their systems. You won't experience false pregnancies, mood swings, health issues related to the reproductive tract, potty training issues related to territorial displays, and spraying urine everywhere. Spraying is more common in male bunnies, but females do it too sometimes.
The next thing you need to consider is where your new rabbit will live. Bunnies need a lot of space to run and jump. It keeps them entertained and out of trouble most of the time. If you want a house rabbit, it's a good idea to dedicate a whole room to your pet rabbit.
A lot of people use the living room, family room, or a bedroom for their bunnies to roam. Others might allow their new pet to go where ever they like. Either way, you'll need bunny proof.
This means covering all cords, protecting the baseboards and any furniture you don't want to be destroyed. Not all pet rabbits are destructive, but a lot of them do like to chew. You can stop some destructive behavior by providing lots of bunny safe toys.
The last thing you need to think about is the cost of rabbit care. These fluffy critters need special bunny-savvy exotic vets when they get sick. They can go from completely fine to critical in a matter of hours. Your vet needs to know how to handle these situations.
This means keeping a bunny can be very expensive! They also need enclosures with enough space to run and lots of toys. Lastly, rabbit ownership means buying LOTS of rabbit-safe foods. They really like to eat a lot.
Now that you know the bunny basics, let's take a look at what you'll need to prepare for your new rabbit.
Ready to get your new bunny area set up? There are a few things your new fluffy pet rabbit can’t go without. Make sure you get the following:
A rabbit hunch is an enclosure that both keeps your rabbit out of trouble and offers your pet a safe place to sleep and hide. You will need to make sure the home you choose is big enough for the breed of rabbit you will be getting. Also, remember that rabbits prefer to live in pairs, so there needs to be enough space for both of them to move around comfortably.
Your rabbit hutch can either be a special rabbit cage, a wooden hutch, or an enclosed area inside or outside your home. Whatever you choose, this is a big step in preparing for your new pet.
If you like to go cage-free, you can combine your hutch with a puppy pen. Simply link the pen to the hutch to dramatically expand the area. You can also close off a room with a baby gate and have the hutch open at all times for your new pet to come and go as it pleases.
Just like other pets, your new long-eared friends will need rabbit-safe containers to hold their food. It is best to keep to stainless steel or ceramic bowls to prevent chewing. You will also need to make sure that the bowl is tip-proof, impossible to pick up, and unbreakable.
I learned the hard way that if they can pick up the food dish, you will have food all over the place in no time, it can also be dangerous if you use a breakable bowl. You'll be surprised how hard a bunny can throw a food dish.
You can buy these at any pet store. A feed store might sell them as well.
Your fluffy friends will also need a water bowl or bottle. Rabbits drink a lot of water so make sure to have more than one bowl or bottle available at all times. If you use bowls, you will need to make sure that they are tip-proof and resistant to being picked up by a curious pet rabbit.
Bowls are usually better than bottles for large breeds. Bottles can be tiring to drink from, especially for large pet rabbits. Just keep in mind that bowls are more work since bunnies tend to use them as a toilet. They also need to be cleaned daily.
Anything you put in your bunny's cage also needs to be chew-proof, unless it’s a chew toy of course! Water bottles are better in the sense that the water stays fresh and clean for longer. You will need to make sure that they are big enough and easy for your bunnies to use.
You will soon realize that it’s nearly impossible to stop the hay from getting into everything. Hay feeders will, however, prevent your long-eared friends from using the hay as a toilet. Bunnies just love to do their business on their hay so you can place some in their litter box to encourage them to use it.
If the hay is laying around, you will also notice your bunny pushing it all over the place while nesting or even out of boredom. If you want your rabbits to eat their hay instead of playing with it, get a hay feeder.
The best place to put a hay feeder is above the litterbox. Bunnies like to eat and poop at the same time. This will also encourage them to use the litterbox while the hay stays clean.
If your pet rabbit will free roam in your house, you might want to consider litter box training. Bunnies usually pick a dedicated spot to do their business in. All you need to do is place a rabbit litter box in that spot, fill it with some rabbit-safe cat litter and hay, and make sure your rabbit knows about it, your war is now half won.
Having a litter box-trained rabbit will also make cage cleaning much easier and keep your rabbit hutch smelling fresh for much longer. Rabbits are very clean animals, so I’m sure they’ll appreciate it too.
This goes without saying, rabbits just love to chew on everything, and unfortunately, that includes the litter you use. You can use cat litter for your bun buns, but do make sure that it’s safe for being ingested. Some cat litter consists of crystals, clay, and softwood that expand and clump quite a lot, those aren’t safe for use in rabbit litter boxes.
Ideally, you want litter made from recycled paper or any other rabbit-safe litter. Wood pellets made from pine also work well. Just make sure your rabbit can't eat them.
My partner didn’t believe me when I told him this, but rabbits do play. A bored bun is a destructive ball of energy and nobody wants that, especially if your bunny has free range of the house. Make sure to get several kinds of chew-safe rabbit toys to entertain your new fluffy friend.
Chew toys will keep your bunny’s teeth worn down, satisfy their chewing needs and take away boredom. Do make sure to only use toys under supervision since there is a potential choking risk in some cases. Avoid any toys made from plastic since they might cause problems when ingested.
Every rabbit needs some time outside of its hutch. A good, safe way to allow your fluffy friend some freedom is with a puppy pen. You will need to make sure that the pen is high enough so your bunny can’t jump out.
Buns are excellent jumpers, so make sure to supervise free time. Your bunny will also appreciate your company.
If you want your bun bun to have lots of space without having access to your furniture, use a puppy pen attached to your hutch. This is a great setup for the living room. You can also create a rabbit run outside to allow your fluffy friend to graze on the lawn. Just makes sure there are no predatory birds around!
By Tjflex2
A baby gate is a very handy tool to keep free-roaming house rabbits out of certain rooms or areas. You will need to make sure the baby gate you buy is made of metal or chew-proof wood with small enough spaces between the bars to prevent your long-eared friend from escaping. Rabbits are escape artists so make sure to check the dimensions thoroughly before you buy.
If your bun will be free-roaming, you will need to make sure the house is bunny-proof. You will need to cover all exposed wires with hard split plastic tubing to prevent chewing. If you have wooden furniture, it is also a great idea to cover them to prevent curious rabbits from chewing on your prised furniture.
Let your rabbit explore its new surroundings, but keep an eye out for the first few days. If there's something you missed, your new pet will let you know very quickly. They have a talent for finding things they shouldn't.
If you have an indoor cage, you might want to consider floor protectors. There are multiple products that are very handy for protecting your floor against fluffy hoppers.
They can get a bit messy and have accidents every now and again, especially when you just started potty training. Just make sure that the matt is chew-proof.
Spend some time observing your new bun's habits. You'll figure out very quickly which areas of their new home need a bit of extra protection.
Puppy pads are handy for potty training and keeping your rabbit’s hutch and play area clean. Just make sure that your bunny can’t eat it!
Unfortunately, all pets need their living areas cleaned now and then, this includes your hoppers. You will need to make sure that the cleaning supplies you use are bunny safe.
Vinegar is a great natural cleaner. It disinfects and removes nasty smells quite effectively. Rabbits have a lot of calcium in their urine which will harden and stick to the floor, vinegar is very useful for dissolving the calcium in dried rabbit urine stains. You can also buy pet odor-removing solutions to help with the smell.
Keep some paper towels and a spray bottle with vinegar handy for cleaning up any accidents. A paper towel works great for soaking up wee and trasfering it to the litter box. This helps your rabbit learn where the wee should go.
If your rabbit is spayed or neutered, it will also help a lot with reducing urine smells.
It is always good to have a rabbit care guide handy. If you run into a problem or wonder about a certain aspect of bunny care, you can always refer to a book or other blog posts on our website for detailed bunny care information.
You will need a rabbit carrier when you’re bringing your new pet home. You will also need this carrier whenever you go for vet visits or travel. Make sure to train your pet to feel safe in the carrier. This will help to make any traveling less stressful.
If you need to travel, make sure you read our article on rabbit transport for all the safety tips.
By Chachacha369 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0
Your rabbit will need some kind of bedding to stay warm and feel comfortable in its hutch. Bunny bedding can consist of hay (my rabbits have hay bedding) or any kind of blanket or special rabbit beds. Hay is the safest option since your bunny can also snack on it, but if you do use blankets or rabbit beds, just inspect them regularly for vandalism.
If you notice any damage, remove them immediately and replace them with something more rabbit safe. You can also try to add some cardboard boxes. They really love exploring a cardboard box maze.
Rabbits have this tendency to get themselves in trouble quite often. It is a good idea to have a first aid kit on hand with basic supplies like a digital thermometer with a flexible tip, disinfectant, wound sprays, deworming, parasite control, tweezers, feeding syringes, jars of vegetable-based baby food, baby gas drops, and bandages.
If you can't find pet supplies specifically for rabbits, try looking in the cat or chicken section since most cat and chicken medicine is safe for rabbits. Consult your exotic vet if you're unsure.
Some hoppers like the Angora needs more grooming than others, but all rabbits need a brush now and then, especially in the molting (shedding) season. Rabbits, unlike cats, can’t regurgitate hairballs. Hairballs can cause serious intestinal blockages.
To avoid any grooming-related health problems, make sure you have a brush, nail clippers, cotton swabs, and ear cleaner handy. Depending on your breed, you will need to groom your buns quite regularly.
NEVER bathe a rabbit! It's extremely stressful for them and can cause death due to stress.
Part of preparing for your first house rabbit is getting healthy food. Rabbits are grazers like horses which means they need to eat almost constantly. Your new house rabbit will need a balanced diet with unlimited hay. Make sure to buy good grass-based hay like Timothy hay or oat hay as well as good quality rabbit pellets to start with. You can introduce fresh foods once your bun bun has settled.
Refer to our Nutrition section for which foods are rabbit safe as well as specially balanced rabbit diet weekly menus.
You should have a good idea of what your new bunny needs by now, let’s just fill in this checklist to make sure you are well on your way to preparing for your first rabbit:
[checklist-box title="New Rabbit Preparation Checklist:" extraTitle="" extraUrl=""]
[/checklist-box]Remember to enjoy preparing for your new pet rabbit and look through the rest of our website for more expert rabbit care tips and advice. If you want to know more about rabbit habits, check out our article 'Are rabbits nocturnal'.