Bunny Basics 101

Is a bunny the right pet for me?
BEFORE you purchase a pet rabbit, here are a few questions to ask yourself
to help determine if a bunny is the right pet for you and your family.

• Does your schedule consistently provide ample time to feed/clean/exercise/socialize a bunny DAILY?
  
• Are you prepared to spend $300+ to spay or neuter your bunny to help it bond with your indoor family? 
• Do you understand that bunnies do not make ideal pets or "responsibility teachers" for young children and are more work than a hamster or guinea pig that can simply be contained in a cage at all times?
  
• Are you willing to provide high quality pellets and timothy hay to protect your bunny's sensitive digestive system?
• If you have dogs or other indoor pets, are you prepared to slowly introduce them to your new bunny and provide safe hiding places for your bunny?
• Do you have someone who can feed/play with your bunny when you're on vacations?
• Have you and your family interacted with bunnies to make sure there are no issues with allergies?

Until you can answer "YES!" to ALL of the above questions, it would be best not to pursue a pet rabbit.

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5 BUNNY FACTS:
1. Bunnies' teeth are constantly growing, so they need plenty of hay, wood toys, boxes, and other chew toys to keep their teeth filed down properly.  Your house will need bunny-proofed!

2. A rabbit's digestive system is very sensitive, and they can't vomit hairballs like cats.  It's essential to give endless hay and supplement with high-fiber pellets to push hair through the GI tract.

3. GI Stasis is probably the biggest threat to pet bunnies.  If your bunny ever stops eating, is crouched like a meatloaf, and has no interest in favorite treats like cilantro or parsley, it is an emergency.  Take him/her to a bunny-savvy vet immediately and/or attempt a tummy massage to dislodge gas and syringe feed fluids like Sherwood's SARx Rescue Apetite Restore.

4. Bunnies can live 8-10 years!  Yes, they're cute, fluffy, and sound simple in theory, but they are a serious commitment of a daily responsibility for the next 8+ years.  A decision of this magnitude deserves serious thought and research.

5. Bunnies DO NOT NEED a rabbit companion.  You are plenty of a companion for your rabbit, but if you insist upon a bonded pair, the biggest mistake is to get two at once.  Many people find that one bunny is plenty to care for.  Two bunnies would require $300 (x2) for spaying/neutering and separate cages if bonding isn't successful.  Begin to contemplate a second bunny AFTER your first has been spayed/neutered.

Sample Daily Bunny Routine:

7:00 AM - Feed 1/8 cup Sherwood free-feed pellets, refill hay, check water.  Encourage bunny to hop about (free roam or exercise pen).
Home during the day?  Let your bunny play!

6:00 PM - Offer a cup of leafy greens for adult bunnies (optional).  Feed 1/8 cup Sherwood free-feed pellets if dish is near empty, refill hay, check water.  Clean litter box if needed and vacuum poop (if solid floor cage).

Evening - Playtime!  Allow bunny to play freely in a small room (if not totally litter trained - spaying/neutering helps with this) or in an exercise pen inside or outside.  Don't allow bunny to play on chemically-treated grass or during hot days.  Well-trained bunnies often get the run of several rooms in the evenings. 

Bedtime - Spend a few minutes holding your bunny in your lap before putting him/her back in the cage for the night.  Gently pet and talk soothingly to him/her. 

*When do rabbits sleep?*
Rabbits are crepuscular, meaning they are usually most active at dawn and dusk as in the wild.  These are the best times to play with your bunny.
Their largest naps are during the day and middle of the night, so a bunny in your bedroom might keep you awake if you have an early bedtime or like to sleep in.

What supplies do I need?
Large cage
Water bottle
Food dish
Hay rack or toilet paper tube
Brush
Nail trimmers
Litter box
Quality pellets & hay (We use Small Pet Select hay)
Sherwood's SARx Rescue Appetite Restore & infant gas drops

Read our BUNNY CARE page for more info.

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The Scoop on Poop:
Bunnies have two main types of poop - dry balls (or turds, if you will) and grape-like clusters of tiny, moist, shiny poo balls called cecotropes.  Both are normal!
Being hind-gut fermenters, bunnies need to eat all or most of their cecotropes kind of like we consume probiotics.  You'll be disgusted when you first catch your bunny scarfing down poop, but it's usually at night while you sleep.  Extra cecotropes often get smashed on the cage floor or occasionally on your bunny, but your bunny will groom these and does not need a bath.  Excessive cecotropes scattered all over the cage floor can be a sign of an imbalance, and you may wish to consult your vet.
Diarrhea, in contrast, is like watery toothpaste and is an emergency that constitutes a trip to your bunny vet.  If your bunny is still eating well, a strict hay-only diet for a few days may help, but this is often a sign of a severe digestive imbalance such as the beginning of GI stasis or other illness.  It's best to see your vet if this should happen.
Read our Rabbit Health page for more information!

What treats can I feed my bunny?
The safest answer is NO TREATS until closer to six months when your bunny's digestive system is more mature.  However, most young bunnies can tolerate small amounts if you're watchful for any mushy poop.  Our babies nibble their mom's leafy greens, and I tell my customers they can continue a thumb-sized piece of green daily (if their bunny tolerates it) and slowly work up to about 1/2 cup of greens daily by 6 months.  Daily greens/treats truly are optional, as quality pellets and free-feed hay are the only necessities.  Treats are best fed in the morning so that your bunny is more likely to eat plenty of hay while grazing at night.
Healthy treats to include in your daily mix (organic if possible):
leaf lettuce/kale
dandelion greens/flowers
cilantro/parsley/basil
plantain herb from untreated lawns (free food!)
old-fashioned oats, NOT quick cook oats (can add just a FEW oats on top of pellets)
quarter-sized banana slice (sparingly)
few berries (sparingly)
NO GASSY VEGGIES LIKE CABBAGE, BROCCOLI, OR CAULIFLOWER!

Benefits of Spaying or Neutering your Bunny:

*More complete litter training.  Bunnies are territorial and use their poop and urine to mark their territory.
*Discourages hormonal behaviors.  This includes excessive digging, grumpiness, spraying, and overall hyperactivity.
*Reduced reproductive cancers.
*Increased ability to bond with another bunny.
*Usually helps your bunny's previously mellow demeanor and cuddliness return. 
*PREVENTS UNPLANNED PREGNANCY!  It takes less than 10 seconds for a male rabbit to impregnate a female.  Female rabbits don't have regular cycles and can get pregnant at any time.  Take a look at Sunny Jim & Molly in this video: 

Surgery certainly comes with risks, but if you find an experienced rabbit-savvy vet and request pain medicine for when bunny comes home from surgery, the procedure is generally favorable and well worth the risks.  Be prepared to spend $200-400 for the surgery and professional care, but the reward will be having a more lovable pet that is able to spend an abundance of time with you and your family.
Spaying or neutering a rabbit is usually performed when the bunny is at least 5 to 6 months of age (or order if you can stand the hormonal behaviors that may be occurring)!

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Bunny Behaviors:
Binky - The first time you see a binky, you'll insist that a tiny crab on the ground must have pinched your bunny's bottom to make it leap and twist so oddly, but it really just means your bunny is happy.

Flop - You know how dogs circle an area and then plop down to relax or sleep?  Bunnies do something similar minus the circling and with a whole lot more spontaneous side-flopping.  If you ever catch your bunny post-flop, you'll check for signs of breathing, but the bunny is just super relaxed and likely sleeping. 

Thumping - Since bunnies can't curse verbally, they thump with their hind feet.  They thump if you don't feed them fast enough, they thump if you put them back into the cage too soon, they thump if they sense danger.  You have basically ticked off your bunny.  It's sometimes fun to stomp your foot in response and wait for a reply. 

Turning his/her back - Like thumping, this is usually in response to something you've done that has upset your bunny, and you are getting the silent treatment.

Tooth Purr - Pet your bunny's head gently, and watch his/her mouth.  Do you begin to see a gentle chomping motion?  That is basically bunny purring, though you don't usually hear much of a sound. 

Growling/Lunging - Some bunnies, usually does (girl bunnies), get cage defensive around 3-6 months old and don't like you reaching your hands into her territory.  It's best to remove your bunny before cleaning the cage and scheduling her to be spayed ASAP.  It usually takes a few weeks post surgery for the hormones to subside.  If she's too young for spaying, then make sure to firmly press her head down when negative behavior occurs and say, "No!" firmly.  Desensitizing her by wearing a glove and invading her space can be helpful for some bunnies too.

Mounting/Spraying - Some bucks (boy bunnies) can't control their urges and mount things: other bunnies, stuffed animals, your feet, and can spray as well, though this is usually only a problem if you have other bunnies in the vicinity.  Neutering is really the best way to deal with both issues.

Will a bunny get along with dogs and cats?
Most of the time, it's possible to integrate a pet rabbit into a household with cats and/or gentle dogs.  However, please remember that rabbits are PREY ANIMALS and will naturally be scared of anything perceived as a predator.  Try providing your bunny with a few days of relative peace and quiet at first and then slowly introduce other pets from a distance.  Take your cues from the bunny as to whether to continue or stop introductions.  It is imperative that your bunny has a safe place if he/she becomes scared.  A tunnel or cardboard box with a small hole should work.  Give your bunny a hideout in each of his/her play areas.  It may be necessary to keep the cage up high away from dogs or cats and provide safe elevated hiding places as well.  Always have a "plan b" such as placing the bunny's cage in an area of the home where the other pets don't go often like a basement, laundry room, or even a garage in extreme cases. 

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• Heat/sun is very stressful to bunnies and can kill them.
  
• Provided shade (and a box or two for hiding) and allow to play during mild weather only (approx. 45-80 degrees).
• An dog exercise pen at least 30" tall with full or partial shade is ideal.
• Do not allow your bunny to play on grass that has been recently treated with chemicals.  An organic lawn is best!
• A porch or covered patio is ideal.
• Be mindful of predators such as hawks, dogs, raccoons, etc.
• 1 to 2 hours of exercise outside is plenty.
  

Can bunnies play outside?
Yes, but here are a few facts to know:

Helpful bunny websites:
Hickory Ridge Hollands - Awesome resource about bunny behavior!
The Nature Trail - Everything you want to know about bunnies.  TONS of great info!
Hook's Hollands: Bunny Care - Specific bunny supplies we use and where to buy them.
KW Cages Bunny Villas - Our favorite bunny cages.
Small Pet Select - High quality rabbit hay delivered to your doorstep.
Sherwood - The bunny food we use.  Also have baby bunny food available.

Does my Bunny Need a Friend?

Don't be fooled by the adorable pictures on social media of two bunnies cuddling peacefully or grooming one another.  That bond likely took weeks or months to achieve and is certainly not the outcome in all attempted pairings.  If you provide your bunny with plentiful daily interaction, he/she will likely form a close bond with you and be quite happy.  Bunnies like to have their own space, and sharing it with another bunny is only potentially possible when the hormones are addressed through spaying/neutering.  I do believe bunnies prefer having a mate however, but this isn't possible in all situations.

For those uncertain about what having a pet rabbit entails, I recommend starting with ONE BUNNY, getting it spayed/neutered, and later adding either a baby or another spayed/neutered rabbit (perhaps from a shelter). Having separate living quarters is essential at first and as a backup plan if bonding is not successful.  If possible, visit a local shelter with your spayed/neutered rabbit to select a potential mate.

Want to read more?  View Bonding Bunnies page!

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Informational Bunny Videos: